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Effective Presentations

Presented by:

Dr. Gloria HollandExecutive Director

January 2001

Center for Instructional Advancement and Technology

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Objectives

• NAME points to consider in organizing a presentation

• DISCUSS the importance of audience analysis

• NAME important considerations for the visuals aspects of a presentation

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Objectives

• DESCRIBE a variety of ways to handle questions

• DISCUSS ways to keep presentation within the time limits

• NAME at least five do’s and/or don’t’s to presentation deliveries

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Objectives

• NAME at least two elements to be incorporated in the conclusion of your presentation

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Presentation Overview

• LOGIC STRUCTURE:

• 1. Organizing the Presentation

• 2. Audience Analysis

• 3. Effective Visuals

• 4. Handling Questions

• 5. Keeping on Schedule

• 6. Delivery Techniques

• 7. Conclusions1

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Pet Peeves!!

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Getting Organized . . .

• What is the logical way to present the material?

• How will you involve the audience?

• What key points need to be captured

• Will you provide handouts?

• Will you handle questions during or after the presentation?

• Will you use media to support your talk?

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Audience Analysis

• What is the purpose of this presentation?– What are the main points you wish to make?– What impression do you wish to make on your

audience?

• What do you know about your audience?– Are they adults? Peers? Co-Workers? – Do they know anything about the subject?– Why are they here?

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What you should know about most audiences!!

• They like to be involved

• They don’t like lecturing and passive activity.

• They don’t like hearing what they already know.

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What Audiences Want to Hear!

• What you promised to deliver?

• What’s the bottom line?

• How does it affect me?

• What’s the point?

Towson University

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What Audiences Want to Hear!(Continued)

• How does this tie into what I already know?

• What makes you such an authority?

• How does this actually work? (Don’t provide all theory and no practical application.)

Towson

University

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Visuals

• How People Learn– Taste 1.0%– Touch 1.5%– Smell 3.5%– Hearing 11.0%– Sight 83.0%

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Retention of Knowledge

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80%

Read Tell Show Show &Tell

Show, Tell& Do

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Incorporating Visuals

• Plan your visual presentation

• Use as a means to keep audience focused

• Present simple, uncluttered graphics

• Provide hard copies of key materials

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Preparing Visuals

• Keep all visuals in the same format--if possible (e.g. all landscape or all portrait)

• Avoid busy slides – Provide audience with a copy– Enlarge area you are addressing

• Check font size against room arrangement and projection techniques

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Projection Equipment

• Computer Generated Presentations– Room lighting

– Compatibility of equipment

– Have back-up plan

– PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!

• Overhead Slides

– Know what to do if the bulb burns out

– Number your slides

– PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

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Visual Ethics

• Don’t talk to the screen

• Maintain eye-contact with the audience

• Do not read slides to audience

• Be careful with non-stationary pointers

• Don’t block the view of the audience

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Other Visuals???• Flip Chart

Techniques

– Back to Front

– Turn up Corners

– Tape Top for Reuse

– Prepare before presentation

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Using the Board!!

• Prepare ahead of the session

• Uncover points as needed

• Organize to match presentation

Remember to do this first!!!

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What about Handouts??!!

• Do you give them all out at once?

• Do you give your audience all your notes?

• What efficient ways can be used to distribute handouts?

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Check Out the Room!

• How will the audience be seated?• Will they be able to see your visuals?• Will the media equipment work in this

room?• Do you need to bring extra equipment

(e.g., an extension cord, flip chart paper)?• What is your back-up plan?

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Why Do People Ask Questions?

• To verify your knowledge

• To get you off track

• Have a sincere interest in what you have to say

• Need to connect your topic to something they already know.

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Handling Questions

• During or after the presentation?– Questions represent audience’s

involvement--you don’t want to stop that.– Be careful not to lose the majority of the

group to attend to one.– Be aware of limiting talk to only a few in

your audience.

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The Timing of Questions

• Some suggestions:– Your question is very important, but we are

running out of time. I will be here for 15 minutes after my talk. Please stop to see me.

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The Timing of Questions(Continued)

• If a question gets you off track, say: – I will be addressing that in a few minutes– I’m sorry, but I won’t be covering that

subject during this presentation.– Great question, but I’m afraid if I start on

that subject, I will really get off track. See me after my talk, and we can discuss it.

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Keep on Schedule

• Deliver what you promised to deliver and deliver on time

• You will surely lose your audience when you run over your time limit.

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Timing Techniques

• Have someone signal you when you have 5 minutes left

• Or, keep track of time yourself

• Rehearse• Remember, you may

not start on time, but you should end on time.

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Delivery

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Gaining Attention

• Does not always have to be a joke

• Use pauses -- silences• Involve the audience• Change rate of speed

of delivery• Build suspense• Walk around

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Delivery

• Rehearse--record or have someone listen and provide feedback

• Use inflections• Vary speed of

delivery• Maintain eye-contact• Check body language

of audience

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Delivery

• Be aware of your own bad habits– Too much pacing

– Glued to the podium

– Playing with change/jewelry

– Hand and body gestures

– Language and grammar

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Delivery

• Dress a little better• Be yourself• Know your topic• Don’t be note bound• Forget you, remember them• Listen to audience• Read feedback• Deliver to audience’s need

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Delivery

• Project your voice -- talk to the people in the back row

• Do not read your presentation to the audience

• Get to the point -- don’t babble

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Delivery

• Use gestures that are comfortable for you to use

• Incorporate humor -- not contrived jokes, but whatever comes naturally

• Encourage audience participation

• Allow time for questions and answers

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Delivery

• SLIDES– Turn off the

overhead projector when it is not in use.

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Delivery

• COMPUTER PROJECTED SLIDES– Be aware of room lighting– Check audience’s reaction

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Conclusion• Review main points

• Give guidance on where additional information can be found

• Answer remaining questions

• Ask for feedback

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For More Information . . .Contact:

Dr. Gloria Holland,Executive Director

Center for Instructional Advancement and Technology

(Cook 400C)

Towson University410-704-4538 - -gholland@towson.edu

ISD Tutorials -- www.towson.edu/~gholland

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