Making an Effective

Presentation
Based on the work of
the University of
Newcastle Teaching
and Learning Center
and
Professor Emeritus
Terry Doyle
Ferris State
University

You are Your Presentation

Making an Effective
Presentation
Know your
audience
Their levels of
education
Their ages
Their interest levels in
your topic
Their attention spans

Making an Effective
Presentation
Render your
audience benign
Dont do things or say
things that will turn the
audience off or even
worseagainst you.

Be careful withHumor
Politics
Religion

Making an Effective
Presentation
Use emotional
tools if possible

Stories
Pictures
Songs
Images

Making an Effective
Presentation
Do not turn
your audience
into note
takers.
If appropriate have
handouts with spaces
where the audience can
add notes

www.com.msu.edu/.../ PowerPoint/handouts-3.png

Step One
Preparing the Content of the
Presentation
What are your learning
outcomes?

What will the

audience know as
a result of your
presentationtell
them this at the
beginning of the
presentation

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this
presentation the
audience will know how
to:

Prepare the Content

of a Presentation
Prepare the Delivery
of a Presentation
Organize the Parts
of a Presentation

Learning Outcomes
Develop ways to make
the Presentation
more Effective

Recognize how to use

Visual Aids effectively
in a Presentation

Effectively deal with

Questions,
Interruptions and
Equipment Problems

Step Two
Preparation of the Presentation
What are your main
points?
Dont have too many!
4-5 are plenty!
What do you want to
say about the main
points?
How will you insure
the audience
understands?

Step Two
Preparation of the Presentation
How will you
reinforce the main
points?

Examples
Stories
Analogies
Data
Research Findings

Step Two
Preparation of the Presentation
How will you
illustrate the main
points?

Pictures
Diagrams
Charts
Graphs
Global Climate Change

www.dhss.mo.gov/.../ expenditures_pie_chart.jpg

www.statcan.ca/.../ grade11/crime/graph-1.gif

Too Busy

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
Know the content
very well.
You should be able
to talk about it
without note cards
Be concise, clear
and well organized

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
Time your self
Including:
Time for questions/at
the end or during the
presentation
Unplanned
Interruptions
Discussion with the
audience-if applicable

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
Dont talk
about it if
you cant
clearly
explain it.

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
If asked a
question you
are not sure
of the answer
respond
Thats a good
question Im not
certain, let me
find out for you.

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
Make sure
everyone can
see/read the
slides
26 point font or
larger

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
Limited the
amount of text.
The text is to
guide your
presentation
It is not your
presentation

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
Decide how you are going to
point at information

img.2dehands.nl/ f/normal/9310031.jpg

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
If using note cards
Write large
Number them
List talking points
only
www.topnotchteacher.com/. ../indexcards.gif

Step Three
Preparing the Delivery
Test your equipment ahead of
time

www.library.unt.edu/.../ broken_computer.JPG

Step Four
Making the Presentation
Greet the audience.
Tell them who you are.
Give some background
on the presentation.
I believe you will find
this interesting or
helpful or
informative

Step Four
Making the Presentation

Tell them
what they
will learn.

Step Four
Making the Presentation
Start at a
logical
beginning
point
Gain the audiences
attention
immediately.

Step Four
Making the Presentation
Keep to your
planned pace.

Try not to get

sidetracked

Step Four
Making the Presentation
End by telling
them what
you told
them

Step Four
Making the Presentation
Summarize
Draw a conclusion
Reinforce the
message

Step Four
Making the Presentation

Leave time
for questions

Step Five
The Delivery

Speak clearly
and loud
enough so
those in the
back can hear

Step Five
The Delivery
Speak naturally- be
yourself
Never read to the
audience unless
quoting someone

Step Five
The Delivery
Pause for emphasis
Use your voice and
jesters for emphasis
Movements can
refocus the
audiences attention

Step Five
The Delivery
Keep eye contact
with the whole
audience-dont talk
just to the first row
Never talk to your
slides/or with back
to the audience

Step Five
The Delivery

Look for nonverbal cues from

the audience Im lost or
Im bored

www.gayvillevolin.k12.sd.us/.../ Erin.jpg

Step Five
The Delivery

If using a flip
chart or white
board make
your writing
legible and so
it can be seen
from the back
of the room
www.artofbarter.com/ gif-bin/FlipchartMan.gif

Using Visual Aids

Visuals must
reinforce what
you are saying.

Using Visual Aids

Dont plan on
writing on your
slides
Keep the number
of words per slide
limited --less
than 30 words
unless quoting

Using Visual Aids

Use color for emphasis on slides
but avoid yellow and orange

Do not use yellow because it is

very hard to see
Do not use orange because it is
hard to see

Questions-Interruptions and
Equipment Problems
Tell audience if you
will take questions
during the talk or
just at the end of
the presentation

oregonstate.edu/.../ ANSWERING%20QUESTIONS.jpg

Questions-Interruptions and
Equipment Problems
Keep answers to
questions brief and
to the pointif you
are not sure or
dont know say so.
Good Question I will
look into that and
get back to you

Questions-Interruptions and
Equipment Problems

If the question
is not easily
answered or
off the topic
suggest to talk
after the
presentation
ends.

Questions-Interruptions and
Equipment Problems

If the question
will be
answered in
the future part
of the talk say
so and move
on.

images.medscape.com/. ../slide001.gif

Questions-Interruptions and
Equipment Problems
Dont argue with
the audience

Hmm thats an
interesting point

Im not sure I agree

with that view but
Ill have to think about
that position

Questions-Interruptions Equipment
Problems
Have a back up plan.
1. Handouts
2. Email
presentation to
self
3. Extra thumb
drive
www.magazinusa.com/.../ original/MurphysLaw.gif

The End