ORAL PRESENTATIONS

The ability to make a clear, professional presentation is one of the most important contributing factors to your career success.

Written reports often are accompanied by either a formal or informal presentation of the results.

Presentations may be formal or informal.

Types of Delivery

• Memorized

• Impromptu

• Scripted

• Notes

Purpose of Presentation

• Informative – educate your audience

• Persuasive – convince the audience to think or act in a certain way

• Combination – educate and convince

Step 1 – Plan your presentation

Consider your audience –

1. What do they know or need to know about the topic?

2. What is their attitude about the topic?

3. What did I find in my report that would be interesting or useful to them? Make this the focal point of your report.

Other Considerations

1. Audience’s style• Formal or casual• Occasion

2. Credibility• Expertise• Goodwill• Common ground• Status

How Can You Tell?

• Interviews

• Surveys

• Past experience

• Group identity

Use your outline or the headings of your report to choose 3 main points to talk about.

Introduction

A good introduction will

• get the audience’s attention

• set the tone for your presentation

• create goodwill with the audience

• lead into the body of the presentation

Effective Introductions

• Startling statement

• Rhetorical question

• Story

• Personal reference

• Quotation

• Suspense

• Compliment

Startling Statement

Your best friend is in danger, and only you can help!

Rhetorical question

Did you know that most pet behavior problems are caused by boredom?

Story

Rusty is a six-year-old on death row. His only crime? Loneliness!

Personal Reference

My most loyal friend has fish breath and a tail.

Quotation

"Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot about little puppies."

Gene Hill

"Artists like cats, soldiers like dogs." Desmond Morris

“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man."

Mark Twain

Suspense

Minute by minute the clock ticks……one….two….three….four….five….

Has only five minutes passed?

Compliment

Pet owners are the nicest people in the world! Just ask their pets!

Humor

In a restroom: TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.

In a laundromat: AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT.

In a London department store: BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS.

Body

• You should be able to use your outline for the body of the presentation.

• Discuss each point, telling what you were researching and what you found out.

• Again, choose the information that will be the most interesting for your audience.

The Conclusion should

• Signal the end of your presentation

• Summarize the main points, or highlight the conclusion of your report.

• Give the audience something to remember!

Types of Conclusions

• Summary

• Story

• Appeal to action

• Emotional impact

Step 2 – Practice your presentation

Rehearse your presentation, paying close attention to

• vocal quality – enthusiastic, loud enough, energetic

• eye contact – practice looking around the room• “vocal interferences”• pronunciation• posture and gestures• time

Step 3 – Coping with nervousness.

Remember, everyone is nervous before a presentation. Points to consider:

• You will survive – it’s only ten minutes out of your life

• The audience will not notice as much as you think

• Preparation helps

• The more you speak, the easier it gets

Some techniques to help manage your nerves are:

• visualize success

• choose the speaking time you are most comfortable with

• take normal breaths and pause to collect your thoughts

• have a buddy support you