How to Make a Good How to Make a Good PresentationPresentation

By Irina KoksharovaBy Irina Koksharova

IntroductionIntroduction

It is vitally important to be able to It is vitally important to be able to communicate your thoughts and ideas communicate your thoughts and ideas effectively, using a variety of tools and effectively, using a variety of tools and media. You will need to develop and media. You will need to develop and use this skill throughout your years in use this skill throughout your years in university; when you attend job university; when you attend job interviews and especially when you interviews and especially when you start working in the big wide world. start working in the big wide world.

Pros and cons of an outlinePros and cons of an outline

There are various opinions on whether a There are various opinions on whether a presentation should have an outline or presentation should have an outline or not:not:

Some believe that an outline is not Some believe that an outline is not necessary, as the presentation is a rather necessary, as the presentation is a rather short event to be outlined. On the other short event to be outlined. On the other hand, the outline is beneficial for both the hand, the outline is beneficial for both the presenter and the audience because of the presenter and the audience because of the following reasons.following reasons.

Pros and cons of an outlnePros and cons of an outlne

Presenter:Presenter:

• Helps logically Helps logically arrange ideas both arrange ideas both while preparing the while preparing the presentation and presentation and making itmaking it

Audience:Audience:

• Makes the Makes the structure of the structure of the presentation more presentation more transparent and transparent and logicallogical

• Facilitates the Facilitates the perception of the perception of the presentationpresentation

OutlineOutline

• Where to start?Where to start?

• PreparationsPreparations

• Parts of a presentationParts of a presentation

• AttentionAttention

• Practical tipsPractical tips

• ConclusionConclusion

• ReferencesReferences

Where to start?Where to start?

• The material of your presentation should be The material of your presentation should be concise, to the point and tell an interesting story.concise, to the point and tell an interesting story.

• Choose an interesting and initiating topic: Choose an interesting and initiating topic: If you are not thrilled about the topic why If you are not thrilled about the topic why

should others be?should others be?• Who? – the presentation target groupWho? – the presentation target group• What? – the essence of the presentation What? – the essence of the presentation • Why? – the aim of the presentationWhy? – the aim of the presentation• How? – the method of research usedHow? – the method of research used• So what? – the outcomes of the researchSo what? – the outcomes of the research

Preparing Preparing

• Background researchBackground research• Information selection – it is crucial to keep in Information selection – it is crucial to keep in

mind the fact that the presentation is mind the fact that the presentation is perceived auditory and thus, not all the data perceived auditory and thus, not all the data from your research can be included therefrom your research can be included there

• Information organisation – the main Information organisation – the main requirement is that the presentation is requirement is that the presentation is logically structured, to a certain extent logically structured, to a certain extent creates a suspence and tells a fascinating creates a suspence and tells a fascinating storystory

• Deciding on the equipementDeciding on the equipement

Parts of a presentationParts of a presentation

• TitleTitle

• OutlineOutline

• IntroductionIntroduction

• Main body: background, methods, Main body: background, methods, results, analysis, etc.results, analysis, etc.

• ConclusionsConclusions

• ReferencesReferences

AttentionAttention

• Who are you addressing? – it is essential to keep in mind Who are you addressing? – it is essential to keep in mind the target audience for the presentation, their background the target audience for the presentation, their background knowledge, interests, etc.knowledge, interests, etc.

• Audience attention curve – it has been scinetifically proven Audience attention curve – it has been scinetifically proven that the attention of the audience is at its tops only at the that the attention of the audience is at its tops only at the very beginning and the very end of the presentation and is very beginning and the very end of the presentation and is dramatically low in between (see the next slide for dramatically low in between (see the next slide for illustration)illustration)

• Techniques to wake up the audience:Techniques to wake up the audience: - questions- questions - variation of activities- variation of activities - logical transparent structure- logical transparent structure - visuals- visuals

ATTENTION CURVEATTENTION CURVE

Practical information:Practical information:

• Number of slides: equals the number of Number of slides: equals the number of minutes (excluding the title, outline, minutes (excluding the title, outline, reference, “thank you” slides, as well as reference, “thank you” slides, as well as the pictures and graphs you are not the pictures and graphs you are not planning to substentially comment on)planning to substentially comment on)

• It is important to calculate the length of It is important to calculate the length of the video and audion files you intend to the video and audion files you intend to include into the presentation.include into the presentation.

• The most common length of a presentation The most common length of a presentation is approximately 20 min – thus, the is approximately 20 min – thus, the number of slides should rarely exceed 25.number of slides should rarely exceed 25.

Practical information:Practical information:

• Font size: 32 (44 - headlines)Font size: 32 (44 - headlines)• Font style: Arial, Times New RomanFont style: Arial, Times New Roman• Background: contrastiveBackground: contrastive• Not too much text on the slideNot too much text on the slide• Handouts – you may include important Handouts – you may include important

references, complicated graphs and tables, references, complicated graphs and tables, as well as long quotations into a handoutas well as long quotations into a handout

• Small cards for the presenter - it is Small cards for the presenter - it is advisable to write only key phrases on the advisable to write only key phrases on the card but not the whole text of a card but not the whole text of a presentation.presentation.

Things to remember - Things to remember - PreparationPreparation

- spelling and grammarspelling and grammar

- equipmentequipment

- alternative modes of savingalternative modes of saving

Things to remember - Things to remember - PresentationPresentation

• Light – there should be enough light in the Light – there should be enough light in the room to prevent people from “falling asleep”room to prevent people from “falling asleep”

• Posture – standing throughout the Posture – standing throughout the presentation gives the presenter more power presentation gives the presenter more power over the audience and enhances hir or her over the audience and enhances hir or her self-confidenceself-confidence

• Eye-contact – addressing the audience and Eye-contact – addressing the audience and maintaining the eye-contact improves the maintaining the eye-contact improves the general impression of the presentation general impression of the presentation

Things to remember - Things to remember - PresentationPresentation• Body language:Body language: - folded hands – defensive posture, negative - folded hands – defensive posture, negative

signalssignals - open hands and smile – friendliness, positive - open hands and smile – friendliness, positive

signalssignals• Tone of voice – the audience should not make an Tone of voice – the audience should not make an

effort to hear the presentereffort to hear the presenter• NO READING! – reading the text of the NO READING! – reading the text of the

presentation makes it really difficult to follow as presentation makes it really difficult to follow as the pauses are not long enough, the tone of voice the pauses are not long enough, the tone of voice is monotonous, the eye-contact – minimal, and, is monotonous, the eye-contact – minimal, and, therefore, the presentation is boringtherefore, the presentation is boring

ConclusionsConclusions

Success is directly related to the Success is directly related to the time and effort spent on preparation, time and effort spent on preparation, knowledge of the subject, and self- knowledge of the subject, and self- confidence!confidence!

GOOD LUCK!GOOD LUCK!

ReferencesReferences

• N/A. 1999. “Communication Skills - N/A. 1999. “Communication Skills - making oral presentations” Available atmaking oral presentations” Available at http://http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/Tips/preslorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/Tips/present/comms.htment/comms.htm. . Last accessed April 2007Last accessed April 2007

• N/A. 1998-2006. “Presentation Tips for N/A. 1998-2006. “Presentation Tips for Public Speaking” Available at Public Speaking” Available at http://www.aresearchguide.com/3tips.hthttp://www.aresearchguide.com/3tips.htmlml. Last accessed April 2007 . Last accessed April 2007

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!ATTENTION!

Now answer the questions Now answer the questions belowbelow