Effective Technical Oral Presentations

1. Technical Writing (AEEE299) LECTURER: Dr. Alexis Polycarpou HOURS/WEEK: 2 TEACHING AREA: Classroom EMAIL: eng.pa@fit.ac.cy

2. LECTURE Oral Presentation

3. What is the purpose of a Presentation? Technical oral presentations represent an important method of rapidly and efficiently transferring information. They are a common method of evaluating the progress of a project and the progress of the individual. An oral presentation may be a good approach when it is desirable to pass information to a group in a brief time, where the main ideas and conclusions are more important than details. Reading a written report almost never makes a good oral presentation. Written reports typically contain too much detail to be presented in an appropriate period of time.

4. Some people absorb material visually Others primarily learn what they hear. It is your job to ensure that both groups get your message. Gripping Graphics + Vibrant Vocal = Persuasive Presentation

5. Different types of talks • The contributed scientific talk (10 min - 20 min.) • (Focus heavily on the data) • • The invited talk at a scientific society or University (30 min - 1 hr.) • (Some “philosophy” and “teaching” are expected) • • A talk to the general public • (entertain, inspire and teach) • • A talk to business people • (teach and then sell, sell, sell!) • • A talk to science people at a company • (teach, reasonable amounts of data, and then a bit of selling) • • A talk to a class • (teach, gauge the experience level)

6. Applications of an Oral Presentation • Engineers of all types make oral presentations to a wide variety of audiences. • A production engineer has to present ideas for improved process operation to process management. • A design engineer must convey new design concepts to his/her design team, or present design economics to management. • A sales engineer must make frequent presentations to customers. • A research engineer is often called on to present research results in a seminar setting.

7. Purpose • Another way to categorize a presentation is to identify its purpose. Is it to instruct (for example, to explain how to run a text editing program on a computer), to persuade (to vote for or against a certain technically oriented bond issue), or simply to inform (to report on citizen participation in the new recycling program). • Informative purpose: An oral report can be primarily informative. For example, as a member of a committee involved in a project to relocate the plant, your job might be to give an oral report on the condition of the building and grounds at one of the sites proposed for purchase. • Instructional purpose: An oral report can be primarily instructional. Your task might be to train new employees to use certain equipment or to perform certain routine tasks. • Persuasive purpose: An oral report can be primarily persuasive. You might want to convince members of local civic organizations to support a city-wide recycling program.

8. Organization • An oral presentation consists of three main parts: • 1. Introduction • 2. Body • 3. Conclusion

9. The Introduction • An introduction is a must. It engages the audience by motivating them to listen and relating the topic to their interests. The simplest introduction—merely letting the audience know who you are and what your presentation is going to be about. • Although a well-crafted introduction should be brief, it should provide the audience with several pieces of information: • Who you are and an accurate pronunciation of your name • Your qualifications to speak about the subject • The type of presentation (informational, instructional, problem-solving, etc.) • Background information as needed • Your thesis • A preview of the main ideas to be covered in the body • The procedure(s) to be followed during the presentation. • The purpose of an introduction is to quickly build gain the attention of the audience. You want the audience to be able to easily follow your thought process as you lead them into the body of the presentation.

10. Introduction Structure • Start your talk by greeting the audience and introducing yourself. • ‘Good Morning, my name is …..’ • ‘Good afternoon, my name is …..’ • ‘Hallo, my name is …..’ • ‘Ladies and gentlemen ….’ • ‘Good morning everyone, I'd like to start by introducing myself. My name is...’ • • State your topic (title) clearly. For example: • ‘Today I'm going to talk about...’ • ‘The subject of my presentation is...’ • ‘The theme of my talk is...’ • ‘I will give you an overview of...’

11. • State the objective of the presentation – what was done during the project and why • ‘My purpose in doing this paper is to give you a solid background on the subject of ….’ • ‘What I would like to do today is to explain • to illustrate... • to give you the essential background information on... • to outline...’ • Outline the main points to be covered (similar to contents) • I have broken my speech down/up into X parts. • I have divided my presentation (up) into Y parts. • In the first part I give a few basic definitions. • In the next section I will explain • In part three, I am going to show... • In the last part I would like/want to give a practical example…

12. The Body The main part of the presentation is the body. The body must expound, explain, support, and defend the thesis revealed in the introduction. All main points must be covered. Use examples and illustrations for statements that are difficult for the audience to understand. Graphic illustrations and other visual aids not only help to clarify your message, but also add color and credibility. The main sections of the body are: Procedure Results Discussion

13. Body Structure • Present the theory and background information • Describe any equations and discuss the predicted theoretical results using these equations. • Show a schematic of the apparatus and discuss the experimental methods. • discuss the results. Interpret and compare with theoretical values. Make suggestions to improve accuracy. How are these results used to answer any questions posed in the scope of the project. • Discuss any proposed new designs and the reasoning behind using specific equipment, methods or assumptions.

14. The Conclusion • The presentation should conclude with a well-planned ending. • Summary: A clear summary of your purpose and main points will insure that the audience gets the big picture. Use the same key words used in the body and make a fresh, brief, and concise re-statement of your case. This helps to drive your main points home and insures that your listeners have a clear understanding of your intentions. • Recommendations: If your presentation includes a recommendation, particularly one requiring action on the part of the audience, state it clearly as part of your ending. Plan the precise words you will use in your recommendation. • Exit line: Do not flounder at the end. Make a crisp statement and end your presentation on a positive note. Plan and memorize the ending statement, then use it.

15. Conclusion Structure • Summarize the key points (emphasize on the main results) and do not present any new information • Give conclusions • Give recommendations • Thank the audience and let them know that now you will accept questions. • Work out how you will finish your talk. • You can signal your conclusion with • the phrase ‘In conclusion ...’ • • Restate the purpose of your talk, and • say that you have achieved your aim: ‘I think it’s now clear that ...’ • • Thank the audience, and invite • questions:

16. Key Factors for a Successful Presentation • Timing • Speed • 2. Attention span • 3. Personal approach • 4. Good visual aids • 5. Logical Sequence • 6. Practice

17. Timing Time the delivery in advance, without hurrying your presentation. In most cases there is a specified time limit for a talk. Never exceed the allotted time! Even if there is no formal time limit, there is always a suitable time for delivery of the required information. The rule is to always be as brief as possible. If you have only two minutes worth of information to convey, then take only two minutes to present it. • Find out what the time limit is and ask yourself: • • How much of the topic area can I cover? • • How much detail can I include? What can I leave out? Most presentations are 7 to 15 min with 5 min questions at the end. Time must be distributed accordingly. Remember: One Minute per Slide as Guideline

19. Speed The speed at which you speak is important since you can lose the audience with either extreme. Remember, the ear has to receive the sound and the brain record and interpret it before you can be assured that the listener receives the message. Make it a practice to stop at the end of an important statement and allow the listener to concentrate and process what was said. Without adequate preparation, it is easy to become nervous and start rushing through a presentation. Instead, use the pacing established during your many rehearsals. You planned your presentation, now follow the plan. Don't suddenly decide to "wing it" and roar off on some tangent or skip a whole section and then find yourself needing to backtrack. Once you do such things, your sense of time and pacing will be severely compromised. • Slow down to emphasise key points. • • Don’t be afraid to pause. Short pauses can add emphasis to important points and give you a chance to collect your thoughts.

20. Attention Span: Audience attention fluctuates The average attendee of a conference is by all means willing to listen to you, but he is also easily distracted. The average audience pays attention in the beginning, but halfway the attention drops. At the end, many people start to listen again, particularly if you announce your conclusions, because they hope to take something away from the presentation.

21. What can you do to catch the audience’s attention for the whole duration of your talk? • Almost everyone listens in the beginning. This is THE moment to make clear that you will present work that the audience cannot afford to miss. • If you want to get your message through, you should state it loud and clear in the beginning, and repeat it at the end. • The best approach, however, is to divide your presentation in several parts, each ended by an intermediate conclusion. People in the audience who got distracted can always easily catch up with you, particularly if you outline the structure of your talk in the beginning.

22. Personal Approach Personal features of the presenter can make or break presentation A. Gesture B. Voice C. Eye Contact D. Breathing

23. Gesture Make your audience feel that you are comfortable talking to them. Use your hands and arms for added expression, just like you do when you talk to others in a less formal setting. Do not stand with your hands in fixed positions, such as in your pockets or clasped behind your back. • Important in non-verbal communication • Emphasize points • • Highlights • • Audience attention • • Vary gesture • • Important • – position of speaker • – position of transparencies • – not to much movement Avoid nervous gestures

24. Voice • Critical part of a verbal presentation • Volume - speak to be heard • • Modulation – vary the voice • • Pause – make emphasis with pause • Your audience must be able to • 1. hear what you say (voice amplitude) • 2. understand what you say (speech, word resolution, and clarity) A low volume will cause the listener to strain to hear you and get annoyed, or to tune you out completely as a lost cause and ignore your presentation and message. Project your voice without making it too loud, which can be annoying also. Ask the listener in the back to wave an arm any time they feel your voice cannot be heard easily. If a fixed microphone is used, stand with your mouth six or eight inches from the mike

25. Eye Contact At some time during your presentation try to make eye contact with EVERY person in the room. Scan listeners in all regions of the room and makE THREE SECOND EYE CONTACT with them. Avoid fastening your gaze on your notes, on your chart or screen, or on some point in space above the heads of your listeners. • Look at each member of your audience • Involvement • • Trust/support • • Interest • • Spontaneous reaction Eye contact is important.

26. Breathing • Breathing during presentation is different from normal breathing • Breathing deeper for • – volume • – control • – emphasis • • Don't lose your breath or you will drown in mid-air

27. Elements of an Oral Presentation • Good visual aids • i.e. PowerPoint • • Logical sequence

28. Why we need visual aids ? • crystallize ideas • keep speaker on track • generate interest • help information retention Use visual aids to maximize the effectiveness of your presentation

29. Visual Aid Rules • Keep it simple • • Minimize words • • Use large fonts • • List key points • • Use exact phrasing • • Use color • • Prepare handouts

30. Prepare a Presentation in a Logical Sequence • Situation • • Theme • • Storyline • • Storyboard • • Master • • Production • • Practice

31. Situation • Consider the audience carefully • How big? • • Who? • • Level of knowledge? • • Level of interest? • • Resistance? • • Time?

32. Theme • Define your theme in one short sentence • Be concise • • Direct

33. Storyline break down your theme into major parts

34. Storyboard visualize the storyline into a storyboard

35. Master • finalize the flow of the presentation • Finalize data • • Sketch all diagrams—clarity • • Conclusion • • Check for logic • • Consultation • • Rehearsal

36. Production • Allow plenty of time for production • • One key message per slide! • • 5 rules when preparing visual aids: • – 1. Keep it simple • – 2. Minimize words • – 3. List key points • – 4. Make letters large • – 5. Use exact phrasing

37. Practice • Adequate rehearsal is essential for a good presentation • Development of each visual • • Transition • • Self-confidence • • Timing • Practice Makes Perfect

38. Advice 1. On average, expect to be able to present only 1 overhead per minute. 2. Your audience should be able to assimilate the information on each overhead within 5-10 seconds. Therefore, keep the text size large enough to be read easily, keep diagrams, maps, etc. simple, and have no more than 3 or 4 key points per overhead. 3. You could use one palm sized cue card (if necessary) for each overhead with only keywords to remind you not to forget any point. Do not simply read from the overheads. screen, or cue cards. 4. Practice to insure that you will be within the time limit, and that the organization of your presentation is smooth and makes sense. 5. A successful presentation has three sections; an opening, the body, and a conclusion.

39. Things you should DO in a presentation • Prepare an audience analysis. • Organized the presentation to flow from one section to another. • Prepare and rehearse the presentation. • Visit the room where the presentation will be given ahead of time. • Tell the audience in the introduction your subject, who you are, and your qualifications to speak about the subject. • State your main ideas at the beginning. • Provide adequate support for your ideas. • Integrate relevant, supportive, and attractive audio-visual aids into your presentation.

40. Use words that express your ideas clearly. • Use acceptable language, pronunciation, and enunciation. • Dress appropriately. • Avoid distracting body movements. • Maintain eye contact with the audience. • Display enthusiasm and genuine concern for your subject. • Use appropriate tone. • Use transitional devices, words, and phrases coherently. • Allow time for a question/answer period. • Answer questions credibly. If you don't know, say so. • Start and stop your presentation on time.

41. Things you should AVOID in a presentation • Don't be late for the presentation. • Don't be afraid to pause and take a deep breath or two before you begin (or during your presentation, if required). • Don't hyperventilate; just relax and breathe normally. • Don't speak in a monotone or mumble. • Don't read your notes. • Don't sit or lean on the desk or lectern. • Don't hide behind the lectern. • Don't sway or rock in place. • Don't pace back and forth. • Don't forget your audience • Don't avoid eye contact.

42. Don’t waste too much time introducing the topic • Don't use technical terms unfamiliar to your audience provide clear explanations and definitions. • Don't hold the pointer when you're not using it (but don't forget where you placed it, either). • Don't stand in front of your visual aids. • Don't leave the overhead projector, slide projector, etc. on if the screen will be blank. • Don't leave a visual aid in place that is no longer relevant to the current topic. • Don't forget that giving presentations is hard, but necessary if you are to be an effective communicator.

43. Answering questions After your presentation, members of your tutorial may ask you questions. Don’t be afraid of questions; they are a positive sign. They show that the audience is listening and interested. • Listen carefully to the question. Repeat or paraphrase the question so you are sure you understand it and so everyone in the audience hears it. • If it is a long question, try breaking it up into sections, and answer them one by one. • Be brief and to the point and avoid introducing new information. • If you don’t know the answer to the question, it’s OK to say so - you can’t know absolutely everything about your topic.

44. Don’t read your presentation word-for-word from a script or from PowerPoint slides - listening to someone read aloud is boring for an audience. Aim to talk instead. Always have an introduction and a closing line Always state the objective IMPORTANT

45. Size, layout, font (typeface) and size, colors. • Layout should be pleasant and easy to read: horizontal/landscape layout preferable. • Fonts: Ariel, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Futura, Optima, Verdana, New Schoolbook and Courier. Some companies impose a particular style. • Font size - maybe 24 or more depending on the size of the room you will speaking in. A good idea is to use different sizes for different types of text. Usually vary between 20 and 36. • Use CAPITAL LETTERS, bold face, italics, underlining, reverse (white on black) or shading to highlight. • If possible, use color transparencies (unless you are just showing text).

46. Using dot points in PowerPoint • It is best to: • • Use a stem sentence or a heading for each group of dot points. • • Have one group of dot points per slide. • • Use 3-7 dot points per slide. • • Print out a complete set of dot points for yourself, with extra wide spaces between dots. This will be your ‘script’. • • Under each dot point on your script, put in anything you want to say. This may include clarifications, examples, jokes, relevant stories, short questions, segues to the next group of points etc. This is for you alone; others will just see the intensely summarized dot points.

47. Figures, Graphs, Text A good presentation must contain a balanced number of figures, graphs and text. Figures are mainly used to show experimental setup or help the viewer to actually monitor a process while the presenter is explaining it. They are preferred because they are easy to read, they explain themselves and contain only relevant information. Plus, afigure gives the presenter to readjust his timing Graphs are used to show measurements and compare them with theoretical values. Tables are usually avoided. Text is kept to a minimum and usually bullet points are used. It is a common mistake to use too much text. It will make the viewer bored.

48. Overall Structure The PowerPoint presentation as mentioned before consists of the introduction, the main body and the conclusion. The introduction slide is usually a single slide which has your company name/organisation/university, your full name and the project tile. After the introduction slide is the objective of the course and a short description of what is to follow in the presentation. In the main body a short background information is given followed by the methodology, the experiments, the results, measurements and analysis. Last is the conclusions in which the main findings and conclusions of the project are highlighted. Sometimes as a last page it is useful to have an overview figure of the project which will remain displayed while answering to the viewers’ questions.

49. QUESTIONS??