Copyright (C) 2003 Katrin Becker Last Modified May 17, 2003 08:21 PM
Doing Presentations

Sources:
http://sol.brunel.ac.uk/~jarvis/bola/study/skills12.html
http://www-cba.gsu.edu/~wwwbcp/dngrprev.html ***MAIN REFERENCE***
http://socrates.uhwo.hawaii.edu/BusAd/Flower/330/evaluatingpresentations.html
http://people.english.ohiostate.edu/bailey.389/Teaching/Eng36707/eval_presents.htm

So you're stuck doing a presentation. Here are some tips to help make it go a bit smoother...
Before you begin:
Who - Who is your audience? It's usually a mistake to assume your audience is composed of idiots. Remember there's a difference between being naive and being stupid.
What - What is your topic and focus? What's your angle? How do you plan to approach this?
Why - Why are you doing this? What do you intend to get out of this (besides marks)?
How - Are you going to create a special effects extravaganza or keep it simple? Remember that fancy do-dads can make a good presentation shine but will make a mediocre one even worse.
When doing a team presentation co-ordinate your activities to ensure that the presentation is a team effort and not a series of individual presentations. Appoint an anchor person. Prepare your stage. Ensure all team members have a seat. Rehearse each person's use of the OHP. Stress that non-active team members should avoid Pffaffing! Agree a 'you're time is up' signal. GET EVERYONE THERE!. There will be an expectation that each member's contribution in preparation and in the presentation itself can be clearly identified and is sufficient for an assessment to be made.
Content
Content is paramount. Important information can overcome bad slide design as well as a bad presenter.
What information was conveyed? Was it on topic? Was the level of detail right for the audience it was aimed at?
Was sufficient time spent on research?
Was there a story line with a beginning, middle, and an end, or was it disjointed and unconnected?
Design
Was the type of presentation appropriate to the content?
Did the overall design enhance the content?
Did the design make it easier to understand the subject or was it distracting?
Presenter
Was the speaker familiar with material?
Was he or she knowledgeable? Did you think if you asked a question, you'd get an informed answer?
Did the speaker practice the presentation enough?
Was there a connection with the audience?
Was the presentation completed more or less in the time allocated?
Delivery
Presentation delivery is an art, not a science, and the key to good delivery is that it does not call attention to itself. Audiences respond positively to speakers who balance an appropriate degree of formality with a conversational tone.
Did the speaker:

Use an audible voice with effective variations in pitch, rate, volume, pace, & inflection
Maintain the audience's attention with clear, accurate, appropriate & vivid language
Establish eye contact with entire audience
Use natural, spontaneous, and appropriate gestures to reinforce ideas
Present a professional appearance, including dress and grooming

Visual Support
Effective visual aids can clarify ideas, increase the interest level of the audience, and increase the credibility of the speaker. Visuals can also increase the retention rate of the audience because of the long-lasting effect of visual images.
Did the speaker's visuals:

Support the message with graphs, drawings, charts, or computer-generated graphics
Explain the visual aids clearly and concisely while maintaining strong eye contact
Use a consistent typeface, color scheme, & graphical style to enhance the professional image of the presentation

Guidelines for Evaluating Group Presentations
Was the objective of the presentation clear and cohesive?
Was the strategy appropriate for the audience?
Did the presentation come across as one presentation or a series of individual ones?
Look for too much redundancy, or logical gaps in the analysis. Sometimes speakers will refer to material that hasn't been presented yet.
Did the presentation fit comfortably into the allotted time? If one or more speakers run long, team members need to adjust their own material to remain within the proper time frame.
Were transitions smooth and logical? Check to see that each speaker connects his or her content to the previous speaker's material, and previews the next speaker's material. Example: "Leslie has shown you what has been happening to sales in the past three years. I will now discuss the possible impact of this trend on our strategic planning. . . . Now that I've explained how we need to adjust our planning, George will analyze the impact on our sales force . . ."
Were all presenters equally proficient, or did a particular presenter stand out, either positively or negatively?
Was the visual support consistent throughout?
Look for a unified look in visuals: same font and type size, same color scheme, and same graphical style.
Did the presenters manage their visuals effectively?
Check to ensure that the visuals on display match what the speaker is discussing-- especially if one team member manages the visuals for all speakers.
Did the presenters handle the question and answer session smoothly? Rephrase or restate questions to the audience? Provide succinct but complete answers?
Make eye contact with the entire audience? Treat the audience with patience and respect?
Evaluating an Individual Oral Presentation
Research shows that communication skills, including the ability to deliver an effective oral presentation, are among the most important assets a college student can have in seeking employment. Consequently, students will benefit from delivering presentations to their peers. Consider five elements when evaluating individual oral presentations: the introduction, body, and conclusion of the presentation, delivery, and visual support.
Introduction

Objective: get the interest and attention of the audience, establish the credibility of the speaker, present the topic, and preview the body of the presentation.
Did the speaker:

Use a relevant quote, story, question, or research to get the audience's attention
State topic, relate it to the audience, and preview points/ideas to be presented
Deliver an introduction that was well thought out, well rehearsed & effectively delivered
Establish personal and professional credibility

Body

Objective: deliver the central idea using 3-5 main points and bolster it with strong
evidence that can convince the audience to support the speaker's point of view.
Did the speaker:

Establish the central idea and present 3-5 strong main points
Present points in a logical sequence such as chronological, causal, or problem-solution
Support ideas & opinions with relevant examples, statistics, or expert testimony
Draw conclusions based on fact, logic, and solid evidence
Maintain credibility by presenting correct, concise, and complete information
Use connectives such as transitions and signposts to facilitate audience understanding
Complete the presentation within the allotted time

Conclusion

Objective: strengthen the audience's commitment to the message one last time.
Did the speaker:

Signal the end of the presentation and reinforce central ideas with a clear summary
Use an appropriate quotation, dramatic statement, call to action, or refer to introduction to deliver a memorable conclusion
Present a conclusion that was well thought out, well rehearsed and delivered effectively

Copyright © 2002 Katrin Becker 1998-2002 Last Modified May 17, 2003 08:21 PM