CHAPTER ONE

HOW TO PRESENT? - A

• The Beginning (The introduction)

This is the most important part of any presentation, and makes the first impression
on the audience.

 Get the audience's attention by signal words begin with a joke, or a question
 Greetings “ Good morning / good day / Good afternoon”

 Introducing yourself

 Introducing the title and the subject of your presentation set any limits
 Give your objectives (purpose, aim, goals)

Two purposes: a general purpose and a specific one.

The former is to inform, to give an overview, to present.
The latter is what you want the audience to take away with them after
listening to you, what they should remember.
 CHAPTER ONE

 Announce the outline of your presentation

Keep the outline to two or three main points, DIVIDE YOUR OUTLINE

“ I have broken my speech down/up into … parts. I have divided my

presentation (up) into … parts. In the first part I give a few basic definitions. In
the next section I will explain….”
 Possible questions and comments from the audience
It is quite common to 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 speech for a discussion “

 Transition between the Introduction and the Body.

“ Now let us turn to point ...Let us now move on to the … part, which is, as
I said earlier “
 CHAPTER ONE

HOW TO PRESENT? - B

• The Middle or the Body of the Presentation

 Content should support your purpose, simple, summarized for your time

 Quantity Give as much information as is enough

 Arrange your ideas logically

 Get the audience's attention

 Signaling where you are Indicate when you have finished one point and then go
on to the next one.

 Listing information “ There are three things we have to consider: one, two, and
three /A, B, C “

 Linking ideas, sections and making transitions “That's all I would like to say
about... and now let us turn to …..”
 CHAPTER ONE

 Outlining
To show you are familiar with the different ways of dealing with a topic or situation.

“ There seem to be two possible ways of dealing with this... first/first of all
…We've looked at this from the point of view of the/eye of … “

 Comparing and Contrasting

You may compare the strengths and weaknesses of what you are dealing with in your
presentation.

“ 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…”
 CHAPTER ONE

 Be Clear

To give an example

To rephrase

To summarize

To emphasize

To refer to what you have already said

To refer to what you will say

To quote

To refer to common knowledge

“ As you all may well know...It is generally accepted that...As you are
probably aware (of)... “
 CHAPTER ONE

HOW TO PRESENT? - C

• The End or the Conclusion

 Content should include four parts:

1- A brief review of what you tried to show in your presentation
2- A short conclusion
3- Thanks to the audience for listening , An invitation to ask questions, make
comments or open a discussion.
4- At the end you should briefly summarize your presentation in a few lines

 For Recommendations or proposals

“ As a result we suggest that…In the light of what we have seen today
I suggest that…”

 When you conclude

“ In conclusion I would like to say that...My final comments
concern...”
 CHAPTER ONE
 If you distribute an abstract

“ I've prepared a/n … of...In the sheets that are now being distributed you will
find a/n...”

 Dealing with questions

“ Just a minute please. What is a...? I'd be happy to answer any questions....If
there are any questions please feel free to as. Thank you very much for your
attention and if there are any suggestions or comments..”

 Dealing with difficult questions

“ What do you mean by that? How can I put it? Well …As you know …I'm glad you
asked that question. That's a good question/point/remark.
Can I answer that question later? I saw that in … of/by…I agree with you but there
is another way of looking at it…”
 CHAPTER ONE

Written VS Spoken Language

 CHAPTER ONE

Body Language & Gestures

Your presentation starts from the moment you walk in the room, not from the
moment you open your mouth.

 Dress the part Neat, and Comfort

 Check your posture

Stand in a neutral, open stance, with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointing
straight ahead. Make sure you’re balanced on your feet, keep your shoulders back
and don’t slouch. This stance will allow you to take deep breaths, which is essential
for good voice control

 Hand Positions

Hands clasped behind the back.

AVOID One hand inside the jacket.
Hands clasped in front of the groin.
Both hands deep in the pockets jangling money.
 CHAPTER ONE

Body Language & Gestures

 Before you start, SMILE!

 Face the audience at all times

 Make eye contact with the audience

 Use gestures appropriately

 Use your face ( Facial Expressions )

 Make yourself heard

- You can also change your volume for emphasis or to get your audience’s attention
- Lowering your volume slightly will make your audience lean forward to hear
what’s coming next.
- Speak slowly and clearly, especially for key points.
 CHAPTER ONE

Body Language & Gestures

Tone is the rising and falling pattern of speech. The classic example is when
someone’s voice rises at the end of a sentence to indicate a question requiring an
answer.

Pitch is how high or low your voice is, and you can modulate pitch for various
effects. People tend to speak at a higher pitch when uncomfortable or running out
of breath, so you may want to practice your presentation and avoid ending up at a
higher pitch.

 Attention spans

- Research indicates that most people’s attention spans start to decline about 17
minutes of non-stop listening.
- Research also shows that attention is higher at the start and end of a talk than in the
middle.
- If your subject requires you to speak longer, think of using suitable breaks, intervals
or a change of pace and style.
 CHAPTER ONE

Reducing Anxiety before giving a Presentation

 It’s OK to be nervous

 Focus on your breath

 Stay positive

 Strike a (power) pose

 Just before you start

 It’s OK to pause

 Fake it until you make it

 CHAPTER ONE

REHEARSALS

The secret for a successful presentation is Rehearsals

Through your trial of rehearsals, try to : Through your trial of rehearsals, try NOT to
•Use short sentences •Use long complicated sentences
•Use short words •Use long abstract words
•Use the active tense •Use passive tense
•Use lively language •Use clichés
•Be Precise •“hum and haw”
•Project your voice •Be mono-tonal
 CHAPTER ONE

REHEARSALS

•It is generally unacceptable to read a talk, don’t read every word on the slide.

•Use the slides as an aid. Use Key-words to remember the talk.

•Practice in front of a mirror, make an audio or a videotape.

•Give the talk formally to a friend(s).

•Time yourself and get it right.

•Accept criticism and be prepared to change

•Try at least once to give the talk in a room similar to the one you will be using for
the presentation.
 REFERENCES USED

• Nikitina,A., Successful Public Speaking, Academic Transfer, 2011

•Stephen Lucas, The Art of Public Speaking, 9th edition, McGraw Hill. 2007.

•Strunck, William, Jr.; and white, E. B., The Elements of style, 3rd edition",
MacMillan Co., 2000

• Julius Fast, Body Language, MJF books, 1970.