How to give effective professional and academic presentations

Eleni Tsiartsioni MPhil Trinity College Dublin, IrelandPhD CandidateAristotle University of Thessaloniki

Thursday 22 May 2008University of Macedonia, Department of Technology Management, Naousa

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Structure of this presentation

1. Preparing the presentation

2. Performing the presentation

3. Giving feedback

4. Observation of presentations

5. Workshop

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A. PREPARING THE PRESENTATION

‘In all things success depends on previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure’

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Stages of the preparation

1. Why

2. Who

3. What

4. How

5. Where and when

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Why? The General Purpose

To informTo persuade

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Why? The Specific Purpose

The result you want to achieve

State it in one sentence- clearly and concisely

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Examples of purposes…

To inform the audience about the benefits of using a particular system

To tell the audience about new procedures

To persuade the audience to support a project

To persuade the audience to use our services

To ‘sell’ our company to the audience

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Who? Complete an audience profile:

Who are they? How many? Why are they coming? What do they know about the

subject?Why are they interested in the

subject?What is their relationship to you?

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What?

‘Three things matter in a speech; who says it, how it is said and what is said- and of the three, the last matters least’.

John Morley

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What? Presentation outlineGood Organisation:

Helps you rememberHelps them rememberHelps them understandHelps you to keep the

pointHelps you to reduce

nervousness

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The Beginning

Capture interestRelate subject to

themGive purposeBe brief

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The Middle

Have 3 or 4 main points (they will not remember more than 4 points!)

Take 80% of the timeHave signposts and

summaries

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The Ending

Summarise the main points

Relate conclusion to them

Don’t present new ideasBe interestingBe brief

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How?

1. Key words

2. Rehearsal

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How? Keywords

Use index cardsPrint in big capitalsOnly keywordsNumber cardsUse colour coding

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How? Rehearsals

Rehearsal is the most important part of preparing

Run through your presentation at least twice

Check timing

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How? Fears…

Fear of saying or doing something foolish

Failure of equipmentNot being able to find

the right word in English

SOLUTION?Preparation and

practice!!

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Where?

Things to takeThings to

check

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When?

The best time are:

Tuesday to Thursday…From 10 to 12

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B. PERFORMING THE PRESENTATION

‘The human brain starts working the moment we are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public’

George Jessel

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The Beginning

Say helloSay who you areGive purpose and

main pointsGive scheduleHandouts?Questions?

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Making it interesting

Visual aidsQuoteSurprising factStory/ anecdoteQuestion

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Language

‘The person who uses a lot of big words is not trying to inform you; he is trying to impress you’

O. Miller

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Language: the don’ts

Avoid jargonAvoid complex

phrasesAvoid being too

formalAvoid long sentences

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Language: the dos

Use everyday language Use concrete wordsUse rhetorical questions (i.e. ‘What

should we do?’ –pause

‘How much would it cost?’ –pause)

Use dramatic structures (i.e. We have a revolutionary product

What we have is a revolutionary product)

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Signposting

SignpostSummariseUse check-up

questions

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Making it interesting

Stories/ anecdotes

Explain by analogy

Involve them:• Ask questions• Pause and reply

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Visual Aids and Body Language

Chinese proverb

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Visual Aids and Body Language

Which is the most important?

Content?

Tone of voice?

Body language?

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Flip Chart and Whiteboard

Big and boldUse coloursFace audience

when you talk and write

Flip over/ wipe off when finished

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Overhead Projector

Use a mask to show one point at a time

Use a pen or pointer on the machine

Switch it off so they focus on you

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Making Transparencies

Use software or write with special pens

Max. 8 linesUse keywordsUse pictures

Use colours

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Body language: the dos

Move hands and armsMove around the room (?)Move towards audienceMove your eyes around the

audienceMoving is normal

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Body language: the don’ts

Don’t point at anyoneDon’t rock backwards and

forwardsDon’t stand rooted to the spotDon’t leave your hands by your

sidesDon’t avoid eye contact

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Voice: Voice and Pronunciation

Project your voice: aim for the back

Emphasise importance• Say some words louder

• Repeat important words

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Making it interesting

Go faster to exciteGo slower to show importancePause often and look round

audienceGive emphasis with voice and

body

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Ending

‘Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening’

Dorothy Sarnoff

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The ending: Communication techniques

Finish on timeCut out, but not summing

up or conclusion

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The Ending

Sum upConcludeHandouts?Any

questions?Close

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Questions

What is a question?

The only real question is a request for further information

Other questions are:

-requests for the spotlight

-attacks or traps

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‘Real’ Questions

Paraphrase for audienceIf real question, answer it

brieflyAnswer audience, not just the

questionerIf you don’t know the answer,

say so

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Feedback Grid: Giving feedback

Stress the good pointsUse constructive

criticismGive feedback to the

presenter by using you, not he or she

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Summing up

How to prepareHow to give the

presentationKey Words:

–Practise

–Rehearse

–Be confident

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Thank you!

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Any Questions???