Presentation skills

1. Academic English and Study Skills

Presentation Skills

2. This week

• What makes a good presentation
• What makes a good presenter
• What makes an effective introduction
• Peer-evaluation
• Practice

3. What experience do you have?

Discuss:
1. Have you ever given a presentation before?
2. Have you ever delivered an academic-style
presentation? How did it go?
3. What do you think should be included in the
introduction of an academic presentation?

4.

What makes a good presentation?
• Content & Style
• Body Language
• Voice
• Audience
• Visual Aids

5. Content

Intro, body, conclusion
Use signposting language (first, secondly, after that…)
Repeat key messages
Use formal language
Define subject-specific vocabulary
Clear and easy to follow
Provide time for questions at the end

6. Body Language

Make eye contact
Smile
Stand straight
Avoid the ‘windmill’gestures
Point out key detail
Avoid talking to the board
Do not stand in the computer corner

7. Voice

Clear voice, loud enough
Vary intonation and word stress to keep audience
attention and highlight key information

8. Audience

Greet audience
Explain key terminology
Ask questions during introduction
Be mindful of the time
Say thank you

9. Visual aids

• Use high-contrast colours
• Do not overcrowd the slides with texts
• Use 6 x 4 rule
• Avoid animations
• Use images
• Consider that it takes about 2 min for content
slides

10. Presenter

What skills are
required to be a good
presenter……

11.

Gesture
Knowledge
Voice
Good presenter
Appearance
Confidence/
coping with
Nervousness
Time
Management
Planning &
Preparation

12. What should be included in an introduction?

Possible answers:
• self-introduction (e.g., name, position at university)
• ‘attention grabber’ or ‘hook’– something to grab the
audience’s attention
• title and purpose of your presentation
• outline / overview
• background information
Note - The above elements commonly occur in the same
sequence listed above, but not always (e.g., background
information may occur before the outline).

13.

Title and purpose of your presentation
Decide first what your main message will be, which
will depend on your overall purpose for the whole
presentation. What are you trying to do in your talk?
• Describe?
• Inform?
• Persuade?
• Give reasons for something?
• Suggest solutions for something?

14. A sample introduction: Theme and Purpose

15. Sample 2: Theme and Purpose

16. Introductions

17. Peer-evaluation – Part 1

• Watch a sample presentation and with your
partner complete the peer-evaluation form

18. Peer – Evaluation – Part 2

Task :
Evaluate 2 student PowerPoint presentation (see
Canvas page) make a list of the strengths and
weaknesses of each and decide which is the
most academically effective one. Explain your
answer.

19.

Presentation Structure
• Title slide with name and research question
• Introduction and Overview
• Purpose and Background information
• Source 1 (summary, evaluation: CRAAP and
usefulness)
• Source 2 (summary, evaluation: CRAAP and
usefulness)
• Source 3 (summary, evaluation: CRAAP and
usefulness)
• Comparison/Contrast between sources
• Reference List
• Thank you slide

20.

Useful
Language for
structuring your
presentation

21. Write your own

• Start creating your own PowerPoint slides
• Focus on your Overview slide

22. Assessment

• Week 7

23. Any questions?