Presentation Skills

• Oral presentation is a participative two way communication process characterised by the formal and structured presentation of a message using visual aids.

• They are1.Purposeful2.Interacitive3.Formal4.Audience oriented.

for making an effective presentation concentrate on 4 Ps.

1. Plan2. Prepare3. Practice4. Perform

I. Planning the presentation

1.Define the purpose:• What is the purpose of this presentation?

1. to demonstrate – a service, product2. To entertain3. To sell- a concept, product, idea4. To persuade-to change behaviour, attitude

2.Analyse the audience:• Characteristics: – age, gender, social, economic and educational

backgrounds, religion, political affiliations, attitudes, attitudes(likes and dislikes)…

• Analyse Audience Needs and Expectations:Why will they listen to me?What are their interests? What are their needs?

• Recognise Factors for Getting and Maintaining Audience Attention:– Listener will be more interested in the

presentation if it meets their requirements. How can I relate my presentation to the needs and

expectation of my audience?What style will appeal to my audience?What are the changes that I should make?

3.Analyse the occasion:4.Choose a Suitable Title:– The title gives the audience the first glimpse of the

presentation and they forms their first impressions.

II.Preparing The Presentation

1. Develop the central idea: Core idea.2.Develop the main ideas: a logical division of

the central idea.Eg: central idea: unemployment in India Logical divisions: A. Causes B. Solutions3.Gather the Supporting Material:

4.Plan Visual Aids: visual aids are eye-catchers.• They serve as a speech note• They give confidence• They help focus on the theme of the

presentation• They increase audience interest• They give clarity and precision

• Any other following visual aids may be used:1.Three-Dimensional visual aids • Objects• Models2.Two-Dimensional visual aids:• Drawings• Photographs• Slides• Maps• Tables –when you want to compare many data or represent a

large amount of information

• Graphs-– line graphs: for emphasizing relationships or trends of data.– Bar graphs: for comparing amounts– pie graphs: allows you to compare parts of a whole.– Flow charts: describe a process.– Organisation chart: show hierarchies in an organization.

• computer generated presentation

• Chalks

• OHP

Planning and using visual aids effectively:• Relevant visual aids must be chosen. The

visual aids should match the message. • The presenter must be familiar with his/her

visual aids.• Computer software programs such as

PowerPoint may be used to enhance the effectiveness of the presentation.

• Handouts may be disturbed, ie, charts, summaries, outlines etc… in order to compliment the presentation.

• Organising your presentation:1. Introduction:– Introduce or relate the topic to your audience– state the importance of your topic– Question the audience– Arouse the curiosity of the audience– Begin with a quotation

2. Body: the main content of the presentation.3. Conclusion:

III.Practicing/ Rehearsing the presentation

• 120 to 180 words per minutes is ideal

IV. Improving Delivery-Perform

Improving Delivery involves understanding several delivery methods, choosing an appropriate method, and controlling and reducing stage fear.

3 delivery methods:• The memorising method: • Reading method-reading from the

manuscripts.• Outline method-with the help of delivery

notes.

Handling Stage Fright

To reduce stage fright:• Concentrate on the 3 Ps: Planning, Preparing

and Practice• Set Realistic Goals• Avoid negative thoughts• Begin the presentation with a pause• Speak slowly• Learn and practice stress reduction techniques.

Paralinguistic Elements in Presentations.

1.The use of Voice: – loud enough, – stress key words properly, – vary the pitch, – give a pause before and after you make important

points.

2. Eye Contact: – maintaining good eye contact with the audience

create rapport, make them alert and attentive

3. gestures:– Should be natural and congruent with your

message.– Careful about holding hands

4.Posture:– Leaning over podium, shifting your weight from

leg to leg ….– Stand straight while speaking with you’re your

weight distributed evenly on your 2 legs.