Delivering a great presentation

Source: https://learningessentials.auckland.ac.nz/presenting-your-work/delivering-great-presentation/ Parent: https://learningessentials.auckland.ac.nz/learning-at-university/

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Delivering a great presentation

Learn how to showcase your research in a way that engages and captivates your audience.

How to start your presentation

Engage the audience – pause, smile, make eye contact.
Practice a strong opening – slow and clear, with a good hook.
Thank the previous speaker if you have been introduced.
Be confident. Do not apologise, do not panic and be calm if you make a mistake.

Make eye contact

Making eye contact helps with reading the audience – see how they react. Tips for eye contact with large groups:

Treat your presentation like a series of five-second mini conversations.
Avoid reading slides or notes.
Avoid darting your eyes or swiveling your head.
Avoid staring at a specific person for too long.
Have a friend in the audience to give encouragement.

Use body language

Appropriate dress code – helps you feel confident and relaxed.
Breathe – this helps you to relax.
Posture – shoulders back, head up.
Feet planted firmly on ground – do not sway or shift nervously.
Make purposeful movements – hand gestures to emphasise words, point to draw attention to slides, slow pacing around stage if necessary to keep eye contact.
Do not fidget – distracting, repetitive movements show your nerves.

How to use your voice effectively

Tone – placing stress or emphasis on key words.
Pacing – do not talk too fast, slow down even further to emphasise important points.
Pause – adds emphasis, lets you breathe, catch your thoughts, allows the audience to catch up.
Do not mumble.
Use confident statements – do not say things like ‘I guess you all know about …’
Use a conversational style and tone.
Aim for clear pronunciation.

How to engage the audience

Use voice and body language to keep attention on you.
Use visual aids to support your story, not to tell it – do not let slides distract your audience.
Include audience participation – rhetorical or non-rhetorical questions (you can just ask for a show of hands), short discussion with your partner.
Watch audience reactions and adjust pace accordingly – e.g. a whispering audience may mean you need to clarify yourself.
Try not to get distracted by latecomers or early leavers.

How to respond to questions

Listen carefully to understand the question – ask for clarification if you are unsure.
Pause to think about your answer.
Keep your answer brief – do not start a long discussion with one person.
Offer to meet afterwards for more discussion.
Be honest if you do not know the answer.