This document provides tips for giving effective presentations. It discusses establishing clear aims, collecting and organizing ideas, using visual aids like slides simply and effectively, practicing your presentation, dressing professionally, maintaining good posture and eye contact, controlling nerves and mannerisms, allowing time for questions, and providing contact information for further help. The overall message is to be well prepared, positive, and engage your audience.

1. Presentation Skills
Isabelle Pottinger
Effective Learning Adviser
Effective Learning Service

2. Think about...
• Why?
• What?
• Who?
• Where?
• How?

3. Giving a Presentation
• Who are the members of your audience?
• Clarify your task
• Be Positive!

4. Establish your Aim
• Decide on central theme
• Audience will only hear each point once
• Will remember 3 - 4 points, so…
• Aim must be clear

5. Collect Ideas - Academic
• Web
• Text books
• Journals
• Lecture notes
• Lecturers and other staff

6. Collect Further Ideas
• Any further ideas? – jot them down
• Props or visual aids you want to use?
• Lay out ideas in a logical order
or a pattern.

7. Group under headings that…
• …reflect your aim
• ….correspond to a theme or topic
• …will help to ‘sign-post’ your talk

8. Order/ reorder
• Get headings in a logical order
• Structure talk:
– Beginning
– Middle
– End
• Stick to Structure

9. Visual reinforcement - Why?
• Attention grabbing
• Bold
• Concise
• Dedicated
• Easy to read

10. Visual reinforcement - How?
• Don’t clutter
• Words alone are not very visual
– Use bullet points
– Use keywords
– Stick to the theme
• Keep visuals simple
– Do you need each one?
– What will each one show?
– Any important ones missing?
• Ensure visuals are used effectively

11. Visual reinforcement - Types?
• Black/ white board and/ or flip chart?
• Magnetic or Velcro boards?
• Samples and/ or models?
• Slides, film and/ or video?
• PC with data projector?
• Overhead transparencies
(OHTs) with overhead projector?

12. Using OHT/ PowerPoint
• The sequence of slides should tell a story
• Use appropriate typesize
• Use appropriate colour
• Special effects?

13. Using OHT/ PowerPoint
• Think about how to use the medium to its
best advantage
– Don’t talk to the OHT or screen
– Don’t reveal the slide too soon
– Don’t leave the slide still showing once you
have moved on to your next point

14. Graphics in oral presentations
• Less time to absorb
• Simplify – bold and clear
• Say if you will supply paper copy of graphics
• Think about how graphics fit
within your presentation

15. Prepare final notes
• Don’t create word-for-word notes
• Use prompt cards, not sheets
• Highlight key phrases
• Keep contact with your audience

16. Practice
• Rehearse
• Consider timing
• Consider where props may
come in
• Ask a friend to listen
• Tape yourself?

17. Conclude
• Concisely
• Confidently
• Positively

18. And next...

19. Clothes
• You are a young professional-in-training. Dress
accordingly.
– No offensively-sloganed tee-shirts
– No shorts or ripped jeans
– No low cut tops on women
• While there is no need for a suit, let your clothes
reflect the effort you have put into preparing your
presentation.

20. Voice
• Vary pitch
• Vary the speed
• Watch volume
• Speak clearly
• Don’t try to hide
your accent

21. Mannerisms
• Avoid annoying or distracting habits
• Think about your own mannerisms
• Review and control
– Body language
– Expressions
– Stance
– Movement
– Gestures

22. Humour
• Can backfire – doesn’t always go down well
• May actually upset people
• If you do not feel confident with
it, you don’t have to try

23. Confidence
• Everyone wants you to succeed
• Preparation will help
• You may become more
effective as a result
of a few nerves

24. Question technique
• Must allow audience questions
• Try to remain calm
– Thank/ Acknowledge
– Rephrase (if appropriate)
– Answer
– Check (by body language?)

25. Contact Details
• Isabelle Pottinger
• Effective Learning Adviser
• Effective Learning Service
• Ext: 3062
• E-mail: I.Pottinger@hw.ac.uk