Radhakrishnan IRE2002Y
2006-2007
How to Prepare the Slides for your Short Oral Presentation
Most traditional presentations fall short of giving good quality explanations. Instead, they focus on merely
providing information and do not demonstrate the presenter’s reasoning skills. Therefore, to learn how to
give good quality explanations, you will first read an article authored by Rowan and then apply it to make
a short oral presentation of material assigned to you from the readings. This exercise will enable you to
learn how well you can explain something orally.
You are free to consult other material when explaining your assigned material. The material you are
assigned is randomly chosen. It is a general introduction and a guide for your presentation. Some portions
of the assigned material demand incorporation of additional sources to explain the material well.
Focus your presentation. You are not required to present all the material assigned to you, only on whether
you answer ONE of the following questions arising from the material.
a. What is X? (i.e., explain what something is by defining a concept, e.g., discriminant validity).
b. Why/How does X affect Y (i.e., explain why a phenomenon occurs by explaining a process)
c. Why is X true but Y not true (i.e., explain why a commonly held belief is sometimes untrue)
Your introductory slide should provide a map of the content of your presentation. For instance if
you decide to explain what field study is, then your introductory slide should state that you will give a
definition of a field study, examples of field studies, and examples of studies that are not field studies
(e.g., sample survey).
The logic of your presentation should be clear to the reader. Look at the titles of each of your slides
and check whether they flow together. For instance, if you are explaining what a field study is, then you
can start with examples of a field study, followed by a definition of a field study, followed by examples of
a sample survey and finally end with an illustration of the differences and similarities between a field
study and a sample survey. It does not make logical sense to do it in reverse.
Take into consideration the amount of information people can process at any given time. Remember
you only have 5 minutes. Sequence your slides accordingly. If you give definitions of a field study and a
sample survey simultaneously (or closely following each other) it can be hard to connect the examples
with the definitions. It is easier to see how an example of a field study illustrates the definition of a field
study if you present the two sequentially.
Ensure the headings of each slide reflect the content of the specific slide. For example, if you are
answering the question “What is a field study”, then you must answer the question “What is not a field
study”. For example, you may do this by explaining how it is similar and different from a sample survey.
When you are giving examples of a sample survey, label the titles of those slides accordingly.
Ensure your slides do not have too much information. This is a matter of gauging how well you know
people’s perceptual and processing capabilities. If you are presenting the definition of a concept for the
first time, then breaking it down into three parts on one slide is appropriate. However, if you have already
presented the definition earlier in your presentation and you are comparing it with a definition of another
concept you already presented, then it is appropriate to present both definitions side by side on one slide.
Even after you have focused your presentation to answer one question, you may still have too much/too
little material. For example you may have too many examples of your concept or too few. Again, this is a
Radhakrishnan IRE2002Y
2006-2007
matter of you judging people’s processing capabilities. How many examples of a concept are sufficient to
illustrate it? How varied should the examples be?
Your conclusion slides should be a summary. They should the answer to the question you set out to
answer. You should not introduce new material at this point (e.g., relevance/implications of the theory
you are explaining). You can provide an overview of the material by tying it together. For example if you
chose to explain what a field study is then your conclusion slide can have a chart illustrating the
similarities and differences between what a field study is and what it is not.
These are the dimensions I will use to judge your slides….
Relative Dimension
Grade
Has a clear introductory component with 3 or fewer points (.50)
Has a clear summarizing component with 3 or fewer points (.50)
Are well structured & the logic of the organization is clear (.50)
Have clear & accurate headings & subheadings (.50)
Have an appropriate amount of material in each slide (.25)
Cover an appropriate amount of material for the time allotted (.25)
Are focused on one key question arising from the assigned material (.50)
Gives good explanations appropriate for the type of material chosen: provides definitions,
examples, counter-examples for concepts; OR explains components of theory & uses an example
to illustrate it; OR demonstrates inadequacy of current theory with counter evidence and a better
theory (2)
Numeric translations of relative grade: A+=90%; A=85%; A-=80%; B+=77% B=73%; B-=70; C+=67;
C=63%; C-=60%; D+=57%; D=53%; D-=50%; F=0%
Additional Instructions
--Submit 2 paper copies of your presentation slides on the day of your presentation
--Use only a staple to fasten your slides (no binder clips etc. due to weight considerations)
--Write your name, section meeting time, student id and on your submission
--Print 5-6 slides per page rather than printing each slide on a separate page (in MS-Power-point, go to
“print”, and choose ‘handouts’ at the bottom left corner of the pane)