Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 1

Four Types of Presentations

• Impromptu

• Extemporaneous

• Scripted

• Memorized

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 2

Four Audiences for Oral Presentations

• Colleagues in your organization

• Clients and customers

• Fellow professionals at technical conferences

• The public

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 3

Steps in Preparing an Oral Presentation

• Assess the speaking situation.

• How much does the audience know?

• Are you attempting to inform or inform and persuade?

• What are their attitudes towards your topic?

• How much time do you have?

• Prepare an outline or note cards.

• Prepare presentation graphics.

• Rehearse the presentation.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 4

Five Characteristics of Effective Graphics

• Visibility

• Legibility• 18-point font

• 20-point font

• 24-point font

• Stick with sans-serif fonts

• Simplicity

• Clarity

• Correctness

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 5

Four Aspects to Consider in Planning Your Graphics

• Length of the presentation

• Audience aptitude and experience

• Size and layout of the room

• Equipment

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 6

Basic Media for Oral Presentations

• Computer presentations

• Slide projector

• Overhead projector

• Chalkboard or other hard writing surface

• Objects

• Handouts

• For details see table in text p.579-580

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 7

Delivering an Oral Presentationis More Challenging than Writinga Document for Two Reasons:

• Listeners can't go back to listen again to something they didn't understand.

• Because you are speaking live, you must maintain your listeners' attention, even if they are hungry or tired or the room is too hot.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 8

Use Language to AlertYour Listeners to:

• Advance organizers

• Summaries

• Transitions

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 9

Three Techniques to Help Make a Lasting Impression on Your Audience

• Involve the audience.

• Refer to people, not to abstractions.

• Use interesting facts, figures, and quotations.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 10

Rehearsing an Extemporaneous Presentation

• First stage – concentrate on content• Second stage – concentrate on flow and timing• Third stage – concentrate on style

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 11

In Giving the Oral Presentation:

• Calm your nerves.

• Use your voice effectively.

• Use your body effectively.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 12

Three Factsabout Nervousness

• You are much more aware of your nervousness than the audience is.

• Nervousness gives you energy and enthusiasm.

• After a few minutes, your nervousness will pass.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 13

Points to Consider When You GetNervous before a Presentation

• Realize that you are prepared.

• Realize that the audience is there to hear you, not to judge you.

• Realize that your audience is made up of individual people who happen to be sitting in the same room.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 14

Strategies for Dealing withNervousness before a Presentation

• Walk around.

• Go off by yourself for a few minutes.

• Talk with someone for a few minutes.

• Take several deep breaths, exhaling slowly.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 15

Inexperienced Speakers Often Have Problems with Five

Aspects of Vocalizing:• Volume

• Speed

• Pitch

• Articulation

• Nonfluencies

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 16

Four Guidelines about Physical Movement

• Maintain eye contact.

• Use natural gestures.

• Don't block the audience's view of the screen.

• Control the audience's attention.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 17

Guidelines for Presenting to People from Different Cultures

• Use graphics effectively to reinforce your points for nonnative speakers.

• Be aware that gestures can have cultural meanings.

Chapter 22. Making Oral Presentations © 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's 18

Five Situations When You Respond to Questions

• You're not sure everyone heard the question.

• You don't understand the question.

• You don't know the answer to the question.

• You get a question that you have already answered in the presentation.

• A belligerent member of the audience rejects your response and insists on restating his or her original point.