Presentation skills

Preparing a presentation Decide the objectives, what do you want to achieve? Analyse the audience, what do they want? Gather and review your material Select the essentials; discard unimportant details Plan timing Prepare notes Rehearse

Three main parts Introduction  Main body  Conclusion Introduction Establish rapport; include/involve the audience Explain your plan Set the scene and explain why what you have to say matters to the audience

Three main parts Main body Deliver your message Develop your arguments Support with facts, evidence, examples Key ideas and facts presented in logical structure

Three main parts Conclusion Repeat main points Emphasise message Tie together individual points in main body Leave the audience with positive feelings

Visual aids Visual aids can greatly enhance learning BUT: K eep ItIt S hort and S imple (not like this!)

Top tips Don’t try to get too much on the screen at once If you do try to get too much on at once no one will be able to read it Try to use 24pt or above at all times Try not to have too many separate points on one slide Restrict yourself to only about 5 items at most Try to make sure each items is no more than 2 lines long at the most because if you make them very much longer than that it becomes increasingly difficult for people to follow what it is you are trying to say and they will give up trying to read the slides at all If you can still read this now at the back of the room, you must have very good eyesight This is getting very silly now but I will keep on adding a couple more lines so this gets really small How much more can I possibly get in just to make a point I hope that you can see that this is a really bad slide! It certainly seems pretty awful to me This is an example of how not to do it!

Top tips Don’t try to get too much on the screen at once Make sure your audience can read it Consider introducing points one at a time Don’t just read the OHP/slide

Doing it! Make sure material is well organised Get to know it really well Visualise yourself delivering a successful presentation Rehearse standing up and with all visual aids

Doing it! Breathe deeply before starting to speak Relax with simple techniques Remember that your audience are on your side and want to like what you do

Capturing your audience Reach out to them; make it all Us instead of Us and Them Vary your voice (volume, emphasis, pace) Project without shouting Pause until it hurts

Capturing your audience Bring the material to life with examples, analogies, anecdotes Stay relaxed by moving Keep good eye contact

Common Problems Nerves Screen gazing Note reading Voice dropping Personal mannerisms