Making Effective Presentations CSCI 327 Social Implications of Computing

LAW #1 Know Your Audience don't talk over them don't talk beneath them know what they want to know Q: Why is this important? A: People are easily annoyed and easily bored.

LAW #2 Be Prepared If I am here to listen to you, then the least you could do is show up ready to talk. "prepared" ≠ "memorized"  know your subject  know your main points  have examples ready

LAW #3 1.Tell them what you are going to tell them. 2.Tell them. 3.Tell them what you told them. Q: Why is this important? A: People are generally happier when they know what to expect and get what they expected.

Create a Story that Flows Tell them what you are going to tell them.  "The purpose of my presentation is to... and what I want you to learn is..." Tell them.  Do not just throw facts at the audience, mix in examples and stories, use pictures, etc. Tell them what you told them.  "And so the main point(s) of all that was..."  "The take-away message is..." digest the material for them You are not giving a lecture. The purpose of a professor's lecture is to throw facts at you that you will later go back and review in order to digest the material. Your audience will not be thinking about your topic later, so digest it for them right now. Be blunt.

Stage Presence Speak louder than you think you really need to, but don't shout. Pause briefly every now and then. Listening to someone talk fast without breathing for 15 minutes makes me tired too. Have fun, but don't trivialize the experience. Pay attention to the clock. avoid rushing through the conclusion, which usually contains the main point

Overcoming Stage Fright Know the first four minutes really well.  after a good start, it gets easier maybe memorize the first two minutes  after a bad start, it stays difficult Look just over the top of their heads. Remember that the audience is listening to your words more than they are counting dirty spots on your shirt.

Using PowerPoint Don't just read the slides. Pictures are very good. Time permitting, a short video that illustrates a difficult concept might be appropriate. White space is your friend. see next slide Avoid small fonts and long sentences.

Using PowerPoint Don't just read the slides. Pictures are very good.  Time permitting, a short video that illustrates a difficult concept may be good. White space is your friend.  see previous slide Avoid small fonts and long sentences.

The Purpose of PowerPoint PowerPoint is an aid to the listener. Your PowerPoint slides should not be your script.  Be able to give your presentation without the slides.  If everything is on the slides, why are you talking? Just hand them out and we'll read it for ourselves.

Common Presentation Mistakes Being Boring! fix: tell me why this is useful fix: tell a story that illustrates the point Standing in Front of the Projector Getting Lost in the Outline Talking to just One Person Moving Around Too Much Being a Statue

How to Prepare: 1.decide on the main points 2.make an outline that leads to those points 3.create the slides 4.format the slides (fonts, colors, pictures, …) 5.practice 6.reorganize the presentation & reformat the slides 7.practice with and without the slides 8.practice, practice, practice 9.wait a few days 10.practice

Rubric to Assess Oral Communication 3 Sophisticated2 Competent1 Not Yet Competent Organization Presentation is clear, logical and organized. Listener can follow line of reasoning. Presentation is generally clear and well organized. A few minor points may be confusing. Listener can follow presentation only with effort. Some arguments are not clear. Organization seems haphazard. Style Level of presentation is appropriate for the audience. Presentation is a planned conversation, paced for audience understanding. It is not a reading of a paper. Speaker is clearly comfortable in front of the group and can be heard by all. Level of presentation is generally appropriate. Pacing is sometimes too fast or slow. The presenter seems slightly uncomfortable at times, and the audience occasionally has trouble hearing him/her. Aspects of presentation are too elementary or too sophisticated for audience. Presenter seems uncomfortable and can be heard only if listener is very attentive. Much of the information is read. stolen from the Winthrop GNED program

Use of communication aids Communication aids enhance the presentation. They are prepared a professional manner Font on visuals is large enough to be seen by all. Information is organized to maximize audience understanding. Details are minimized so that main points stand out. Communication aids contribute to the quality of the presentation. Font size is appropriate for reading. Appropriate information is included. Some material is not supported by visual aids. Communication aids are poorly prepared or used inappropriately. Font is too small to be easily seen. Too much information is included. Unimportant material is highlighted. Listeners may be confused. Depth of content Speaker provides an accurate and complete explanation of key concepts and theories, drawing upon relevant literature. Applications of theory are included to illuminate issues. Listeners gain insights. For the most part, explanations of concepts and theories are accurate and complete. Some helpful applications are included. Explanations of concepts and/or theories are inaccurate or incomplete. Little attempt is made to tie theory to practice. Listeners gain little from the presentation.

Grammar and word choice Sentences are complete and grammatical, and they flow together easily. Words are chosen for their precise meaning. For the most part, sentences are complete and grammatical, and they flow together easily. With a few exceptions, words are chosen for their precise meaning. Listeners can follow the presentation, but they are distracted by some grammatical errors and use of slang. Some sentences are incomplete/hauling, and/ or vocabulary is somewhat limited or inappropriate. Personal appearance Personal appearance is completely appropriate for the occasion and the audience. Personal appearance is generally appropriate for the occasion and audience. However, some aspects of appearance reflect a lack of sensitivity to nuances of the occasion or expectations of the audience. Personal appearance is inappropriate for the occasion and audience. Verbal interaction Consistently clarifies, restates, and responds to questions. Summarizes when needed. Generally responds to audience comments and questions. Misses some opportunities for interaction. Responds to questions inadequately

Summary  Know your Audience  Be Prepared  Tell what you are going to tell them, …  Style Matters