the best notes for oral presentations contain

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Preparing presentation notes

Good notes are key to a successful presentation. 

The following information is arranged to show you how GOOD speaking notes should look.  DO NOT WRITE FULL SENTENCES IN YOUR NOTES. 

If you have full sentences, you may be very tempted to READ the notes instead of  telling  the audience the information.  Reading an oral presentation sounds robotic and does not lead to audience engagement. 

Good presentation notes are written in short phrases and key words (see below).  They are arranged in a way that helps you remember the main ideas and details, and prompt you along as you TELL the audience your information.

Introduction Body of presentation Conclusion

Introduction

Give your thesis:

• Example:  According to The Book of Lists, what is the greatest human fear in North America?
•  Speaking before a group!

Some anxiety is good because . . . But too much anxiety causes problems . . .

To control anxiety and give a good talk, do 2 things (thesis)

•  Prepare your material.
•  Practice your delivery. 

This presentation….= Prepare your materials (outline of presentation)

• Select a topic.
• Determine purpose.
• Analyze audience.

Body of presentation

Pepare you material:.

• Select a topic and a clear purpose - Here's how . . .
• Brainstorm a list of topics that you know and care about.
• Choose a topic from the list. If topic is too broad, narrow it down. Brainstorm questions your audience might have.
• Determine purpose: to inform/teach or persuade/convince.
• Write it down = purpose statement …specific: I want to teach my audience how to make a very good oral presentation by breaking the process down into easy steps.

Analyze the audience - keep their needs in mind as you design your talk:

• Find out who they are.
• Determine their attitude to the topic and to you (positive/negative?).
• Estimate their knowledge about the topic (novice/expert?).
• Gather ideas on topic to meet audience's needs and your purpose.
• Organize ideas in chunks of information (main points).
• Categorize and label ideas.
• Develop a few main points relating to purpose (3-5).
• Map or outline ideas in a hierarchy (tree).
• Write out introduction and conclusion. Intro should create interest, reveal topic, and preview main points.

Sum up and give implications:

Good preparation = confident and =  a good talk…also reduces your anxiety!

• Choose a topic and get started early.
• Determine a clear purpose and plan to fulfill it.
• Know your audience and keep them in mind as you gather ideas and organize them.
• Rehearse your talk often using a speech outline.
• DO NOT read your presentation; tell the information.
• Sum up by repeating main points + suggesting implications or action for the audience.

Prepare a speech outline similar to this model:

• Write main points clearly with lots of space in between.
• Consider breaking up talk on numbered file cards (do not write full sentences; continue  with notes with indenting and spacing even though you are using cards).
• Highlight important points and add instructions for delivery.

Practice your delivery:

• Rehearse your talk using your cue cards.
• Practice your talk aloud until you really know it (but do not memorize it!).
• Practice out loud and practice with your PowerPoint slides.
• Practice it before friends or family.

© Concordia University

• Using notes when presenting – best practice

Successfully persuading an audience

How do you use acronyms in presentations?

This article contains best practice tips and answers to the most common questions related to using notes when presenting.

Using notes within a presentation is a topic that regularly gets asked about during my presentation skills training sessions. (Both novice and experienced speakers have LOTS of questions about when and how to use notes during a presentation!).

To help you use and format your presentation notes in the most useful way, I have collated some of the most common questions (and answers) that I get asked relating to using notes during a presentation or speech.

I hope that you find these best practice tips for using notes when presenting useful, and please keep checking back, as I will add to this article as more questions come up.

Want to watch this article as a video?

Key questions related to using notes when presenting (click each question to jump to it).

Should I use notes when presenting?

What are the benefits of using notes in a presentation.

Do I have to hold presentation notes in my hand?

How should I format my presentation notes?

How do i make cue cards for my next presentation, should i have my presentation notes on my phone, how should i use notes when presenting online, what is the most important thing to remember when using notes in a presentation.

One of the most common questions asked by speakers that are keen to grow and develop is: “Should I use notes when presenting?”.

Notes should always be used if they increase your ability to deliver your message clearly, confidently and concisely.

Why? Remember your public speaking goals.

For a successful speaker, the goal is always to impart their message in a clear, concise and confident manner. If you do not achieve this, then your message is unlikely to be heard, and your audience will not be able to act upon it.

Think of all of the presentations or speeches that you have attended in your life. It is highly unlikely that you wanted the speaker to become confused, forget their words and not be able to deliver their message. That would have been a waste of time for you and them, and likely   have made you both feel incredibly uncomfortable.

Your audience wants you to succeed. They want to hear your message.

If you need to have notes to successfully deliver your message or presentation, then go for it.

Using notes for your next presentation guarantees that you will be able to recall and deliver your message clearly, confidently and concisely as you will always have something available to refer to, if you get stuck or forget your words.

Your audience wants you to succeed and deliver your message. They would therefore prefer that you have notes and are able to deliver your message, than not have notes and not be able to complete the presentation.

You should always have notes to support you as a speaker, if you feel you need them.

Rich shares his thoughts on this question in this recent video...

Click the video to watch this question answered by Rich Watts, public speaking expert and 2x national public speaking champion.

To view more public speaking tips videos, visit our Rich Public Speaking Instagram account here.

Do I have to hold my presentation notes in my hands?

If you feel confident that you won’t need to consult your notes every few seconds, then you may benefit from having your notes nearby (for if you need them), but not permanently in your hands.

For example, you may wish to have a copy of your notes stored in your jacket or trouser pocket, or on a table nearby. Then, if you need them, they can be easily consulted. However, if you do not need to consult these ‘hidden’ notes, then the audience will never know that they existed, and you will appear as a super confident speaker, with your whole speech or presentation memorised!

Think of this set of hidden notes as a safety net - there if you need them, but hopefully you won’t!

Remember that your cue cards or presentation notes are a visual element of your presentation. Their appearance to the audience can impact your success as a speaker.

Our audience makes conscious and unconscious judgements about our abilities as a speaker, based on our visual appearance. How would you feel about someone wearing mechanics’ overalls undertaking open heart surgery on you? Similarly, how would you feel about a person in a formal suit and tie completing structural works on your home?

Your notes should reflect positively on you as a speaker.

Best practice tips for cue cards for a presentation include:

Ensure that your notes are printed or written on good quality card., the reverse of the card (facing the audience) should be blank..., keep your cards small (a5 size is ideal)..., keep the number of note cards that you have to a minimum..

• The best format for presentation notes is a set of short prompts that trigger your brain to recall the sentences and messages that you want to impart. Ideally they should be a list of words that will aid your recall. Your rehearsals will ensure that your brain recognises the words on your note cards, and can then recall the rest of the sentence, paragraph or message that you want to present.
• Avoid writing out long sentences or every word of your presentation. This will increase the chances of you simply reading your presentation off of your notes. If you do this, you are unlikely to build rapport or engagement with your audience as you will not be able to make eye contact with them as you present.
• Your prompts within your presentation notes should always be clearly written and well-spaced. Check that you can read them from a distance, without squinting or straining, to avoid any confusion or distraction when you are presenting on the day.

It is becoming increasingly common for presenters to refer to notes that they have written on their phone, whilst they present.

Opinion is split on doing this. Some people believe that it appears lazy and informal, whilst others recognise it as an efficient and useful way to successfully present.

For now, as a speaker you will need to make an informed decision about the opinions of your audience before using notes from a phone or iPad. If you are in any doubt, avoid using a phone or tablet for notes, as you do not want it to frustrate your audience or distract from your message.

Generally, for more formal events it is recognised that using printed, well-formatted notes is preferable. For shorter, more informal gatherings, reading notes from a phone or tablet is viewed as more acceptable.

This will likely change further over time.

Presenting online is becoming increasingly common, but the challenge of remembering your key messages and using notes remains.

Many online presentation platforms, such as Zoom and Google Meets, allow you to have notes open on a separate screen or monitor, that is not shared with the audience online. However, many of us do not have multiple monitors or screens available to us, and if we do, breaking eye contact and regularly turning our head to the side to consult notes is certainly not viewed as presentation best practice.

The best way to format your notes when presenting online is to have a digital note positioned on your screen just below your camera. If you cannot have a digital note because you are sharing your screen with your audience, then place a handwritten or printed note just above and behind your camera. This can be consulted without seeming to break eye contact with your online audience.

The most important thing to remember about using notes in a presentation is that using notes is a must, if you feel that they will improve or guarantee your ability to deliver your message clearly, confidently and concisely.

Your audience will thank you for it - they want to hear your message.

For more best practice tips and advice, please consult our public speaking blog here .

If you have a question about any area of public speaking that you would like answered, please contact us here.

Tips for positive body language when presenting

My process – experimenting with public speaking AI

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How to prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation

• Related content
• Peer review
• Lucia Hartigan , registrar 1 ,
• Fionnuala Mone , fellow in maternal fetal medicine 1 ,
• Mary Higgins , consultant obstetrician 2
• 1 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
• 2 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin
• luciahartigan{at}hotmail.com

The success of an oral presentation lies in the speaker’s ability to transmit information to the audience. Lucia Hartigan and colleagues describe what they have learnt about delivering an effective scientific oral presentation from their own experiences, and their mistakes

The objective of an oral presentation is to portray large amounts of often complex information in a clear, bite sized fashion. Although some of the success lies in the content, the rest lies in the speaker’s skills in transmitting the information to the audience. 1

Preparation

It is important to be as well prepared as possible. Look at the venue in person, and find out the time allowed for your presentation and for questions, and the size of the audience and their backgrounds, which will allow the presentation to be pitched at the appropriate level.

See what the ambience and temperature are like and check that the format of your presentation is compatible with the available computer. This is particularly important when embedding videos. Before you begin, look at the video on stand-by and make sure the lights are dimmed and the speakers are functioning.

For visual aids, Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Mac Keynote programmes are usual, although Prezi is increasing in popularity. Save the presentation on a USB stick, with email or cloud storage backup to avoid last minute disasters.

When preparing the presentation, start with an opening slide containing the title of the study, your name, and the date. Begin by addressing and thanking the audience and the organisation that has invited you to speak. Typically, the format includes background, study aims, methodology, results, strengths and weaknesses of the study, and conclusions.

If the study takes a lecturing format, consider including “any questions?” on a slide before you conclude, which will allow the audience to remember the take home messages. Ideally, the audience should remember three of the main points from the presentation. 2

Have a maximum of four short points per slide. If you can display something as a diagram, video, or a graph, use this instead of text and talk around it.

Animation is available in both Microsoft PowerPoint and the Apple Mac Keynote programme, and its use in presentations has been demonstrated to assist in the retention and recall of facts. 3 Do not overuse it, though, as it could make you appear unprofessional. If you show a video or diagram don’t just sit back—use a laser pointer to explain what is happening.

Rehearse your presentation in front of at least one person. Request feedback and amend accordingly. If possible, practise in the venue itself so things will not be unfamiliar on the day. If you appear comfortable, the audience will feel comfortable. Ask colleagues and seniors what questions they would ask and prepare responses to these questions.

It is important to dress appropriately, stand up straight, and project your voice towards the back of the room. Practise using a microphone, or any other presentation aids, in advance. If you don’t have your own presenting style, think of the style of inspirational scientific speakers you have seen and imitate it.

Try to present slides at the rate of around one slide a minute. If you talk too much, you will lose your audience’s attention. The slides or videos should be an adjunct to your presentation, so do not hide behind them, and be proud of the work you are presenting. You should avoid reading the wording on the slides, but instead talk around the content on them.

Maintain eye contact with the audience and remember to smile and pause after each comment, giving your nerves time to settle. Speak slowly and concisely, highlighting key points.

Do not assume that the audience is completely familiar with the topic you are passionate about, but don’t patronise them either. Use every presentation as an opportunity to teach, even your seniors. The information you are presenting may be new to them, but it is always important to know your audience’s background. You can then ensure you do not patronise world experts.

To maintain the audience’s attention, vary the tone and inflection of your voice. If appropriate, use humour, though you should run any comments or jokes past others beforehand and make sure they are culturally appropriate. Check every now and again that the audience is following and offer them the opportunity to ask questions.

Finishing up is the most important part, as this is when you send your take home message with the audience. Slow down, even though time is important at this stage. Conclude with the three key points from the study and leave the slide up for a further few seconds. Do not ramble on. Give the audience a chance to digest the presentation. Conclude by acknowledging those who assisted you in the study, and thank the audience and organisation. If you are presenting in North America, it is usual practice to conclude with an image of the team. If you wish to show references, insert a text box on the appropriate slide with the primary author, year, and paper, although this is not always required.

Answering questions can often feel like the most daunting part, but don’t look upon this as negative. Assume that the audience has listened and is interested in your research. Listen carefully, and if you are unsure about what someone is saying, ask for the question to be rephrased. Thank the audience member for asking the question and keep responses brief and concise. If you are unsure of the answer you can say that the questioner has raised an interesting point that you will have to investigate further. Have someone in the audience who will write down the questions for you, and remember that this is effectively free peer review.

Be proud of your achievements and try to do justice to the work that you and the rest of your group have done. You deserve to be up on that stage, so show off what you have achieved.

Competing interests: We have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: None.

• ↵ Rovira A, Auger C, Naidich TP. How to prepare an oral presentation and a conference. Radiologica 2013 ; 55 (suppl 1): 2 -7S. OpenUrl
• ↵ Bourne PE. Ten simple rules for making good oral presentations. PLos Comput Biol 2007 ; 3 : e77 . OpenUrl PubMed
• ↵ Naqvi SH, Mobasher F, Afzal MA, Umair M, Kohli AN, Bukhari MH. Effectiveness of teaching methods in a medical institute: perceptions of medical students to teaching aids. J Pak Med Assoc 2013 ; 63 : 859 -64. OpenUrl

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20 Tips For Preparing An Effective Oral Presentation

Don’t mind the informal me, I just seem to love that ‘down-to-earthness’ – I personally believe that such disposition is a better facilitator of effective communication.

Without much ado, I am going to share with you some ideas on what I can safely call most people’s nightmare (next to examinations, of course) – An oral presentation.

Organizations and other platforms have also come to discover the essence of an effective oral presentation. How it can move an employee from a zero state of mind to an excited state of mind after a brief but powerful presentation.

Businesses are not left out too as it has become a core value that has to be portrayed to convince potential clients about a business idea.

Read this: How to manage your time effectively

Essentially, oral presentations are nothing to be scared of.

They add some kind of depth to the learning experience.

Not having this depth is what we should be scared of. Self-expression is just one of the core pillars of assessing how much and how well a student or presenter has assimilated the content of instructional material.

Overall, some of the most faced challenges associated with oral presentations are content and stage management which shall be discussed broadly here.

Whether you are a student, employee, professional or businessman , you sure need this skill to make a good impression.

Enjoy these tips, internalize them and start putting them into good practice. At the end of this write-up, you will discover the peculiar challenges of stage fright, how to deal with it and a few tidbits on presentation etiquette.

1. Know the content

Nothing breeds confidence like competence and nothing breeds competence like preparation . Being vast in and thoroughly familiar with whatever the subject of a presentation will, in no small way, reinforce your sense of having something genuinely interesting to offer.

With this in place, the presentation ceases to be a mere talk or some kind of recital. It indeed becomes an active engagement of the audience on a journey of discovery. All you need do is just visualize yourself as a tour guide or a curator in a museum.

All you need do is to relate antecedents, history, origins, facts, figures and aspects of the subject matter in such a way as to stimulate their imagination.

You lead the audience on, not exactly projecting yourself but helping them see what needs to be seen. You wouldn’t want to go to the stage and destroy the expectations of people eagerly waiting to listen to you.

2. Define the purpose of the presentation

A presentation isn’t just a list of random facts. It makes a specific point, just like laboratory reports or essays.

Without a clear purpose in mind, your presentation will most likely be a jumble of unorganized factual information, putting your audience in the dark about your true intent.

What is the most important message you want to convey to the audience? Consider this to be the idea or theme of your presentation.

Your presentation’s goal(s) could include, but are not restricted to, trying to inform, inspire, or persuade.

Remember that what you say as well as how you say it must be consistent with the presentation’s goal.

3. Be natural

The mistake a lot of presenters make is thinking that great presentations are all about big vocabulary and sophisticated terms.  

May I indulge you in a different perspective – great presentations are all about presentations done in the most natural way. Be calm, relax and flow effortlessly .

Do your presentations like they are your daily routines. Help your audience feel like – “yes, I agree with what he is talking about”.

Rather than trying to charm the audience with a sophisticated style, be more committed to capturing their imagination through simple cues and vivid expressions.

There is a child in everyone, no matter how old. If possible, add a little humour here and there but try not to overdo it. Ensure you stay on track.

Read this: How to ask questions smartly

4. Invoke curiosity

This aspect is what makes your audience hooked until the end of your presentation. They want to know where you are headed. They can’t risk being distracted until you finish. All you need do is reawaken that curious infant in the brief moment of your presentation.

It is for this reason that presentations adopt visual aids and graphical tools. The world-famous PowerPoint computer application also goes hand in hand with projectors – large screens for a clearer, broader view.

Where else is such pervasive attention given to pictures and descriptive tools apart from a kindergarten? Such applications show that there is a childlike nature in every man. Invoke it!

Read: How To Celebrate Failure For Success

5. Get your audience involved

Get your audience involved in your presentation. Don’t stand behind a lectern all through, tale a brisk, confident walk and project your words into the minds of your audience. Don’t let the lectern come in between you and the audience.

Try to get your audience out of their seats, laughing, raising hands or even standing by your side to make an analysis. Getting your audience to laugh is not as difficult as you might think. For example, you might try, “Ladies and gentlemen, I was told to announce something very critical to the success of today’s event. Even though I don’t think it’s my place to begin my presentation with an announcement that has nothing to do with my topic.”

“Anyway, I’ve been asked to tell you that in the event that you laugh too hard, don’t cause a stampede or fart too loud.” 😆 

Get free tips and tricks that will help you to achieve success faster 😉

6.  Gesticulate

If you can request a cordless lavaliere mic, pls do, so that you can be as flexible with your hands as possible. A handheld mic might become tiring if your presentation takes a while.

Your audience will only remember 30% of what they hear & see but 70% of what they do will stick to them forever.

7. Project your words

Two things that can make your projection so vivid and impactful are a clear voice and clarity of communication. Try to emphasize the last sound of each word which will help you to sound very polished. This may sound odd to you when you start but eventually sound normal as you get used to it.

8. Take a pause

I cannot stress this enough. Take your time to pause! It kinda helps your audience to brainstorm, evaluate and re-evaluate. You shouldn’t say more than six to eight words at a time without a pause. As longer sentences reduce readability, longer spoken words also reduce absorption.

Use a full voice, then pause. Think of great speakers that utilized a full voice and paused. They did efficiently well. Such presentations drop some value within you.

9. Use acronyms

After you have written all the words on index cards, try to think of an acronym or Slang abbreviation that has every point you want to talk about. Use this strategy to keep your presentation in order.

For example, you may have written on a marriage/relationship index card – ask, support, kiss . Think of the first letter in each word and arrange them to ASK or any other word of your choice.

ASK will keep you on track this way:

A – Ask what he thinks

S – Support his opinion first

K – Kiss him when the discussion ends

You must have practised what you will say about each word beforehand. You will only use the acronym to keep track which the audience has no clue about. They will only think you are so perfect! If your oral presentation takes time and involves longer acronyms, you could keep your index card(s) on you just in case you get lost. 

10. Give life to figures

The best way to do this is to put a ‘Point’ of mind-gripping information (pictures, graphs, a phrase or table, flow charts, diagrams or a statistic) on some slides and speaking to them.

While the audience is fixated on that slide, all you need do is try to make them see the aspects of the slides that are hidden. Hence, you help to make their imagination make up for the rest of the story.

Such information is alike in features such as introduction, plot build-up, themes climax/anticlimax, a hero and his trials/triumph and so on.

And like a good storyteller or the mythical Pied Piper, the story or the music as the case is, becomes the object of the audience’s attention. The presenter is merely an intermediary.

11. Face the object

Sure, it is not bad to feel weird for a moment. Gain your confidence back by becoming the audience for a moment.

Face the presentation with your hands towards the slide, board or what have you? Making this brief move takes a whole lot of burden off as you see that you do not have to be the audience’s object of attention for a while.

You can use this moment to stealthily move from your weak points to your strong points as you gain your confidence back .

Not all presentations have to be a serious one looking like a board meeting. It doesn’t have to be a brainstorming session to close a million-dollar deal. Smile if you can.

In fact, you should smile. It will reduce any pressure you might be feeling. You never know how powerful a smile can be until you smile at a confused child who looks at you and then returns the smile.

While you smile, make good eye contact with them and gesticulate as often as possible. This will create a good impression on your audience and make them connect with you easily.

Read this: Amazing facts about your handwriting

13. Intrigue them with stories

Whether it’s a story your grandfather told you or a story you learnt while growing up, people would love to listen. Stories are interesting ways to give your audience a light mood.

Who doesn’t like the taste of a little icing on the cake or peanuts in the chocolate? Just something a little bit different to ease the whole seriousness of the atmosphere.

Professional speakers are becoming professional storytellers ,  primarily stories about themselves or someone they know so well . If you can tell a story about each word or topic on your cards or slides, your speech will have a better flow.

14. Take corrections politely

One mistake people do is to try to show that they know better than their judges.

Judges, examiners, instructors or even a member of your audience can come into your presentation abruptly. Prepare your mind ahead for this and don’t fidget.

A simple “Noted, sir” “sorry, I skipped that” or “thanks for the feedback” would go a long way in determining your final presentation score.

Be courteous and mindful of harsh emotions as you face arguments or opposition. A wrong approach in dealing with this can ruin everything you have started. So be cool with everyone.

As a matter of fact, who you are and who the audience perceives you to be is a measure of the weight of your words.

Hence, it is safer to use universally acceptable codes of conduct and principles of etiquette that will put you in the good graces of the audience.

15. Define your target audience

The audience’s reaction is the only way to judge a good presentation. What do they currently know about your subject matter?

What are their perceptions about your subject matter: will they accept whatever you say, or will you have to persuade them to change their views? Do they have a good command of the English language?

An effective oral presentation requires much more than simply presenting your ideas or giving a presentation. It is all about clear communication and connecting with the audience.

Preparation is required to create that type of presentation. You must learn about your target audience to tailor your message.

If you’re talking to experts in your field, for example, you don’t have to explain all the terms you’re using but if you expect your audience to disagree with your assertions, it’s a great idea to provide additional illustrations and go into greater detail when presenting the evidence.

You can outline your presentation with your audience in mind to explain your main points and maintain a logical flow. The more you understand your target audience, the better you will be able to communicate with them.

16. P redict your audience’s thoughts and tell them

If you’re lucky enough to predict what is on their minds, you’ll get almost 100% attention from your audience. This lowers the barriers between you and them.

They’ll say “hey, he’s so clever hahaha”. Wow, you’re absolutely right! Tell them you know what they are thinking and answer a question they haven’t yet asked you.

17. Practice your presentation beforehand

You should start with yourself first. Talk to yourself, then move on to talking to a friend or small group of friends. When you build more confidence, start by speaking for free to become more professional.

You could begin by speaking to associations and clubs. Your audience may give you more networking opportunities when they enjoy your free presentations. There are business owners in your audience or people who work for businesses looking for speakers.

In fact, t here is much more to learn while you practise. By the time you become well-known, you can start charging a token or your prices can even become non-negotiable. 😉 

18. Explore every possible detail about your subject matter

To prepare an effective oral presentation, you must thoroughly understand your subject matter, which means knowing far more than you will present.

There is no such thing as too much research. The more familiar you are with your content, the more settled and confident you will feel when presenting it to a group.

Take notes as you read about your topic. Then organize your notes for your presentation. The most straightforward structure is an outline.

In most cases, a concise outline will serve as a good template for presenting your topic. The introduction, body, and summary make up a concise outline.

• Introduction

In the introductory part, you must provide a concise context for your discussion. This is where you describe the problem or issue that the presentation will solve.

You want to immediately grab people’s attention, stimulate their interest, and get them pondering about your topic. That is what creating engaging content is all about.

The bulk of your presentation. It provides specific examples to back up your main point. This is where you add important facts, statistics, and details to your discourse.

Make certain that your material is presented articulately, with each point connected to another and clear progressions.

To summarize, highlight the previous points briefly. Use keywords from your introduction to restate your argument.

Take note of transitory phrases or words like “in summary.” Appreciate the audience for their time and, if the presentation format allows, gladly accept their questions.

A clear structure helps to support a clear and focused message, and it prevents you from jumping from concept to concept, which can make it difficult for your audience to grasp your presentation.

Having this in place, the presentation is no longer just a discussion. It truly becomes an active participation of the audience on a discovery journey. All you have to do is relate the subject’s antecedents, background, facts, statistics, and features in a way that stimulates their curiosity.

19. Use visual aids to supplement your content

It is easier to deliver an oral presentation when you employ visual aids. Visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides or printed handouts, provide structure to your presentation and assist the audience in comprehending the key points.

Since the majority of information is deemed and grasped visually, you may need to resolve this in your presentation by including a few visuals.

This would help the audience follow your discourse and possibly discuss a few of your points after the presentation is finished.

A good visual aid , as obvious as it may seem, must remain visual. Visuals can be bulleted lists or outlines, diagrams or figures, or pictures that depict crucial points that would be difficult to explain orally. Visual aids should be used to supplement, not compete with, your presentation. Use them only when they are necessary or beneficial.

20. Anticipate questions and prepare thoughtful answers in advance

A key component of preparing for an effective oral presentation is anticipating questions and creating thoughtful responses beforehand.

It demonstrates that you are knowledgeable about the subject and that you gave the subject some research. It also helps establish credibility and demonstrate your knowledge.

Additionally, it might assist you in remaining composed and assured throughout the presentation, especially if you are posed with unexpected questions. A few strategies for getting ready for questions are as follows:

• Researching your topic thoroughly: This will enable you to answer any questions that may come up about your subject matter.
• Identifying key points of confusion: Think about what aspects of your presentation may be most difficult for your audience to understand and prepare answers accordingly.
• Practicing your responses: Rehearse answering potential questions so you are more comfortable and confident when answering them during the presentation.
• Being open to feedback: Encourage your audience to ask questions and be open to feedback , even if it is critical. Take the opportunity to address any misconceptions or confusion that may have arisen during your presentation.
• Be prepared for the unexpected: Sometimes, the questions you get may be totally out of the blue, be prepared to answer those as well.

In summary, your oral presentation is highly related to your motion, posture, gesture, gesticulation, eye contact, pausing effect, response to applause and so on.

The evolving nature of education has seen many lecturers and teachers adopt oral examinations as an integral part of grading students’ performance.

That is apart from lines of study such as Medicine (Viva) and Law (mock trials) that already have oral-related content as a part of their continuous assessment.

It also affords the teacher the opportunity to do more than just teach but to also be a kind of ‘coach’ that nurtures not only the content but also the delivery of knowledge . As a teacher myself, I do subscribe to this method of teaching; after all, was it not Einstein that said – If you cannot explain it simply, then you do not understand it all.

In oral presentations, especially ones that adopt projected information, the words you speak are more important than the words you display.

However, the pictures you use are just as important as the words you speak. In no place is the saying truer – a picture is worth more than a thousand words.

Therefore, being in a position where you have to present your own perspective, with your own words and in your own style goes a long way in shaping your intellectual capabilities . It also builds self-confidence in those that eventually master it.

I wish you a hitch-free and mind-blowing experience in your next oral presentation. 😉 . Which of these tips has helped you tremendously?

Share with love!

Post Author: Ikeoluwa Ogedengbe

24 replies to “20 tips for preparing an effective oral presentation”.

Wonderful post! Putting these suggestions into practice will make anyone a ‘better’ presenter! Multiple thumbs up!

Sure, they will. Thanks for reading!

Thanks for this post, I believe it will help me gather more confidence in public speaking.

All the best in your next public speaking engagement, Josephine.

Love this post! I have a fear of public speaking so this checklist is so helpful! Thanks for sharing!

I’m glad you love it, Lissy.

Cool, just cool. I like it.

Thanks, Yeahme.

Thank you these are great tips! I have always had a lot of self confidence but always struggle with imposter syndrome so I get so nervous before public speaking!

Aww, I am sure these tips and a lot of practice will take the nervousness away.

This reminds me of my speech 101 class in college. I definitely with these tips — especially the one about knowing the content. Nothing prepares you more than knowing what you are talking about.

That’s absolutely right!

I used to work for a company that offered feedback for corporate leaders on presenting and I agree with everything you say. Bringing your personality into a presentation or speech can make a huge difference but it can take practice to get comfortable enough to bring that energy.

Yes, practice does a lot to make one perfect. Thanks for your input, Sarah.

This is a very helpful post. I wish I had read this when I was still a student. I didn’t like oral presentations and this could have given me a better perspective.

Awww, You may pass on the message to young students to ensure they get it right early.

Great read. Very helpful for my upcoming convention. Thanks for sharing.

I’m glad this helped. I wish you a splendid convention, Allison.

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Principedia

Ten Steps to Preparing an Effective Oral Presentation

• Determine the purpose of your presentation and identify your own objectives.
• Know your audience and what it knows.
• Define your topic.
• Arrange your material in a way that makes sense for your objectives.
• Compose your presentation.
• Create visual aids.
• Practice your presentation (don’t forget to time it!)
• Make necessary adjustments.
• Analyze the room where you’ll be giving your presentation (set-up, sight lines, equipment, etc.).
• Practice again.
• ← Answering Questions
• Novice v. Expert Problem Solvers →

• Presentation Skills

Preparing for Oral Presentations

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Sooner or later, a lot of us will be faced with the task of delivering an oral presentation. Even if this is not the first time that you are required to do so, you may still feel nervous or insecure in your ability to hold a good presentation.

Luckily, holding oral presentations is a skill like any other. It can be practiced and improved. And the more time you allocate for preparing for oral presentations, the better your presentation will be. If you want to properly prepare and improve your presentation skills , then you've come to the right place! Here's what you can do.

Preparing Your Presentation

Preparing for oral presentations begins with preparing the presentation itself. Presentations usually consist of two aspects: the oral part itself, and the presentations made in Microsoft PowerPoint that will help you to illustrate your points.

When it comes to what you will be saying during your oral presentation, you should know that, no matter how charismatic a speaker you are, taking the time to prepare is vital. As you will only have a limited time to speak, any improvisation is likely to eat up precious time. That is why you need to rehearse in advance and have a good idea of which words you will use and how you will phrase your thoughts.

Rehearsing in advance will also allow you to time your presentation. While you can rehearse in front of a mirror, it is definitely better to convince a friend or a family member to substitute for the audience. Without holding such a presentation before the actual presentation commences, there is no way to precisely time your performance. Usually, there will be parts that you will need to shorten (or you will need to speak faster during those parts), or you may find that you don't actually have enough material.

Additional tips

Preparing for oral presentations is much easier with a little help from your friends.

Here are some other tips that will help you with this part of preparing for your oral presentations:

Know your audience! For example, if you're talking to professionals in your field, there's no need to explain the terms you are using mean (and vice versa). Or, for instance, if you expect that your audience not to agree with your arguments, it's a good idea to provide more examples and to go into detail when you're presenting the evidence.

The clock is ticking, so you'll want to focus on your main points. Don't waste time on overlong introductions and detailed background information. Rather than that, get to the gist quickly and then elaborate on it.

On the other hand, some audience members might be especially interested in the details surrounding the main point. So, notify your audience that if they're interested in such details, you will be happy to answer all the questions they may have. Being prepared for dealing with questions also includes the questions to which you currently don't have an answer for. In such situations, it is best to offer to send the answer later (for example, by e-mail), once you've looked it up.

You can also prepare handouts to give out to the audience. Otherwise, the audience members may be too busy writing down notes, and incapable of fully following your presentation.

How to Make an Excellent PowerPoint Presentation

Preparing for oral presentations includes taking the time to prepare a great PowerPoint presentation. However, it is important to remember that such presentations are only there to complement the oral part of your presentation.

Under no circumstances should you read from your PowerPoint presentation during your entire performance. Rather, use it as a tool to reinforce your points in the mind of the audience, and to help you remember the structure of your oral presentation.

Use dark text against a light background if you want your audience to be able to focus.

Here are some more tips & tricks on making an excellent PowerPoint presentation:

The font should be large (avoid going under 24 points), and the typeface should be easy to read (as a rule, Sans Serif is better than Serif).

Instead of full sentences, use bullet points. Remember, you're the one who's delivering full sentences; bullet points are simply there to underline what you are saying.

When it comes to your use of colors, remember that the text should be easy to read. So, if the background is dark, the text should be light, and vice versa.

Don't use too many effects. They tend to distract the audience from what you are saying.

A website can be a good alternative to a PowerPoint presentation.

Preparing for the Delivery of Your Oral Presentations

Finally, you should also work on your delivery. When it comes to this part of your oral presentation, it is important to have the right mindset. Namely, you are not giving a speech; you are delivering a presentation! This means that you are there to actively communicate with the audience members and to try to involve them in the presentation.

And to be able to do that, the audience must be able to understand you clearly. Pay attention to see if anyone is having a hard time hearing you. If you have any written notes, you can consult them, but don't read from them all the time. Instead, maintain eye contact with the audience members. Basically, if you show an interest in your audience, if you show that you care whether they're listening to you or not, the audience will respond with interest.

The science of fear

Admittedly, this may be hard to do if you're feeling nervous. In such cases, what one suffers is called a "fight or flight reaction", something that can be explained from an evolutionary standpoint. Whenever our ancestors were scared by the dangers lurking in the primordial wilderness, their neural systems produced so-called "fear hormones", urging them to either fight or run away.

Our ancestors were rightfully afraid of lions; however, we still experience a similar fear in physically much less dangerous circumstances.

Today, nothing has changed, only the "danger" that's responsible for causing fear is usually very different (and much less harmful). This is perfectly normal; even experienced presenters may often still feel nervous before delivering a presentation.

Luckily, coping with presentation nerves is indeed possible with some useful tips and some practice. Have in mind that your instincts are wrong in this situation, as there's actually no need for a fight or flight reaction. Focus on preparing oral presentations as best as you can, stand your ground, and simply try to communicate to the best of your abilities in the given situation.

About the Author

Alex Durick has delivered quite a few oral presentations in his life. From college to his previous job working as a marketing consultant, he was at first a reluctant public speaker, but over time, he grew to enjoy holding presentations.

Today, he is a freelance writer focusing on marketing guides, but he occasionally writes about different topics as well.

Continue to: Top Tips for Effective Presentations Effective Speaking

See also: Self-Presentation in Presentations | Giving a Speech Dealing With Presentation Questions | Building Rapport

10.3 Presenting Orally

Learning objectives.

• Be aware of the different choices you should make for an oral-only presentation; an oral, camera-image presentation; or an oral, in-person presentation.
• Understand how to effectively use a PowerPoint as a presentation tool.
• Know how to prepare for and give a presentation

In public speaking, keep in mind that you are trying to achieve the golden middle ground between impromptu A type of public speaking that does not require advance preparation and thus can be unpredictable and less than professional. (off-the-cuff) speaking that can lead to a chaotic and unorganized mess versus completely robotic reading from a large body of text, which will put your audience to sleep. That middle ground is called extemporaneous A kind of public speaking technique that works from a set of notes or PowerPoint slides but does not simply read those notes or slides verbatim. speaking, based on the technique of speaking from notes.

You can present orally in person or online. If you present orally online, you can do so with just sound or with the use of a camera that allows your listeners to see you. Many laptops include built-in cameras and microphones that make it surprisingly easy for you to create a social, visual presence.

Whether you are presenting in person or online, you need to set yourself up to present without having to remember everything you want to say. One way to create prompters that you can use very smoothly is to use PowerPoint slides that you can show as you talk and that can prompt your memory about what you want to say. When you use a PowerPoint in this way, you only see information your audience is looking at so you never have a problem with trying to look at your notes too much. One grave pitfall to this method is the tendency to read from the PowerPoint slides, which can be very boring for your audience, who also presumably can read. A good oral presentation from PowerPoint should be just as extemporaneous as one delivered from note cards.

If using a PowerPoint is not an option, you can present orally using note cards. When using cards, number them to assure they are in the proper order. Since you don’t want to read your cards, don’t write out your entire speech on the cards. Instead use only cues and place one idea per card so that you can turn to the next card as you transition to the next idea. On your note cards, use text that is large enough for you to easily read at a glance. On the back of the card, add additional details in a smaller font in case you must check out information beyond the basic cue.

When you use a PowerPoint, you can have built-in visuals, but when you use cards, you need to consider adding visuals in the form of items, posters, images on a computer screen (local file or one found on the Internet), handouts, and so on. Display visuals or pass out handouts when you want your audience to look at them, otherwise they are likely to be checking out your visuals when you want them to be listening to you.

Keep your audience members in mind when you plan your presentation. Based on their knowledge of your topic, interest in your topic, and attitudes about your topic, decide how basic, how long, and how in-depth your presentation will be.

The amount of preparation you put into the speech in advance will make all the difference. Allow ample time to practice your oral presentation several times. If you are presenting in person or with a computer camera, you might want to record it or practice it in front of a mirror so you can visually see how your presentation comes across and can make desired adjustments. If you have a tendency to talk quickly all the time or when you are nervous, practice talking at a slower pace so your audience will have an easier time following you. Make sure you can consistently talk loudly enough for the whole audience to hear you. If your voice isn’t loud enough, consider using a microphone since an audience that cannot hear quickly becomes unhappy.

While you are practicing, keep track of the amount of time your presentation takes so you can lengthen it or shorten it as needed to meet requirements. If feasible, stand while you present so you will make the strongest possible impression. If you are presenting in person, face your audience and make eye contact with your audience members.

Plan to open your presentation with an attention-grabbing comment, visual, activity, joke, story, or situation. If you capture your audience’s attention at the very beginning, you have a chance of keeping it throughout your presentation. On the other hand, if you lose the audience’s attention at the beginning, it will be very difficult to regain it.

Keep in mind that you do not have to share every detail of your essay in an oral presentation based on it. Choose a few highlights and focus on them in an effort to give a general idea about your work. Speak directly and personally to your audience, using first-person and second-person pronouns like “I,” “you,” and “we.” Use simple sentences that are easy to follow and include visuals of unfamiliar terms. Stay in tune with your audience so you know when they are keenly interested and would appreciate additional elaboration as well as when they are losing interest, which signals that it would be wise to move onto the next topic.

Conclude your presentation by referring back to the interest-grabbing opener or offering another appropriate anecdote or memorable quotation, phrase, comment, or image. When you finish presenting, ask your audience members if they have any questions. If possible, allow as much time as needed to address all questions. Then thank your audience for their attention to your presentation.

If you are nervous about your presentation, keep in mind that nervousness is normal and that it can help bring energy to your presentation. And implement the following ideas to help you remain calm and in control:

• Know your material thoroughly so you can easily immerse yourself in talking about it. Then remind yourself that you know the materials and will easily be able to share what you know.
• Write out your opening sentence or two so you get started on track even if you plan to speak extemporaneously for the balance of the speech.
• Stay with your plan. If you nervously start talking aimlessly, you can easily find yourself beginning with points that belong in different parts of your presentation and have a difficult time getting back on track to present your information in the intended order.
• Get all ready and then sit down and relax. Do not start immediately following a frenzied setup period.

When you are presenting online, keep the following tips in mind:

• Practice so that your timing is smooth, you know for sure how to use the technology, and your presentation appears polished. If you are using a PowerPoint, make sure each point matches up with the PowerPoint slide that is showing.
• Do not read PowerPoint slides. Your audience can read for themselves. Use your slides to enhance what you are saying.
• Make sure that you have everything you need right by your computer so that you do not have to leave the computer (or the camera) at any time. You can write a script for each slide and read the script while also adding related commentary as it makes sense.
• Keep in mind that your audience cannot benefit from any of your facial expressions or body movements if they cannot see you. And even if you are using a camera, they might not be able to see you clearly enough to get information sent through expressions or movements. So be very careful to use words vividly to convey your complete message.
• Talk slowly and enunciate clearly to give your audience the best possible chance of understanding you. People often have trouble understanding speech over the Internet.
• Make sure your audience members know how to get your attention during the presentation if you are planning to allow them to ask questions.
• Look directly at the camera to give the effect of eye contact with your audience members in video presentations.
• Keep in mind that everything you say and every noise you make, such as the screech of a scooting chair, can be heard or seen by the audience. Also, if you have a camera, remember that every facial expression and other things you do can possibly be seen.
• Be relaxed and professional, and most of all, be yourself. You’re not filming a major motion picture or putting on a Broadway show. Think about the kind of voice and image you would want to listen to online or in person.

Key Takeaways

• You can present orally in person, online with visuals, and online without visuals.
• A PowerPoint can be an asset to a presentation both as an avenue for presenting visuals and as a method of having presentation cues available as you speak.
• When preparing for a presentation, keep your audience in mind, allow time to practice, and plan for an interesting introduction and conclusion.
• When presenting online, make sure you know how to use the technology, use a PowerPoint, take extra care to enunciate clearly, and keep in mind that your audience members can see and hear everything you do and say even though you can’t see them.

Use the information in this section to complete each of these statements.

• A PowerPoint can be an asset to both online and in-person presentations because…
• If you are using note cards, you should put one idea on each card because…
• During your presentation, you should move onto a new topic sooner than planned if you notice your audience…
• You should practice both in-person and online presentations several times because…
• If you are nervous, make sure to stay with your plan because…
• You should take extra care to enunciate clearly when you are presenting online because…
• Watch an hour or so of C-SPAN whether live on television or by going to the massive archive of public speeches on http://www.c-span.org . Compare at least three speakers and determine which one is most effective at finding the “golden middle ground” of speaking extemporaneously.

How to Prepare and Give a Scholarly Oral Presentation

• First Online: 01 January 2020

Cite this chapter

• Cheryl Gore-Felton 2  

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Building an academic reputation is one of the most important functions of an academic faculty member, and one of the best ways to build a reputation is by giving scholarly presentations, particularly those that are oral presentations. Earning the reputation of someone who can give an excellent talk often results in invitations to give keynote addresses at regional and national conferences, which increases a faculty member’s visibility along with their area of research. Given the importance of oral presentations, it is surprising that few graduate or medical programs provide courses on how to give a talk. This is unfortunate because there are skills that can be learned and strategies that can be used to improve the ability to give an interesting, well-received oral presentation. To that end, the aim of this chapter is to provide faculty with best practices and tips on preparing and giving an academic oral presentation.

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Strategies for the Preparation and Delivery of Oral Presentation

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Gore-Felton, C. (2020). How to Prepare and Give a Scholarly Oral Presentation. In: Roberts, L. (eds) Roberts Academic Medicine Handbook. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31957-1_42

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments

• Annotated Bibliography
• Analyzing a Scholarly Journal Article
• Group Presentations
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• Types of Structured Group Activities
• Group Project Survival Skills
• Leading a Class Discussion
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Works
• Writing a Case Analysis Paper
• Writing a Case Study
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
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• Writing a Research Proposal
• Generative AI and Writing
• Acknowledgments

In the social and behavioral sciences, an oral presentation assignment involves an individual student or group of students verbally addressing an audience on a specific research-based topic, often utilizing slides to help audience members understand and retain what they both see and hear. The purpose is to inform, report, and explain the significance of research findings, and your critical analysis of those findings, within a specific period of time, often in the form of a reasoned and persuasive argument. Oral presentations are assigned to assess a student’s ability to organize and communicate relevant information  effectively to a particular audience. Giving an oral presentation is considered an important learning skill because the ability to speak persuasively in front of an audience is transferable to most professional workplace settings.

Oral Presentations. Learning Co-Op. University of Wollongong, Australia; Oral Presentations. Undergraduate Research Office, Michigan State University; Oral Presentations. Presentations Research Guide, East Carolina University Libraries; Tsang, Art. “Enhancing Learners’ Awareness of Oral Presentation (Delivery) Skills in the Context of Self-regulated Learning.” Active Learning in Higher Education 21 (2020): 39-50.

Preparing for Your Oral Presentation

In some classes, writing the research paper is only part of what is required in reporting the results your work. Your professor may also require you to give an oral presentation about your study. Here are some things to think about before you are scheduled to give a presentation.

1.  What should I say?

If your professor hasn't explicitly stated what the content of your presentation should focus on, think about what you want to achieve and what you consider to be the most important things that members of the audience should know about your research. Think about the following: Do I want to inform my audience, inspire them to think about my research, or convince them of a particular point of view? These questions will help frame how to approach your presentation topic.

2.  Oral communication is different from written communication

Your audience has just one chance to hear your talk; they can't "re-read" your words if they get confused. Focus on being clear, particularly if the audience can't ask questions during the talk. There are two well-known ways to communicate your points effectively, often applied in combination. The first is the K.I.S.S. method [Keep It Simple Stupid]. Focus your presentation on getting two to three key points across. The second approach is to repeat key insights: tell them what you're going to tell them [forecast], tell them [explain], and then tell them what you just told them [summarize].

3.  Think about your audience

Yes, you want to demonstrate to your professor that you have conducted a good study. But professors often ask students to give an oral presentation to practice the art of communicating and to learn to speak clearly and audibly about yourself and your research. Questions to think about include: What background knowledge do they have about my topic? Does the audience have any particular interests? How am I going to involve them in my presentation?

4.  Create effective notes

If you don't have notes to refer to as you speak, you run the risk of forgetting something important. Also, having no notes increases the chance you'll lose your train of thought and begin relying on reading from the presentation slides. Think about the best ways to create notes that can be easily referred to as you speak. This is important! Nothing is more distracting to an audience than the speaker fumbling around with notes as they try to speak. It gives the impression of being disorganized and unprepared.

NOTE:   A good strategy is to have a page of notes for each slide so that the act of referring to a new page helps remind you to move to the next slide. This also creates a natural pause that allows your audience to contemplate what you just presented.

Strategies for creating effective notes for yourself include the following:

• Choose a large, readable font [at least 18 point in Ariel ]; avoid using fancy text fonts or cursive text.
• Use bold text, underlining, or different-colored text to highlight elements of your speech that you want to emphasize. Don't over do it, though. Only highlight the most important elements of your presentation.
• Leave adequate space on your notes to jot down additional thoughts or observations before and during your presentation. This is also helpful when writing down your thoughts in response to a question or to remember a multi-part question [remember to have a pen with you when you give your presentation].
• Place a cue in the text of your notes to indicate when to move to the next slide, to click on a link, or to take some other action, such as, linking to a video. If appropriate, include a cue in your notes if there is a point during your presentation when you want the audience to refer to a handout.
• Spell out challenging words phonetically and practice saying them ahead of time. This is particularly important for accurately pronouncing people’s names, technical or scientific terminology, words in a foreign language, or any unfamiliar words.

Creating and Using Overheads. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Kelly, Christine. Mastering the Art of Presenting. Inside Higher Education Career Advice; Giving an Oral Presentation. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra; Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 12th edition. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2015; Peery, Angela B. Creating Effective Presentations: Staff Development with Impact . Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2011; Peoples, Deborah Carter. Guidelines for Oral Presentations. Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries; Perret, Nellie. Oral Presentations. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Speeches. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Storz, Carl et al. Oral Presentation Skills. Institut national de télécommunications, EVRY FRANCE.

Organizing the Content

In the process of organizing the content of your presentation, begin by thinking about what you want to achieve and how are you going to involve your audience in the presentation.

• Brainstorm your topic and write a rough outline. Don’t get carried away—remember you have a limited amount of time for your presentation.
• Organize your material and draft what you want to say [see below].
• Summarize your draft into key points to write on your presentation slides and/or note cards and/or handout.
• Prepare your visual aids.
• Rehearse your presentation and practice getting the presentation completed within the time limit given by your professor. Ask a friend to listen and time you.

GENERAL OUTLINE

I.  Introduction [may be written last]

• Capture your listeners’ attention . Begin with a question, an amusing story, a provocative statement, a personal story, or anything that will engage your audience and make them think. For example, "As a first-gen student, my hardest adjustment to college was the amount of papers I had to write...."
• State your purpose . For example, "I’m going to talk about..."; "This morning I want to explain…."
• Present an outline of your talk . For example, “I will concentrate on the following points: First of all…Then…This will lead to…And finally…"

II.  The Body

• Present your main points one by one in a logical order .
• Pause at the end of each point . Give people time to take notes, or time to think about what you are saying.
• Make it clear when you move to another point . For example, “The next point is that...”; “Of course, we must not forget that...”; “However, it's important to realize that....”
• Use clear examples to illustrate your points and/or key findings .
• If appropriate, consider using visual aids to make your presentation more interesting [e.g., a map, chart, picture, link to a video, etc.].

III.  The Conclusion

• Leave your audience with a clear summary of everything that you have covered.
• Summarize the main points again . For example, use phrases like: "So, in conclusion..."; "To recap the main issues...," "In summary, it is important to realize...."
• Restate the purpose of your talk, and say that you have achieved your aim : "My intention was ..., and it should now be clear that...."
• Don't let the talk just fizzle out . Make it obvious that you have reached the end of the presentation.
• Thank the audience, and invite questions : "Thank you. Are there any questions?"

NOTE: When asking your audience if anyone has any questions, give people time to contemplate what you have said and to formulate a question. It may seem like an awkward pause to wait ten seconds or so for someone to raise their hand, but it's frustrating to have a question come to mind but be cutoff because the presenter rushed to end the talk.

ANOTHER NOTE: If your last slide includes any contact information or other important information, leave it up long enough to ensure audience members have time to write the information down. Nothing is more frustrating to an audience member than wanting to jot something down, but the presenter closes the slides immediately after finishing.

Creating and Using Overheads. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Giving an Oral Presentation. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra; Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 12th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2015; Peery, Angela B. Creating Effective Presentations: Staff Development with Impact . Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2011; Peoples, Deborah Carter. Guidelines for Oral Presentations. Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries; Perret, Nellie. Oral Presentations. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Speeches. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Storz, Carl et al. Oral Presentation Skills. Institut national de télécommunications, EVRY FRANCE.

Delivering Your Presentation

When delivering your presentation, keep in mind the following points to help you remain focused and ensure that everything goes as planned.

Pay Attention to Language!

• Keep it simple . The aim is to communicate, not to show off your vocabulary. Using complex words or phrases increases the chance of stumbling over a word and losing your train of thought.
• Emphasize the key points . Make sure people realize which are the key points of your study. Repeat them using different phrasing to help the audience remember them.
• Check the pronunciation of difficult, unusual, or foreign words beforehand . Keep it simple, but if you have to use unfamiliar words, write them out phonetically in your notes and practice saying them. This is particularly important when pronouncing proper names. Give the definition of words that are unusual or are being used in a particular context [e.g., "By using the term affective response, I am referring to..."].

Use Your Voice to Communicate Clearly

• Speak loud enough for everyone in the room to hear you . Projecting your voice may feel uncomfortably loud at first, but if people can't hear you, they won't try to listen. However, moderate your voice if you are talking in front of a microphone.
• Speak slowly and clearly . Don’t rush! Speaking fast makes it harder for people to understand you and signals being nervous.
• Avoid the use of "fillers." Linguists refer to utterances such as um, ah, you know, and like as fillers. They occur most often during transitions from one idea to another and, if expressed too much, are distracting to an audience. The better you know your presentation, the better you can control these verbal tics.
• Vary your voice quality . If you always use the same volume and pitch [for example, all loud, or all soft, or in a monotone] during your presentation, your audience will stop listening. Use a higher pitch and volume in your voice when you begin a new point or when emphasizing the transition to a new point.
• Speakers with accents need to slow down [so do most others]. Non-native speakers often speak English faster than we slow-mouthed native speakers, usually because most non-English languages flow more quickly than English. Slowing down helps the audience to comprehend what you are saying.
• Slow down for key points . These are also moments in your presentation to consider using body language, such as hand gestures or leaving the podium to point to a slide, to help emphasize key points.
• Use pauses . Don't be afraid of short periods of silence. They give you a chance to gather your thoughts, and your audience an opportunity to think about what you've just said.

Also Use Your Body Language to Communicate!

• Stand straight and comfortably . Do not slouch or shuffle about. If you appear bored or uninterested in what your talking about, the audience will emulate this as well. Wear something comfortable. This is not the time to wear an itchy wool sweater or new high heel shoes for the first time.
• Hold your head up . Look around and make eye contact with people in the audience [or at least pretend to]. Do not just look at your professor or your notes the whole time! Looking up at your your audience brings them into the conversation. If you don't include the audience, they won't listen to you.
• When you are talking to your friends, you naturally use your hands, your facial expression, and your body to add to your communication . Do it in your presentation as well. It will make things far more interesting for the audience.
• Don't turn your back on the audience and don't fidget! Neither moving around nor standing still is wrong. Practice either to make yourself comfortable. Even when pointing to a slide, don't turn your back; stand at the side and turn your head towards the audience as you speak.
• Keep your hands out of your pocket . This is a natural habit when speaking. One hand in your pocket gives the impression of being relaxed, but both hands in pockets looks too casual and should be avoided.

Interact with the Audience

• Be aware of how your audience is reacting to your presentation . Are they interested or bored? If they look confused, stop and ask them [e.g., "Is anything I've covered so far unclear?"]. Stop and explain a point again if needed.
• Check after highlighting key points to ask if the audience is still with you . "Does that make sense?"; "Is that clear?" Don't do this often during the presentation but, if the audience looks disengaged, interrupting your talk to ask a quick question can re-focus their attention even if no one answers.
• Do not apologize for anything . If you believe something will be hard to read or understand, don't use it. If you apologize for feeling awkward and nervous, you'll only succeed in drawing attention to the fact you are feeling awkward and nervous and your audience will begin looking for this, rather than focusing on what you are saying.
• Be open to questions . If someone asks a question in the middle of your talk, answer it. If it disrupts your train of thought momentarily, that's ok because your audience will understand. Questions show that the audience is listening with interest and, therefore, should not be regarded as an attack on you, but as a collaborative search for deeper understanding. However, don't engage in an extended conversation with an audience member or the rest of the audience will begin to feel left out. If an audience member persists, kindly tell them that the issue can be addressed after you've completed the rest of your presentation and note to them that their issue may be addressed later in your presentation [it may not be, but at least saying so allows you to move on].
• Be ready to get the discussion going after your presentation . Professors often want a brief discussion to take place after a presentation. Just in case nobody has anything to say or no one asks any questions, be prepared to ask your audience some provocative questions or bring up key issues for discussion.

Amirian, Seyed Mohammad Reza and Elaheh Tavakoli. “Academic Oral Presentation Self-Efficacy: A Cross-Sectional Interdisciplinary Comparative Study.” Higher Education Research and Development 35 (December 2016): 1095-1110; Balistreri, William F. “Giving an Effective Presentation.” Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 35 (July 2002): 1-4; Creating and Using Overheads. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Enfield, N. J. How We Talk: The Inner Workings of Conversation . New York: Basic Books, 2017; Giving an Oral Presentation. Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra; Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 12th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2015; Peery, Angela B. Creating Effective Presentations: Staff Development with Impact . Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2011; Peoples, Deborah Carter. Guidelines for Oral Presentations. Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries; Perret, Nellie. Oral Presentations. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Speeches. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Storz, Carl et al. Oral Presentation Skills. Institut national de télécommunications, EVRY FRANCE.

Speaking Tip

Your First Words are Your Most Important Words!

Your introduction should begin with something that grabs the attention of your audience, such as, an interesting statistic, a brief narrative or story, or a bold assertion, and then clearly tell the audience in a well-crafted sentence what you plan to accomplish in your presentation. Your introductory statement should be constructed so as to invite the audience to pay close attention to your message and to give the audience a clear sense of the direction in which you are about to take them.

Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 12th edition. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2015.

Another Speaking Tip

Talk to Your Audience, Don't Read to Them!

A presentation is not the same as reading a prepared speech or essay. If you read your presentation as if it were an essay, your audience will probably understand very little about what you say and will lose their concentration quickly. Use notes, cue cards, or presentation slides as prompts that highlight key points, and speak to your audience . Include everyone by looking at them and maintaining regular eye-contact [but don't stare or glare at people]. Limit reading text to quotes or to specific points you want to emphasize.

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How to deliver an oral presentation

Georgina wellstead.

a Lister Hospital, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

Katharine Whitehurst

b Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

Buket Gundogan

c University College London

d Guy's St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Delivering an oral presentation in conferences and meetings can seem daunting. However, if delivered effectively, it can be an invaluable opportunity to showcase your work in front of peers as well as receive feedback on your project. In this “How to” article, we demonstrate how one can plan and successfully deliver an engaging oral presentation.

Giving an oral presentation at a scientific conference is an almost inevitable task at some point during your medical career. The prospect of presenting your original work to colleagues and peers, however, may be intimidating, and it can be difficult to know how to approach it. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that although daunting, an oral presentation is one of the best ways to get your work out there, and so should be looked upon as an exciting and invaluable opportunity.

Slide content

Although things may vary slightly depending on the type of research you are presenting, the typical structure is as follows:

• Opening slide (title of study, authors, institutions, and date)
• Methodology
• Discussion (including strengths and weaknesses of the study)

Conclusions

Picking out only the most important findings to include in your presentation is key and will keep it concise and easy to follow. This in turn will keep your viewers engaged, and more likely to understand and remember your presentation.

Psychological analysis of PowerPoint presentations, finds that 8 psychological principles are often violated 1 . One of these was the limited capacity of working memory, which can hold 4 units of information at any 1 time in most circumstances. Hence, too many points or concepts on a slide could be detrimental to the presenter’s desire to give information.

You can also help keep your audience engaged with images, which you can talk around, rather than lots of text. Video can also be useful, for example, a surgical procedure. However, be warned that IT can let you down when you need it most and you need to have a backup plan if the video fails. It’s worth coming to the venue early and testing it and resolving issues beforehand with the AV support staff if speaking at a conference.

Slide design and layout

It is important not to clutter your slides with too much text or too many pictures. An easy way to do this is by using the 5×5 rule. This means using no more than 5 bullet points per slide, with no more than 5 words per bullet point. It is also good to break up the text-heavy slides with ones including diagrams or graphs. This can also help to convey your results in a more visual and easy-to-understand way.

It is best to keep the slide design simple, as busy backgrounds and loud color schemes are distracting. Ensure that you use a uniform font and stick to the same color scheme throughout. As a general rule, a light-colored background with dark-colored text is easier to read than light-colored text on a dark-colored background. If you can use an image instead of text, this is even better.

A systematic review study of expert opinion papers demonstrates several key recommendations on how to effectively deliver medical research presentations 2 . These include:

• Keeping your slides simple
• Knowing your audience (pitching to the right level)
• Making eye contact
• Rehearsing the presentation
• Do not read from the slides
• Limiting the number of lines per slide
• Sticking to the allotted time

You should practice your presentation before the conference, making sure that you stick to the allocated time given to you. Oral presentations are usually short (around 8–10 min maximum), and it is, therefore, easy to go under or over time if you have not rehearsed. Aiming to spend around 1 minute per slide is usually a good guide. It is useful to present to your colleagues and seniors, allowing them to ask you questions afterwards so that you can be prepared for the sort of questions you may get asked at the conference. Knowing your research inside out and reading around the subject is advisable, as there may be experts watching you at the conference with more challenging questions! Make sure you re-read your paper the day before, or on the day of the conference to refresh your memory.

It is useful to bring along handouts of your presentation for those who may be interested. Rather than printing out miniature versions of your power point slides, it is better to condense your findings into a brief word document. Not only will this be easier to read, but you will also save a lot of paper by doing this!

Delivering the presentation

Having rehearsed your presentation beforehand, the most important thing to do when you get to the conference is to keep calm and be confident. Remember that you know your own research better than anyone else in the room! Be sure to take some deep breaths and speak at an appropriate pace and volume, making good eye contact with your viewers. If there is a microphone, don’t keep turning away from it as the audience will get frustrated if your voice keeps cutting in and out. Gesturing and using pointers when appropriate can be a really useful tool, and will enable you to emphasize your important findings.

Presenting tips

• Do not hide behind the computer. Come out to the center or side and present there.
• Maintain eye contact with the audience, especially the judges.
• Remember to pause every so often.
• Don’t clutter your presentation with verbal noise such as “umm,” “like,” or “so.” You will look more slick if you avoid this.
• Rhetorical questions once in a while can be useful in maintaining the audience’s attention.

When reaching the end of your presentation, you should slow down in order to clearly convey your key points. Using phases such as “in summary” and “to conclude” often prompts those who have drifted off slightly during your presentation start paying attention again, so it is a critical time to make sure that your work is understood and remembered. Leaving up your conclusions/summary slide for a short while after stopping speaking will give the audience time to digest the information. Conclude by acknowledging any fellow authors or assistants before thanking the audience for their attention and inviting any questions (as long as you have left sufficient time).

If asked a question, firstly thank the audience member, then repeat what they have asked to the rest of the listeners in case they didn’t hear the first time. Keep your answers short and succinct, and if unsure say that the questioner has raised a good point and that you will have to look into it further. Having someone else in the audience write down the question is useful for this.

The key points to remember when preparing for an oral presentation are:

• Keep your slides simple and concise using the 5×5 rule and images.
• When appropriate; rehearse timings; prepare answers to questions; speak slowly and use gestures/ pointers where appropriate; make eye contact with the audience; emphasize your key points at the end; make acknowledgments and thank the audience; invite questions and be confident but not arrogant.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no financial conflict of interest with regard to the content of this report.

Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article.

Published online 8 June 2017

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Giving an Oral Presentation

• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Independent and Dependent Variables
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Executive Summary
• The C.A.R.S. Model
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Reading Research Effectively
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tiertiary Sources
• What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Limitations of the Study
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Writing Concisely
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Annotated Bibliography
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• Types of Structured Group Activities
• Group Project Survival Skills
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Essays
• Writing a Case Study
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Bibliography

Preparing for Your Oral Presentation

In some classes, writing the research paper is only part of what is required. Your professor may also require you to give an oral presentation about your study. Here are some things to think about before you are scheduled to give a presentation.

1.  What should I say?

If your professor hasn't explicitly stated what your presentation should focus on, think about what you want to achieve and what you consider to be the most important things that members of the audience should know about your study. Think about the following: Do I want to inform my audience, inspire them to think about my research, or convince them of a particular point of view? These questions will help frame how you want to approach your presentation topic.

2.  Oral communication is different from written communication

Your audience has just one chance to hear your talk; they can't "re-read" your words if they get confused. Focus on being clear, particularly if the audience can't ask questions during the talk. There are two well-known ways to communicate your points effectively. The first is the K.I.S.S. method [Keep It Simple Stupid]. Focus your presentation on getting one to three key points across. Second, repeat key insights: tell them what you're going to tell them [forecast], tell them [explain], and then tell them what you just told them [summarize].

3.  Think about your audience

Yes, you want to demonstrate to your professor that you have conducted a good study. But professors often ask students to give an oral presentation to practice the art of communicating and to learn to speak clearly and audibly about yourself and your research. Questions to think about include: What background knowledge do they have about my topic? Does the audience have any particular interests? How am I going to involve them in my presentation?

4.  Create effective notes

If you don't have notes to refer to as you speak, you run the risk of forgetting to highlight something important. Also, having no notes increases the chance you'll lose your train of thought and begin relying on reading from the presentation slides. Think about the best ways to create notes that can be easily referred to as you speak. This is important! Nothing is more distracting to an audience than the speaker fumbling around with his or her notes as they try to speak. It gives the impression of being disorganized and unprepared. A good general strategy is to have a page of notes for each slide so that the act of referring to a new page helps remind you to move to a new slide.

Strategies for creating effective notes include the following:

• Choose a large, readable font [at least 18 point in Ariel ]; avoid using fancy text fonts or cursive text.
• Use bold text, underlining, or different-colored text to highlight elements of your speech that you want to emphasize. Don't over do it, though. Only highlight the most important elements of your presentation.
• Leave adequate space on your notes to jot down additional thoughts or observations before and during your presentation. This is also helpful when writing down your thoughts in response to a question or to remember a multi-part question [remember to have a pen with you when you give your presentation].
• Place a cue in the text of your notes to indicate when to move to the next slide, to click on a link, or to take some other action. If appropriate, include a cue in your notes if there is a point during your presentation when you want the audience to refer to a handout.
• Spell out challenging words phonetically and practice saying them ahead of time. This is particularly important for accurately pronouncing people’s names, technical or scientific terminology, or words in a foreign language.

Creating and Using Overheads . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Kelly, Christine. Mastering the Art of Presenting . Inside Higher Education Career Advice; Giving an Oral Presentation . Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra; Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 10th edition. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008; Peery, Angela B. Creating Effective Presentations: Staff Development with Impact . Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2011; Peoples, Deborah Carter. Guidelines for Oral Presentations . Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries; Perret, Nellie. Oral Presentations. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Speeches . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Storz, Carl et al. Oral Presentation Skills . Institut national de télécommunications, EVRY FRANCE.

Organizing the Content

Begin by thinking about what you want to achieve and how are you going to involve your audience in the presentation.

• Brainstorm your topic and write a rough outline. Don’t get carried away—remember you have a limited amount of time for your presentation.
• Organize your material and draft what you want to say [see below].
• Summarize your draft into key points to write on your presentation slides and/or note cards and/or handout.
• Prepare your visual aids.
• Rehearse your presentation and practice getting the presentation completed within the time limit given by your professor. Ask a friend to listen and time you.

GENERAL OUTLINE

I.  Introduction [may be written last]

• Capture your listeners’ attention . Begin with a question, an amusing story, a provocative statement, or anything that will engage your audience and make them think.
• State your purpose . For example, "I’m going to talk about..."; "This morning I want to explain…."
• Present an outline of your talk . For example, “I will concentrate on the following points: First of all…Then…This will lead to…And finally…"

II.  The Body

• Present your main points one by one in a logical order .
• Pause at the end of each point . Give people time to take notes, or time to think about what you are saying.
• Make it clear when you move to another point . For example, “The next point is that...”; “Of course, we must not forget that...”; “However, it's important to realize that....”
• Use clear examples to illustrate your points and/or key findings .
• If appropriate, consider using visual aids to make your presentation more interesting [e.g., a map, chart, picture, link to a video, etc.].

III.  The Conclusion

• Leave your audience with a clear summary of everything that you have covered.
• Don't let the talk just fizzle out . Make it obvious that you have reached the end of the presentation.
• Summarize the main points again . For example, use phrases like: "So, in conclusion..."; "To recap the main issues...," "In summary, it is important to realize...."
• Restate the purpose of your talk, and say that you have achieved your aim : "My intention was ..., and it should now be clear that...."
• Thank the audience, and invite questions : "Thank you. Are there any questions?"

NOTE : When asking your audience if anyone has any questions, give people time to contemplate what you have said and to formulate a question. It may seem like an awkward pause to wait ten seconds or so for someone to raise their hand, but it's frustrating to have a question come to mind but be cutoff because the presenter rushed to end the talk.

ANOTHER NOTE :  If your last slide includes any contact information or other important information, leave it up long enough to ensure audience members have time to write the information down. Nothing is more frustrating to an audience member than wanting to jot something down, but the presenter closes the slides immediately after finishing.

Creating and Using Overheads . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Giving an Oral Presentation . Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra; Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 10th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008; Peery, Angela B. Creating Effective Presentations: Staff Development with Impact . Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2011; Peoples, Deborah Carter. Guidelines for Oral Presentations . Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries; Perret, Nellie. Oral Presentations. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Speeches . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Storz, Carl et al. Oral Presentation Skills . Institut national de télécommunications, EVRY FRANCE.

Delivering Your Presentation

When delivering your presentation, keep in mind the following points. They will help you remain focused and help ensure everything goes as planned.

Pay attention to language!

• Keep it simple . The aim is to communicate, not to show off your vocabulary. Using complex words or phrases increases the chance of stumbling over a word and losing your train of thought.
• Emphasize the key points . Make sure people realize which are the key points of your study. Repeat them using different phrasing to help the audience remember them.
• Check the pronunciation of difficult, unusual, or foreign words beforehand . Keep it simple, but if you have to use unfamiliar words, write them out phonetically in your notes. This is particularly important when pronouncing proper names. Give the definition of words that are unusual or are being used in a particular context [e.g., "By using the term affective response, I am referring to..."].

Use your voice to communicate clearly

• Speak loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear you . Projecting your voice may feel uncomfortably loud at first, but if people can't hear you, they won't try to listen.
• Speak slowly and clearly . Don’t rush! Speaking fast makes it harder for people to understand you and signals being nervous.
• Avoid the use of "fillers." Linguists refer to utterances such as um, ah, you know, like as fillers. They occur most often during transitions from one idea to another and, if expressed too much, are distracting to an audience. The better you know your presentation, the better you can control these verbal tics.
• Vary your voice quality . If you always use the same volume and pitch [for example, all loud, or all soft, or in a monotone] during your presentation, your audience will stop listening. Use a higher pitch and volume in your voice when you begin a new point or when emphasizing the transition to a new point.
• Speakers with accents need to slow down [so do most others]. Non-native speakers often speak English faster than we slow-mouthed native speakers, usually because most non-English languages flow more quickly than English. Slowing down helps the audience to comprehend your talk.
• Slow down for key points . These are also moments in your presentation to consider using body language, such as hand gestures or leaving the podium to point to a slide, to help emphasize key points.
• Use pauses . Don't be afraid of short periods of silence. They give you a chance to gather your thoughts, and your audience an opportunity to think about what you've said.

Use your body language to communicate too!

• Stand straight and comfortably . Do not slouch or shuffle about. If you appear bored or uninterested in what your talking about, the audience will be as well. Wear something comfortable. This is not the time to wear an itchy wool sweater or high heels for the first time.
• Hold your head up . Look around and make eye contact with people in the audience [or at least pretend to]. Do not just look at your professor or your notes the whole time! Looking up at your your audience brings them into the conversation. If you don't include the audience, they won't listen to you.
• When you are talking to your friends, you naturally use your hands, your facial expression, and your body to add to your communication . Do it in your presentation as well. It will make things far more interesting for the audience.
• Don't turn your back on the audience and don't fidget! Neither moving around nor standing still is wrong. Practice either to make yourself comfortable. Even when pointing to a slide, don't turn your back; stand at the side and turn your head towards the audience as you speak.
• Keep your hands out of your pocket . This is a natural habit when speaking. One hand in your pocket gives the impression of being relaxed, but both hands in pockets looks too casual and should be avoided.

Interact with the audience

• Be aware of how your audience is reacting to your presentation . Are they interested or bored? If they look confused, stop and ask them [e.g., "Is anything I've covered so far unclear?"]. Stop and explain a point again if needed.
• Check after highlighting key points to ask if the audience is still with you . "Does that make sense?"; "Is that clear?"
• Do not apologize for anything . If you believe something will be hard to read or understand, don't use it. If you apologize for feeling awkward and nervous, you'll only succeed in drawing attention to the fact you are feeling awkward and nervous and your audience will begin looking for this, rather than focusing on what you are saying.
• Be open to questions . If someone asks a question in the middle of your talk, answer it. If it disrupts your train of thought momentarily, that's ok because your audience will understand. Questions show that the audience is listening with interest and, therefore, should not be regarded as an attack on you, but as a collaborative search for deeper understanding. However, don't engage in an extended conversation with an audience member or the rest of the audience will begin to feel left out. If an audience member persists, kindly tell them that the issue can be addressed after you've completed the rest of your presentation and note to them that their issue may be addressed by things you say in the rest of your presentation [it may not be, but at least saying so allows you to move on].
• Be ready to get the discussion going after your presentation . Professors often want a brief discussion to take place after a presentation. Just in case nobody has anything to say or no one asks any questions, be prepared to ask your audience some provocative questions or bring up key issues for discussion.

Amirian, Seyed Mohammad Reza and Elaheh Tavakoli. “Academic Oral Presentation Self-Efficacy: A Cross-Sectional Interdisciplinary Comparative Study.” Higher Education Research and Development 35 (December 2016): 1095-1110; Balistreri, William F. “Giving an Effective Presentation.” Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 35 (July 2002): 1-4; Creating and Using Overheads . Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Enfield, N. J. How We Talk: The Inner Workings of Conversation . New York: Basic Books, 2017; Giving an Oral Presentation . Academic Skills Centre. University of Canberra; Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 10th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008; Peery, Angela B. Creating Effective Presentations: Staff Development with Impact . Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Education, 2011; Peoples, Deborah Carter. Guidelines for Oral Presentations . Ohio Wesleyan University Libraries; Perret, Nellie. Oral Presentations. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Speeches . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Storz, Carl et al. Oral Presentation Skills . Institut national de télécommunications, EVRY FRANCE.

Speaking Tip

Your First Words are Your Most Important!

Your introduction should begin with something that grabs the attention of your audience, such as, an interesting statistic, a brief narrative or story, or a bold assertion, and then clearly tell the audience in a well-crafted sentence what you plan to accomplish in your presentation. Your introductory statement should be constructed so as to invite the audience to pay close attention to your message and to give the audience a clear sense of the direction in which you are about to take them.

Lucas, Stephen. The Art of Public Speaking . 10th edition. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2008.

Another Speaking Tip

Talk to Your Audience, Don't Read to Them!

A presentation is not the same as an essay. If you read your presentation as if it were an essay, your audience will probably understand very little about what you say and will lose concentration quickly. Use notes, cue cards, or overheads as prompts that emphasis key points, and speak to your audience . Include everyone by looking at them and maintaining regular eye-contact [but don't stare or glare at people].

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Oral Presentation Structure

Finally, presentations normally include interaction in the form of questions and answers. This is a great opportunity to provide whatever additional information the audience desires. For fear of omitting something important, most speakers try to say too much in their presentations. A better approach is to be selective in the presentation itself and to allow enough time for questions and answers and, of course, to prepare well by anticipating the questions the audience might have.

As a consequence, and even more strongly than papers, presentations can usefully break the chronology typically used for reporting research. Instead of presenting everything that was done in the order in which it was done, a presentation should focus on getting a main message across in theorem-proof fashion — that is, by stating this message early and then presenting evidence to support it. Identifying this main message early in the preparation process is the key to being selective in your presentation. For example, when reporting on materials and methods, include only those details you think will help convince the audience of your main message — usually little, and sometimes nothing at all.

The opening

• The context as such is best replaced by an attention getter , which is a way to both get everyone's attention fast and link the topic with what the audience already knows (this link provides a more audience-specific form of context).
• The object of the document is here best called the preview because it outlines the body of the presentation. Still, the aim of this element is unchanged — namely, preparing the audience for the structure of the body.
• The opening of a presentation can best state the presentation's main message , just before the preview. The main message is the one sentence you want your audience to remember, if they remember only one. It is your main conclusion, perhaps stated in slightly less technical detail than at the end of your presentation.

In other words, include the following five items in your opening: attention getter , need , task , main message , and preview .

Even if you think of your presentation's body as a tree, you will still deliver the body as a sequence in time — unavoidably, one of your main points will come first, one will come second, and so on. Organize your main points and subpoints into a logical sequence, and reveal this sequence and its logic to your audience with transitions between points and between subpoints. As a rule, place your strongest arguments first and last, and place any weaker arguments between these stronger ones.

The closing

After supporting your main message with evidence in the body, wrap up your oral presentation in three steps: a review , a conclusion , and a close . First, review the main points in your body to help the audience remember them and to prepare the audience for your conclusion. Next, conclude by restating your main message (in more detail now that the audience has heard the body) and complementing it with any other interpretations of your findings. Finally, close the presentation by indicating elegantly and unambiguously to your audience that these are your last words.

Starting and ending forcefully

Revealing your presentation's structure.

To be able to give their full attention to content, audience members need structure — in other words, they need a map of some sort (a table of contents, an object of the document, a preview), and they need to know at any time where they are on that map. A written document includes many visual clues to its structure: section headings, blank lines or indentations indicating paragraphs, and so on. In contrast, an oral presentation has few visual clues. Therefore, even when it is well structured, attendees may easily get lost because they do not see this structure. As a speaker, make sure you reveal your presentation's structure to the audience, with a preview , transitions , and a review .

The preview provides the audience with a map. As in a paper, it usefully comes at the end of the opening (not too early, that is) and outlines the body, not the entire presentation. In other words, it needs to include neither the introduction (which has already been delivered) nor the conclusion (which is obvious). In a presentation with slides, it can usefully show the structure of the body on screen. A slide alone is not enough, however: You must also verbally explain the logic of the body. In addition, the preview should be limited to the main points of the presentation; subpoints can be previewed, if needed, at the beginning of each main point.

Transitions are crucial elements for revealing a presentation's structure, yet they are often underestimated. As a speaker, you obviously know when you are moving from one main point of a presentation to another — but for attendees, these shifts are never obvious. Often, attendees are so involved with a presentation's content that they have no mental attention left to guess at its structure. Tell them where you are in the course of a presentation, while linking the points. One way to do so is to wrap up one point then announce the next by creating a need for it: "So, this is the microstructure we observe consistently in the absence of annealing. But how does it change if we anneal the sample at 450°C for an hour or more? That's my next point. Here is . . . "

Similarly, a review of the body plays an important double role. First, while a good body helps attendees understand the evidence, a review helps them remember it. Second, by recapitulating all the evidence, the review effectively prepares attendees for the conclusion. Accordingly, make time for a review: Resist the temptation to try to say too much, so that you are forced to rush — and to sacrifice the review — at the end.

Ideally, your preview, transitions, and review are well integrated into the presentation. As a counterexample, a preview that says, "First, I am going to talk about . . . , then I will say a few words about . . . and finally . . . " is self-centered and mechanical: It does not tell a story. Instead, include your audience (perhaps with a collective we ) and show the logic of your structure in view of your main message.

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28 Elements All Professionals Should Consider to Help Master the Art of Virtual Presentations

Aug 2, 2024

In the digital age, mastering virtual presentations is crucial, so we've gathered insights from founders, CEOs, and other experts to elevate your next online meeting. From facilitating conversations instead of monologues to explaining platform basics and practicing accessibility, explore these 28 diverse strategies to enhance your virtual presentation skills on platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts.

Facilitate Conversations, Not Monologues

Think of your presentation as a discussion. How well you deliver a virtual presentation is not dependent on having the perfect script or rehearsing over and over. It lies in your ability to facilitate a conversation. Presentations come with a lot of pressure, and if you consider yourself leading a discussion, the presentation will flow more naturally. You will become more confident and make others comfortable as well.

Allow people to ask questions and voice their agreement or hesitation. The audience wants to understand, to be heard, and to share their thoughts. The longer you continue presenting without allowing feedback, the more you risk deviating from what your audience wants to hear. With time, you will enhance your skills and find presentations to be less stressful.

Tanya Slyvkin , Founder & CEO, WhitePage

Adopt a "Less is More" Slide Approach

"What's the point of this slide?" is my guiding mantra for the 21,000+ pages of executive presentations I've designed over the past seven years. Almost every client gives me overcrowded pages because everything seems important to them at first.

People do not want more information; we are practically drowning in a digital sea of information every single day. Stripping down each page to its core components shows care for the time and focus of your audience, and they can feel it.

After I discuss core messages, goals, and the audience with a client, I clean up the deck slide by slide: breaking down busy slides into two or three pages, editing titles to make them concise and bold, highlighting one to four key data points in large font, and adding high-quality images for visual engagement and retained attention. The rest of the content can be in a much smaller size or, better yet, turned into verbal notes.

The audience doesn't read big paragraphs during live meetings; they are listening to you, so don't distract them with visual noise. Dare to cut down your content for maximum impact on the people on the other side of the screen.

Anastasia Bachykala , Sr. Presentation Specialist, The New York Times

Use Green Screen for Professional Visuals

To enhance your virtual presentation skills, use a green screen to seamlessly integrate your slides, creating a polished and professional appearance that is visually compelling and easier for your audience to follow. Presenting while standing is more impactful than sitting at your desk, plus you won't end up in a small window next to your slides.

Also, aim for more dynamic gestures compared to physical presentations. The limited frame of a webcam can make your movements appear less noticeable, so slightly exaggerated gestures help convey your enthusiasm and keep the audience engaged. However, balance is key; avoid being overly animated to prevent distraction. Use clear, deliberate movements to emphasize key points and maintain a natural, engaging presence.

Maria Papacosta , Co-Founder, MSC Marketing Bureau

Bring Intentional Energy to Virtual Rooms

One tip that I often share with my clients regarding improving their presentation skills, particularly on virtual platforms, is being mindful of the energy that they bring into the room. They need to be intentional with picking how they want to leave the audience feeling. For example, if they want to leave the participants feeling inspired, then the energy they bring needs to be anchored in something uplifting, which needs to be matched by their body, voice, and gestures.

Another component that builds on the energy is involving the audience. Following the example of inspiring the participants, you might ask them to give you a virtual high-five, share an emoji, or give you their most excited face to the camera. It's not only about how you show up in the virtual space but how you engage the participants in a way that aligns with your intention for the meeting, which should be clear and predetermined.

Carolina Caro , CEO, Conscious Leadership Partners

Embrace Authenticity Over Perfection

Remove the pressure of seeking perfection from presenting, and you'll find yourself focusing more on what matters: your ability to reach and ultimately win over your audience. Connections happen best when you're just being yourself and permitting yourself to fail.

Technology will ultimately fail you, so expect that something wonky will likely happen whether you're in person or giving a virtual presentation on Zoom, Teams, or Hangouts. Put your best imperfect foot forward and let the content, your authenticity, and your personality do the rest of the legwork. There's no point in trying to control the uncontrollable.

Mia Fanning , Chief Content Officer, UGC Creator & Brand Strategist, House of Bequest

Design Slides With Focus in Mind

Good presentation skills on virtual platforms actually begin with compelling slide design. A good presenter must design for focus first. Slides are even more important now that the presenter is visually sidelined. Without a physical presenter in the room, and with the presentation closer to their faces, audience members are likely looking at your slides much more carefully.

Edmund Monk , CEO, The Learning and Performance Institute

Learn From Diverse Virtual Presentations

Go to a ton of virtual presentations. You can learn so much about what works and what doesn't by watching other presenters, especially those who use platforms besides the common Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts. I have learned many audience-engagement tricks and ways to improve how I present from other speakers and trainers.

Our LinkedIn feeds are filled with offers for free and low-cost webinars and talks—sign up for ones led by various people on different topics. Not only will you learn more, but you'll also be exposed to tips and tactics that other presenters use to engage their audiences.

Cecilia Gorman , Management Training Consultant, Manager Boot Camp

Choose Aesthetic, Real Backgrounds

The power of a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing background that's actually real goes such a long way. I've had so many comments on my fireplace background. It provokes a feeling of luxury, but is timeless and approachable, and it puts others at ease. I'm a big proponent of real backgrounds.

Please, please, please don't have a bed in your background, no matter how nice your bedroom may be.

Claudia Fulga , Founder & Executive Coach, Claudia Fulga

Connect With Your Camera

My tip for boosting your virtual presentation skills is to really connect with your camera.

For our company, where every detail in communication matters, I've learned that engaging directly with the camera as if it were a room full of people changes everything. Instead of just talking to a lens, envision that you're having a conversation with each person watching.

This tweak enhances your eye contact and personalizes your presentation. Through regular practice of this technique, I've noticed a dramatic improvement in how audiences receive and react to our messages—it feels more like an in-person interaction. This small adjustment has actually significantly elevated the quality and effectiveness of our virtual meetings.

Ruth Jennifer Cruz , Product Manager, Wolf King USA

Incorporate Interactive Elements

One effective way to improve your virtual presentation skills is to engage your audience with interactive elements such as polls, Q&A sessions, and breakout rooms. This helps maintain attention and encourages participation, making your presentation more dynamic and engaging.

Sanjana Thakur , Content Specialist, QASource

Strategize Your On-Camera Appearance

Pay very close attention to your appearance when on camera in virtual presentations. Your image is a credibility builder and can be an impactful way to stand out and be memorable in virtual spaces. Studies show that the brain processes visual cues 60,000 times faster than what you say in your presentation, so your hair, makeup, grooming, and clothing color choice need to be strategically chosen. These factors also communicate silently to the viewer about your care and attention to detail in your work. It's human nature to judge visually. Make it an asset instead of a distraction to boost whatever message you are presenting.

Michele Charles Gustafson , Certified Image Consultant & Confidence Coach, Hue And Style Image Consulting

Exude Executive Presence With Body Language

Make sure you exude executive presence by ensuring you are positioned properly. Body language accounts for 55% of the initial impression one makes. Nonverbal communication is a great tool to help you stand out from the crowd. When listening, nod thoughtfully to show you are engaged. Position yourself so that you are centered in the frame and visible from just below your shoulders to the top of your head. For the most flattering shot, make sure your camera is not looking up at you from below. Don't forget to sit up straight; slouching will make you seem unprofessional, sloppy, and overly casual.

Think about taking up one-third of the screen (1/3 on the left side, 1/3 on the right side).

Sit up tall, face the camera, and focus your eyes on the camera. In virtual communication, "eye contact" is achieved by looking directly into your camera, not at your audience. Looking at your screen will make you appear as though you are looking down, making your listener feel disconnected. While it may be necessary to look at your screen intermittently, try to focus your gaze on your camera the majority of the time.

Additionally, good diaphragmatic breathing is impossible to achieve if you're slouched over. Imagine a string running from your tailbone, through your spine, and out the top of your head, with a gentle force pulling from above. Keep your shoulders relaxed, and your chin level with the floor. When you sit tall and allow adequate breath support, you will be able to exude good vocal presence, which will show confident communication.

Nonverbal communication is harder to read through a computer screen. Use expressive, yet natural, facial expressions as you speak, and use gestures to highlight your point. Of course, don't forget to smile! Smiling and using gestures when speaking will help you to appear enthusiastic and pleasant.

The shift to working remotely was sudden, but now that we've had time to adjust, we can have fun with it. Virtual communication allows us to connect with people all around the world.

Jayne Latz , President, Corporate Speech Solutions, LLC

Make Virtual Events Interactive

Because it's so easy for people to tune out during online meetings and presentations, taking the "I talk, you listen" approach doesn't work well. Improve your virtual events by making them more interactive. Consider taking breaks for audience reflection and questions, polling the audience, and hosting quizzes with prizes (or bragging rights). Trust me, it'll make a world of difference!

Laura Foley , Executive Presentation Specialist, ISC2

Integrate Quality Audience Interactivity

Don't be a "sage on a stage"; involve your audience and limit your talk time by incorporating quality interactivity with your virtual audience! Don't rely solely on chat or emoji reactions. Find an excellent interactive program to integrate with your presentations. Several good interactive-building programs are available, and finding one that works for you and your team could be a big key to making the presentation more impactful and enjoyable for the audience.

My team uses Slido in our presentations to enhance engagement and effectiveness. Slido allows presenters to incorporate real-time polls, which can instantly gauge audience understanding and opinions on the discussed topic. This immediate feedback helps presenters tailor their content on the fly, ensuring it remains relevant and engaging to their audience.

Slido's Q&A feature can democratize audience participation by allowing attendees to ask questions anonymously. This often leads to a higher volume of questions and more candid discussions, as participants may feel more comfortable voicing their thoughts without the spotlight on them.

Additionally, Slido can facilitate more significant interaction through fun, live quizzes; creating word clouds; long-text answers; ranked-choice answers; and ratings, making long-distance learning more dynamic and helping memorably reinforce key presentation points.

Jim Biggs , Lead Instructional Designer/Virtual Trainer, Resident

Solicit Feedback on Presentation Elements

Is your virtual presentation distracting? Get honest feedback on your background, tech, and attire. We're all a little nosy—so don't tempt us with your extensive book collection or that shiny trophy from high school. As for your pets, keep Fido and Fluffy off-screen. They'll steal our hearts and attention.

Aim for an appealing, simple, real-life background when possible so the focus is mainly on you!

Finally, don't show up as if you are going to be playing pickleball! Dress the part, be authentic, and match your message.

Carol Ann Small , International Stress & Life Balance Expert, Motivational Humorist, VMP Virtual Master Presenter, CarolAnnSmall.com

Establish Virtual Eye Contact

Looking directly at your camera lens instead of the video frames on the screen establishes eye contact with your audience. Complement this with expressive hand gestures and intonations to make your presentation more dynamic and personable, and feel less like a talking headshot on screen.

Additionally, familiarize yourself with the meeting platform and use interactive elements like polls, private group discussions, Q&A, closed captions, etc., to enhance accessibility and participation.

Jefflin Persis , Communication Consultant

Make Presentations Conversational

Consider the attendees' perspectives and make the presentation a conversation. Since it's challenging to know if you are holding an audience's attention, take frequent breaks and ask if anyone has questions or feedback on the content just presented. Call on people to ensure they understand your subject matter by asking open-ended questions that allow them to contribute to the conversation and engage with others. This creates a more intimate presentation that mimics a coffee chat or roundtable.

Catherine Calame , Marketing and Communications Strategist

Invest in Quality Presentation Tools

Your presentation and appearance matter significantly in virtual presentations on platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts, even more so than in standard in-person meetings, since virtual presentations can be recorded and rewatched again and again in the future. Because of the heightened importance of visual and oral presentation, speakers must invest in a ring light and a high-quality audio-capturing device.

In addition, hair and makeup must be prepared, planned, and applied in advance of the presentation. Being fully prepared means having a filmed rehearsal in advance of the presentation and reviewing the film with a colleague to ensure a clear delivery with well-lit visuals.

Robert Conner , Manager, Media Relations Lead, Scott Circle Communications

Create Memorable Visual Aids

In any presentation, virtual or in-person, it's easy for people to forget what you talked about. To combat this, focus on creating at least one visual that will stick in your audience's mind.

Visual aids are powerful tools for reinforcing your message and making your presentation memorable. They help break down complex information and make it easier for your audience to understand and retain key points.

Some of the visuals I tend to use are one of the following:

• Charts and Graphs – I use these when I want to illustrate data and trends clearly.
• Images and Infographics – I've found that a well-designed infographic or a striking image can convey concepts quickly and effectively.
• Videos and Animations – These can add dynamic elements to your presentation, making it more engaging.

Lisa Frank , Marketing Specialist, AM Industrial Group

Practice Key Points and Anticipate Questions

To enhance your virtual presentation skills, one essential tip is to practice beforehand. Even as someone who regularly presents, I always take time to rehearse my key points and anticipate questions I might face. For example, before sharing a detailed dashboard report with a client, I make sure to thoroughly review the data to present it accurately and prepare for any questions they might have.

Paula Glynn , Director of Search Marketing & Digital Strategy, Pixelstorm

Manage Vocal Variety for Engagement

Unfortunately, many people neglect the influence of vocal variety—of tone, timbre, and variation—in keeping people engaged on Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts.

Think of a first-aid instructor giving lifesaving instructions in a flat monotone—it's hard to listen and even harder to remember the details. It's the same with presentations. A lack of vocal variety entails a flat, draggy delivery that has the power to put your audience straight to sleep, diminishing the impact of your content. Actively managing your vocal pitch, volume, pace, and tone is a great way to ensure that your audiences stay alert, and your main points are remembered.

Bringing some vocal variety into your presentation is actually quite easy. First of all, change your pace. Don't speed through your presentation. Be natural with each sentence's pauses, using them to emphasize important content. Secondly, play with your volume. Speak up when you have a key message and lower your voice when you have a dramatic point, or something that is confidential. But, probably the most important way to bring more vocal variety into your presentation is by changing your pitch. Adding an inflection to your voice will give more emphasis or feeling to what you're saying.

Derek Bruce , HR, Operations Director, First Aid at Work Course

Prioritize Engaging Presentation Material

Regarding virtual presentation skills, there are many things to consider, such as appearance, the material, body language, technical aspects, background, and more. Virtual presentations are more challenging than in-person presentations due to the difficulty of keeping the audience's attention and ensuring good audio and visuals. Of all the crucial aspects of a virtual presentation, the one that needs the most improvement is the material presented.

I focus on the material because it is the reason for the entire virtual presentation. The audience is always one click away from changing tabs. They can listen to you, and at the same time, they can surf the web and order takeout or something from Amazon. If the content doesn't interest them, they'll skip it, and all your hard work goes to waste.

To keep the audience engaged, one should not use the rules of a physical presentation, which is a static presentation, but rather include animations or manipulate the content in such a way that it keeps the audience's attention. It could include practices like having points appear sequentially on one slide rather than displaying all of them at once. Similarly, for graphs, the focal point should stand out compared to others, using bold colors and varying image sizes while keeping things readable and concise.

Abdullah Ahmed , Digital Marketing Strategist, Reactree

Record and Review Your Virtual Presence

One of the key ways to improve your virtual presentations is to record yourself on those platforms to see how you show up. Conduct a short presentation and then go back to review it to see what type of message you're portraying to your audience.

First, review it with the sound off. How is your body language? Is it portraying confidence, and are you sending the right message to your audience that you're an expert? Check that you're framed in the camera correctly, that all of your head and face is showing up. Check to ensure you're centered and when you speak that you're looking at the camera so it appears you're looking directly at the other person.

Then turn the sound on and close your eyes. How do you sound? Again, are you coming across as someone who is confident and sounds like an expert, or do you hear something else? Is your sound crisp, or is it choppy, which could mean you're either too far away or need a different mic.

Then watch with sound on, and if you're sharing a slide deck or something else, how smooth are the transitions you're making, and does your voice tone match up with them? Are you highlighting the benefits of the features to tell your story or to engage the audience?

Finally, have you tested all the platform features you might want to use? For example, with the Zoom whiteboard, do you know how to write, erase, etc.? If the platform is something you will be using for the first time, it's a smart move to get in there and practice. That way, when you are on, you aren't getting distracted by the tech and can focus on delivering the most powerful message you can to your audience.

Blake Baumann , Founder, Life & Executive Coach, ASPIE-R

Engage Audience With Instructional Videos

To improve virtual presentation skills on online platforms, use videos to engage the audience. Videos will engage visual and aural learners. They also change the pace and tone of the presentation. In addition, videos from credible presenters can add authority to what is being taught. Videos can be added to PowerPoint presentations through the Insert > Video > Movie from File/Link menu pathway. They can be added to Google Slides and other presentation software similarly. Best practices suggest adding one video per half-hour of instruction.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard , Business Broker & Attorney, Indiana Business Advisors

Practice Pacing and Use Graphics

One of the best things you can do to improve or "style" your virtual presentation skills is to practice pacing with someone else before you present to a client. We tend to speed up our words when nervous or under pressure, but pauses are powerful! You can keep your presentation sharp and interesting by eliminating rambling and getting straight to the point. I have also found that having incredible graphics to support the story you are trying to tell can make your presentation that much more exciting to share!

Jacqueline Ball , Digital Marketing Consultant & Strategist, Sozoe Creative

Analyze Practice Sessions via Recordings

One effective way to improve your virtual presentation skills on Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts is to record your practice sessions. By rewatching these recordings, you can analyze various aspects of your performance, such as facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, and body movements. This self-review process helps you identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to enhance your delivery, ensuring a more engaging and polished presentation.

Bernice Chao , Author, Visibility Mindset

Invest in Effective Communication Skills

Invest in communication. You can have the best webcam, microphone, and beautiful slideshow, but at the end of the day, it's about your ability to communicate. This may sound strange because everyone knows how to talk, but not everyone knows how to tell an interesting story or keep the conversation engaging. Your tonality, volume, speed, and pitch are vital, especially during Zoom, Teams, and Hangouts meetings, where participants face numerous distractions both on and off their screens. Your ability to communicate becomes even more important in these virtual settings. So, don't overlook the basics.

Sam Savat , Wedding Photographer, Sam Savat Photography

Explain Platform Basics and Practice Accessibility

While it's easy to assume that participants understand how to utilize the platform, take time at the beginning of your presentation to explain the basics of how to turn on closed captioning, how to "react," and how to use the chat box. Additionally, to model accessibility, always begin your virtual presentation by verbally describing your identity and appearance for anyone who has visual impairments.

It's always good to practice your presentation ahead of time and understand the different nuances of each platform (since screen sharing on Zoom is different than screen sharing on Teams).

Keeping your presentation minimal in nature benefits the participants, even though we tend to try and fill each slide with as much text as possible. Opting instead for a few key takeaways for each point you are making, as well as quotes that you want the participants to walk away with, can be more influential than too much text. And, if you do nothing else, make every effort to not simply read your slides.

Naomi Hattaway , Founder and President, 8th & Home

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• High School

The best notes for an extemporaneous oral presentation contain? 1) a complete word-for-word script of the speech 2) single words describing each major topic 3) a complete sentence or two introducing each major idea 4) an entire paragraph describing each major topic

Huhjijhnjbg4640 is waiting for your help., ai-generated answer.

• 4.8K answers
• 73.2K people helped

Final answer:

The best notes for extemporaneous oral presentations contain a complete sentence or two introducing each major idea, allowing for conversational delivery while being well-structured and adaptable.Therefore,correct option is option(3).

Explanation:

Extemporaneous Oral Presentation Notes

The best notes for an extemporaneous oral presentation should include a complete sentence or two introducing each major idea. These notes serve as a guide rather than a script, allowing for a conversational and adaptable speech. A full manuscript would hinder the speaker-audience connection, while single words might be too brief to jog the speaker's memory effectively. Conversely, entire paragraphs can be too cumbersome for quick reference during a speech. By using brief yet complete sentences, the speaker can maintain a clear structure while also allowing for spontaneity and audience interaction.

Creating Effective Notes

As you internalize the main points of your speech through practice, you will create a speaking outline. This involves converting the full-sentence outline into one that uses keywords or phrases that prompt your memory. You may retain certain elements such as key quotes, facts, and source citations to ensure they are included. This method of note-taking for an extemporaneous speech ensures you are well-prepared while retaining the flexibility to adapt to different audiences and situations.

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