Bite-sized learning points from the Oral Presentation

In light of the fact that my previous (partial) reflection on my oral presentation, written by one who was feeling down and binging on chips, generated so many responses (such that it became quite a marathon replying them all) I shall now present the main presentation tips I’ve taken away from this whole experience in bite-sized sections for easy, light reading (as opposed to writing an analysis of my OP experience in essay-length paragraphs).

Preparation

1. Have a clear outline of what you’re going to cover in your speech.
This is not to say memorize a scripted speech. Instead, know your points well (it gets easier with multiple rehearsals) so that you don’t risk blank-outs or accidentally missing out points.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice
Rehearsals are vital; have as many of them as possible.

3. Simulate the actual presentation settings as far as possible during rehearsals.
Our group practiced with the video camera, as we didn’t want the presence of a camera on the actual day to unnerve us. We also tried practicing in an area that was about as large as our presentation venue, to ensure our voice-projection would be effective on the actual day.

4. Ensure your presentation slides are standardized.
Sigh. I guess this one goes without saying, and we all know why by now: standardized slides look professional; slides which are ‘customized’ to each presenter’s ‘style’ don’t.


Delivery

1. Stance/Posture
Having a firm stance (planting my feet firmly in the ground) actually helped me slow down my speech and THINK better. Since my words weren’t scripted, I sort of needed to buy time to mentally process the next point. There have been mixed reviews regarding the reduced speed of my speech, so exercise due discretion in adopting this one yup.

2. Articulation
I actually felt that slowing down the pace of my speech helped me articulate my words better. If one’s presenting in a language which isn’t his/her mother tongue, it’d be advisable to seek clarification on the pronunciation of certain words, for the sake of ensuring clarity in making the presentation.

3. Voice Projection
Fairly self-explanatory, right? Ensure that your speaking volume is loud enough to be heard by all present. Of course one shouldn’t be talking too loudly, as that might seem rude, but we all know how to exercise moderation here (:

4. Hand Gestures
The use of appropriate hand gestures can actually help emphasize your points. In my OP, some of my hand gestures actually helped me remember my points (sort of a psycho-motor association thing?)

5. Eye-contact
As Brad has reiterated time and time again, good eye-contact is vitally important. The technique of ‘sweeping’ one’s gaze across the room, giving each and every member of the audience a few moments of attention, is something I very much need to learn.

6. Be aware of your body language

7. Don’t be overly reliant on audio-visual aids
A presenter who does not rely much on his/her slides, etc. really does exude so much more confidence than one who constantly casts furtive looks towards the audio-visuals.

8. Tell stories and use quotes
Stories and quotes, when used well, really do work wonders in grabbing/sustaining audience attention and helps them better connect with you. Again, be aware of your audiences' expectations and apply this tip with due discretion.


Slides

1. Take a minimalist approach
This is actually what Brad explicitly taught in class. Reducing the number of words/amount of information on your slides diverts the audience’s attention away from your visual aids, and focuses it all on you, the speaker.



**Please do not feel obliged to comment on this blog post, it has been written primarily to consolidate my thoughts on the Do’s and Don’ts of giving an oral presentation; just a little something I’d like to share with you guys. (: