‘HOW TO’ GUIDES
HOW TO GIVE A PRESENTATION
Use ‘POP’ to get started…
PREPARE
Select your topic carefully and choose a
clear title.
Make sure that you select something that interests you as your
enthusiasm will generate interest from the audience.
Be aware of the purpose of the
presentation.
Is the purpose to introduce a topic to the rest of the group? If
so, what do they need to know? How will they best understand
it? What are they likely to know already?
Be guided by how much time you have.
In ten minutes you can only cover about four or five main points.
Study the marking criteria carefully.
Make sure you know what your assessors are looking for!
Mindmap what you already know.
Identify gaps in your knowledge and try to fill them in.
Select your sources, read and research
to find out more.
Consider carefully what is important to include and what is less
relevant.
ORGANISE
You will need to introduce your chosen
topic.
Give a brief overview; outline what the audience will have learnt
by the end of your presentation.
‘Sign-post’ your audience throughout.
Use phrases such as: firstly, secondly, now I will move on to, to
conclude, to guide your audience’s attention.
For the main body of text, organise the
main points into a logical sequence.
Try not to just describe the facts; provide your own analysis and
thoughts on the topic.
Present any conclusions you have drawn
and remember to summarise what you
have presented.
Recap the main points in order to draw the whole presentation
together and show the audience what they should have learnt –
what are the take-home messages?
Prepare prompt cards so that you know
what you want to say next.
Try to keep prompts to a minimum so that you can focus on talking to the audience. Use small cards instead of A4 paper to aid
with this. If you know your topic well, you won’t require many
prompts at all.
PRACTICE
Practise the full presentation
Perform it in front of a mirror and then to groups of friends to
get a feel for presenting to an audience.
Check your timing.
If it over-runs, adjust the content, and plan what parts you could
skip over if you over-run in the real thing.
Ask for constructive feedback.
Adapt your presentation accordingly – don’t just ignore it!
Anticipate questions.
Think about what people may need to have clarified.
Check the room, the equipment, the
layout, the acoustics.
You will feel much more relaxed if you know how everything
works before you go to your presentation.
Practise again!
Try to practise your presentation in the actual room used
“Know your
topic inside
out. That way
you won’t
need a script,
you can just
ad-lib and it
will feel more
natural”
“Pretend
you’re
explaining
it to your
best friend,
keep it like a
conversation
and people
will pay
attention”
“Have some
sneaky
extra slides
at the end
in case you
under-run
or to whip
out when
someone
asks you a
question”
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VISUAL IMPACT
Keep the amount of text on your
slides to a minimum.
Ensure your presentation is easy to
read.
Try not to put all your content on the slides. Know what you’re
going to talk about and use the slides to illustrate your points. Bullet
points are a concise tool to avoid full sentences.
Make fonts big enough - eg. Arial 28/32. Keep your layout and
formatting consistent throughout the slides.
Use titles to guide the listener.
Only include relevant diagrams.
Explain every diagram. If you can’t justify it being there, don’t use it.
Try not to use over showy visuals.
You might distract your audience’s attention from important points!
Hand-outs can be useful to aid
audience understanding.
Think about whether you want to:
a) Hand them out well in advance to be read
b) Hand them out after the presentation
c) Provide a copy of the slides to be annotated as you talk
You don’t want people to be reading instead of listening.
DELIVERY
Introduce yourself and your topic.
An enthusiastic opening will set the right tone for the rest.
Deliver your points in the way you
would speak them.
Keeping a conversational tone makes your presentation easier to
follow. Use language that you are comfortable with.
Use changes in intonation and pace
to highlight main points.
This will avoid you developing a monotonous tone. Slowing down
for the main points will help the audience absorb key information.
Be aware of your timing and avoid
speaking too fast.
If you’re ‘gabbling’ you could use phrases such as ‘let me clarify
that’.
Use eye contact and be aware of nonverbal communication.
What is your body language saying to the audience? Have an open
posture facing the audience. Consider the use of gestures.
Invite questions at the end.
Don’t be scared of questions. If you know your stuff you’ll be able
to apply your knowledge to answer everything you’re asked.
FACING PROBLEMS & QUESTIONS
“What if I forget what I’m doing?”
Practise several times so that you know your material inside out.
Know exactly how you will start and plan the first section in detail.
“What if my nerves get the better of
me?”
Everyone gets nervous. Look at the friendliest faces in the audience
and remember to smile. Think of some relaxation techniques.
“I’ve gone blank”
It happens to everyone. Don’t let it throw you; use your prompt
cards and make it seem like a planned pause.
“What might the audience ask?”
Try to work out what further issues may come up. Make sure you
have plenty of evidence to back up any arguments that you have
put forward. Have background information at your fingertips.
“I don’t have the information to
answer the question”
Be honest – do not try to dissimulate. Refer the questioner to
relevant sources, or open the question out to the audience.
“I don’t have time to think”
Use a stalling phrase such as “it’s interesting you should raise that”.
POST-PRESENTATION
Reflect on strong and weak points.
Think through what you were satisfied with and what was not so
good. Does this relate to content or to your manner of presenting?
Ask for feedback.
Listen to feedback and use it constructively to improve next time.
Identify areas for improvement.
Decide which areas are most important and focus on these.
Be positive.
Giving a presentation is a learning process. No presentation is
perfect, so make sure you remember what you did well!
“Keep plenty
of blank
space on
your slides,
you want the
audience to
focus on the
important
points”
“Just be
enthusiastic,
I think that’s
the most
important
thing. If you
care about
your topic, so
will they”
“If you feel
like you’re
speaking
too slowly,
it’s probably
about right
- it’s hard
to take in
lots of new
information”
Have you seen the
other Guides in
this series?
How to…
Manage your time
Read effectively
Write Essays & Reports
Reference and Avoid
Plagiarism
Manage Exams
Make the most of lectures
For further information, please go to ELE -> ‘Student Resources’ -> ‘Undergraduate Skills’.
Student Engagement and Skills Hub
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