6 Steps To A Successful Presentation
6 Steps To A Successful
Presentation
By
Chukwuma Chinaza Adaobi
Atianashie Miracle A
Catholic University College of Ghana
Take any opportunity to develop your presentation
skills while at university, as this will make you more confident when it comes
to performing in high-pressure situations such as job interviews
You will almost certainly be asked to give a
presentation at least once during your time at university. Depending on your
subject, you could be asked to summarize your reading in a seminar, deliver the
results of a scientific experiment or provide feedback from a group task.
MAKE SURE THE SUBSTANCE IS
THERE OVER THE FANCY FONTS AND ANIMATIONS
Whatever the topic, you will usually be presenting
to your tutor and fellow students. Some people may not find that too daunting,
but others will be understandably apprehensive - getting up and making your
case in front of an audience is not easy, especially when you are not used to
it.
However, you feel, it is a good idea to improve
your skills and become comfortable with the format - many graduate employers
use presentations as part of the recruitment process.
To help ensure that your presentation stands out
for the right reasons, academic skills tutor Andrew Edwards and careers adviser
Atianashie miracle, both from catholic university of Ghana, provide their top
tips…
PREPARE CAREFULLY
Give yourself plenty of time to prepare thoroughly,
as a last-minute rush will leave you flustered when it comes to delivering your
presentation. Gather the information you need and set it out in a logical
order, with a clear introduction and conclusion.
You can make detailed notes as part of your
planning, but Andrew recommends that you do not rely on these on the day, as
reading from a prepared text sounds unnatural.
He suggests that if you want to take a memory aid
with you, you should use small index cards, as referring to A4 sheets of paper
during your presentation can be distracting and highlight your nerves if your
hands shake.
USE VISUALS WISELY
'Visuals should complement your oral presentation,
not repeat it,' says Andrew. 'You are the main focus - your slides should offer
a brief summary of points, or an illustration supporting the concept that
you're discussing. Do not fall into the trap of merely reading aloud what is
written on the slides.
Make sure you use a clear and suitably sized font.
Andrew adds that you should use short phrases or sentences so you do not
overcrowd your slides.
Images can be a great way to grab the audience's
attention, but there are other tricks you can use. 'Can you use humor to make a
point?' asks Andrea. 'Can you use a thoughtful question instead of a sea of
words?'
She emphasizes that slides are a starting point
from which you should expand and develop your narrative. 'Make sure the
substance is there over the fancy fonts and animations,' she warns.
If you intend to provide handouts for your
audience, distribute them at the beginning or end of your presentation. Doing
it halfway through can be distracting and disrupt your flow.
CONSIDER YOUR AUDIENCE
There are many different elements you can include
in a presentation - sound, video, handouts and questions at the end, for
example - so you will need to think about which ones are suitable.
For example, whether your tone is serious or
light-hearted might depend on factors such as the subject you are studying, or
whether the presentation is an assessed piece of work.
'Show that you have thought about the audience,'
advises Andrea. For example, consider how much background information they will
need. Do they already have some knowledge of the topic you are presenting?
Spending the first half of your presentation
telling an audience what they already know will be frustrating for them;
equally, if you go straight into the detail they may get lost. It is vital you
get the balance right, which means knowing your audience is the key.
PRACTICE WITH A FRIEND
You should practice your presentation in full more
than once, ideally in front of an audience. 'Visit the room in advance if you
can, and ask your friend to sit at the back, checking the speed and clarity of
your speech,' Andrew advises. 'Check that the visuals of your presentation are
visible too.'
This will enable you to work out whether your
presentation is the right length when spoken aloud, and give you the chance to
get used to expressing yourself in front of others. 'Vary your tone and pitch,'
recommends Andrew. 'Speak normally - do not sound monotonous.'
BE POSITIVE
Andrew recommends developing a positive attitude
over the days leading up to the presentation. This may seem obvious and easier
said than done if you are shy, but pull it off and it will make a huge
difference to how you perform.
'Acknowledge your nervousness, but don't give in to
negative thinking,' he adds. 'Counteract it by telling yourself, "Yes I'm
nervous, but I can do this".'
Andrea suggests a technique for achieving a greater
level of confidence. 'Think about a time in your life when you are more
confident,' she explains. 'It could be on the dance floor in a club, in a
workplace mentoring others or helping a class of small children. In the days
approaching the presentation, imagine stepping into that version of yourself.
Bring this to mind just before you start, along with a few calming breaths.'
It might feel like the room is against you, but
this is not the case. 'Don't assume your audience wants you to fail,' Andrea
adds. 'I meet students who have absolute dread when approaching presentations,
yet their friends in the class are there to support them and really want them
to succeed.'
DON'T RELY ON TECHNOLOGY
We've all witnessed the agony of a presenter
struggling with a faulty USB stick or failing to get a projector to work.
However, with a little bit of planning, you can minimize the risk of technology
tripping you up.
If possible, test your presentation beforehand with
the same equipment that you will be using for the real thing. Otherwise, try to
arrive early on the day and have a run through. Andrea advises that you bring
back-ups of your documents and print out a few copies of the slides to share if
things go wrong.
However, you should not rely too heavily on your
slides. Always be ready to give your presentation without them if necessary,
using your notes or index cards as memory aids. In addition, if a piece of
technology does fail, do not panic. It will happen to everyone in the room at
some point - and if you get through it without being fazed, it might even
impress your tutor more than, if everything went perfectly.
In conclusion, Andrea relates a real-life example.
'I had a problem with a lecture theatre screen not working, so quick thinking
and a little humor meant that I flipped the small screen around on the lectern
and asked the class to move closer until the technician arrived to help out,'
she says. 'The audience were able to see that I did my best to work around a
tricky situation.'
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