BS13310 Research and Communication Skills

Dr. Mike Winson

Presentation skills

Presenting information

Essay Lab report Web page (2nd year) Abstract Poster (or projected PowerPoint poster) Spoken presentation Group presentation PowerPoint presentation

Spoken presentations

PowerPoint presentation BS13310 research and communication

skills assignment Semester 2 (10% of module) Information retrieval and dissemination

techniques Similar approach to essay Group peer assessment

Key areas

Preparation The presentation Delivery Visual aids

Preparation

Know your subject! Identify objective of talk and audience 1 clear “message” Main points relating to the message Write out talk but do not “script” it. Cue cards? PRACTISE

The presentation

Introduce yourself and the talk What you will talk about -intro The subject –main body What you have spoken about – conclusion KEEP TO TIME Approx 1 minute per slide

5 minute talk = 5 slides +title and acknowledgement slide.

Presenting material - appearance

Be professional and look the part Arrive early Smile! Be enthusiastic Good posture Don’t chew gum Remove your hat

Presenting material - spoken

Speak clearly - avoid monotone and Vicky Pollard style language

Look up and face the audience Don’t rush Effective pauses Avoid blocking or talking to

screen

Posture & Gesticulation

Stand upright Use ‘body language’ Use hands (but not too much!) Reduce annoying habits Don’t fidget Look interested

Presenting material - slides

Keep it simple Summarize information (graphs / tables) Slides –less is better Use relevant headings Use standard slide design (why?) Be consistent Use appear / greying out for lists

Avoid too much information

It is very tempting to put all the information you would like to convey to the audience onto a single slide, especially if time is limited. Unfortunately you then just read from the slides rather than talking around the points you have presented on the slide. Summarise what you wish to say into a couple of words or very short sentence.

Summarise Use VISUAL CUES

Visual cues

• http://www.presentationhelper.co.uk/

Visual information

When presenting material

Introductory slide

Name, subject, module etc Set out your aims for the talk Assume the audience knows nothing Be organised & prepared Don’t apologise !

Presenting material

Avoid irrelevant subject material Restrict animation Colours Simple backgrounds Don’t go over time

Poor choice of colour combinations

Poor choice of colour combinationsPoor choice of colour combinations

Slides

Edit slides Consistency of font, slide layout etc. Spelling!

‘Take home message’

Summarise key points Acknowledgements if applicable Say ‘Thank you for listening’ Stay at the front Chairperson will ask for questions

Dealing with questions

Attempt to answer Don’t know the answer? Expand your answer (not just ‘Yes/No’) Can enter dialogue with questioner eg

‘Good point’ Do not argue –save it for later! Consider using a handout sheet Discuss future possibilities

Annoying things that are difficult to control

Reliability of computer equipment The web Latecomers Absentees Audience noise Audience asleep Mobile phones, iPods Computer Messaging etc etc

Continual improvement

Reducing ‘errs and erms’ Avoiding difficult words Not getting ahead of the slides Not relying on slides Not losing the plot!

Practice makes perfect

Take every opportunity to present

Extra information in: ‘Giving a spoken presentation’ Chapter 15 (p87) Reed et al Practical

Skills…

Remaining lectures

Careers Very important –even at this stage Register will be taken