Preparing for an Oral Presentation

The steps listed below are a suggested approach to preparing an oral presentation (CLC Staff 2011)

1.	Carefully study the criteria for assessment given in your course outline or course profile. Make sure you know exactly what you are required to do and on what criteria you will be assessed.
2.	Determine your objectives for the presentation. Do you want to inform, persuade, challenge, and/or entertain? What will be your central theme?
3.	Analyse your audience. What are their values, needs, constraints, knowledge level?
4.	Consider your topic. You may be allocated a topic or you may be able to choose your own. Narrow your topic if you think it is necessary and if you are permitted to do so. Oral presentations are usually quite short so you need to focus most carefully on the title or area that you are to cover.
5.	Brainstorm the topic. Working alone, or with someone, generate as many ideas as you can. Use these ideas to organise your research. Read and make notes around these ideas.
6.	Research the topic. Research widely and selectively. Take notes wisely. Avoid noting any information irrelevant to the topic.
7.	Prepare a preliminary outline or plan. Decide what you will include in your introduction, body and conclusion. Introduction: say what you want to achieve. Body: give the facts with logical persuasion. Conclusion: summarise and reinforce your argument and leave a memorable impression.
8.	Write the rough draft of your presentation. The balance of introduction, body and conclusion will be about 15%, 60% and 25% respectively. For your introduction, you will need an interesting statistic, question or something to gain people's interest. The body of your presentation will need a logical organising principle (time, space, comparison and so on). Your conclusion will usually repeat some of what you have presented as you summarise your main points and discuss any implications or results.
9.	Select and/or prepare visual aids.
10.	Prepare your presentation notes. Type the notes for clarity. Use cards or sheets of A4 paper (find the method that best suits you).
11.	Finalise presentation details. Place your points in logical order. Indicate on your notes where you will use visual aids and where you will make pauses. Finalise your introduction and conclusion.
12.	Time your presentation. As a rough guide, you speak at around 150–170 words per minute. This means that an A4 typed sheet will take about 1½–2 minutes to present You will have a time limit for your oral presentation so abide by it. If you practise your speech you will know how long it will take to deliver.
13.	Practise your speech. Consider your delivery. Make sure you can operate any equipment you choose to use. Tape yourself so you can identify the areas of weakness and improve on them.