Making an effective presentation

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Presentations are effective if:

• The presenter is confident, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and well prepared.
• The presentation is memorable, interesting and achieves its objectives

Designing the presentation

You need to consider the objectives and setting the scene:

• What are your objectives - ask yourself what you are trying to achieve. Are you persuading, informing or teaching?
• How do you get the students (the audience) to 'buy in' to your message - what's in it for them?
• The students - what is their level of knowledge and do their objectives meet yours? 
• How much time do you need for the presentation - what will the school allow?

Structure and content of the presentation

Introduction

• Greet the students and introduce yourself.
• State the title and objectives. This will usually include the benefit to the audience.
• State the length of time, the format, headings and how you will deal with questions.
• Refer to any handouts that you will be distributing.
• The introduction needs to command interest and attention.

Main body

• Information needs to be delivered in a logical or chronological order, so as not to confuse
  the students.
• Do not include too much information, only that which is relevant
• The content of the delivery should be prepared maybe as a script. Reduce this to
  key headings and phrases noting on prompt cards, using bullets and pointers for
  use of a visual aid.
• Figures are helpful to illustrate a point but too many can be boring. Graphics add
  interest and dimension.
• Human touches that students can relate to and case studies are always interesting.
• Support the presentation with effective visual aids.
• To include the students ask questions to involve them and check understanding. Use
  open questions — what, why, how, when, who, which and where.

Concluding the presentation

• Summarise the presentation bringing it back to your objectives
• The ending needs to review and consolidate the information.
• Allow time for questions and answers, if they have not been covered during the
  presentation.
• Manage the question and answer session to ensure that it does not run over time.
• Are there sufficient recaps?
• Does the presentation achieve its purpose?

Preparing yourself

• What is important in projecting yourself - consider physical skills, body language.
  and voice?
• What do you need to do if you are nervous?

Self preparation and handling nerves

• Everyone suffers from them!
• Always prepare thoroughly.
• Rehearse your presentation  - preferably out loud at the correct pace as this ensures
  that you have got the timing right.
• Wear clothing that is appropriate and comfortable.
• Arrive early to ensure that the room is ready and that you can organise your materials.
• Relax. Take some deep breaths and get your heartbeat to slow down.
• Think about talking slowly and positively. Nerves make us speed up.
• Once started, nerves usually go.
• If you lose your way, just stop and gather yourself — - do not apologise. Most of the audience will not realise and a pause gives them time to reflect.

Room layout

• Organise the seating to suit your presentation and your audience.
• Do not block emergency exits and ensure that health and safety information is given.
• Ensure that any visual aids or props can be seen clearly by the entire audience.
• Consider where you are standing in relationship to your audience and your visual aids.
• Give yourself a prop like a table to help combat nerves.
• Ensure that the heating is suitable for the audience.

What is important when projecting yourself?

• Radiate confidence and enthusiasm.
• Relax the facial muscles and remember to smile from time to time.
• Ensure that body language is open and positive and stand comfortably.
• Engage confident eye contact all round the audience.
• Speak at a comfortable pace.
• Vary your pace and tone as in a normal conversation.
• Avoid distractions.
• Take care with humour.
• Your style is important. Think about the language. Is it appropriate for the audience?

Have a run through

Ask yourself:

• Is the sequence right?
• Isthe balance right?
• Are the visuals supportive and adequate?
• Does it hang together?
• Are the links between sections clear?

Feedback

• Use evaluation form to get an idea of what the students think of your presentation
• Continue with the positive aspects and develop the points that the students feel could be improved.

Visual information

Visual aids

• Keep visual images professional.
• Keep points to a maximum of 6 or 7 per slide and do not clutter the slides.
• Never use a font smaller than 18 and avoid using all upper case.
• Use a s pell check and ensure that you read through your visual aids.
• Use visuals as well as text eg graphs, charts, diagrams etc

Handouts

• Do not give out handouts during a presentation as they distract the audience,
  unless it is actively required. Remember YOU are giving the message.
• A handout is for the audience to take away your message. It is best limited to
  the most important points of the presentation.
• Or a handout is to give the audience some extra information.
• If the handout is a summary, tell the audience it will save them making
  unnecessary notes.