Pumped up for Presentations!

By JMac

Ode to my good friend…

Agenda

• Time to Stand Up!

• Developing presentation confidence

• Review presentation outlines

• Powerpoint guidelines

• Housekeeping issues

Developing Presentation Confidence

Confidence & Poise

• Stand Up!• Direct eye contact • Shoulders back • Hands out of pockets • Identify & eliminate nervous

tendencies • No presentation “crutches”

Confidence & Clarity

• YOU ARE THE EXPERT IN THE ROOM

• Worked on this topic all semester

• Speak with conviction

• No reading– Use Powerpoint as notes

• No presentation is perfect – don’t stress

• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Powerpoint example

• Ted Daeschler

• Assistant Curator at Academy of Natural Sciences

• Chair, Vertebrate Zoology

Confidence & Appearance

• Perception is reality• Never undermine message• Looking good = easy money• If you don’t take yourself seriously• Semi-formal!

– Gentlemen: Shirt, Tie, Jacket and dress pants• No jeans or sneakers

– Ladies: Semi-formal blouse with sweater or jacket• Skirt or dark dress pants

Confidence & Showtime

• Display your personality

• Engage your audience

• Use two audio-visual aides to help you

• Keep it under 20 minutes– Audience snores are not good

• Give ‘em the Razzle Dazzle!

Potential Presentation Outline

If Uncertain – Follow the

Thesis Based Research & Formal Proposal

Tell Your Story…

Introduction

• Grab the audience’s attention– Shock, Humor, Empathy, Thought

provoking???

• Give your audience a reason to pay attention– How will you make content relevant?

• Tell ‘em what you will tell ‘em– Presentation overview

• Set the stage for your presentation

Background Information

• Tell ‘em what you know

• Many different possible sources– Background research– Mentor discussions– Project experiences– Additional project research

• Sets stage for your conclusions

Thesis & Findings

• Tell ‘em what you think

• 5-6 slides focusing on findings & thesis– Each finding is separate slide– Pick most important 3-4 points of evidence– Prove your points to audience– Demonstrate your unique viewpoint

• Thesis: Before or after findings?– Your call

Project Plans

• Research answered the “why”

• Think about transition

• Now tell ‘em the “what”

• What was the project supposed to look like

• Specific vision & goals

• Outline of tasks

Project Results

• Tell ‘em what happened

• Results of the project

• Focus on:– What Happened?– What went right? – What went wrong?– Why it happened?– What did you learn from the experiences?

Tie it together

• Bring it back together

• Tie research into project

• Personal meaning here?

• How will you make content relevant?

Conclusion

• Tell ‘em what you already told ‘em

• Wrap up arguments / points of discussion

• Synthesize ideas into your own conclusions

• Extend audience’s knowledge – challenge

• Leave ‘em wanting more

Slide Guidelines

• Intro: 1-2 slides

• Background info: 1-3 slides (if necessary)

• Research: 5-6 slides

• Project plans: 2-3 slides

• Project results: 3-5 slides

• Conclusion: 1-3 slides

• TOTAL SLIDES: 13-20 Content slides

Powerpoint Guidelines

Slide Formatting

• Consistent Look & Feel– Powerpoint enhances unity of story

• Less is more– Simple, clean and attractive slides

• No distracting backgrounds

• Edit “Slide Master” before you begin

Audio-Visual

• Minimum of TWO A/V aides

• Meant to break presentation up

• Straight Powerpoint is BORING– Powerpoint ACCENTUATES verbal message

• How can resources help get your message across?

PresentationHousekeeping Issues

Schedule

• Powerpoint week before – Two class periods before rough draft

• Powerpoint rough draft – First week of May

• Presentation practice – After rough draft due

• Emphasis to work on powerpoint IN CLASS– Project work = OUT OF CLASS!

Day of presentation

• Come in at 2:30PM day before you present for test run

• Make sure powerpoint saved to network• Complete Project portfolio

– Demonstration of final products– Capture the growth over the semester– Hand in after you present

• Look sharp• Present with confidence