Transcript How to give effective professional and academic presentations

How to give effective
professional and
academic presentations
Eleni Tsiartsioni
MPhil Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
PhD Candidate
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Thursday 22 May 2008
University of Macedonia, Department of Technology Management, Naousa
Structure of this presentation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Preparing the presentation
Performing the presentation
Giving feedback
Observation of presentations
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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why
Who
What
How
Where and when
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Why? The General Purpose
To inform
To persuade
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Why? The Specific Purpose
The result you
want to achieve
State it in one
sentenceclearly 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 outline
Good Organisation:
Helps you remember
Helps them remember
Helps them understand
Helps you to keep the point
Helps you to reduce
nervousness
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The Beginning
Capture interest
Relate subject to
them
Give purpose
Be 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 time
Have signposts and
summaries
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The Ending
Summarise the main
points
Relate conclusion to
them
Don’t present new ideas
Be interesting
Be brief
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How?
1. Key words
2. Rehearsal
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How? Keywords
Use index cards
Print in big capitals
Only keywords
Number cards
Use 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 equipment
 Not being able to find
the right word in
English
SOLUTION?
Preparation and
practice!!
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Where?
Things to take
Things 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 hello
 Say who you are
 Give purpose and
main points
 Give schedule
 Handouts?
 Questions?
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Making it interesting
Visual aids
Quote
Surprising fact
Story/ anecdote
Question
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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 jargon
Avoid complex
phrases
Avoid being too
formal
Avoid long sentences
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Language: the dos 
Use everyday language
Use concrete words
Use 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
Signpost
Summarise
Use 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 bold
Use colours
Face 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 lines
Use keywords
Use pictures
Use colours
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Body language: the dos 
Move hands and arms
Move around the room (?)
Move towards audience
Move your eyes around the
audience
Moving is normal
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Body language: the don’ts 
Don’t point at anyone
Don’t rock backwards and
forwards
Don’t stand rooted to the spot
Don’t leave your hands by your
sides
Don’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 excite
Go slower to show
importance
Pause often and look round
audience
Give 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 time
Cut out, but not summing
up or conclusion
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The Ending
Sum up
Conclude
Handouts?
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 audience
If real question, answer it
briefly
Answer audience, not just the
questioner
If you don’t know the answer,
say so
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Feedback Grid: Giving
feedback
Stress the good points
Use constructive criticism
Give feedback to the
presenter by using you,
not he or she
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Summing up
How to prepare
How to give the
presentation
Key Words:
–Practise
–Rehearse
–Be confident
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Thank you!
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Any Questions???
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