Oral Presentation

MAKING AN ORAL PRESENTATION

1) ORAL DELIVERY

a) Speak loudly enough so everyone in the audience can hear you.

b) Enunciate clearly so all may understand what you are saying. 

c) Avoid reading from manuscript.

d) Practice your presentation privately or at school prior to the Symposium. Contact your speech department or use video tape equipment. Both can help immensely.

2) VISUAL AIDS

a) Decide how to illustrate your talk - slides, audiovisual, handouts, and so on.

b) Slides, transparencies or manually written words or drawing must be clear and visually distinguishable in the back of the room. Use slides that can be seen in a partially lighted room. The room cannot be made completely dark.

c) Use as many slides or illustrations as necessary but keep them simple. The most common fault with these is that too much information is included in them. No slide or transparency should try to illustrate more than one point.

d) Handouts are preferred over transparencies and chalkboards, especially when charts are used. Note: A slide projector, overhead projector, and blackboard will be available at the Symposium Coordinator at least three weeks in advance. 

3) PERSONAL IMPACT

a) Remember, you have fifteen minutes to present your paper, followed by five minutes of questions from the audience. Times are rigidly adhered to.

b) Organize your presentation so the audience can easily follow your papers topic. Start with a strong introduction (with impact, when possible). Explain your experimentation, research and results from the main body of your paper, and then briefly summarize.

c) You are a salesperson selling your research and ideas. You may want to repeat essential points and key words during your presentation. Refer to the judging criteria to see what the judges will be listening for. Remember that originality is demonstrated by your approach and the way you solved your problem. Your job is to communicate your originality and your paper's content.

d) How you stand, move and dress all contribute to your impact. Do not pace. This distracts the audience from your presentation.

e) Speak to your audience, not to the screen or poster.