Oral Presentation Skills

Define your Aims and Objectives

• What do you want to achieve?
• What message do you want the audience to take away?
• What will they gain from listening?

Let your Tutor know in advance

• The Title of the Talk - making it sound attractive and giving a good indication of content
• A Summary of what you are going to talk about
• Your objective - what will your audience get out of it?
• Your structure - how will it run (giving indication of timings)
• How you intend to gain people's attention
• How you intend to interact with the audience

Gaining attention

• plan to capture your audiences attention from the very start
• plan the start very carefully
  • relate your talk to the familiar using examples of what you are talking about
    • historical anedotes,
    • real life experience,
    • illustrations, OHP or slide

Interaction

• involve your audience to help them learn and remember more
  • be sensitive to the atmosphere
  • use analogies and anecdotes
  • get them to do something
  • ask the audience direct questions
  • ask for question

Selecting Material

• What to choose, what to leave out
  • always prepare more material than time available
  • recognise there is a limit to how much the audience can absorb
• Select material which is relevant and can
  • be understood by the audience and is interesting to them
  • be explained by a variety of visual means such as examples, statistics, graphs or diagrams

The Structure of your Talk

• Organise your material into
  • the introduction
  • the main body
  • the summary or conclusion

 

• Introduction (2 mins)
  • introduce yourself,
  • describe briefly what you are going to talk about and the context of the talk
  • briefly outline the structure of your talk

• The Main Body (15 mins, divided into smaller pieces)
  • cover what the audiences needs to know, wants to know
  • divide material into bite size chunks
  • provide a logical sequence
  • use example and visual aids
• The Summary (5 mins)
  • What knowledge to you want the audience to take away?
  • Summarise your main points (OHP?)
  • ask for and deal with questions (do this before your ending)
  • conclude on a high note
  • let the audience know you have finished

Prepare yourself:

• preparation time will reap benefits in the moments before and during your presentation - think about the following:
  • coping with nerves
  • using prompts and visual aids
  • how you will stand and talk

Coping with nerves

• Being nervous is naturl - it's a good sign and shows that the adrenaline is flowing
• Make nerves work for you not against you:
  • rationalise about why your are nervous
  • take a few deep breaths to calm yourself
  • rehearse well, time your presentation and know your opening lines by heart

Don't Panic

• If you do 'dry up', lose track of what you are saying or have a technical problem with equipment
  • pause - have a drink of water
  • regain your composure
  • backtrack if necessary
  • start when you are ready

   

• If you can't fix a technical problem revert to a contingency plan

Prompts

• Don't read from a script - it is lifeless and boring to listen to
• use prompts to keep you on track
  • use thin card so that your note/prompts don't rustle
  • use a large font or big writing so you can read easily from a distance
  • highlight the main points

Using Visual Aids

• are they relevant and easy to read?
• clear and concise text
• clear colours and good contrast
• use diagrams
• show charts and graphs rather than data
• practice your talk with the visual aids
  • mark in your notes when they are to be used

Stand and Deliver

• Make sure, all the audience and see you and hear you
• check all your equipment before you begin your talk
• put your notes where you can see them easily

Speaking

• SPEAK CLEARLY - DON'T RUSH
• project your voice - speak to be heard at the back of the room
• have water available
• make sure you introduce unfamiliar words, abbreviations or acronyms e.g. BIAD for Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
• Keep track of the time (put a watch in front of you)
• Relax! talk to your audience, not at them

Posture

• Your gestures, body language and facial expression should help support what you are saying and help you project a confident image
• stand yo straight, a sloppy posture invites a negative reaction from your audience
• move around, but don't sway or pace

Do's and Don'ts

• Keep your head up and look at the audience, scanning rather than focusing on one person
• talk to the audience, not to the floor, ceiling, flip-chart, whiteboard or your notes
• use your hands to emphasise a point, but don't waive them about
• don't put your hands in pockets or grip the edge of the table or podium

Check out the room

• find out about the equipment available beforehand - you are responsible for this
• will you need to re-arrange any furniture, check beforehand - allow time for this
• check your slides, OHP's etc beforehand - prepare handouts if necessary

Final Preparations

• rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
• rehearse your presentation out loud (in front of others, if possible)
• pay attention to timing - cut material if you are going to take too long
• plan your timetable around your presentation to make sure you arrive in plenty of time
• allow time for delays and hitches

Checklist (if you have read this far!)

Have you:

• set yourself three objectives
• not included too much material
• involved your audience
• prepared and practiced
• checked the venue and resources
• paid attention to timing
• If you have done all these things, relax and enjoy yourself!