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Oral presentation guidelines

1.Organising the content

a.Introduction

Capture your listeners’ attention: Begin with a question, a funny story, a startling comment, or anything that will make them think.

-State your purpose; for example:
‘I’m going to talk about...’
‘This morning I want to explain…’

-Present an outline of your talk; for example:
‘I will concentrate on the following points: First of all…Then…
This will lead to… And finally…’

b.The Body

-Present your main points one by one in logical order.

-Pause at the end of each point (give people time to take notes, or time to think about what you are saying).

-Make it absolutely clear when you move to another point. For example:
‘The next point is that ...’
‘OK, now I am going to talk about ...’
‘Right. Now I'd like to explain ... ’
‘Of course, we must not forget that ...’
‘However, it's important to realise that...’

-Use clear examples to illustrate your points.

c.The Conclusion

-It is very important to leave your audience with a clear summary of everything you have covered.

-Make it obvious that you have reached the end of the presentation.

-Summarise the main points again, using phrases like:
‘To sum up...’
‘So, in conclusion...’
‘OK, to recap the main points…’

-Restate the purpose of your talk, and say that you have achieved your aim:
‘I think you can now see that...’
‘My intention was ..., and it should now be clear that ...’

-Thank the audience, and invite questions:
‘Thank you. Are there any questions?’

2.Delivering your presentation

-Talk to your audience, don't read to them! A presentation is not the same as an essay.

-If you read out your presentation as if it were an essay, your audience will probably understand very little and will lose concentration quickly.

-Speak to the audience. Include everyone by looking at them and maintaining eye-contact (but don't stare or glare at people).

a.Watch your language!

-Keep it simple. The aim is to communicate, not to show off your vocabulary.

-Emphasise the key points—and make sure people realise which are the key points. Repeat them using different phrasing.

b.Use your voice to communicate clearly

-Speak loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear you. This may feel uncomfortably loud at first, but if people can't hear you, they won't listen.

-Speak slowly and clearly.Don’t rush! Speaking fast doesn’t make you seem smarter, it will only make it harder for other people to understand you.

-Key words are important. Speak them out slowly and loudly.

-Vary your voice quality. If you always use the same volume and pitch (for example, all loud, or all soft, or in a monotone) your audience will switch off.

-Slow down for key points.

-Use pauses—don't be afraid of short periods of silence. (They give you a chance to gather your thoughts, and your audience a chance to think.)

c.Use your body to communicate, too!

-Stand straight and comfortably.

-Hold your head up. Look around and make eye-contact with people in the audience. Do not just address the lecturer! Do not stare at a point on the carpet or the wall. If you don't include the audience, they won't listen to you.

-When you are talking to your friends, you naturally use your hands, your facial expression, and your body to add to your communication. Do it in your presentation as well. It will make things far more interesting for the audience.

-Don't turn your back on the audience!

d.Interact with the audience

-Be aware of how your audience is reacting. Are they interested or bored? If they look confused, ask them why. Stop if necessary and explain a point again.

3.So you are nervous…

-The first few times you make a presentation, you will be nervous. That's quite a good thing—a bit of adrenalin often helps you to perform well.

-However, to make sure that your nervousness does not become a problem, here are some things to consider:

-Smile! Your audience will react warmly to you if you smile and at least look relaxed.

-Treat your audience like friends.

-Confess that you are nervous! Your audience will be very sympathetic—they know how you are feeling.

-Breathe deeply. It will calm you down and help to control the slight shaking that you might get in your hands and your voice.

-Be well-prepared. Practise giving your talk

-Be organised. If you are well organised, your task will be easier.

-Slow down! When people are nervous, they tend to get confused easily. So your mind may start to race, and you may feel panicky. Make use of pauses: force yourself to stop at the end of a sentence, take a breath, and think before you continue.

-Remember: The way you perform is the way your audience will feel. Giving an oral presentation is a performance—you have to be like an actor. If you act the part of someone enjoying themselves and feeling confident, you will not only communicate these positive feelings to the audience, you will feel much better, too.

-Check if the audience is still with you.
‘Does that make sense?’
‘Is that clear?’

(Adapted from the Academic Skills Program of the University of Canberra. Link.)