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CSIS
496 Senior Seminar Suggestions
For Giving An Oral Presentation 1. In
preparation, concentrate on "why" questions rather than
"how" questions. Why am I giving this talk? Why is this audience
interested in this topic? Ask yourself: a)
What is my purpose? (For example, am I reporting on a topic, am I arguing a
case, am I trying to change their opinion, etc.?) b)
Why am I talking to this audience about this topic? c)
What do I want them to know, think, do, or feel as a result of my talk? d)
Do I want to change their opinion on the subject? e)
What must I do in my presentation to achieve this? f)
Who will be listening to me? (i.e., who is the audience?) g)
How much do they know about my topic? (Don't always assume that they're
already familiar with the topic.) h)
What is their attitude about my topic? 2. Prepare
and then rehearse the presentation. Don't "wing it". Lack of
preparation is usually obvious to the audience. Get a friend to watch you
rehearse the presentation or rehearse in front of a mirror. 3. DO NOT
'READ' YOUR PRESENTATION TO THE AUDIENCE (either from visual aids or note
cards (see Items 10 and 11)). 4. Check
out the room ahead of time. Make sure you know how to operate any equipment
you'll be using and make sure it's working properly. 5. You'll
usually have a specific amount of time allotted for the presentation. Use it
wisely. Organization and format are critical, especially when the allotted
time is short. Be sure, through rehearsing, that your presentation fits the
time allotted. 6. YOU
MUST ADOPT this outline for your presentation. a)
INTRODUCTION - Give the title of the presentation, your name, and the names
of anyone else involved. (For example if you are presenting the work of a
team, identify the team members. If you are presenting a review of an
article, identify the author and source of the article.) b)
OVERVIEW (Purpose and scope) - Don't assume the audience is already familiar
with the topic. Give a brief description (i.e. an abstract). Jumping
immediately into details will quickly lose the audience. This is the time to
give your audience a reason to listen to you. c) BODY OF PRESENTATION - Have a specific
but limited number of points to cover; don't try to do too much. Make a
smooth, logical transition between points as well as between the introduction
and overview, the overview and the body, and the body and the conclusion. d)
CONCLUSION - Summarize key points, findings, or recommendations. e)
QUESTIONS - There may be a planned question and answer period to follow the
presentation. If not, allow a few minutes for questions. Don't be intimidated
or defensive; usually the questioner is genuinely interested and may even be
helping emphasize or clarify a point. Answer as best you can and don't be
afraid to say "I don't know". 7. Use the
speaking medium to its best advantage. Remember you are giving a talk, not a
written report. Use the strengths of oral speech. Give the big picture;
explain rationales; motivate the audience. Oral communication is a much more
natural, personal, human activity than is written communication. Talk to and
look at your audience. 8. Avoid
technical jargon unless you're sure it is familiar to the audience. Use
simple straightforward sentences. Explain clearly the real meaning of any
statistics, numbers, charts, or graphs that you use. 9. Include
your own opinions, observations, or perceptions. Personalize the topic to
your own (and/or the audience's) common experiences. 10. If
appropriate use visual aids to enhance the presentation but remember that
they're aids to your talk and shouldn't simply display the same words you're
speaking. They can be overhead transparencies, chalk/chalkboard, handouts,
slides, computer demonstration, or combinations of these. Visual aids can be
used to support, enhance, clarify subject matter and
to focus attention on major points. a)
They must be visible to the audience; they're not effective if your audience
can't see them. This is a common mistake in using a computer demonstration in
which the screen can be seen by only part of the audience or when the print
on overhead transparencies is too small or too light. Make sure your visual
aids are legible and large enough to be seen. b)
Make the message of each visual aid clear. Beware of including too much. Keep
them simple. c) DO NOT READ the visual aids; use them
to focus attention on key points. One of the quickest ways to lose your audience
is to read to them instead of speaking to them. 11. Most
presenters are nervous but it doesn't have to hurt the effectiveness of the
presentation. The audience will tolerate nervousness and, in fact, will tend
to "pull for you". They won't tolerate your disinterest or lack of
preparation. Give the audience the sense that you've got something to say;
that you want to be there. Some suggestions to help deal with your
nervousness: a)
Prepare. b)
Maintain eye contact. Look at and speak to the audience. c)
Move around as you speak; use some expression. Come out from behind the
podium. Don't lean on the podium or sit on the desk. Show that you're
interested. d)
Avoid nervous or annoying mannerisms and expressions. Rehearsing the
presentation will help reveal these. e)
If you use written notes then put them on index cards. They're less obvious
and avoid the effect of "nervous hands" shaking your notes and
distracting the audience. DO NOT READ your written notes to the audience. 12. Dress appropriately. If you are not sure what is appropriate then find out ahead of time. It's possible to be over-dressed and it's possible to be under-dressed. |