1. HOW TO GIVE AN Effective ORAL PRESENTATION
Professor Phillip Nagley
The actual topic is speaking and writing in Science

2. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Content
Audiovisual aids
Delivery

3. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
GOOD ORGANISATION AND WELL PREPARED VISUAL AIDS ARE TWO OF THE THREE ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

4. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Content
Audiovisual aids
Delivery

5. Presentation skills

6. Voice projection
The audience must hear you clearly … especially those sitting at the back!
Project your voice to an imaginary person standing at the back wall of the room

7. Eye contact
Look up at the audience…. … not at your notes … not at your shoes
Direct your attention to that imaginary person standing at the back wall of the room

8. Posture Stand upright… … not hunched
Hands should be in use for the talk… … not in pockets … not behind your back
Face the audience… …don’t turn your back on them, especially when pointing to the screen
You are telling them a story!

9. Gestures Use your hands to make points
Bodily movements help to keep the audience interested
It’s like having a conversation with someone … … that imaginary person?

10. Mannerisms Avoid distracting mannerisms
This applies to involuntary hand movements … … or to bodily movements
Watch other people give lectures or seminars and you’ll see some strange things!

11. Position Stand so the audience can see you
Don’t stand between the projector and the screen… … if you cast a giant shadow
Avoid blocking the view of a substantial proportion of the audience
Be aware of the needs of the audience, at all times

12. Enthusiasm Look and act interested… …but don’t overdo it!
Be positive in your approach
If you don’t look interested, your audience can hardly be expected to be motivated to listen to the talk

13. Voice modulation
Don’t speak in a monotone… … vary voice and expression
Keep your audience interested
You can use voice modulation to:
emphasise important points
indicate uncertainties
insert a bit of humour
Monotonous presentation can be wrongly interpreted as lack of enthusiasm!

14. Use of notes Don’t read from prepared text
Avoid reading the words straight off a slide
Use your notes as prompts or reminders
The slides will contain cues to help you explain and elaborate

15. Just talk at a natural pace
Speed of speech
Don’t talk too fast… … the audience needs to be able to follow
Don’t talk too slowly … … the audience may get distracted or even sleepy
Just talk at a natural pace

16. Clarity of expression Avoid abbreviations or lab jargon
If you think your work is very specialised, briefly explain basic concepts … … in terms of the make-up of the audience
Ask yourself if the audience can be reasonably expected to understand the terms you are using

17. Use of pointing devices
Point to the specific part of the slide you are talking about
Avoid vague waving of the pointer in the general direction of the screen
When using a laser pointer, you may need to hold it in two hands to avoid the “shakes”
Why bother to make elegant visual aids if you don’t use the material properly?

18. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse…
Speed of presentation
Move through in a well-paced manner
Give each slide its due time but not more than is needed
Make sure the audience can keep up
Avoid overly long Introductions … … you may have to rush the results and conclusions (losing the take home message!)
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse…

19. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
GOOD ORGANISATION
WELL PREPARED VISUAL AIDS
INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING PRESENTATION
ARE THE THREE ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION