How to prepare a great presentation

Prepare your oral presentation

·         Brainstorm your topic and write a rough outline.

·         Research your topic. .Remember you have a limited time for your presentation.

·         Organise your material and write a draft—think about the length of time you have to talk.

·         Summarise your draft into points to write on overheads and/or cards.

·         Plan and prepare your visual aids.

·         Rehearse your presentation and get its length right. Ask a friend to listen and time you.

 

Structure:

Introduction:

·         State your purpose;

·          for example:
‘I’m going to talk about...’
‘This morning I want to explain…’

·         Present an outline of your talk; for example:
‘I will concentrate on the following points: First of all…Then…
This will lead to… And finally…’

The Body

·         Present your main points one by one in logical order.

·         Pause at the end of each point (give people time to take notes, or time to think about what you are saying).

·         Make it absolutely clear when you move to another point. For example:
‘The next point is that ...’
‘OK, now I am going to talk about ...’
‘Right. Now I'd like to explain ... ’
‘Of course, we must not forget that ...’‘However, it's important to realise that...’

·         Use clear examples to illustrate your points.

The Conclusion

·         It is very important to leave your audience with a clear summary of everything you have covered.

·         It is also important not to let the talk just fizzle out. Make it obvious that you have reached the end of the presentation.

·         Summarise the main points again, using phrases like:
‘To sum up...’
‘So, in conclusion...’
‘OK, to recap the main points…’

·         Restate the purpose of your talk, and say that you have achieved your aim:
‘I think you can now see that...’
‘My intention was ..., and it should now be clear that ...’

·         Thank the audience, and invite questions:
‘Thank you. Are there any questions?’

·          

DELIVERING YOUR PRESENTATION

Talk to your audience, don't read to them!

A presentation is not the same as an essay.

Visual Aids:

Create a good presentation

·         The text should be legible and clear

·         Use a simple background; it keeps the text readable.

·         Show several slides – each with one idea, image or data point.

·         The images represent what you are saying, so there is no need to verbally describe the images onscreen.

·         Eliminate "headline and bullet points" slides; they are tiring to read.

·         Include one or two lines of text in a slide to a maximum of six lines of text.

·         Use images or photos to help the audience remember a person, place or thing you mention.