H1
Presentations
Vocal delivery & strategies
1. Speak at a volume appropriate for your setting and your voice. Speak loudly enough that the listeners do not have
to strain to hear, but not so loudly that the sounds of your voice are distorted or that you, the speaker, cannot maintain
a natural conversational tone.
2. Articulate precisely so the audience can understand your words without effort.
3. Do not speak too rapidly, fatiguing both you and your listeners. Do not speak too slowly and risk boring your
audience. Listeners perceive speakers who speak relatively rapidly as more competent and persuasive than those who
speak very slowly.
4. Do not fill pauses with vocalizers such as "ah," "um" or filler words such as "okay," "now," "you know" or “like.”
Changing this behavior requires awareness, concentration and the realization that a brief silence is less noticeable
than a meaningless sound.
5. Vary your pitch so that you do not sound monotone or robotic. Use the pitch of your voice to reflect the meaning and
emphasis in your presentation.
6. Vary the pace of your voice. Decrease the pace when explaining complex or difficult material. Increase the pace to
reflect changes in the mood or content, or to regain attention of the audience.
7. Use pauses to emphasize important content, to allow the audience to understand and absorb information, or to
respond to rhetorical question or humor.
8. Don't memorize and don't read from a script. Know your topic and organize your thoughts. Use an outline or note
cards when possible, but speak freely.
9. Relax. Take it slow. Pause when needed, and guide the audience through your presentation. Speak as you do in
casual conversation with someone you respect. If you are not relaxed and calm, it will reflect in your presentation.
Body language & strategies
1. Do not let a speaker's stand or podium form a barrier between you and the audience. A stand or podium can be
useful to hold your papers or computer during a presentation, but try to walk around. If all the audience can see are
your face and hands, the stand is probably a barrier.
2. Do not be too static but do not constantly walk. If you stand motionless in one spot you miss an opportunity to
engage the audience. The audience can then become bored or distracted. When you move, try to make it purposeful.
Don’t move just to be moving. It is especially important to remain in place when expanding on very complex material
as it helps the audience and you to concentrate.
3. Do not use distracting hand and arm gestures. If the audience becomes aware of the movements, they can become
distracting. The stiffness of consciously planned gestures is especially noticeable. Do not use repetitive hand or
arm movements unless they reinforce or are coordinated with verbal messages.
4. Make true eye contact with your audience. Do not just skim the audience or look at their chins, foreheads, or the
air above their heads.
5. Make sure that your personal appearance and clothing convey the image you wish to project. A disheveled or
disorganized appearance can distract the audience from your message.
Adopted from: Pearsall, Thomas E., and Donald H. Cunningham, How to Write for the World of Work. Fort Worth: Rinehard &
Winston, 1978.
A planning and revision checklist
Planning
Planning is the key to making an effective oral presentation. Proper planning and thought can ensure your
presentation is appropriate, coherent, and well-developed. In planning, consider these questions:
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What is the occasion for your presentation: social, business, academic, formal, informal?
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Do you know the location for your presentation? Are you familiar with that place?
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Who is your audience? What is their level of knowledge and interest on your topic?
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Is your purpose informative, persuasive, narrative, descriptive, or demonstrative?
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What is the best way to logically organize your presentation?
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Can you support your generalizations with examples or research?
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Do you have an interesting fact or anecdote to begin your speech?
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How much time do you have for your presentation?
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What visual aids will you use, if any? A PowerPoint slideshow? Blackboard? Computer? Handouts?
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Is all of the equipment in working order?
Revising
Before you deliver your speech, you must practice it, preferably before some type of audience. The Learning
Center is able to provide feedback on presentations as well as provide an opportunity for you to practice and be recorded
for later viewing. Here are some questions to keep in mind when reviewing your presentation:
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Is your purpose clearly stated?
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Does your content meet these four criteria: satisfies the needs and expectations of audience; moves your purpose
forward; suits the occasion; provides accurate information?
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Do you provide a good overview of your presentation?
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Did you use guideposts—words, phrases etc. to help you remember where you are in your presentation?
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Does your conclusion concisely summarize the main points, provide a strong ending for your presentation, and
summarize and emphasize your purpose?
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Are your visuals visible, clear, and simple?
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Are you within the allotted time?
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Do you have the information to handle possible questions from the audience?
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Are you calm and relaxed throughout your presentation? Do you maintain a reasonable pace?
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Do you have appropriate body movements and eye contact?
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Are your gestures suitable to your subject and audience?
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Is your presentation clear and distinct?
Center for Transformative Learning
Peer Consultation
Stephenson Hall CPO 2136 x3404