Presentations
A presentation is not a lecture; it is a present, a gift. You give a presentation, and the gift is an idea. In her Ted Talk on the secret structure to great talks, Nancy Duarte (2010) states that as a presenter your role is to facilitate and guide the audience towards the gift of your idea, like a mentor. It is up to your audience to then take that idea out into practice with them. Learn more about this notion by watching this brief video by Simon Sinek, author and coach on public speaking, about giving a presentation.
Where do you start in creating a presentation?
First, it is important to carefully read the assignment brief to ensure you fully understand what is required from your presentation:
- What is the topic of your presentation?
- Is there a time limit?
- Is there any specific information you will need to cover?
- What are your expected learning outcomes?
- How will you be marked/assessed?
The answers to these questions will help you to structure your presentation and meet the criteria of your brief. The answers will also save you from deviating off topic.
Who will you be presenting to?
Once you have understood your assignment, give some time to thinking about your audience:
- Who are they?
- What do they want from your presentation?
- Do they have any pre-existing knowledge on your topic?
- What do they need to know about your topic?
Knowing your audience and their interest in your presentation will guide your planning, making sure you deliver the right type of presentation to the right audience.
Perhaps you have been given a topic to cover as part of your assignment. Or maybe you have been asked to find your own topic for delivery. Either way, you will need to conduct research and gather information to learn about your topic and find your key message before you can present your ideas to your audience. Take note of references for all your research. You will need to reference your research later when you build your slides.
You can learn more about sourcing and evaluating information from these other Learning Skills Hub modules:
Tips for group work
Working in a group to create and deliver a presentation can help to develop important teamworking skills in communication and collaboration. To get started on a group presentation project, work through the same process as above; understand your assignment brief, know your audience and establish the topic of your presentation.
Then you can start assigning tasks amongst the group. Take note of each group member's strengths and capabilities, for example strengths in research or skills using Microsoft PowerPoint. Additionally, listen to any expressions of interest by team members who want to use this opportunity to develop new skills. If someone wants to learn how to use software or practise their public speaking, make sure they get the chance. Where possible, team up on tasks with at least two people who can support each other in their role. You may want to elect a moderator in the group who will keep track of work progress and maintain communication amongst the team.
Planning in advance so that every group member knows their role, their deadlines and meet-up dates is an important part of your group communication. Making a shared timeline will ensure everyone knows the deadlines and will help the group to establish agreements such as:
- the goals and mini deadlines (milestones) for completing a work. For example, when do you need your research completed by?
- the dates and times the group will meet up to discuss progress and for decision making (online or in-person)
- the content the group will use in the presentation
You can learn more about working in a team and establishing good communication practices amongst your group in the Learning Skills Hub module Teamworking.