Be prepared if presentation technology fails. Visualize
"backup plans" in case PowerPoint crashes, an O.H. projector light bulb
burns out, etc.
Have them ready in advance (although it can be effective
to have a small portion of them completed or highlighted during the presentation
as part of an interactive style) and test them out to be sure they will
work with the equipment and room configuration available. If you need to
arrange for additional equipment to be set up, make sure you allow plenty
of time for this.
For transparencies of text, have generous margins, do not
exceed a dozen lines and leave plenty of space between them. Make sure
words are large enough and dark enough (if using a computer to prepare
an overhead transparency, this means using the bold font with type
size at least 14 point). A xeroxed page from a textbook or article rarely
meets these conditions!
Consider whether certain visual aids need to remain in view
the entire time during your talk, even as you show additional charts. If
so, figure out a way to do this (e.g., a second overhead projector, putting
a poster on an easel or against a wall). Consider whether passing
out a "handout" (at the beginning, middle or end of the presentation) may
be helpful or just distracting.
Data displays should be appropriately and meaningfully titled,
sized, scaled and labelled. They should be readily interpreted. It is usually
easier to recognize patterns from a graph than from a tabulated list of
numbers. Pictures drawn by hand need show exact proportions,
but the proportions must be believable.
SPEAKING
Practice the talk (with any visuals) in advance for a friend
and for your mirror. It's not enough to just write the talk; you need to
practice saying it as well. Be sure you are making good eye contact, not
"reading" (from your notes or your slides) to the audience, avoiding monotone
delivery, maintaining a reasonable speed, and staying within the time limit.
(After the trial runs, you may need to do some editing or revising for
clarity or time purposes.) The more you practice, the less you are likely
to be "nervous" when you do speak.
It is usually more effective to talk from an outline than
a word-for-word speech.
Be aware what key terms or background the audience may not
have that they will need to follow your talk, and give them this at the
beginning.
If using equipment (e.g., overhead projector), make sure
it is working properly, that you are used to using it, and that your use
of it does not distract from your presentation (e.g., don't keep turning
away from the audience to look at the screen; also, if your shoulder is
lighted by the projector, then it's blocking the screen! also, when
writing on a transparency, hold the marker far enough away from the tip
that your hand does not block what you are writing)
Allow yourself time at the end to "summarize" and answer
an audience question or two (and try to anticipate what those might be
and prepare for them). Elaborate sufficiently and clearly when asked
to "explain."
Don't fidget or lean on furniture. Maintain a relaxed posture
with feet and hands. Don't overly apologize! It's normal to be a
little nervous (some speakers find it helpful to briefly acknowledge this
in a matter-of-fact or even humorous way, and then move on), just harness
that as enthusiasm and remember that the audience is human, knows what
it's like to "be up there" and wants to learn from you and see you do well.