EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION SKILLS The medium and the message

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EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION SKILLSThe medium and the
message

• Public Health Officer training day
• Monday 6 November 2000
• Janet Jones
• Learning Centre
• University of Sydney

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Outline

• 1. Points for reflection
• An Overview of your Presentation
• The Delivery Mode
• The Defence
• Visual Aids
• 2. The Practice

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An overview of your presentation

• Checklist
• why have I chosen this topic?
• why is it important / interesting?
• what are the consequences of present practice?
• what could be the consequences of improved
  practice?
• what was done about this practice in the past?
• what has been written about it?
• are there any gaps in the research literature
  about it?

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Checklist

• what are my specific aims / objectives/
  hypotheses in this project?
• are they realistic? - what can I achieve? what
  cant I achieve?
• how can I achieve my aims?
• has anyone else used the same methodology?
• has it any limitations?
• could there be any practical problems?
• what do I expect my results to show?
• are there any issues I can highlight for my
  audience?
• what areas of my topic am I happy to discuss?
• what areas of my topic would I prefer NOT to
  discuss?

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The Delivery Mode

• (1) make yourself comfortable
• (2) make your audience
  comfortable
• What are the differences between
• written academic language
• (the language of your paper)
• and
• spoken language?

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Effective oral presentation skills The medium
and the message

• PERFORMANCE OR CONTENT
• Most (93) of the impact of your communication is
  made by your voice and body language.
• In preparation and rehearsal we spend most of the
  time on the remaining 7 i.e. the content.
• YOU THE PERFORMER
• You are probably unaware from the physical and
  vocal habits that detract from your performance.
• You are probably unaware of your strengths as a
  presenter.
• Even when you have identified and acknowledged
  these habits they are very difficult to change.
• The greatest strength you have as a presenter is
  your individuality.

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Voice and Body Matters

• 40 of the impact of communication comes from the
  quality and power of the voice.
• We restrict and constrict our voice in many
  different parts of the body toes curl
  knees lock buttocks tighten hip sockets
  become rigid stomach muscles pull in and
  prevent diaphragm from expanding and
  contracting ribs are held tight shoulder
  blades stiffen upper chest freezes neck
  tightens jaw locks tongue bunches
  forehead clenches

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Written Text Spoken Text

• (1) It is generally held that dietary factors can
  influence the risk of cardiovascular disease and
  there is a growing perception that such factors
  may operate not only on blood lipid levels but
  also on the haemostatic system. However to date,
  the specific dietary factors and mechanisms are
  not well understood and opinions conflict.

• (1) Most people believe that that dietary
  factors can influence the risk of cardiovascular
  disease and increasingly, experts believe that
  such factors may operate not only on blood lipid
  levels but also on the haemostatic system. But
  so far, we dont really understand the specific
  dietary factors and mechanisms involved and
  expert opinion is conflicting.
• (2) Most of us believe that what we eat can
  influence the risk of heart disease, and
  increasingly, experts belive that things in our
  diet may affect not only our blood lipid levels,
  which are., but also the haemostatic system,
  which is.. But so far, we dont really
  understand actually, which factors in our diet,
  and how these work. Also, the experts cant
  agree either!

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Adjust language for talk for

• the level of technical language
• the complexity of word groups
• the level of impersonal language
• the level of formal and abstract language

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What does this mean for your delivery mode?

• POSITION closest to closest to
• written text conversation
• DELIVERY read from speak without
• MODE written paper notes
• Strategy
• decide where on the line you feel most
  comfortable
• help yourself to relax

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Strategies for making your audience comfortable

• give your audience a plan and follow it
• make the main points very clear, use verbal
  signals and emphasis
• get your timing right (practice with a tape
  recorder and identify some sections that are not
  vital to your talk towards the end - you can
  leave them out if you have to. Not the
  conclusion!
• relate to your audience body language, eye
  contact, interaction
• use appropriate visual aids to support your
  message

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The Defence

• Strategies
• (1) During your presentation avoid very strong
  statements or claims
• The use of seatbelts prevents physical injuries
  in car accidents.
• According to this study, the use of seatbelts
  can often reduce the risk of serious physical
  injuries in many car accidents.
• According to this study, the use of seatbelts
  can often reduce
• the risk of serious physical injuries in many car
  accidents.

distance yourself from the data
use a modal
use a weaker verb
limit the frequency
not all injuries!
not all car accidents!
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• (2) Be open and realistic (yet positive!) about
  any limitations or problems with your study.
• Although there were problems with the control of
  variables, the study showed that this direction
  of inquiry is capable of revealing some
  interesting trends....
• (3) Control your audience in the discussion
  open and closed questions.
• Are there any questions?
• you have tiven your audience an open invitation
  to ask you anything, and they will probably ask
  the very questions you find most difficult to
  answer
• Would you like more information about my
  sample?
• you feel on safe ground about your sample and you
  have already noticed signs of enthusiasm in your
  audience when you mentioned it earlier
• Probably the most interesting issues coming out
  of my research are............. . I wonder if
  anyone would like to comment?
• you are ready for anything in these areas - they
  are the highlights