Tips for presentations

Main Contents Page

Before you start

STEP 1: STARTING out

STEP 2: FINDING

STEP 3: EVALUATE

STEP 4: Legal and ethical USE

STEP 5: COMMUNICATE

- Writing an essay/assignment

- Tips for presentations

Preparing

Transparencies/slides

Presenting

- Tips for posters

- Tips for brochures

- Tips for displays

- E-communication guidelines

- Writing styles

- Quiz

Presenting your presentation

  Test your Presentation   Allow time before you start your presentation to test the equipment you are going to use. Familiarise yourself with the set-up so that you can focus on your presentation and not on where the next button is. Check the clarity of the content and the colours again, and make changes if necessary.  
  Introduce yourself   Always introduce yourself and your topic, and briefly explain the process that you are going to follow with your presentation.  
  Be professional   Your appearance (dress and grooming), the quality of your handouts and your visual presentation, etc., are very important.  
  Timing   Start promptly and keep within your time frame. Remember to leave enough time for questions afterwards.  
  Be enthusiastic   Be enthusiastic about your presentation and remember to smile - this will help to relieve some of the stress.  
  Make eye contact   Remember to make eye contact with your audience. Never read your presentation - this is boring and you will lose the attention of your audience.  
  Speaking   Speak as loudly and clearly as you can to make sure that all the members in your audience can hear your presentation. There is no point in giving a presentation if most of the audience has trouble hearing you. If you struggle to speak louder, make use of a microphone system. Don't speak too rapidly.  
Thank you At the end of your presentation, thank your audience for their time.