Table of Contents
 Typical Presentation Formats
 Typical Audiences
 Speaking in Science and Mathematics Courses
 Speaking in Technical Courses
 Speaking in Social Science Courses
 Speaking in Arts and Humanities Courses
 Speaking in Education Courses*

 Public speaking is likely to be part of the curriculum of many courses.*

 Team presentation
 Oral presentation prepared and delivered by three people or more
 Panel discussion
 Group discusses a topic in front of an audience, at the direction of a moderator
 Poster session
 Use posters to visually present information
 Debate
 Two individuals or groups argue a point or issue from opposing viewpoints*

 In addition to specifying a presentation format, your professors may request that you tailor your speech for an individual audience.*

 The Expert or Insider Audience
 Colleagues within the Field
 The Lay Audience
 The Mixed Audience*

Typical Audiences:
The Expert or Insider Audience
 The expert or insider audience consists of people who possess intimate knowledge of the topic, issue, product, or idea discussed.
 Do not need to provide much background information*

Typical Audiences:
Colleagues within the Field
 Colleagues within the field share your knowledge of the general field under question, but may not be familiar with the specific topic under discussion.
 Focus on in-depth information rather than background information*

Typical Audiences:
The Lay Audience
 The lay audience has the least amount of knowledge of the given field and topic.
 Requires the most background information*

Typical Audiences:
 The mixed audience consists of people with varying degrees of knowledge about your field.
 Therefore, you must satisfy the needs of both lay audiences and expert audiences.*

 Science courses include physical sciences, natural sciences, and earth sciences.*

 Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Characteristics of Effective Presentations in Science and Mathematics*

Speaking in Science and Mathematics Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 A research presentation is generally directed to the expert audience and follows the model used in scientific investigation.*

Speaking in Science and Mathematics Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The extended research or field
study presentation can be delivered in teams, individually, or in poster session format.*

Speaking in Science and Mathematics Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The research overview presentation provides context and background for a question or hypothesis that will form the basis of an undertaking.*

Speaking in Science and Mathematics Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The methods/procedure presentation is an informative speech of demonstration.

Speaking in Science and Mathematics Courses:
Characteristics of Effective Presentations in Science and Mathematics
 Effective presentations in the sciences clearly illustrate the nature of the research question and the means by which the results were achieved.*

Speaking in Science and Mathematics Courses:
Characteristics of Effective Presentations in
Science and Mathematics
 Use observations, proofs, and experiments as evidence and support.
 Have a selective focus on details.
 Use presentation aids to illustrate processes.*

 Technical disciplines include engineering fields, computerscience–oriented fields, and designoriented fields.*

 Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Characteristics of Effective Technical
Presentations*

Speaking in Technical Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The design review presentation provides information on the results of a design project.*

Speaking in Technical Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 In the request for funding
presentation, a team member or the entire team provides evidence that a project is worth funding.*

Speaking in Technical Courses:
Characteristics of Effective Technical
Presentations
 Use visual diagrams and prototypes.
 Use numerical data and experimental results as evidence and support.
 Provide appropriate background and context.*

 Social sciences include psychology, sociology, political science, and communication.
 Presentations for the social sciences have a pronounced focus on connecting research results with predicting or explaining human behavior or social forces based on:
 Qualitative research
 Emphasis is placed on observing, describing, and interpreting behavior
 Quantitative research
 Emphasis is placed on statistical measurement*

 Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Characteristics of Effective Social Science
Presentations*

Speaking in Social Science Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The explanatory research
presentations reports on studies that attempt to analyze or explain a phenomenon.*

Speaking in Social Science Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The evaluation research presentation measures the success of programs developed to address phenomena.*

Speaking in Social Science Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The review of the literature
presentation reviews the body of research related to a given topic or issue and offers conclusions based on this research.*

Speaking in Social Science Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The policy recommendation
presentation presents research, information, ideas, and advice to a lay audience to help it solve a problem.
*

Speaking in Social Science Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 If asked to participate in a debate, you will need to prepare a well-composed argument with strong supporting evidence.*

Speaking in Social Science Courses:
Characteristics of Effective Presentations in the Social Sciences
 Effective presentations in the social sciences clearly illustrate the nature of the research question and the means by which results were achieved. You can achieve this by:
 Using timely data
 Referring to current research in the field*

 The arts and humanities include English, philosophy, languages, art history, theater, music, religion, and history.
 Emphasize interpretation and analysis*

 Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Characteristics of Effective Arts and
Humanities Presentations*

Speaking in Arts and Humanities Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Informative speeches of explanation
 Detail the relevance of a historical event, a school of philosophy, or a work of art. They often use visual aids as a key part.*

Speaking in Arts and Humanities Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Presentations that compare and contrast
 Highlight similarities and differences between events, stories, people, or artifacts*

Speaking in Arts and Humanities Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Debates in the arts and humanities may consider opposing ideas, historical figures, or philosophical positions.*

Speaking in Arts and Humanities Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Many instructors in the arts and humanities ask students to research a question or book and then lead a classroom
discussion on it.*

Speaking in Arts and Humanities Courses:
Characteristics of Effective Presentations in the Arts and Humanities
 Effective presentations in the arts and humanities help the audience to think of the topic in a new way by providing an original interpretation.*

 Education includes curriculum and instruction, physical education, secondary and elementary education, and education administration.*

 Sample Kinds of Presentations
 Characteristics of Effective Presentations in Education*

Speaking in Education Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 A lecture is an informational speech for new student learners.*

Speaking in Education Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 A group activity presentation is a short introduction to a group activity that follows a lecture.*

Speaking in Education Courses:
Sample Kinds of Presentations
 The classroom discussion
presentation is an informal presentation for which education majors typically prepare.*

Speaking in Education Courses:
Characteristics of Effective Presentations in Education
 Effective education presentations must be tightly organized.
 The simpler the organization, the better.
 An effective lecture, activity, or discussion does not stand on its own, but is clearly connected to other parts of the course, topic, or content.*

Speaking in Education Courses:
Characteristics of Effective Classroom
Presentations
 Use examples and evidence the audience is familiar with and can grasp.
 Choose examples closest to students’ experiences.*