Л.И. Быковская, О.Л. Ивановская, О.М. Лосева, М.А. Наянова

МОСКОВСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ им. Н.Э. БАУМАНА

Л.И. Быковская, О.Л. Ивановская, О.М. Лосева, М.А. Наянова

Обучение студентов и аспирантов методике подготовки презентаций

Часть 1

(для студентов и аспирантов)

УДК 802.0

ББК 81.2 Англ. – 923

Москва

Издательство МГТУ им. Н.Э. Баумана

2013

Научный редактор к.ф.н., доцент Беликова Ирина Федоровна

Объем 2 п.л.

Тираж 100 экз.

Course Description

The goal of this course is to offer a practical guide on developing the practical skills required to deliver effective public presentations.

It can be used as either a short, intensive course, or integrated into a longer, more general programme for teaching English.

This guide will help students to:

· make a clear well-organised presentation for all levels of study at university, as well as presentations geared towards business or research;

· reflect on, and learn from, what has been learned;

· make sure that both organising, and giving presentations or public speeches of any kind, become a pleasure and not a burden.

The course consists of sections, logically arranged to ensure that students are fully aware of what is expected of them before they begin their practical training. First and foremost, students should acquire a clear understanding of what a presentation involves, and which preparations are required in advance of the talk (the objectives of the talk, who is the audience, knowledge of the location, which equipment is required, etc.).

The course is split into two main sections: preparation and delivery, with the latter subdivided into four parts: the introduction, main body, conclusion and questions from the audience. Each section has an introductory segment covering the most essential issues to focus on, as well as a practical segment offering a variety of different exercises to help students acquire the practical skills required to give an effective presentation.

The course will deliver one segment at a time, combining theoretical teachings with practical exercises, with the course expected to last between 5-7 sessions.

We recommend that students start preparing their own presentations immediately after the first session, planning each section in accordance with the course sessions. In other words, after each session the students should use their new knowledge to shape their presentations, share their progress at the following session, and allow lecturers and fellow students to provide constructive criticism and feedback on the work done.

Proceeding components of the course will be taught in a similar manner, with each segment comprising of pre-lecture reading, individual preparation, and a presentation to the group. This would allow a greater absorption in the lessons, and a more frequent use of new words and phrases, resulting in a far higher rate of retention and understanding.

Upon completion of these core classes, students will be required to deliver their presentations in full, while the fellow students will then discuss and reflect on them within the guidelines suggested at the end of the course booklet. Through this students will both gain valuable experience in preparing and delivering a presentation to an audience, and will receive constructive criticism from lecturers and their student peers, resulting in the acquisition of all the key skills needed to deliver quality presentations to a variety of audiences.

What is a presentation?

A presentation is a formal talk to one or more persons that “presents” ideas or information in a clear, structured way. All presentations have a common objective: they are given in order to inform, train, persuade or sell. The key factors of any successful presentation are:

· the audience;

· the contents of the presentation itself;

· and the presenter.

The starting point should always be the audience. If you consider their needs and interests you cannot get off to a bad start.

1. Preparation

Can you name the three most important things involved in giving any presentation?

Number 1 is………..Preparation

Number 2 is………..Preparation!

Number 3 is………..Preparation!!

Preparation is everything!

With good preparation and planning you will be totally confident and less nervous. And your audience will feed on that confidence too. And this will give you control of your audience and your presentation. With control you will be “in charge” and your audience will listen positively to your message.

Objective

Before you start preparing your presentation you should ask yourself: “Why am I giving this presentation?” If your objective is not clear to you, it cannot possibly be clear to your audience.

Timing

You only have a limited amount of time in which to tell the audience what they need to know, rather than everything that you know.

Method

    How should you give your presentation? Which approach should you use? Formal or informal? Should you include visual aids, and if so, how many? Will anecdotes and humour play a part in your presentation?

Rehearsal

"If you fail to prepare, you are prepared to fail". Plan to rehearse your presentation out loud at least 4 times, and if you can get word perfect so much the better.

Rehearse against the clock. If you have to give a presentation in a short period of time then try to practice your presentation against the clock. This is particularly true when your time is limited by, say 10-15 minutes. You can add in parts from the script or take them out to fit the time.

In the actual presentation you could take in a clock or take off your wrist watch and put it on the podium. This way you can see how the timings can develop.

Rehearsal is a vital part of preparation. This will have the following benefits:

· you will become more familiar with what you want to say;

· you will identify weaknesses in your presentation;

· you will be able to practise difficult pronunciations;

· you will be able to check the time that your presentation takes and make any necessary modifications.

So prepare, prepare, prepare! Prepare everything: words, visual aids, timing, and equipment. Rehearse your presentation several times and time it.

· Is it the right length?

· Are you completely familiar with all your illustrations?

· Are they in the right order?

· Do you know who the audience is?

· How will you answer difficult questions?

· Do you know the room?

· Are you confident about the equipment?

When you have answered all these questions, you will be a confident, enthusiastic presenter ready to communicate the subject of your presentation to an eager audience.

At the end of the booklet you may find relevant Useful Vocabulary, which provides some phrases and hints and could make your preparation a bit easier.

Preparation Practice

Exercise 1. Complete the suggested questions, trying to formulate major aspects before starting preparation for a talk.

Planning

· Purpose –why and what?

· Audience –who and how many?

· Premises –do/does and is/are

Who __________________________________________?

What _________________________________________?

Why __________________________________________?

Where ________________________________________?

When _________________________________________?

How __________________________________________?

Exercise 2. Restore the original order of instructions on how to prepare for a successful presentation.

Instructions

Exercise 3. Checklist for Planning a Presentation. Arrange the following statements depending on whether they are advisable or not.

1. Understand the interest level of the audience;

2. Use jargon even if the audience doesn’t understand it;

3. Use simple language;

4. Make the presentation focused, easy to understand;

5. Prepare a logic tree;

6. Skip any point of your presentation if you feel like;

7. Be rigid in following a sequence according to your plan;

8. Use any available sources for in-depth analysis;

9. Be prepared for any kind of question from audience;

10. Prepare cue cards;

11. Ignore the audience during your talk, it’s their problem if they do not follow you;

12. Insert abbreviations, such as AC, MBT, QA, etc., whenever possible to make your talk more short-spoken;

13. Understand the audience question clearly;

14. Provide handouts for additional information.

Exercise 4. Fill in the gaps with the words in the correct form or choose the right word from those suggested.

When you ________ (to make) a presentation, the first stage is to plan it. You _________ (needn’t/should) start by __________ (to think) about your audience –who they are, what they ______ (to know) about the subject and what they expect from you. Will they be interested, enthusiastic, cooperative or perhaps critical? _____you_________ (to present) to the group from your own culture or to people of different cultures? All these factors ________ (to influence) the way you approach the presentation. If possible, try to visit the room where you__________ (to give) the talk. Check the equipment and make sure your voice _________ (to carry) to the back of the room if you don’t use a microphone. Look at the seating arrangements and make sure they are what you want.

You’re now ready to prepare what you _________ (to say). Stage one is the opening. A good opening is essential as you will be nervous and you _________ (needn’t/need to) grab the attention of the audience. You start by __________ (to introduce) yourself and then you use a technique to get the audience’s interest. We call this the ‘hook’ which focuses the audience’s attention on what you’re saying. You __________ (must/can) do this in various ways. You ________ (must/can): ask a question; use a famous quotation; use a striking visual image; appeal directly to the audience’s interests or needs. Once you have the audience’s attention, you _________ (needn’t/should) tell them the structure of your presentation. You give them a map of the talk, with signposts along the route, so they know what you _______ (to cover) in your talk.

Exercise 5. The chart below provides some ideas on what is understood by a good delivery. Read the items and give your considerations. Explain your point.

Home assignment

Think of a topic on which you would like to give a presentation. Do not forget that the topic should be interesting for you and your audience. Make your preparation according to the theoretical guide. Make a plan for your talk and collect the material you may use.

Delivery

Introduction

The introduction phase sets the tone and expectations of a meeting or presentation. Although very often the presenter will typically introduce themselves to the audience, on other occasions a colleague or chairperson may introduce the speaker.

A complete introduction for a presentation includes the following parts:

· greeting;

· your name and position;

· title and subject of your talk;

· presentation objective;

· main parts of your talk;

· mention of the visual aids that you will use;

· time you will take;

· when you would like to answer questions;

· and a link to the first section of your presentation.

At the end of the booklet you may find relevant Useful Vocabulary.

Introduction Practice

Exercise 1. Match these less formal phrases with the more formal phrases in the table:

What I want to do today is…                       It’s good to see you all here.

OK, shall we get started?                            In my talk I’ll tell you about...

Today I’m going to talk about…                 As you know, I’m…

Hi, everyone.

Exercise 2. Replace the words in bold with the words from the box:

1. I’ll start off by showing you…

2. I’ve divided my presentation into three parts.

3. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Gordon Smith.

4. Then I’ll move on to the problems…

5. Professor Brown is in charge of our new Plasma Laboratory.

6. I ’m aware that you’re all busy preparing for the seminar…

Exercise 3. Match a sentence or phrase on the left with one from the right:

Exercise 4. Fill in the gaps in the sentences below with a preposition.

example: Thank you for coming.

a) There are copies...........the table.

b) I'd like to start...........outlining the process.

c) It's good to have Professor Jackson here...........Stanford University.

d) We can discuss any questions...........the end of the seminar.

e) I want to focus...........the latest aircraft design.

f)...........the end of this session, you'll be able to teach your staff how to use this programme.

g) I'm talking to you today...........the designer of this new robotic system.

Exercise 5. Complete the sentences with the correct word:

example: It's good to meet.. you.            have / take / meet

a) Did everyone.................... a handout?      give / get / go

b) Don't....................about taking notes.       worry / remember / think

c) Please....................yourselves.                 meet/ have/ help

d) Please feel....................to stop me.           expensive / free / open

e) I'd like to....................the previous survey.   let / happen / describe

f) I want to....................on the results first.  look / worry / focus

Exercise 6. Discuss these points in minigroups and present your ideas to the class:

1. The first few minutes of a presentation are the most important.

2. Words like we, us and our make the audience more interested in the subject of your presentation.

3. Formal and informal ways of greeting the audience. Why is it important to find the proper words?

4. What makes a successful speaker?

5. How to get the audience’s attention? Is it a good idea to make jokes or ask the audience rhetorical questions during your talk?

6. Do ‘presentation tricks’ help reveal the subject of your talk?

7.  Is there a special dress code for a presenter?

8. How to deal with nervousness?

Exercise 7. Read the introductions and say what is wrong with them:

1. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemens.

2. Hello, guys. Let me introduce myself. I am here in my function as the Head of the R&D (Research and Development Department). My name is Professor Brown. I should say it is a great honour to speak in front of such a distinguished audience.

3. Good morning, colleagues. I’m Doctor Smith from the University of Chicago. What I’d like to present to you today is the topic which engages me greatly. I don’t think many of you know much about it.

4. Come on, guys! Shall we get started? As you probably know I’m the new manager. You know I’m very busy. So let’s get started right now in order not to waste my time.

5. Wow! How many of you have come! It’s so unexpected. I’m afraid I didn’t realize that you would be interested in such a dull (let me be sincere with you) topic.

Home assignment

Create the opening part of your presentation in PowerPoint. Begin with a title page as the first slide. This should include the full title of the paper and your name. Please do not forget, that in English your last (family) name goes after your first (given name), i.e., Oleg Popov, and not otherwise. The next slide will be the plan of your talk. Besides, think of what you will say in the introduction.

Main Body

What information should you give in your talk? All the information should support the goal of your presentation. In most cases you will have to limit the content, as time is usually precious!

How much information should you give? Enough to clearly develop your ideas. Do not forget to illustrate through examples.

Here are a few possibilities for organizing your ideas: logical; chronological order; from general to specific; from known to unknown; from accepted to controversial; cause/effect; problem/solution. Whichever strategy you choose, the headings should all follow the same grammatical form. For example:

Foundations of aerodynamics

· Chord, camber and angle-of-attack;

· forces on the glinder in flight;

· Lift and drag.

All the above phrases have the same grammatical pattern

And not

Superconductivity

· Magnetic field is rather harmful; (a whole sentence)

· Expensive systems; (noun+attribute)

· Difficult to make wires. (contracted sentence)

Just as when you are driving along a road that you don't know very well, you depend on signs to guide you, you need to guide the audience by using expressions to tell them where you are going. For example, first announce what you are going to say (give an example, reformulate etc.) and then say what you want to say. This is akin to verbal punctuation. Indicate when you have finished one point and then go on to the next one. It is redundant in text but very useful in oral presentations. Experienced presenters will also clearly pause, change their pose and the pitch of their voice as they move from one part of a presentation to another.

At the end of the booklet you may find relevant Useful Vocabulary.

Main Body Practice

Exercise 1. Imagine that you are to give a presentation. Do the quiz about body language and discuss your answers with a partner. More than one answer is possible.

How should you stand?

a. Relaxed or leaning against the wall (table).

b. Straight, but relaxed with your hands by your sides.

c. Arms crossed over your chest.

d. Back turned to the audience.

How should you speak?

a. Speak with the same, flat, monotonous voice throughout your presentation.

b. At either normal speed or slightly slower than usual.

c. Speak changing your voice in either a high or a low tone.

Exercise 2. Complete the list of “signposting” phrases with useful phrases from the box given below.

Exercise 3. Match the two parts to make sentences.

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences with words from the box according to the meanings.

I think it’s important to ______________the problem as soon as possible.

a. to find or discover a problem

b. to make sth easier to understand

c.  to solve a problem, to perform a task

d. to deal successfully with sth difficult

e. to be responsible for or to deal with a situation or task

Exercise 5. Complete the sentences with words from the box

Home assignment

Now that you have learned how to make the main body you may do the major part of your talk and speak on essence of the subject you have chosen. Take into consideration all useful tips given above.

Conclusion

Do not forget that last impressions are just as important as first impressions. Your conclusion is the place to make sure that you have planted the key ideas of your talk in your listeners’ minds. Do not miss the opportunity!

Here are some strategies of effective conclusions:

· Summarize the main points;

· Quote a famous person;

· Ask a provocative question or make a surprising statement;

· Use the “sandwich” technique, which means your introduction and conclusion are connected (like two slices of bread in a sandwich) and the main part is like the cheese in between. You should have a connection between the beginning and the end of your talk. If, for example, you start telling a joke in the introduction, stop at an exciting moment and move on to the main part. Then finish the joke in the conclusion.

At the end of the booklet you may find relevant Useful Vocabulary.

Conclusion Practice

Exercise 1. Complete the following sentences with the best preposition from the box.

Through/over