| Effective Presentations |
Here are 10 thoughts and responses you might have when thinking about doing a presentation.
1. Most people feel nervous about having to do a presentation.
Yes, most people feel really nervous. Two things can help - feeling well prepared and knowing what relaxation techniques work for you.
2. Most people think that they won’t be any good at giving a presentation.
Remember that everyone wants you to succeed; the audience will be there to support you.
3. Some people think that being able to do a good presentation is a really good skill to have.
It is! Most uni courses ask students to give presentations at some stage. They can form part of the assessment for particular modules.
Giving a presentation can help build self-confidence, and confidence with the facts and ideas that you're working with. Stick with it!
You can find some good information on confidence at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/
4. My handwriting is too messy, so I won’t be able to write on a whiteboard or flipchart.
If you don't normally write on either of these, why expect to be good at it straightaway?
How about writing things in advance, then uncovering them at the appropriate moment. Your audience might like the suspense.
5. When I'm nervous I forget how to spell common words.
This is common and understandable. If you feel there's a word that you can't spell, try for an easier alternative.
If you're presenting a 'techie' subject you could make a short list of the words that might crop up.
6. I can't write in a straight line.
Writing in a straight line is tricky. Some people make small marks on the flipchart or whiteboard to give them a point to aim for.
7. How can I do a presentation when I don’t know enough about anything?
This may be an advantage. You know how the audience feels! Giving a presentation is one of the best ways to learn.
If you've been given a presentation title, you'll find that your understanding of the information and issues will be far better than through reading or note-taking alone.
If you're choosing your own topic, or you want to try a practice presentation, you could look at these URLs for ideas.
8. I'd rather read from my notes, so that I don't leave out anything important.
This is understandable.
Pretty well everyone feels a need to read from their notes, but if you've sat through a presentation where someone reads everything, how did it make you feel?
9. I've done a presentation before and have learned more from the bits that went wrong, than the bits that went right!
Then you have excellent self-evaluation techniques - and you're absolutely right! Did you find that the bits that went well made you feel good?
10. I like talking, so I won't have much to prepare.
It's always good to be prepared!
