Ten Tips on Giving an Oral Presentation (original source: Ms. C. Desmarais)

Students: A very important skill for 21st century learners is being able to make an effective presentation. The text which follows provides suggestions for making a good presentation. Ms. Flynn did not write the text.  Ms. Christina Desmarais had this published in an online magazine called INC. SOURCE TEXT

Images can be added to the pages. Be careful, you cannot steal images!  The image on the cover is from a site which provided free images. I provided the url for the source. But do I have the legal right to use the image (is there copyright)?

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1. Research your audience.

If you want to influence these people, you need to know what they care about and what motivates them.

2. Include dissenting views.

Identify ways your audience may challenge your ideas and acknowledge them in your talk. Dismissing dissenting views won’t make them go away.

3. Start with a good story.

TED Talks speakers use this tactic all the time. Your opening story should be one everyone in the room can relate to.

4. Reiterate your main message three times.

Professional communicators put it this way, “Tell them what you’re going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you told them.” In other words, introduce the points you will be making, and then spend the meat of your presentation fleshing them out. Conclude by reminding the audience about your points.

5. Practice like crazy.

When you know what you’re going to say backward and forward, you don’t have to worry about fumbling your words or losing your train of thought. Saying your talk out loud many times in advance also helps you to edit out awkward wordiness. Your audience will appreciate a no-rambling approach.

6. Memorize.

If you’ve ever seen someone glancing at note cards, you know that it’s not only distracting to an audience but also conveys that a speaker may lack confidence. Don’t memorize every word, just the flow of your key points and the examples you will use to back them up. Check out Prezi’s blog on how you can memorize any presentation in 60 minutes or less.

7. Make eye contact.

You can’t persuade someone if you’re not looking him or her in the eye. Just make sure to scan the room without staring at any individual for too long.

8. Use a good closing story.

It should be one that relates directly to your message and allows you to reiterate your main points. Less is more when it comes to closing, so keep your story succinct while being authentic. Essentially, your closing story should be close to your heart while summarizing your message.

9. Avoid bullet points.

They’re boring. Instead, use a compelling image with text that’s no longer than a tweet.

10. Use big gestures.

Holding your arms in close to your body not only looks unnatural, it also makes you look nervous. You’re telling stories, so act like it by commanding the space you’re inhabiting in front of the room.

source: http://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/10-tips-on-giving-a-killer-presentation.html