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pREpARING FOR
PRESENTATIONS
In our digital age presentations have become very common in the workplace, and the technology available is varied and exciting. It is therefore important to practise your presentation skills during your university career. although it is important to learn how to use the different technologies available, for example how to set up and use PowerPoint slides on a computer, the most important skill is to verbally communicate your research or argument to a large number of people.
To become an effective speaker, you need to do the following:
• Plan the content of your presentation.
• use communication techniques to deliver your presentation effectively.
• use non-verbal cues, body language and signals appropriately.
• use your voice effectively.
PLAN THE CONTENT OF YOUR PRESENTATION
Presentations are similar to essays in that a presentation also consists of an introduction, a body and a conclusion. You should pay particular attention to the following when planning each section of your presentation:
Introduction: Give an attention-grabbing introduction. The introduction should hook your audience and make them keen to listen to the rest of the presentation.
Body: This must be well-structured, informative and logical. Your argument must be made clear in a point-by-point fashion.
Conclusion: Summarise your argument or findings. Leave the audience something to think about or present them with a challenge.
Make sure that you plan your presentation to fit comfortably into the allocated time. establish how fast you need to speak in order to convey everything within the allocated time. Practise the pace at which you need to present. however, do not rush through your material to finish within the allocated time – rather plan properly and leave out or shorten some parts of your presentation. Decide what is most important and relevant for the audience to know before cutting your presentation.