Perfect Presentations

Learning Outcomes -Examine how you can plan and deliver an effective presentation.

It is essential to plan the content for an effective presentation. Research the topic thoroughly so you have a solid knowledge of what you are talking about. If you are working in a group, make sure everyone knows what the task is. Planning

Make sure your presentation has… An introduction stating what you are going to cover and the route the presentation will take. Details of the topic presented in a smooth, linking order. A concluding summary of the main points. An opportunity for the audience to ask questions if appropriate.

Practice! Rehearse your presentation and time yourself to make sure it fits into the allocated time allowed. If it is too long it is better to cut out material rather than try to rush through speaking. Read it out loud as many times as you can and try and do it to an audience if possible! The more you practice, the more confident you will become.

Don’t read from a script or straight from the screen as this will make your presentation dull and monotonous. Create prompt cards with a few trigger words on each card. Use a large font so you can just glance down at them. Number the cards to ensure you are using them in the correct order to match what is on your slides. Delivery

Make eye contact with the audience and never turn your back on them. Speak slowly and clearly, pausing between points or slides to give the audience time to process the information. Engage with the Audience Maybe take a bottle of water too!

You may want to provide your audience with hand-outs (maybe print-outs of your slides) to accompany your presentation. Think about when you want to give these to your audience… if you give them out at the start the audience may be less likely to then focus fully on your presentation. Hand-outs?

Using Technology Technology should enhance your presentation – use it wisely! Make sure your font is not too small. Do not overload your slides with too much information – 4 or 5 bullet points per slide is enough, and then you can talk around and expand those points when you are presenting. Always save a backup!