Know how long the speech must be. Know how many points you’re required to cover. Know if you must include sources or visuals.
If you’re presenting to people you know, it’ll be easy to know what to break down and what to gloss over. But if you’re presenting to unknown stockholders or faculty, for instance, you need to know about them and their knowledge levels, too. You may have to break your paper down into its most basic concepts. Find out what you can about their backgrounds.
Does the facility have a computer and projector screen? Is there a working WiFi connection? Is there a microphone? A podium? Is there someone who can assist you in working the equipment before your presentation?
Only have one point per notecard – that way you won’t end up searching the notecard for your information. And don’t forget to number the cards in case you get mixed up! And the points on your cards shouldn’t match your paper; instead of regurgitating information, discuss why the key points of your paper are important or the different points of view on this topic within the field.
Make an outline of the highlights to help you prepare your presentation. As you form the outline, you’ll see what aspects of your paper pop out the most and what order they would best be relayed in. As you go through this outline, remove any jargon if it may not be understood.
If you have any statistics at all, turn them into graphs. The contrasts will seem more stark when put in pictures before your audience – numbers are sometimes meaningless. Instead of thinking about 25% and 75%, they’ll be thinking about the 50% difference they see before them. If you won’t have access to the proper technology, print visual aids on poster board or foam-core board. Presentation software (Powerpoint, etc. ) can also double as notecards. Instead of messing with small pieces of paper, you can just click a button to get your next prompt. If using presentation software, use words sparingly, but enough to get your point across. Think in phrases (and pictures!), not sentences. Acronyms and abbreviations are okay on the screen, but when you talk, address them fully. And remember to use large fonts – not everyone’s vision is fantastic. [7] X Research source
It’s okay to be a bit repetitive. Emphasizing important ideas will enhance comprehension and recall. When you’ve gone full circle, cycle back to a previous point to lead your audience to the right conclusion. Minimize the unnecessary details (the procedure you had to go through, etc. ) when highlighting the main ideas you want to relay. You don’t want to overload your audience with fluff, forcing them to miss the important stuff. Show enthusiasm! A very boring topic can be made interesting if there is passion behind it.
If you can grab a friend who you think has a similar knowledge level to your audience, all the better. They’ll help you see what points are foggier to minds with less expertise on the topic.
It’ll also help you with volume. Some people get rather timid when in the spotlight. You may not be aware that you’re not loud enough!
Do the same with your conclusion. Thank everyone for their time and open the floor for any questions, if allowed.
