Presentation Skills

ENC 3254

Speaking & Writing for

Premed Students

Presentations are expensive. Consider whether it is really necessary.

Cost in salaries of audience

Cost in time for presentation

Cost in time to prepare presentation

Presenter can read audience and react

AB

C

C

D

Presenter receives instant reaction

! ? ! ?

Presentations have advantages over documents

Work can come alive for audience Work

Speaker has limited chance to catch errors

? ? ?

Audience cannot reread text

has oneaudience

chanceto hear

Audience cannot look up background material

Presentations also have disadvantages

Informative Speech Assignment

What are the most common public speaking challenges?

Anxiety Lack of preparation time Not knowing your purpose Not knowing the audience

Communication Apprehension

The Book of Lists ranks fear of public speaking as the #1 fear, even ahead of death, disease, and nuclear war.

A 2001 Gallup Poll found that public speaking was second only to a fear of snakes.

But….is it Genetic? Or a Learned Behavior? Is it Trait or State CA?

What are the causes of CA?

Fear of Embarrassment

Fear of Failure

Fear of Rejection

Fear of the Unknown

or Why should we be scared?

Overcoming or Controlling CA

Choose your topic Know your environment Breathe & Relax Use extras wisely Get the audience’s attention early Know your material & practice Make eye contact with your audience Don’t be afraid to make mistakes Put in the situation into perspective & welcome the

experience

Presentations can be viewed from three stylistic perspectives

Structure andSpeech

Delivery

Archives, Cal-Tech

Visual Aids

Structure andSpeech

Visual Aids

Delivery

Archives, Cal-Tech

audience

purpose occasion

Begin preparing a scientific presentationby analyzing your constraints

Who are they?What do they know?

Why are they here?What biases do they have?

to inform

to persuade

to inspire

to teach

formality

size

time

There are 2 messages in any speech:

1. The one you send

2. The one the audience receives

Challenge: Audiences can be Poor Listeners

Reactive to trigger words or topics Listen faster than you can speak Prefer info similar to their beliefs Retain very little

Goal: Be Compelling

Know Purpose of Speech Know Audience Show Value of Message Build Rapport

Types of Speeches

Informative

Informative/Persuasive

Persuasive

Types of Audiences: Demographics

Technical or Non-technical Educational Level Age

Types of Audiences: Situational & Psychological

Occasion Size of Room & Group

Roles & Motives Culture Feelings about you or your topic

Speech Overview/Preview Prepares Audience Use Connectives/Transitions Signals Topic Change Review Points Enhances Audience Retention

Goal: Present a clear message

Beginning

Ending

Middle

As with documents, the structure of presentations should have clear beginnings, middles, and ends

Beginnings prepare the audiencefor the work to be presented

Defines workDefines work

Work = A + B

Maps presentationMaps presentation

A

B

CD

Shows importanceShows importance

Gives backgroundGives background

Speech Organization

Introduction Attention grabber thesis/central idea relation statement qualifications (if necessary) preview/forecast

Speech Organization-Organizational Patterns

Body—or middle of the speech, presents the information in a logical order Topical Triad Chronological Problem/Cause/Solution MMS

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

Step 1--Attention Step 2-Need Step 3-Satisfaction Step 4-Visualization Step 5-Action

The ending should summarize main points and place those results in the context of the big picture

point 1point 2point 3point 4

point 5point 6point 7point 8

point 1point 7

Summary

Big Picture

Speech Organization

Conclusion forewarn audience of ending summarize your main points remind audience of desired response end in an upbeat manner

Sample Outlines

Structure andSpeech

Delivery

Archives, Cal-Tech

Visual Aids

Delivery is the speaker’s interaction with the audience

Cal-Tech

Stage Presence

Voice

AIP Movement

Cal-Tech

Delivery

How You Give the Speech

Verbal Techniques

Volume, Rate, Emphasis, Vocal Variety, Articulation

Non-verbal Techniques

Personal Appearance, Gestures, Eye Contact

Language

Enhances Understanding

Goal: Be Captivating & Memorable

Speech Delivery Options

Memorizing the Speech

+ allows eye contact- difficult for long speeches- room for precision errors- no room for improvising

Reading From a Text

+ ensures precision- does not sound natural- no room for improvising- hinders eye contact

Winging It

+ sounds natural- has much room for error

Speaking Extemporaneously

+ insures organization+ allows eye contact+ allows improvising- some room for error

Delivery Essentials~65% of total message

Eye Contact and Facial Expression 50% of nonverbal message

Body Movement--body language hand gestures, walking, podium use

Vocalics or Paralanguage 30% of nonverbal message

Distracting Mannerisms

Structure andSpeech

Delivery

Archives, Cal-Tech

Visual Aids