Chapter 26 - Oral Presentations

Advantages and Drawbacks of Oral Presentations
Oral presentations allow for face-to-face interactive ways to get what you're trying to tell across.


Avoiding Presentation Pitfalls
These presentations can represent you since they may be the only thing your audience knows from you.

Planning Your Presentation

• Analyze Your Listeners
• Work from an Explicit Purpose Statement
• Analyze Your Speaking Situation
• Select a Delivery Method
• Memorized Delivery
• Impromptu Delivery
• Scripted Delivery
• Extemporaneous Delivery

Delivering Your Presentation

• Research Your Topic
• Aim For Simplicity and Conciseness
• Anticipate Audience Questions
• Outline Your Presentations
• Plan Your Visuals
• Decide where visuals will work best
• Decide which visuals will work best
• Decide how many are appropriate
• Create a storyboard
• Decide which can realistically be created
• Select your media
• Prepare Your Visuals
• Be selective
• Make visuals easy to read and understand
• Look for alternatives to word-filled visuals
• Consider Available Technology
• Use Powerpoint or Other Software Wisely
• Check the Room and Setting Beforehand
• Rehearse Your Delivery

Delivering Your Presentation

• Cultivate the Human Landscape
• Get to know your audience
• Display enthusiasm and confidence
• Be reasonable
• Don't preach
• Keep Your Listeners Oriented
• Open with a clear and engaging introduction
• Give concrete examples
• Provide explicit transitions
• Review and interpret
• Manage Your Visuals
• Prepare everything beforehand
• Manage Your Presentation Style
• Use natural movements and reasonable postures
• Adjust volume, pronunciation, and rate
• Maintain eye contact
• Manage Your Speaking Situation
• Be responsive to listener feedback
• Stick to your plan
• Leave listeners with something to remember
• Allow time for questions and answers

Chapter 25 - Front Matter and End Matter in Long Documents

Cover Sheets
Should be used for long documents and center the information presented.


Title Page
Should be used to report the title, the author's name, the name of the person or organization that it's being submitted to, and the date of submittal.


Letter of Transmittal
Use as a gesture of courtesy to possibly:

• acknowledge those who helped in the report
• refer to sections of special interest
• offer personal observations
• urge the recipient to immediate action

Table of Contents
These should guide the reader to the information they are looking for. Some guidelines include:

• List front matter, numbering in lower case roman numerals
• Number end matter in arabic numerals continuing from page 1 of the actual report
• Include no headings
• Phrase headings just as in the report
• List headings at various levels

List of Tables and Figures
When the report has four or more visuals, they should be listed on a page for Tables and Figures.

Abstract or Executive Summary
This gives the reader a quick overview of the report without having to read the whole thing. Some suggestions include:

• Make sure it stands alone
• Write for a general audience
• Add no new information
• Present in sequence of identifying the issue, offering information on it, then including a conclusion

Glossary
This page alphabetically lists terms and definitions. This page should:

• Define unfamiliar terms
• Define special terms
• List all in alphabetical order
• Be listed in table of contents

Appendices
Should be added if large blocks of the relevant information would bog down the document. This includes formulas, experiments, and samples.


Documentation
Outside sources should be listed in alphabetical or numerical order at the end of the document.