Successful Presentations A guide to preparing and delivering your presentation and avoiding common problems.

Overview ● Preparation ● The presenter ● Basics of delivery ● Organization of slides ● Style of slides

Team Preparation ● Write a draft of your term paper first. – Identify the main focus and write an introduction. – Each team member should write one section. – Use section and paragraph headings. ● Assemble a bibliography for the whole paper. – Include any print or electronic references. – Author, title, publisher or URL, date. – Alphabetize by author and number the entries.

Preparing your Subtopic ● Make a title page and for your topic. Use color. ● Choose three ideas to present. – Make a page for each idea that says what you are going to talk about. – Make more pages the explain each idea. – Fill in the details. Focus on what is important. – Add graphs, tables, and pictures. ● Put phrases on the slide, keep more extensive notes on paper, in case you need them. ● Add bibliographic references at bottom of slide.

The Team Presentation ● Use any presentation package. ● Make a title page for the whole team. – Put your names on it. – Use some artwork or color. ● Integrate the individual parts. – Make an overview page for the entire team. – Add an introduction – Add a summary. ● Put the bibliography on the last page. ● Bring 2 e-copies of your talk on presentation day.

The Presenter ● Dress for a job interview: – Neat – Conservative, avoid distracting clothing. – Not too much jewelry or makeup. ● Practice your delivery on your roommates! – Make sure you can finish in 10 minutes! ● Prepare a quiz question covering your part. – Give this to the teacher when you arrive.

Presentation Basics ● Project your voice. – Face your audience at all times. – Look at the power point on the monitor. – If you need your notes, look down briefly. ● Don't rush. – If you get nervous, pause and take a breath. – Try to smile. Add a little humor if you have a chance. ● Use formal English. ● Don't read your slides. – Follow the slides, but add more detail.

Slide Layout ● Wall to wall words are not effective. – Identify main ideas and subideas. – Put each main idea on a separate slide. – Indent the sub-ideas. – Add extra spacing around each main idea. ● Keep each bullet as brief as possible. – But use correct grammar. – Limit the number of bullets on a page. – Be prepared to say more about each bullet item.

Style ● Use good taste in everything. – You may use a subtle patterned background – Choose colors that are not “electric”. – Avoid distracting effects. ● Add relevant pictures or graphics. – Avoid irrelevant decoration. ● Use a consistent style for entire presentation. – Each team member may choose his/her color.

Summary ● Be prepared. ● Be dignified. ● Be clear. ● Be interesting! ● Be careful of grammar, spelling. ● Be confident when you speak. – You are in front of friends. – Smile ' : ) ● Start on time and finish on time.