Presenting At Your Best
Guidelines and Tips for
Preparing and Delivering a Presentation
Adrian D.C. Chan
"Studies show that fear of public speaking ranks higher than the fear of dying. I guess this means that most people at a funeral would rather be in the coffin than delivering the eulogy..."
- Jerry Seinfeld
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Updated by: Adrian Chan
Last update: 02/09/18
URL: http://www.ee.unb.ca/Groups/AEEGS/presentation.html
Email comments/suggestions to: AEEGS Executive (aeegs@unb.ca)
There is a good chance that you will be expected to deliver an oral presentation. You may not like the prospect of delivering a presentation but you may not be able to avoid it. In my opinion, you should not try to avoid presentations but rather use these opportunities to practice and develop your communication skills. Being able to deliver a good presentation is an important part in school and in industry.
The purpose of this guideline is to give you some basic fundamentals on how to plan, prepare, and deliver a good presentation. The content of this guideline was derived from my own experiences and the guideline was also edited by my friends. By no means is this guideline a complete be all and end all of how to produce a great presentation. Do not take the ideas in this guideline as hard-fastened rules. The guideline is meant as a quick reference to supplement other books on presentation and oral communication skills and I hope you find it instructive and helpful.
The planning stage of a presentation is the most important part of a presentation because this is when you lay out the foundation, on which you will build the rest of your presentation. Unfortunately, many people rush through the planning stage, causing a poorly planned presentation that is hard to fix in the later stages.
Before you do anything determine what the purpose of your presentation is! If you are delivering a presentation you are probably trying to communicate some ideas or messages to your audience; these are referred to as the ‘take-home-messages’.
In your planning stage you should write down your ‘take-home-messages’. This should be a short list, consisting of at most 4 major points. In addition, these points need to be clear and concise. If you cannot determine clear and concise messages then how do you expect the audience to determine them from your presentation?
Once you have your list of ‘take-home-messages’ be sure that your presentation is constructed around them. Focus on them and be sure that these points come out clearly in your presentation!
Knowing your audience will allow you to determine the level of complexity at which you need to set your presentation and how much background information you will need to provide. Your audience will also dictate the tone of your presentation (e.g. serious, funny), your vocabulary (e.g. the amount of technical jargon used), and even the way you dress. A person can deliver a presentation on how electric power is generated and delivered to your home to both a grade 4 class and to the executive committee of New Brunswick Hydro but certainly these presentations will be different in many ways!
Start creating your presentation by making an outline, which will define the flow of your presentation. What is flow? Well, your presentation should flow like a story and not be a list of choppy facts, like a dictionary. The presentation should have an introduction where the audience is given an idea of what the purpose and/or objectives of the presentation are. The take-home-messages should then be developed. Concepts should be introduced in well-defined groups and built upon one another. Finally, once the take-home-messages have been conveyed the presentation should have a conclusion, which ties everything together. Generally this includes re-iterating important points and the take-home-messages.
Your outline can take the form of sequential points or the form of a flow chart. A flow chart is nice because it is easier to see how concepts are grouped together and how one concept leads or combines with another. The important part of the outline is that it gives you a clear picture of all the ideas you wish to convey and that it allows you to organize these ideas in a logical order.
So now you have planned your presentation. You know the content, the style, and have a good idea of what you want to say. It is now it is time to make your slides!
When preparing and ordering your slides be sure to give some thought to the overall flow of the slides. Within each slide, there should be one clear, central idea associated with that slide. There should also be well-connected ideas among slides.
The outline of your presentation, which you created during the planning stage of your presentation, should contain the order in which your ideas are developed and how they are connected to one another. Ensure that your slides follow this outline by keeping related ideas in either the same slide or within a group of contiguous slides and avoid moving from one idea to the next without a linkage of ideas.
Ensure that there is also an overall flow in your presentation. Say what it is you are going to say, say it, and then summarize what you said (i.e. introduction, body, conclusion).
Keep It Short and Simple. Do not try to impress your audience by dazzling them with complex formulae, big words, and ideas that confuse most people. By doing so you will probably confuse most of the people in your audience and fail to convey the information you wanted to. Explain your ideas and information at a level suitable for the audience and ensure your explanations are thorough and easy to understand. Your understanding of the material is demonstrated by how well you teach it. If you can teach it well to your audience, this is what will impress them and they will be grateful for efforts.
The slides that you make are determined by the equipment available, time, and cost. For example, a PowerPoint presentation cannot be delivered in a room without a computer and projector and 35 mm slides are expensive if you try to have them made in a day.
Know the advantages and disadvantages of each type of presentation media as well. For example, overhead transparencies are a robust, reliable, and universal media; most rooms will have an overhead projector and overheads do not rely on equipment, such as a computer, which may have compatibility or interfacing issues. However, overhead transparencies cannot give you the flexibility and aesthetics of a computer presentation.
A special note about computer presentations (e.g. PowerPoint) is that you should ensure that the software version that you using to create your presentation is the same as the version you are using to present with (e.g. you may be using PowerPoint 97 in a computer lab to create your presentation but the conference room may have PowerPoint 2000 installed). Do not rely on the backward compatibility of software because it rarely works perfectly. If you are the cautious type, test your presentation with the equipment you will use for the presentation or bring your presentation in a different media (e.g. overhead transparencies) as a backup.
You should know how much time you have been allotted for your presentation (be sure you do not include the question period as part of the presentation time). Create your presentation to fit the allotted time as there are consequences if your presentation is too long (e.g. your presentation may be cut short by the session chair) or if your presentation is too short.
As an estimate of your presentation length, there should be approximately one slide per minute. Remember this is only a rule of thumb and there are exceptions. For example, your title slide may only be up there for a few seconds whereas other slides may take more time to explain.
In addition to giving an estimate of your presentation length, this rule of thumb of one slide per minute is also a good indicator of the strengths and weaknesses of your slides. If you plan to show a certain slide for only a few seconds you should consider eliminating that slide or combining it with another. The audience will be unable to digest the information of the slide within a few seconds, which means the slide will only confuse them. If you plan to show a slide for a time that is considerably longer than one minute, perhaps it will serve the audience members better if this massive amount of information is spread amoung a number of slides. Creating slides that will be discussed for approximately a minute is a good method of ensuring the right amount of information is contained within the slide.
Each slide should have only one simple idea. If the idea is too complex to fit into one slide then the idea should be split into simpler ideas that can be put into their own separate slides. The audience is supposed to be learning new concepts and ideas from you, which is difficult if you overwhelm them with too much information all at once.
Slide titles quickly convey to the audience the topic or portion of the presentation you will be talking about next. Note the word ‘quickly’, which means that the titles of your slides have to be short in addition to being meaningful. Ensure that your titles are also clearly distinguishable from the text. Generally they are at the top of the slide with a larger font size and perhaps in a different coloured font.
When there are words on a slide the audience will feel compelled to read them. Be sure to keep as few words as possible on the slide or else the audience will spend more time reading the slides than listening to you. Slides are not there to speak for themselves; your slides are there to augment your speech not vice versa!
Avoid writing out full sentences and instead compress your ideas into short points and keywords of at most 5 words each. During the presentation it is your job to elaborate on them. Note that there are occasions where it is appropriate to write out a full sentence, such as a definition or a quote.
Organize your points and text in a format that conveys your information in the clearest manner to your audience. Tables, graphs, and flow charts help to group your text into well-defined groups that are much easier to understand.
Attempt to avoid using equations unless they are necessary or very simple. Equations take a great deal of time for the audience to understand. If you must include an equation be sure to also verbally include an intuitive understanding of the equation to the audience during your presentation (e.g. what the equation is calculating, what are the free variables, what does the equation tell us).
The saying a picture says thousand words is true so try to include as many relevant pictures as you can instead of text. It is much easier for the audience to understand something when they can visualize it. Be aware, however, that a picture loses its value if you do not discuss and point to it during the actual presentation.
When you create your slides ensure that all the information (e.g. text, graphs, pictures, labels) is easy to see. The audience should not have to squint in order to determine what they are looking at. Text should have a minimum font size (rule of thumb) of 24pt for text and 30pt for titles. Good fonts to use are Arial and Times New Roman. Bold all of your text if this makes the text easier for the audience too see.
The best thing to do is test the presentation in the room that you are presenting in. Sit in the farthest part of the room and check that the text and important details of the figures etc. are not just legible but EXTREMELY easy to see.
Using animation in a presentation is an effective method of highlighting important points by drawing the audience’s attention towards it. In addition, animation can be used to separate ideas within a slide by introducing or displaying each idea individually.
Be sure not to overanimate as too much animation is distracting. Many people animate portions of their presentation just because they can. Animation for the sake of animation prevents important portions of your presentation from being distinct and makes the presentation unprofessional.
When you use animation be very conscious of how you implement it. Two commonly used animations are introducing each point one at a time and dimming each point after it has been discussed. Both of these animations are shown in the sample slide shown below. Point #3 is being introduced and is flying in from the right and Point #1, which was already discussed has been dimmed (Point #2 will be dimmed once Point #3 has finished flying in). Note that these animation techniques do not have to be used together.
Introducing each point one at a time gives the audience a clear indicator of which point is being discussed. However, if are not spending much time on each point then during the presentation these points will appear in rapid succession, which is distracting. It is sometimes easier and clearer for the audience to see all the points together.
Dimming each point after it has been discussed visually tells the audience that you have finished with that point. If you do this be sure that the text is still legible because the audience may want to read over these point to review them. In the above sample slide, the text was dimmed to a colour similar to the background making it difficult to see.
Be sure that the colour scheme that you choose has a high contrast so that everything is clear and legible. For example, yellow on blue is good but brown on black is not. Using different coloured fonts is also a method of highlighting certain portions of your text that are important.
In a related topic, choosing an appropriate background is important. The background should be simple and not distracting to the audience (i.e. not filled with pictures or patterns that avert the attention of the audience or make it difficult to read the text). The slide shown below demonstrates a bad background and a bad font colour.
Acknowledgements are a courtesy that you should extend to the people that have helped you in the work you have performed relating to your presentation. This may include granting agencies, co-workers, supervisors, etc. Be sure to keep your acknowledgements appropriate. For example, in a thesis defense one generally does not acknowledge their parents or even their thesis supervisor as they are on the thesis committee and are evaluating you at the time. There are occasions where the acknowledgments should not be included at all. If you have any doubts consult someone (e.g. supervisor).
It is good practice to create extra slides that will not be included in your presentation. The main purpose of these slides is to assist you in explaining details in your presentation during the question period. This implies that you should have a good idea of some potential questions that the audience may pose. If you make a good effort in determining potential questions this will help you during the actual presentation. The strengths and weaknesses of your presentation will be exposed (e.g. perhaps certain ideas are not explained well enough) and this will also help you from being surprised by hard questions.
Now you may be asking the question, if I think a person is going to ask me a certain question then why not put that information into the presentation instead of having it as an extra slide. There are a few reasons for this. One of the reasons is that the material may be too detailed or not relevant enough to be included in the actual presentation but is still information someone may want to know more about. Another reason is that your presentation may have a time restriction and therefore not all of the information and details can be put into the presentation without making it too long, confusing, and rushed.
The purpose of abbreviations is to cut back on the amount of space you need to present your ideas on a slide. Try to keep the number of abbreviations to a minimum and try to abbreviate only things that are familiar to the audience. Too many abbreviations can be confusing and it is hard for the audience to remember what each abbreviation means or stands for. It may not be difficult for you to keep track of everything but remember you are the expert in the field giving the presentation; think of how your audience feels!
If you do use an abbreviation in your slide be sure that you have defined what this abbreviation is. Common abbreviations can be explained verbally during the presentation. If it is an abbreviation that the audience is not likely to know then be sure it is written on one of your slides.
So now you have your presentation all prepared and it is time to deliver it. This is the portion of the presentation where you are interacting with the audience and when the actual information is conveyed to them.
The slides that you have prepared should have few words on it, mostly appearing on the slides in point-form. On their own they have little meaning and serve to guide your audience through your presentation. Every piece of information that you place on a slide should be elaborated upon or at the very least mentioned. This includes graphs, tables, and pictures. If you fail to do this then you have to ask yourself, why did I put this in on the slide in the first place? Ensure you keep the contents of your slides relevant to your presentation.
There are occasions, as discussed in the previous sections, when writing out a complete sentence or paragraph is appropriate. In these situations, it is important that you read word for word what you have written to the audience. This prevents them from reading it while you are either discussing it or moving on to another point. If you do not read it word for word to the audience consider eliminating the sentence and compressing it into point form or keywords.
When you have abbreviations in your presentation always try and say the non-abbreviated version of the word. This will help the audience a great deal in remembering what all your abbreviations stand for. Now there is no need to go overboard on this. Common abbreviations, such as USA (United States of America), and abbreviations with a long non-abbreviated name, such as PCMCIA (peripheral computer memory card international association), can be used in their abbreviated form if they are used within the presentation a number of times. Ensure that all abbreviations are defined verbally in your presentation and that abbreviations that are not common to the audience are also presented at least once in their non-abbreviated form.
One of the most emphasized suggestions in public speaking is to have eye contact with your audience. Your body language speaks volumes to the audience and though it does not convey the content of your presentation it clearly conveys your attitude towards it; this include your eyes. Eye contact is a clear indicator to the audience that you are speaking to them and demonstrates confidence in what you are saying. Do not spend a large portion of your presentation reading the slides or reading any notes or cue cards that you may have (avoid notes or cue cards if possible). Talking to the audience shows that you know and understand the material very well.
Of great importance, be sure that you are clear and audible to your audience. This includes both volume and rate. While there is no need to yell, be sure that the people at the back of the room can hear you. Use a microphone if necessary. Ensure that you also keep the pace at which you speak reasonable. Nervousness tends to cause people to speak too fast and words begin to blur together. Keep calm and speak clearly.
Pointers are an important tool in presentations. Point to each idea in your graph before you elaborate on it and when you are referring to a picture point to the parts of the picture you are referring to.
Rulers and pointers are good because they are easier to control but be sure you can reach the screen to point to what you want and do not fidget with them when you are not using them. Laser pointers are an excellent point device because it allows you to point to the screen at a distance. This is important when the screen is not easily accessible (e.g. the microphone and podium are located far from the screen) and if the screen is large. They also do not obstruct any other part of the screen when used. Ensure that your batteries are not going to run out during your presentation and that the laser is sufficiently large and of high enough contrast to be seen easily.
The very fact that your audience has come to your presentation states that they have a desire to hear what you are saying. It is important, however, that you keep their attention. If you have kept your presentation at a level that it is simple and easy for the audience to follow then you will not lose your audience because they got lost during the presentation due to a lack of understanding. If you are dry and uninteresting, however, you may lose your audience because their minds will wander to more interesting thoughts. Your attitude towards the presentation has a significant impact on the audience's attitude towards it. If you act and are excited and genuinely interested in what you are saying then it is likely that the audience will see that and feel the same way. Attempt to deliver your speech in a way that will keep you happy and interested.
It is always said that practice makes perfect and this is true for presentations as well. It is good to practice your presentation by delivering it to a practice audience. This audience could consist of your colleagues or friends. They will be able to time your presentation, judge the clarity of your slides and what you say, and will also be able to determine potential questions that your true audience may ask. Ensure your practice audience looks for the details of your presentation including: the rate you speak, your audibility, the pace of your presentation, the complexity level of your explanations, and the legibility of your slides.
A great way to learn how to give a good presentation is to see a good presentation. Attend as many presentations as you can. Watching a good presentation will give you ideas on how you can improve the style and content of your presentation. Watching a bad presentation can also help as you can learn from other people's mistakes. You can read many books and listen to many ideas but there is nothing quite like seeing a good presentation for yourself. And when you do, be conscious of parts of the presentation you like or dislike and why. Take the time to write these point down so that you can use these to improve your own presentations.
This is a vital part of the presentation: RELAX. Easier said than done I know but you have done a wonderful job of preparing the presentation and with that you have ensured that you have a thorough knowledge of the material you are presenting. You have practiced the presentation a number of times and you are ready for the real presentation. Have confidence in yourself and in your abilities and enjoy yourself when you deliver your presentation.
I would like to thank Angela Cechetto and Usha Kuruganti for helping me edit this document! Your assistance was greatly appreciated.