PRESENTATION

SKILLS: MAKING
PRESENTATIONS
ENGLISH – II (COMMUNICATION SKILLS)
BASIC PREPARATION

• The basic preparation that needs to be done for making a

presentation is collecting the information.
• Once the topic of presentation is determined, the speaker
needs to collect material.
• No one makes a presentation on a subject on which one has
absolutely no knowledge.
• Hence, it is necessary to jot down all that one already knows.
COLLECTING AND EVALUATION OF THE
INFORMATION
• The first source of material is speaker’s own knowledge.
• Collect from your notebooks and textbooks besides what
you already know.
• Next, look in the library catalogue, and list the books and
journal articles.
• Reading one or two of the books and articles should enable
you to check and modify your presentation’s outline and
expand some points.
CONT …

• When reading, write notes under each topic of the outline

in a separate computer file or set of cards.
• Writing references about the source of information is very
useful at the time of checking.
• For technological topics, information should be collected
from authentic books and journals which are found in
reliable libraries such as university’s library or a national
library.
CONT …

• The internet is a very useful source of information, but must be

used very carefully.
• Information on Blogs and pop science websites is not reliable
enough to be considered the source of material for a presentation.
• Evaluation depends on the purpose for which article is to be used.
• For a scientific researcher and student of philosophy the criteria for
evaluating the magazine and article will differ.
CONT …

• To evaluate a journal article for a technical topic consider the

following aspects.
Purpose of article: Check if the article is written for the purpose
of
• Persuading the reader to do something, such as purchase an item,
attend an event, vote a certain way.
• Informing the reader about what happened at an event, the
results of a study/experiment.
CONT …

• Proving something such as that a certain behavior is good

or bad, that a particular method of doing something is
better than some other method.
• Type of journal: For assignments and for writing a
responsible document use information from Scholarly
journals.
• Scholarly journals have articles describing high quality
research that has been reviewed by the experts in the field
before publication.
CONT …

• Trade magazines may be useful for topics in business or

where economic data is needed.
• Popular magazines such as Times and Newsweek should
be used sparingly or not at all.
AUDIENCE

• What type of reader is the author writing for?

• This is related to the type of journal:
• Popular magazines are for the general reader while Trade
magazines are for the specialist in that business or Scholarly
journals are meant for researchers, scholars or experts in the
field.
• A scholarly journal is not meant for the general public; also it
would contain articles written in technical style.
ORGANIZATION AND CONTENT

• Is the material organized and focused?

• Is the argument and presentation easy to understand?
• Is it original research, a review of previous research, or an
informative piece.
BIAS OF THE PUBLISHER

• Some publishers which are put out by organizations, take a

specific stand and have a bias that influences the articles
printed in them.
• Consider whether the journal has any political or
commercial interest.
DATE OF ARTICLE

• Some topics, such as those in health sciences, require

current information.
• Other subjects, such as geology, value older material as
well as current.
• Be aware of the time needs of your topic and examine
whether the article is up-to-date, out-of-date or not
dependent on time.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Scholarly works always have a bibliography of the sources that were consulted.
• There should be sufficient and appropriate references for the content.
• Some of the important considerations regarding bibliography would be:
-Are the references primary sources (result reports of experiments, journal
articles, or tests) or secondary sources (encyclopedias, other journals)?
-Are the references contemporary to the article or much older?
- Is the citation style clear and consistent?
CONT …

• Usefulness: The article is useful only if it deals with the

topic you have chosen.
• Coverage: Does the article cover the topic
comprehensively, partially or is it an overview?
• Authority: What is the standing of the author? Where is
the author employed? What else has he/she published?
CONT …

• Illustrations: Are there charts, graphs, maps, photographs

etc. to illustrate concepts? Are the illustrations relevant?
Are they clear and professional-looking?
ORGANIZATION OF INFORMATION

• It can be confusing and painful task to organize information

that has been collected in a haphazard manner.
• Preparing a good outline with headings and subheadings
helps to keep the collected material organized.
• Write the outline in the form of headings and subheadings;
as you read up and collect material on each sub-topic write
it in your own words under the relevant heading.
CONT …

• When writing in your own words, try to use spoken language,

as if explaining to a group of friends.
• This helps to keep the language suitable for oral
communication and also to keep it simple and smooth flowing.
• Keep a section called “Comments” at the end of each section
for writing your own comments, ideas and thoughts on the
sub-topic.
CONT …

• At the time of finalizing, it becomes easier to deal with

small portions or sections which you have sorted out than
to tackle a pile of notes.
• When finalizing the write up, consider the flow of the
information, see what items can be number-listed or bullet-
listed. Consider which points would be better explained
with the help of a graphic.
• Deciding on and visualizing the graphics helps to clarify
thoughts. Besides it adds to the progress of preparation.
CONT …

• Always bear in mind that the first outline from which you
started may have to be modified as you learn more about
the topic.
• A good presentation whether oral or written is not done in a
single draft. It takes three or four, at least.
INTERACTION WITH AUDIENCE

• In the process of developing your presentation, interaction with other

students is of great value.
• If the project is a group presentation there should be a group
discussion before starting the work.
• The discussion often leads to clarification and formulation of the title
and an outline of the presentation.
• After getting a grip on the framework, it is easier to collect
material and detailed information.
CONT …

• The background information is the reward of preparing the

presentation.
• It is also needed for answering the questions that audience
may ask.
• The group is a very useful practicing ground.
• Each one can get feedback from the others, there is likely
to be constructive and honest feedback.
USING HUMOUR IN PRESENTATIONS

• It is great if speakers can provide some fun during their

presentations.
• It is only a matter of selecting the right humour for the particular
audience.
• Appropriate humour relaxes audience and makes it feel more
comfortable with the speaker.
• It can draw attention to the point speaker is making and help the
audience to remember the point better.
CONT …

• It can break down barriers so that the audience is more receptive to

the speaker’s ideas.
• Here are some suggestions on using humour in presentations:
1) Use only what you find funny yourself. Use what makes you laugh or
smile.
2) Try out a piece of humour with small groups of people before
using it in your presentation. Don’t rush through it, give
audience some time to be prepared for the humorous part.
CONT …

3) Make sure that the humour relates to the point you are
making. Do not use humour simply to make the audience
laugh.
4) Begin with a short piece. Try a summary of a cartoon and
give it a caption as your humour. A clever, but thought-
provoking line related to a point you are making is good way
to get started with using humour.
5) Audiences have no patience with long and useless stories.
Start with small bits of humour.
CONT …

6) Never begin by saying, “Let me tell you a funny story”, or

“That reminds me of a funny story”. It is for audience to
decide if it is funny.
7) If your body language indicates that you’re terrified when
you are trying to be humorous, the audience would respond
as they would when you are relaxed. Therefore, use short
bits of humour and practice well before the presentation.