Joe BahrProfessor Dietel-McLaughlinMultimedia Writing and Rhetoric28 April 2014TED Talk Reflective StatementIn choosing what topic to present for my TED Talk, it was an easy decision to continue with the topic I wrote on for my research paper: the role of the media in deterring human development through the Olympics. It seemed to me that this topic was made for a TED Talk on all levels. In addition to being intriguing in itself as a paper, the ability to present slides on a screen opened up the potential to display loaded images that would create a more lasting impact on the audience members. At first it was difficult to uncover these loaded images, especially in compliance with usage rights, yet eventually I was able to find several images that depicted walls being used to cover up dilapidated areas of Beijing in an effort to obscure these areas from the worldwide view. These loaded images were preceded by highly contrasting images of the illustrious scenes of Beijings Olympic stadiums and other developments. Creating this stark contrast between the two sets of images was my intended goal, and I believe I accomplished it quite well. In terms of preparing to present, I created a very general bulleted list to guide my discussion, yet relied largely on the knowledge I gained through investigating the topic for my research paper. This forced myself to further strengthen a deep understanding of the material presented in my research paper. Once I had reached a degree of understanding that could be considered mastery, it was remarkably easy to present my argument from memory. For a number of days I continually ran through the presentation, each time refining it ever so slightly until I reached a product I was proud to present. The day of the presentation arrived and I was excited more than anything. I truly thought I had a compelling and intriguing argument to present, and for this reason I was eager to present it to my peers. At the end of the presentation, I was really unsure of what to think in terms of my performance, for it seemed to have lasted only three or four minutes despite actually being nine. However, after watching the recording I was very pleased with my overall organization and ability to convey my main points with a combination of words and visuals. One flaw I did notice was my tendency to say Uhhh during pauses and transitions. If I had been more aware of this tendency I would have made a conscientious effort to avoid this, and I think this change would make the presentation a great deal more professional. Despite this setback, I believe I brought a very pressing and relevant topic to the knowledge of my peers in a compelling manner, making for a very successful TED Talk.