Effective Presentation Skills

• This lecture covers the key aspects of making effective presentations.

Lecture Outline Topics

• Developing the Presentation includes:
  • Analyzing the situation
  • Establishing a purpose
  • Developing the thesis
• Organizing the Presentation includes:
  • Gathering ideas and material
  • Organizing the body
  • Planning the introduction and conclusion
  • Adding transitions
• Using Verbal & Visual Support in Presentations includes:
  • Functions of supporting material
  • Verbal support
  • Visual aids
• Delivering the Presentation includes:
  • Types and Guidelines for delivery
  • Question & answer sessions
  • Speaking with confidence

Lecture Objectives

• Develop an effective presentation strategy based on situational analysis.
• Identify presentation goals and construct a thesis.
• Choose and develop an organizational plan.
• Create effective introductions and conclusions.
• Design presentations with effective transitions.
• Describe guidelines for different types of verbal support.
• Discuss types of visual aids and their presentation media.
• Apply presentation delivery guidelines.
• Conduct effective Q&A sessions.
• Apply techniques for confident speaking.

Key Study Terms

• One-week later test: A method to judge what to include in presentations through relevance and memorability.
• Chronological pattern: Arranging points in a time sequence.
• Spatial pattern: Organizing material based on physical location/structure.
• Topical pattern: Grouping ideas around logical themes or divisions.
• Cause and effect pattern: Showing events based on cause-and-effect relationships.
• Effect and cause pattern: Explaining how a problem was created by focusing on results.
• Rule of seven: A slide should contain no more than seven lines, and each line no more than seven words.
• Manuscript presentation: Reading word-for-word from a prepared statement.
• Memorized presentation: Delivering a presentation from memory.
• Extemporaneous presentation: Delivering a planned, rehearsed presentation in a conversational style using a brief outline.
• Impromptu presentation: Delivering an unprepared, off-the-cuff presentation.

Importance of Speaking Skills

• Speaking to an audience in a business or professional environment is a common job requirement, with experts estimating 33 million instances daily.
• Businesspeople give an average of 26 presentations annually.
• Strong presentational speaking skills are essential for career success.

Presentation Types

• These might include:
  • Briefings and informational announcements.
  • Orientation sessions.
  • Training programs.
  • Research and technical reports.
  • Progress reports.
  • Civic and social presentations.
  • Conventions and conference presentations.
  • TV and radio interviews.
  • Introductions, sales presentations, project and policy proposals.
  • Seeking resources, and ceremonial occasions.

Developing the Presentation

• Four key areas involved in making effective presentations include:
  • Developing the Presentation
  • Organizing the Presentation
  • Using Verbal and Visual Support
  • Delivering the Presentation

Analyzing the Situation

• This involves considering the audience, the speaker, and the occasion.
• Three factors help ensure an on-target approach.

Audience Analysis

• This is essential for tailoring the presentation to the listeners' interests, needs, and backgrounds.
• Designing a presentation without considering the audience is ineffective.
• Key questions when analyzing an audience:
  • Who are the key audience members and their influence level?
  • How much background knowledge do they have?
  • What do they expect from the presentation; what are their motivations?
  • What are their personal preferences regarding presentation styles?
  • Which demographic traits (gender, age, culture, economic status) matter?
  • What is the group size and its implications for visuals/Q&A?
  • What are the audience's attitudes toward you and the subject matter?

Speaker Analysis

• Analyze yourself as a speaker, including:
  • Your purpose for the presentation.
  • Knowledge of the subject matter
  • Personal feelings towards the topic (sincerity enhances delivery).
  • Speaking facilities: Consider seating, equipment, noise, outlets, lighting via inspection.
  • The Time: Consider the time of day and allotted length of presentation.
  • The Context: Consider previous speakers/relevant current events.

Establishing a Goal/Purpose

• Defining a goal is essential for planning any presentation, guiding what you want to accomplish.
• There are two types of goals/purposes:
  • General: Broadly indicates what you aim to do (inform, persuade, entertain).
  • Specific: Describes the desired outcome, serving as your presentation's destination.

Specific Goal Statement

• This outlines the desired outcome.
• Include who you want to influence, what action/thought you seek, and how/when/where it should occur.
• The best goal statements are measurable.

Developing the Thesis

• A thesis statement, also known as the central idea or key idea, is a single sentence summarizing the message.

Thesis Statement Qualities

• The thesis should spark interest, can be discussed, and be explained.
• The thesis should not give obvious facts and must state a position with supported arguments.

Thesis vs Purpose

• The goal/purpose is a note to oneself outlining what is hoped to be accomplished.
• The thesis tells the audience the main idea.

Methods for Defining a Thesis Statement

• To generate a thesis, consider:
  • Explaining your idea briefly to someone.
  • Communicating your main ideas in a concise email.
  • Identifying the key takeaway if listeners only hear a small portion.
  • Clarifying the main point if someone asks another listener about your speech.

Organizing the Presentation

• Successful presentations follow a pattern including:
  • Introduction (telling them what you're going to tell them)
  • Body (telling them)
  • Conclusion (telling them what you've told them).

Elements In Organizing Ideas

• Gather ideas and materials
• Organize the Body
• Plan the Introduction
• Plan the Conclusion
• Add Transitions

Gathering Ideas and Material

• Once your thesis is identified, gather supporting information by:
  • Brainstorming
  • Researching (company files, interviews, libraries, internet, surveys)

Organizing the Body

• Begin there, since inexperienced speakers often mistakenly start with the introduction.
• Two steps are required to Organizing the Body:
  • Identifying main points that support your thesis and purpose.
  • Deciding on the best organizational pattern to develop them.

Identifying Main Points

• Applying the "One-week Later" Test can clarify memorable main points.
• Sub-points then expand on each main point.
• A Logic Tree can illustrate relationships among the thesis, main points, and sub-points.

Main Point Rules

• Each main point should be stated as a claim (statement of fact/belief) in a full grammatical sentence.
• All points should develop the thesis. A point cannot be relevant if it does not support the thesis
• Presentations should contain no more than five main points.
• Each main point should contain only one idea; avoid combining or overlapping ideas.

Organizational Patterns for the Body, Informative Presentations

• Chronological
• Spatial
• Topical
• Cause-Effect
• Effect-Cause

Chronological Pattern

• This arranges points chronologically offering a narrative arc.
• It's useful for explaining a process, giving instructions, discussing history, or showing event development.

Spatial Pattern

• This organizes material based on how things are put together or where they're located physically.
• It can describe a geographical region citing local examples

Topical Pattern

• This groups ideas around logical themes/divisions.
• Consider the audience for organization i.e. "A brief to incoming Vice Chancellor of UG"

Cause and Effect/Effect and Cause

• Cause and Effect: Shows resulting events, if certain circumstances occur
• Effect and Cause: Explains causes of a certain problem/result.

Planning the Introduction

Introductions should use 10-15% of speaking time, creating initial impressions.

• An introduction should:
  • Capture Attention
  • Give Audience a Reason to Listen
  • Set Proper Tone
  • Establish Qualifications
• Include An attention-getter, Thesis Statement and Preview.

Effective Ways to Open a Presentation

• Ask a question to involve listeners and highlight topic importance.
• Tell a story to get attention, set tone, and lead into the topic.
• Present a relevant quotation to leverage credible sources.
• Make a startling statement to grab attention.
• Refer to the audience by addressing their needs/concerns to clarify topic relevance.
• Refer to the occasion, using the event itself as a starting point.
• Use humor to engage the audience (if appropriate).

Planning the Conclusion

• The review should restate thesis and summarize main points, while the closing statement uses the same seven techniques as the introduction.
• The review should contain a restatement of the thesis and a summary of the main points.

Conclusion Guidelines

• Use no more than 5% of speaking time.
• Include a review and closing statement.
• The closing statement can return to opening theme, appeal for action, or pose a challenge.

Adding Transitions

• Transitions connect presentation segments like a bridge.
• Transitions should:
  • Promote clarity and work like verbal cues for listeners.
  • Emphasize Important Ideas highlighting most important of all.
  • Keep Listeners Interested, using questions to help them feel recognized.
• These should occur between:
  • Introduction and body
  • Main points within the body
  • Body and conclusion

Using Verbal and Visual Support

• Back up organized points with verbal and visual support
• Supporting material backs up claims made in a presentation, providing clarity, interest, and proof.

Verbal Support Types

• Definition: Explains term meaning
• Example: Brief references to illustrate point.
• Story: Detailed account of an incident, actual or imagined.
• Statistics: Numerical data.
• Comparisons: Relates the examination of processes/ideas that helps reveal relationships with others
• Quotations: Opinion of an expert with articulate voice.

Visual Aids

• Visuals:
  • Show How Things Look
  • Show How Things Work
  • Show How Things Relate to one Another
  • Emphasize Important Points

Infographics Increase

• Infographics are valuable as a means to visually represent information or data, especially complex data.
• Effective infographic creation steps:
  • Identify the story you wish to tell.
  • Locate credible statistical data.
  • Create outline of text/images placed.
  • Match infographic design to information tone.
  • Use variety of icons, illustrations, charts to present data.
  • Be comfortable with White Space.
  • Proofread final version

Choosing Medium

• The way presentations aids are presented is just as important as the type.
• Visual aids can be presented:
  • Dry Erase Boards
  • Flip Charts
  • Poster Boards
  • Computer Displays
  • Handouts

Presentation Software

• Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Keynote can create presentations with text & visuals.
• Advantages include:
  • Onscreen effects.
  • Organizer for speaker's notes.
  • Variety of handouts.
  • Creation of Charts, graphs and tables
• A disadvantage is an unclear presentation structure may make it difficult for the audience to understand

Visual Aid Guidelines

• When using visual aids, remember selection (reason for use, brevity, sophistication) and design (size, simplicity, limited words, horizontal print, clear labels, timed display, visibility, practice).
• Always set everything up in advance, and keep spare equiptment or backups if necessary.

Delivering the Presentation

• Four types of delivery:
  • Manuscript – reading a prepared statement word for word but can be boring.
  • Memorized – reciting from memory, but can be derailed if you forget a word.
  • Extemporaneous – planned and rehearsed, but conversational.
  • Impromptu – unexpected with little to no preparation.

Guidelines for Delivery

• Effective delivery is crucial for good presentations.
• Verbal messages account for 7% of meaning, vocal messages for 38%, and visual messages for 55%.
• Improve verbal effectiveness by:
  • Speaking conversationally with shorter sentences/personal pronouns.
  • Using active Voice.
  • Addressing listeners directly while avoiding over-emphasis of mistakes.
  • Address a "technical difficulty" positively.

Speaker Vocal Guidelines

• To improve Vocal Effectiveness:
  • Speak with enthusiasm and sincerity.
  • Speak loudly enough to be heard while avoiding disfluencies.
  • Vary rate, pitch, and volume using pauses effectively.

Speaker Visual Guidelines

• To improve visual effectiveness:
  • Dress and step forward.
  • Establish eye contact, begin without notes, stand effectively, avoid early pack-up, and move confidently when finished.

Body Language Interpretations, Dictatorial or Arrogant

• Crossed arms, Pounding fists, hands on hips, pointing index finger, hands behind neck, hands on lapel/hem of jacket.

Body Language Interpretations, Insecure or Nervous

• Gripping lectern, chewing objects, constant throat clearing, playing with hair/bead/jewelry, rocking, rubbing clothes/body, clenched fists, jingling coins/keys, constantly adjusting spectacles/clothing , slouching, standing rigidly.

Body Language Interpretations, Open & Confident

• Open hands, expansive gestures, stepping out from behind lectern, walking toward audience, animated facial expressions, dramatic pauses, consistent eye contact.

Question and Answer Sessions

• Engage in Q&A Sessions
• Choose to invite questions: After: Keeps you in control During: Great for clarity.
  • (You can always save the questions for later).

Managing Questions

• Get them Rolling.
• Make predictions.
• Clarify Confusing Answers
• Address the Questioner and treat respectfully.
• Follow those goals with answers that save time by focusing.
• Follow up with Answers for the whole audience with a summary.

Speaking with Confidence

• Accept A moderate amount of normal nervousness.
  • Helps you Prepare Carefully.
• Speak more often, focusing on topic, audience, and the subject itself.