English 120 - Rosichan
Group Presentations Workshop
1. Go to these URL’s and read the selections. They are excellent aids to ensure the success of
your Group Presentation.
How to Not Suck at a Group Presentation
http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2010/01/31/how-to-not-suck-at-a-group-presentation/
9 Tips for Nailing the Classroom Group Project Presentation
http://artpetty.com/2010/04/16/9-tips-for-nailing-the-classroom-group-project-presentation/
2. Read the attached selection. It is another good source. Between the three selections, you
should have a great start! Good luck.
English 120 - Rosichan
Collegelife.com – How to Give a Great Group Presentation
No matter how much you plan (or hope) otherwise, it's nearly impossible to make it through your
college career without having to do some kind of group presentation. Whether it's for an
introductory course or your senior seminar, group presentations are part of everyone's college
experience. And nearly everyone has had a bad experience working and presenting as a group.
So just what you can do to make sure that your required group presentation is one to remember -in a good way, of course?
Step One: Make sure everyone carries their own weight. Easier said than done though, right?
This step is the most critical but also the most challenging. From the beginning, however, it can
be helpful to outline what everyone will do from start to finish. That way, if someone starts to
slack off, it's clear what's happening and you can discuss it with the group member, discuss it
with the rest of the group or, if necessary, discuss it with the professor.
Step Two: Schedule deadlines and rehearsals in advance -- not the night before. As a college
student, it can be incredibly difficult to manage your time. And no matter how hard you might
try, things inevitably end up happening that prevent you from planning well in advance.
However, since you know the unexpected always threatens to happen, plan as much as possible
as early as possible. At your first group meeting, set a timeline for when things will be done.
Schedule group meetings, deadlines, and rehearsals well in advance. In essence: don't plan to
cram by scheduling an all-night stress fest the night before. Even if everything goes smoothly
during your work session, everyone will be exhausted the next day. And tired group members are
much more like to make errors and otherwise self-sabotage the group presentation everyone
worked so hard to put together.
Step Three: Present together and cohesively, not just like separate parts of a presentation.
If you've been assigned to deliver a group presentation, make sure you're having different people
present one main presentation, not having different people present different presentation. (And
no, having everyone split going through the Power Point slides doesn't count as "cohesive.")
How can your group's material best be delivered? What presentation strengths do your group
members have? What goals must you meet during your presentation? What's the best way for
everyone to come together to make sure those goals are met?
Step Four: Have back-up (like an understudy) for each part of the presentation. If you're
putting in the effort to have a great group presentation, don't let fate get in the way of all of your
efforts. Even if you're dividing up your presentation, make sure at least one other person can
serve as a back-up presenter for every part of your delivery. Even if everyone is carrying their
own weight, you never know who is going to get unexpectedly sick or face a family emergency.
If you, as a group, can all sub in for each other, you'll not only work to prevent unexpected
disaster when it comes to your grade, but you'll reinforce your own mastery of the material (and
its delivery).
Step Five: Do at least one (if not two) rehearsals. You may think you can just briefly mention
what you're going to cover in the presentation and then be good to go. And while this can be
helpful, you might surprise yourself by realizing what you can learn by doing an actual runthrough. Even if you think you're being clear, your fellow group members can provide positive,
constructive feedback about where and how you can improve. And while that may seem
temporarily uncomfortable, it's a lot easier to deal with than the permanence of a bad grade. (Side
note: When doing your rehearsal, talk about what each person will be wearing. You don't want
some members showing up in formal clothes while others show up in shorts and flip-flops.)
Step Six: Remember that everyone is presenting the entire time, not just when they're the
main speaker. The main aspect of a group presentation is that the group is presenting the entire
time. This means that, even if your "part" is over, you don't get to just sit back, secretly check
your phone, and stop paying attention. Everyone in your group needs to remain attentive, alert,
and engaged during the entire delivery. In addition to making your overall presentation look
better (your professor, after all, will inevitably notice if your entire group stops paying attention
by the time the last presenter is up), you'll be better equipped to step in if someone is struggling
or to answer questions if and when they arise.
Step Seven: Celebrate afterward! Group presentations are such a pain because, well, they're
such a pain. They take a lot of hard work, effort, coordination, and teamwork. Consequently,
celebrating afterward is most definitely in order. Rewarding yourself as a team can be a great
way to make sure your group presentation experience is one to remember in the positive way
you'd hoped.