Week 10 - Oral Presentation

UPM-FBMK/ SEM 1, 2011-2012/ PPG / BBI 2409/ MODULE
ORAL PRESENTATION
Preparing and delivering an effective oral presentation requires the development and use of a
set of skills that are distinct from those required to write a good essay or dissertation, for
example.
Handbooks and training manuals point out that communication is:
o 7% verbal
o 38% vocal
o 55% non-vocal
Since oral presentation is all about communication, this means that preparing an effective oral
presentation demands attention to all these aspects of communication, not just the verbal
content of the oral presentation.
It means that, aside from the content of your presentation and your verbal skill in presenting it,
you also have to think about vocal and non-vocal communication and presentation skills; about
your audience and how your presentation will be received and assessed; and about how you
present yourself.
For this reason, oral presentations require specific kinds of:
o Planning
o Preparation
o Practice
o Presentation
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A. Planning
In planning an oral presentation, you need to think about why you are giving the presentation. Is
it to:
- provide information
- defend a position
- start a discussion
- persuade
- teach
- fulfill a course requirement
In a good presentation, the content and structure are adjusted accordingly to the medium of
speech. If the content or structure is too difficult and complicated, the audience may have
problems following the speech. Therefore, as a general rule, try to cover much less content in
your oral presentation. Difficult points must be made easier for listeners to understand by adding
plenty of examples or going back over them later. You should also allow some time for
questions within the presentation.
An effective presentation should have a simple and logical structure. In the introduction, you
should outline the points you plan to cover. In the conclusion part, you should go over the main
points of your speech.
In an effective presentation, the content and structure are adjusted to the medium of speech.
When listening, we cannot go back over a difficult point to understand it or easily absorb long
arguments. A presentation can easily be ruined if the content is too difficult for the audience to
follow or if the structure is too complicated.
Content
When preparing the content of a presentation, you should ask yourself these questions:
 What are your key points? (Most good presentations have no more than 5 key points)
 How will you support your key points with examples and illustrations?
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 How will you make it easy for your audience to follow your key points?
Why do you need to reduce the content of your presentation?
 You will need to fit your content within the time limit.
 You will need to hold the interest and attention of your audience.
 Think about summarizing some kinds of information, such as technical explanations and
tables of figures because they are sometimes difficult for listeners to absorb during a
presentation.
 You will need to leave time for examples and illustrations of your points. Think carefully
about how you will support and explain your key points.
 You will need to leave time for an introduction, conclusion and questions or comments.
During this time you are likely to be repeating points made in the main body of your talk.
It is likely that you already have a topic and you know what you want to say about it. This is the
content of your presentation. You may already have the content of your presentation in written
form: for example in a written report. Whether your content is already written down or you are
beginning from scratch, you may need to cut it down for your presentation.
Audience
In addition to thinking about why you are going to give the presentation and what your key
points will be, you need to think about and tailor your message to your audience:
- Who will be listening to your presentation?
- What do they already know about the subject?
- Are they interested? Do I need to create an interest?
- How fast/easily can they absorb my key points?
- What do they expect me to say?
- What is their mind-set?
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In order to be in tune with your audience, the content and style of your presentation should be
based on the answers to these questions. What you want to say about your topic may be much
less important than what your audience wants to hear about it.
You may have been given guidelines for your presentation. If not, or if they are not clear, ask for
guidelines or clarification.
B. Preparation
Preparation is everything. If you know your subject well and have planned your presentation
along the lines suggested above, you are well on the way to giving a good presentation.
However, preparing an effective presentation also includes preparing:
- Yourself
- Your material
- Your notes
- Visual aids and handouts
Yourself
Many students become nervous and anxious about oral presentations and try to avoid them.
This is understandable when you remember the way communication was described above. To a
certain extent, when you are giving an oral presentation you are presenting, not just your
material, but yourself as well. This is less the case in a university environment than on the job or
the job market, so university is a good place to address any anxieties you may have about
giving oral presentations. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Good planning and preparation go a long way to building confidence from the outset; this also
includes rehearsing your presentation prior to delivery.
- Your audience at university will generally be on your side: they will want you to succeed.
- Acknowledge your nerves and try to manage them by taking calming action before the
presentation (by stretching your muscles, breathing exercises, meditating, taking a brisk walk,
etc.).
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- Identify your nervous symptoms in advance (e.g. fiddling with hair, pacing, avoiding eye
contact, talking too fast, hugging your body, etc.) and practise delivery without them.
- If you are not already familiar with the room in which you will be giving the presentation, visit it
beforehand and stand where you will be standing.
Your material
Know it, understand it, organise or structure it. Just as a good essay requires an introduction,
argument and conclusion, a good presentation requires an opening, a core message and an
ending.
- Opening: Divide your opening into two sections:
i. General: build a rapport, get your audience’s attention.

ii. Proper: introduce the subject, explain what you will be covering, outline your main
message.
- Message: Only 4-5 key points, link each point to the main message and to the next point.
Summarise a section at a time. Give frequent examples. Illustrate and support with evidence
and visuals.
- Ending: Summarise and conclude. A recap, not a repeat. Emphasise major points. Make a
suggestion or proposal for further research. Thank the audience for listening. Make sure there is
a definite ending. It should have an impact, like the opening.
Your notes
Use keywords, drawings and cards. Do not write an essay or a speech (unless this is
specifically required). Type in large print (to act as prompts). Do not read: hold notes in front of
you. Become very familiar with them.
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Visual aids and handouts
- Make sure that any necessary equipment is available, that it works, and that you know how to
use it.
- Transparencies and handouts should be prepared (word-processed) and printed in advance.
- Use consistent print and check your grammar and spelling.
- Transparencies or power-point projections should be kept short and simple: use headings and
a few main points, facts or figures.
- Use them to emphasise what you are saying.
- Do not stand or walk in front of the screen. Handouts should not, unless specifically required,
be a verbatim account of your presentation or have an essay style. They should contain a
summary of your message and the key points of your presentation - in point form with
appropriate headings and sub-headings.
- Be aware that visual aids or handouts given in advance may distract attention from your
delivery.
C. Practice
- Practise your presentation out loud for timing so that you will stick to the assigned time. You
may be assessed for time management.
- If at all possible, practise in front of an audience: friend(s), fellow students on the course, etc.
- Ask for feedback on your delivery, clarity, relevance, impact, organisation, logical flow,
convincing evidence, opening and ending, pace, mannerisms, etc.
- Record or tape your presentation and play it back to yourself.
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D. Presentation
Some people are able to speak confidently in front of large audiences without being nervous.
However, it is normal for everyone to get nervous when delivering oral presentation in public. By
applying a few simple techniques, you will be able to improve your presentation skills and
overcome your anxieties. .
The main points to pay attention to in delivery are the quality of your voice, posture,
engaging the audience, use of notes and use of visual aids.
Voice quality involves attention to volume, speed and fluency, clarity and pronunciation. The
quality of your voice in a presentation will improve dramatically if you are able to practice before
hand.
Rapport with the audience involves attention to eye contact, sensitivity to how the audience is
responding to your talk and what you look like from the point of view of the audience. These can
be improved by practicing in front of one or two friends or video-taping your rehearsal.
Voice quality
Your voice is your main channel of communication to the audience, so make sure you use it to
its best effect.
i) Volume
Is your voice loud enough or too loud? Adjust your volume to the size of the room and make
sure the people at the back can hear. In a big room take deep breaths and try to project your
voice rather than shout.
ii) Speed and fluency
Speak at a rate so your audience can understand your points. Do not speed up because you
have too much material to fit into the time available. Try not to leave long pauses while you are
looking at your notes or use fillers such as 'um' or 'err'. Use pauses to allow the audience to
digest an important point. Repeat or rephrase difficult or important points to make sure the
audience understands.
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iii) Clarity
Speak clearly. Face the audience and hold your head up. Your speech will be clearer if you look
directly at the members of the audience while you speak. Keep your hands and notes away
from your mouth and keep your eyes on the audience when you are talking about overhead
transparencies. If you have to look at the whiteboard or the overhead projector, stop talking until
you are ready to face the audience again.
iv) Pronunciation
Correct pronunciation is important if one is to be understood correctly. Incorrect pronunciation is

perhaps the first cause of communication breakdown. If the listener is not accustomed to the
speaker’s native language, he/she will not understand a mispronounced word. Mispronunciation
also tires the listener’s ear and he/she will perhaps even stop trying to understand the speaker if
it becomes too difficult. You may not be able to improve your general pronunciation much
before an important presentation. However, you can make sure you know how to pronounce
names and difficult words. Do not use exaggerated intonation or pronunciation of individual
words. Your natural speaking style will be good enough as long as you speak clearly.
Posture
Preferably stand (straight, not slouching). This sets you apart from the audience, enhances the
‘performance’ aspect of the presentation and is considered more professional. It allows you to
remain mobile, important if you need access to visual aids and if movement helps keep your
body relaxed.
Engaging the audience
One of the secrets of a good presentation is to involve the audience.
i) Maintain eye contact
Look your audience in the eyes. Spread your eye contact around the audience including those
at the back and sides of the room. Avoid looking at anyone too long because this can be
intimidating!
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ii) Ask for feedback
You can involve the audience by asking occasional questions. Try to ask genuine questions to
which you do not already know the answer and show interest in any replies. Leave time for the
audience to think and try to avoid answering your questions yourself or telling members of the
audience that their answers are wrong. Questions to the audience work well when you manage
to make those who answer them feel that they have contributed to your presentation.
You can also pause occasionally to ask if anyone has any questions for you. If a question
disrupts the flow of your talk too much, you can say that you will answer it later (but don't forget
to do it!). Before you ask for questions, make sure you are ready to pick up your presentation
again when the Q & A session has finished.
iii) Look confident
It is natural to feel nervous in front of an audience. Experienced speakers avoid looking nervous
by breathing deeply, speaking slowly and avoiding unnecessary gestures or movements.
Smiling and focusing attention on members of the audience who show interest can also help
you feel more confident as your talk progresses.
iv) Body Language
The golden rule is "Be natural and relax!"
What is body language?
Eye contact, facial expressions, posture, movements, gestures.
Why is it useful?
It is a natural part of communication:

 to clarify meaning; it is very visual
 to vent nervousness
 to maintain interest
 to emphasize and regulate
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Effective use of notes
Some good speakers do not use notes at all and some write out their speech in great detail. If
you are not an experienced speaker, it is not a good idea to speak without notes because you
will soon lose your thread. You should also avoid reading a prepared text aloud or memorizing
your speech as this will be boring.
The best solution may be to use notes with headings and points to be covered. You may also
want to write down key sentences. Notes can be on paper or cards. Some speakers use
overhead transparencies as notes. The trick in using notes is to avoid shifting your attention
from the audience for too long. Your notes should always be written large enough for you to see
without moving your head too much.
One of the decisions you have to make before you give a presentation is how to remember what
you are going to say. Experienced presenters use a variety of methods. Here we can compare
the advantages and disadvantages of each method so that you could decide which is best for
you.
i) Speaking without notes
Advantages: If you do it well, you will seem natural, knowledgeable and confident of your topic.
You will also find it easier to establish rapport with the audience because you can give them
your full attention.
Disadvantages: Speaking without notes is a high-risk strategy. It is easy to lose your thread,
miss out whole sections of your talk or to go over the time limit. People who speak without notes
often fail to convey a clear idea of the structure of their ideas to the audience.
ii) Reading from a script
Some experienced presenters write down every word they intend to say. They may read the
whole script aloud or they may just use it as a back-up.
Advantages: You will find it easier to keep within the time limit. You are likely to be less nervous
and make fewer mistakes.
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Disadvantages: It is difficult to establish rapport with the audience. You may sound like you are
reading aloud rather than speaking to an audience. Listeners often lose interest in a
presentation that is read aloud.
This is a low-risk strategy employed by many experienced non-native speaker presenters. If you
use it, you will need to develop the skill of reading aloud while still sounding natural. Few people
can do this effectively.
iii) Note cards
Many presenters write down headings and key points on cards or paper. They use them as
reminders of what they are going to say.
Advantages: You will find it easier to establish rapport with the audience. Your presentation will
be structured but you will sound natural.
Disadvantages: You may find it difficult to keep within the time limit. If your notes are too brief,
you may forget what you intended to say.
This is a medium-risk strategy used by many experienced presenters and the one most often
recommended. The disadvantages of note cards can be overcome if you practice your
presentation before you give it.
iv) PowerPoint slides
Some presenters use their Power Point slides as notes. They use them like note cards as
reminders of what they are going to say.
Advantages: It is easy to establish rapport with the audience because you are sharing your
notes with them. You will sound natural and your presentation will seem well-organized.
Disadvantages: You may find it difficult to keep within the time limit. Your presentation may be
dominated by your PowerPoint slides. Unless you are careful, you may find that you are talking
to the overhead projector rather than the audience.
This is a medium-to-high-risk strategy. Used well, it can be very effective, especially by

presenters who are used to speaking without notes.
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Use of visual aids
Visual aids help to make a presentation livelier. They can also help the audience to follow your
presentation and help you to present information that would be difficult to follow through speech
alone.
The two most common forms of visual aid are overhead transparencies (OHTs) and computer
slide shows (e.g. PowerPoint). Objects that can be displayed or passed round the audience can
also be very effective and often help to relax the audience. Some speakers give printed
handouts to the audience to follow as they speak. Others prefer to give their handouts at the
end of the talk, because they can distract the audience from the presentation.
i) Purpose
The aim of using PowerPoint slides is to support the points you want to make in speech. The
audience will be able to follow better if they can see your key points and examples as well as
hearing them. PowerPoint slides can
 Reinforce a point you have made

 Show what something looks like
 Illustrate relationships
 Show information patterns
 Present figures or graphs
 Summarise key points
 Help the audience follow passages or quotations you read aloud
ii) Design
To be effective, PowerPoint slides must be attractive and easy to read. Some basic rules are:
 Size - A4
 Use large fonts and images: Font size - maybe 20 or more depending on the size of the
room you will be speaking in. A good idea is to use different sizes for different types of text:
i.e. 20 for main headings, 16 for subheadings, 14 for other text.
 Fonts: Ariel, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Futura, Optima, Verdana, New Century,
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Schoolbook and Courier. Some companies impose a particular style.

 Layout should be pleasant and easy to read: horizontal/landscape layout is preferable.
 Use CAPITAL LETTERS, bold face, italics, underlining, (white on black) or shading to
highlight.
 Present one key point or example per slide.
 Use headings and bullet points in preference to lines of text.
 Use strong colors and do not use too many.
 Use simple graphs in preference to tables of figures.
 Pay attention to layout. Use the centre of the slide rather than the edges.
Source: http://ec.hku.hk/epc/presentation/
LANGUAGE EXPRESSIONS FOR ORAL PRESENTATION
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The following are some useful guidelines and examples of expressions used in oral
presentation.
THE BEGINNING
1. Get the audience's attention and signal the beginning
Right. Well. OK. Erm. Let's begin.

Good. Fine. Great. Let's get down to business.
Shall we start? Let's get the ball rolling.
Can we start?
A good technique is to try to get your audience involved in your talk either by asking direct or
rhetorical questions. Ask for a show of hands for example, in response to a question or, present
information in such a way that the audience can identify with it. You can give an anecdote,
unusual or surprising facts, or an illustration from real life could be employed here.
2. Greet audience
It is important to greet the audience by saying something like:
Hello ladies and gentlemen.

Good morning members of the jury.
Good afternoon esteemed guests
Good evening members of the board
Fellow colleagues Mr. Chairman/Chairwoman
Thank you for your kind introduction
3. Introduce yourself (name, position, and company)
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce myself.

Good morning everyone, I'd like to start by introducing myself.
My name is Syakira.
I am a 3rd year student at UPM,
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I've had wide experience in the field of...

Good morning, my name is Syuhada. I am a student at UTM and I would like to talk to
you today about some of my findings in a study I did on…
Sometimes, especially when invited to speak, the host introduces the guest, gives the same
information as above and then gives the floor to the guest speaker.
I am very pleased and proud to introduce …who is…. He/she is known for…
Now I'll turn the floor over to today's speaker. (to take the floor, to have the floor, to give
the floor to someone.)
4. Give title and introduce subject
What exactly are you going to speak about?

Situate the subject in time and place, in relation to the audience and/or its importance. Give a
rough idea or a working definition of the subject.
I plan to talk about...

Today I'm going to talk about...
The subject of my presentation is...
The theme of my talk is...
Why are you going to talk about it?
I have chosen to talk about this because...

I was asked to talk about X because...
Have you estimated the time it will take? It is useful to give the listeners some idea of how long
you will speak so as to maintain their attention better.
I will speak for about...

I have limited my speech to
My talk will last about 15 minutes
You may want to give acknowledgements here too. If you have been sponsored, supported or
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encouraged by a particular firm, organization, professor, etc. you may want to recognize their
contribution. Your research and paper may have been the work of a collaborative effort and you
should acknowledge this too giving the names of all the participants.
At some point you should ask a question or somehow try to determine the attitude and
knowledge of the audience. How do they feel about the subject? You will then have to modify
the contents, as you never know exactly what to expect.
Have you ever heard of...?

You may already know…
I feel sure that some of you…
Every day you encounter...
To get the audience's attention and perhaps to find out where they are you could introduce the
subject by saying:
Have you ever heard of/seen X?

You've probably seen countless times...
You may have wondered...
5. Give your objectives (purpose, aim, goals)
The main purpose of an informative speech is to have the audience understand and remember
a certain amount of information. You should therefore have two purposes: a general purpose
and a specific one. The former is to inform: to give an overview, to present, to summarize, to
outline; to discuss the current situation or to explain how to do something or how something is
done. The latter is what you want the audience to take away with them after listening to you,
what you want them to do, what they should remember.
My purpose in doing this paper is to give you a solid background on the subject of oral
presentation skills so that in the future, at UPM or elsewhere, you can deliver a
successful speech in front of a group.
What I would like to do today is
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to explain
to illustrate...
to give you the essential background information on...
to outline...
to have a look at...
What I want my listeners to get out of my speech is...

If there is one thing I'd like to get across to you today it is that…
Once you have established your specific objectives you may go on to formulate your content.
6. Announce your outline
You want to keep the outline simple so 2 or 3 main points are usually enough. Concerning
grammar the headings of the outline should be of the same grammatical form.
I have divided/broken my presentation/speech down/up into X parts.

In the first part I give a few basic definitions.
In the next section I will explain
In part three, I am going to show...
In the last part I would like/want to give a practical example...
7. Questions and comments from the audience
You should also let the audience know at some point in the introduction when and whether they
may ask questions.
I'd ask you to save your questions for the end.

There will be plenty of time at the end of my oral presentation for a discussion.
You may interrupt me at any moment to ask questions or make comments.
Please stop me if you don't understand anything I say but could you keep any specific
questions until after I've finished.
8. Rhetorical questions
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What is a rhetorical question? It is a question that you ask without expecting it to be answered.
Why use such a question? In using such a question the speaker appears to be having a
dialogue with the listeners. It also should catch their attention.
Have you ever seen/heard/experienced...?

How can we explain this?
What does that mean?
What can be done about that?
What does this imply for you, as a consumer?
9. Make a transition between the introduction and the body
You should refer to your transparency or outline.

Now let us turn to point one.
Let us now move on to the second part, which is, as I said earlier….
10. Emphasizing/highlighting
Say something is important.
The important thing to remember is...

The essential element is...
Stress verbs with your voice.
We experimented with the concept over a period of three years.
Add auxiliary verbs for emphasis.
We did see a noticeable difference.
Change the word order
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What I'd like to show today is the difference between the two products.
Good it may be, easy it isn't.
Repetition
As I've said before...

Let me repeat
Tripling, chunking and other techniques of word play and emphasis should be used as you
become more fluent and confident.
This method is clearer, cheaper and more consistent.

Quality is not something that affects the bottom line, it is the bottom line.
THE MIDDLE OR THE BODY
1. Content
What information should you give in your oral presentation? All your information should
support your purpose. In most cases you will have to limit the content, as time is usually
precious!
2. Quantity
How much information should you give? Give enough to clearly develop your ideas. Don’t forget
to illustrate through examples.
3. Sequencing your ideas
Here are a few possibilities for organizing your ideas:

logical; chronological order; from general to specific; from known to unknown; from accepted to
controversial; cause/effect; problem/solution.
Whatever sequencing you choose, the headings should be all of the same grammatical form.
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4. Keeping the audience's attention
The beginning and the end or the first and last parts of a talk are what listeners will remember
best. Think of ways you can keep the audience's attention throughout the rest of the oral
presentation.
5. Signaling where you are
Just as when you are driving along a road that you don't know very well, you depend on signs to
guide you, you need to guide the listener by using expressions to tell him/her where you are
going. That is to say, first announce what you are going to say (give an example) and then say
what you want to say. This is very like verbal punctuation. Indicate when you have finished one
point and then go on to the next one. It is redundant in text but very useful in oral presentations.
Experienced presenters will also clearly pause, change their stance and the pitch of their voice
as they move from one part of a presentation to another.
6. Listing information
Lists are often a necessary thing to do oral presentation. Vary your language whenever possible
and avoid reading directly.
There are three things we have to consider: one, two, and three. A, B, C.
Now let us look at the first aspect which is...
First of all,…
In the first place…
7. Linking ideas, sections/making transitions
Indicate the end of one section and the beginning of the next.
That's all I would like to say about... (subject of part A) and now let us turn to ....
Now that we've seen... let us turn to…
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8. Outlining options
If there are alternative ways of looking at a topic or proposal, outline them to show you are
familiar with the different ways of dealing with a situation.
There seem to be two possible ways of dealing with this...

A number of options present themselves at this point....
If what you are dealing with demands a comparison of strengths and weaknesses, indicate
clearly the different aspects and underline the points you feel are important or secondary.
What exactly are the benefits?

On the plus side we can add...
This is not the only weakness of the plan...
We cannot ignore the problems that such an action would create...
We do not need to concern ourselves with…
Of lesser interest are…
9. To be clear and concrete
Use examples, rephrasing, summaries etc.:
To give an example:
Now let's take an example. An example of this can be found...

To illustrate this… Let's see this through an example.
For example, For instance,
To rephrase:
Let me rephrase that,… In other words….

Another way of saying the same thing is… That is to say….
To summarize:
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To summarize To sum up,

Let me summarise by saying In conclusion
So that concludes my overview Briefly said
What I've tried to show in this part... In short,
To recap what we've seen so far...
10. To emphasize
What is very significant here What is important to remember...

I'd like to emphasize the fact that... I’d like to stress the importance of...
to highlight... to underline...
What I tried to bring out... What we need to focus on...
11. To refer to what you have said previously:
As I have already said earlier... As we saw in part one...

To repeat what I've said already…
12. To refer to what you will say:
We will see this a little later on.This will be the subject of part 3.
We will go into more detail on that later. For now, suffice to say...
13. To refer to what an expert says:
I quote the words of ... In the words of…

As Dr. Shukri says in his book... According to...
There is a famous quotation that goes... Here I'd like to quote…
14. To refer to common knowledge:
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As you all may well know...

It is generally accepted that...
As you are probably aware (of)...
THE END OR CONCLUSION
The end of an oral presentation should never come as a surprise to an audience; it needs
special consideration.
1. Content
The end or the conclusion of your oral presentation should include four parts:
 a brief reminder of what you tried to show in your speech and how you tried to do so
 a short conclusion
 thanks to the audience for listening
 and an invitation to ask questions, make comments or open a discussion.
At the end you should briefly summarize your speech in a few lines to make sure the audience
has retained the main points. Alternatives are:
 to state the point of the speech;
 give the essential message to retain;
 list the main points and what you want the audience to remember;
 review informally or indirectly by using a quote, a comparison or example.
Then you should give some kind of conclusion. That is to say you should give a message that
logically comes out of the ideas developed in your speech. This could be:
 a commentary
 the lessons learned
 some recommendations, or the next steps.
 a call to action (what the audience should do)
Thirdly, thank the audience for being there.
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Finally, ask for questions and comments or invite a discussion. If you choose the former, you put
yourself in a superior position compared to the audience and should be considered as an
expert. You will need to be very prepared intellectually and psychologically to transfer control to
the audience and be able to answer any questions. However, in the case of the latter, you put
yourself more or less on equal terms with the audience and do not have to be the expert with all
the answers! The audience may have some clear ideas or some practical knowledge about the
subject themselves!
Naturally you need to signal the end of your talk. This may take the form of a recapitulation of
the main points.
I'd like to summarise/sum up

At this stage I would like to run through/over the main points...
So, as we have seen today....
As I have tried to explain this morning....
Or there may be recommendations or proposals that you wish to make:
As a result we suggest that…

In the light of what we have seen today I suggest that...
My first proposal is...
Above all when you conclude do not do it abruptly or as if surprised to get to the end of your
talk.
In conclusion I would like to say that...

My final comments concern...
I would like to finish by reminding everyone that...
You may at this point wish to distribute a vocabulary list or more detailed
information that you wish to make available.
24
I've prepared a slim folder of the proposals...

In the sheets that are now being distributed you will find a breakdown of the...
And finally you may well have to deal with questions.
I'd be happy to answer any questions....

If there are any questions please feel free to ask.
Thank you very much for your attention and if there are any suggestions or comments.
2. Dealing with difficult questions
Make sure you understand the question. Ask a question to see if you understand.
Repeat the question in your own words to check that you have understood.
In answering: delay the answer (ask for time and/or repeat the question)
Just a minute please. What is a...?

How can I put it?
I'm glad you asked that question.
That's a good question/point/remark.
Can I answer that question later?
Agree but give an alternative point of view.
I agree with you but there is another way of looking at it.
Source: http://people.engr.ncsu.edu/txie/publications/oral_presentation_skills.pdf
25
Exercises
1. Select a short and interesting article from a newspaper or magazine. Read it and prepare a 2-
3 minutes presentation for your class in which you explain the information you learned from the
article. Be sure to include as part of your presentation the title and author of your article. Also,
consider whether or not to include any sort of visual aid in your presentation.
2. You will be paired with another person in the class, and the two of you will interview each
other. You should find out information about your partner's:
 Personal information (name,date of birth, hometown, etc)

 Ambition/ future goals
 Favourite food/ drinks/ color/ etc.
 Family/ friends
 Hobbies/ interests
 Anything else of interest
Once you have completed your interview, you will prepare an oral presentation to introduce your
partner to the rest of the class.
Keep your introduction brief; it should be 2 to 3 minutes. Try to come up with an attention-
getting introduction and a memorable conclusion. Do not end your presentation with something
boring such as "That's it." Remember that this is the first impression the class will have of your
partner and of your speaking abilities. Make the presentation great!
3. Your goal for this presentation is give your audience instructions for doing something that are
clear enough that they can follow along.
Before preparing your instructions, read "How to Writing Instructions," which is available online
at http://www.meguffey.com/supplement_a.html. You can choose anything that you want for this
assignment (professional, personal, or fun), but it should be something that you can walk your
audience through orally and that they can practice along with you as you instruct them. You will
find some ideas on the last page of the online article. Here are some additional ideas.
26
 How to find information about a specific topic online

 How to download music
 How to bake a cake
 How to upload digital photos
 How to post your resume on an online job site
 How to search for and place a bid on an item on EBay
 How to book airline travel or a hotel room online
 How to exercise at your desk
 How to use proper posture and technique at the keyboard to prevent injury
 How to say common phrases in a different language
 How to play a specific game
 How to eat an Oreo cookie
Be sure to bring any necessary props or materials. You can also give your audience copies
of your instructions if desired. Your presentation should be 6 to 10 minutes long. Get creative
with this one!
27

Week 10 - Oral Presentation

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Week 10 - Oral Presentation

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UPM-FBMK/ SEM 1, 2011-2012/ PPG / BBI 2409/ MODULE

Handbooks and training manuals point out that communication is:

For this reason, oral presentations require specific kinds of:

- fulfill a course requirement

Why do you need to reduce the content of your presentation?

- Who will be listening to your presentation?

- What do they already know about the subject?

- Are they interested? Do I need to create an interest?

- How fast/easily can they absorb my key points?

- What do they expect me to say?

- What is their mind-set?

- Visual aids and handouts

- Opening: Divide your opening into two sections:

i. General: build a rapport, get your audience’s attention.

Visual aids and handouts

- Transparencies and handouts should be prepared (word-processed) and printed in advance.

- Use consistent print and check your grammar and spelling.

- Use them to emphasise what you are saying.

- Record or tape your presentation and play it back to yourself.

ii) Speed and fluency

Correct pronunciation is important if one is to be understood correctly. Incorrect pronunciation is

Engaging the audience

One of the secrets of a good presentation is to involve the audience.

i) Maintain eye contact

ii) Ask for feedback

iii) Look confident

iv) Body Language

The golden rule is "Be natural and relax!"

What is body language?

Eye contact, facial expressions, posture, movements, gestures.

It is a natural part of communication:

Effective use of notes

i) Speaking without notes

ii) Reading from a script

iii) Note cards

iv) PowerPoint slides

This is a medium-to-high-risk strategy. Used well, it can be very effective, especially by

Use of visual aids

 Reinforce a point you have made

Schoolbook and Courier. Some companies impose a particular style.

LANGUAGE EXPRESSIONS FOR ORAL PRESENTATION

1. Get the audience's attention and signal the beginning

Right. Well. OK. Erm. Let's begin.

It is important to greet the audience by saying something like:

Hello ladies and gentlemen.

3. Introduce yourself (name, position, and company)

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce myself.

I've had wide experience in the field of...

4. Give title and introduce subject

What exactly are you going to speak about?

I plan to talk about...

Why are you going to talk about it?

I have chosen to talk about this because...

I will speak for about...

Have you ever heard of...?

Have you ever heard of/seen X?

5. Give your objectives (purpose, aim, goals)

What I want my listeners to get out of my speech is...

6. Announce your outline

I have divided/broken my presentation/speech down/up into X parts.

7. Questions and comments from the audience

I'd ask you to save your questions for the end.

Have you ever seen/heard/experienced...?

9. Make a transition between the introduction and the body