Revision

1. Comment on the following statements. In your opinion are they:

a) essential b) helpful c) unhelpful for a successful presentation?

1.Tell a joke at the beginning to relax the atmosphere.

2.Speak more slowly than you normally do.

3.Smile a lot.

4.Involve the audience.

5.Invite questions during the presentation.

6.Always keep to your plan.

7.Move around during your presentation.

8.Use gestures to emphasise important points.

9.Read out your presentation from a script.

10.Stand up when giving your presentation.

2. Complete the sentences below with one or two words.

1. Most people are ………….. ………….. before a presentation.

2.Many people ………… …………. the opening and that helps them calm their nerves.

3.Keep good ………… …………. with your audience, even when using equipment.

4.It is important to develop a …………. …………. with your audience to create a good atmosphere.

5.………….. ………… can be useful to emphasise important points.

3.Say whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

1.Some people write down the opening two minutes, marking the stresses and pauses, and practising it again and again. They memorise the opening and that helps to calm their nerves.

2.Do not rehearse your presentation without using any equipment.

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3.A back-up plan is a waste of time.

4.Avoid eye contact with your audience at all times, even when you use Powerpoint or the OHP for visual effects. Eye contact does not help you show that you are speaking to the audience, not at them.

5.You need to build a rapport with the audience, and to develop a warm and friendly relationship with them. Enthusiasm is important. If you are enthusiastic, your audience will be too.

6.Body language does not matter. Whether you stand or sit when making your presentation makes no difference.

7.Avoid repetitive, annoying gestures. Neither can dramatic gestures be effective when you make key points.

8.Always speak with the same speed – a pause has no effect.

9.Vary your intonation – change the pitch of your voice using a high or low tone.

10.Do not vary the volume of your voice – if you speak too loudly or too quietly you will try your audience's patience.

11.Follow the KISS principle – keep it short and simple. Use short words and sentences.

12.Don't use jargon unless your audience understand it.

13.Generally present abstract ideas rather than concrete facts.

14.Examples are unnecessary.

15.Visuals can be entertaining but unnecessary for the audience. Still if you choose to use them put as much as possible on a single transparency or slide in order not to interrupt your talk changing them.

16.Finally, end with a BANG! Give the audience some memorable words or phrases which sum up your key messages. Or use a visual or slide which will remain in the memory of your audience.

17.If your audience are polite they may thank you for giving up your time to deliver your presentation and ask you a lot of questions.

18.Remember, a presentation is a performance. What you say is important, but how you say it is even more important.

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