Presentation Skills

PRECIS:

a concise summary of the essential facts or statements of a book, article, or other text: an abstract usually 1/4 to 1/3 the original length written in your own words

CRITIQUE:

a critical review or commentary, especially one dealing with a literary or other artistic work
a critical discussion of some specified topic
the art of criticism. Points in discussion can be positive or negative in nature, but should be backed up with supporting reference about the literary or artistic work

SEMINAR:

a conference
a small group discussing a researched topic

ORAL PRESENTATION: (of a researched topic)

A report presented to an audience combining presentation skills with researched academic content. All academic research is done first and the content summarized for the oral presentation. Cue cards with key points in order are optional.

Preparing and Presenting an Oral Report

Scientists often use oral reports to present information. Oral reports allow scientists to present preliminary findings and provide an opportunity for informal discussion. Presenting oral reports is also good practice for many other jobs.

A good speech or oral report must be well organized or the listeners will not be able to comprehend what the speaker wants them to learn.

Materials

Your choice of materials will be determined by what is available to you. If you have an overhead projector, you will need clear plastic sheets and coloured markers. If you have a chalkboard, you will need chalk and an eraser. For a white board or flip chart, you will need marking pens. You will also need a few index cards (75 mm x 125 mm).

Presentation Skills that should be considered:

1) Introduce the topic by giving a brief outline of what will be covered in the presentation, but do not over simplify.

2) The presentation should flow in the same style as an essay (introduction, content, conclusion).

3) Speak clearly and fluently: DO NOT READ your information.

4) Stand comfortably in front of audience and project your voice so that the person in the back row can hear.

5) Use hand gestures periodically or point to visual aids, but avoid distracting gestures that draw the audiences' attention from the flow of the oral presentation (e.g., scratching).

6) Use visual aids to complement, not replace, the content of the presentation (Posters, 3D models, diagrams, graphs, overhead transparencies).

7) If two or more people are presenting, the presentation should be split equally so that one person does not do all the talking.

8) If material is of a scientific inquiry or investigation, explain the purpose or objective, some general theory that would assist in understanding, and the results, analysis and interpretation from summarized data. Specific details would be in charts, graphs or lengthy discussions.

9) Always sum up the oral presentation of the research or scientific inquiry with a conclusion.

10) Visual transparencies should include a clear title, large visible print that is simple to read, not cluttered, use contrast backgrounds that show the print or diagram easily, and information in point form.

11) Handouts may also be included for each member of the audience.

NOTE A formal research paper may be required using proper form and format

Preparing the Report

1. Carry out your research as though you were preparing a written report. Make notes of your findings and the sources of your information. Index cards work well for this.

2. Gather the information and decide how much you will be able to present in three to five minutes. Time the reading of a few sentences to see how long it will take you to present all your information orally.

3. Your report should contain:

a short introduction. The introduction should capture the interest of the audience. This can be done by making an unusual statement, telling a story, or by discussing something that is very familiar to the audience. For example, you could start with the question, How would you feel if you had not had a drink of water for twenty-four hours? Listeners would immediately think about thirst and how it feels.
the main facts you are presenting. The body of the presentation should contain three major topics. More topics might make the presentation too long to keep the attention of your audience. When discussing the uses of water, you might choose major topics like industrial uses, agricultural uses, and recreational uses of water. Under each major topic, you could choose two or three sub-topics. Try to find sub-topics that are uses that your audience may not have heard about before. Stay close to your topic. Don't spend too much time on any one sub-topic.
a short conclusion. The conclusion should summarize the information you have just presented. You could do this by briefly listing each of the major topics and why each is important. End with a general statement that summarizes the major conclusion of the report.