Chapter 6: Preparing for a Presentation
Learning Goals
- List the key factors required to prepare an effective presentation
- Identify steps used to create a presentation
- Plan to deliver an effective presentation with confidence
Introduction
The thought of sharing our ideas publicly can be a great challenge to overcome. Whether we become sweaty or jittery, public speaking can make us forget what we want to say, feel silly in front of our audience, or ruin our chances of securing a desired job. Regardless of your experience with public speaking or verbally pitching an idea, there are ways to manage your emotions and reactions so that, hopefully, you can move forward and feel proud of your performance.
Preparation
Preparation is key to ensuring a good presentation. Once you have estimated the time it would take for the preparation, segment the remaining days to approach the different sub-topics. Make sure to give yourself an appropriate amount of time to gather the research, prepare any slides/visuals, and practice the delivery.
Practice
You can practice by recording yourself delivering the presentation. You can then watch the recording to catch any errors.
Making flashcards for the presentation can help you practice the delivery. If presentations come easily to you, you can keep this part of the process brief. But if you’re someone who prefers to plan exactly what to say, flashcards might be a good option. Recording yourself while practicing the presentation
can be beneficial in multiple ways. Watching a recording can often help you catch errors that you might have missed while preparing. The recording can also serve to recall all the information that needs to be presented (in place of the flashcards). Flashcards can be used for quick recalls, and recordings can be used for a more detailed recalling process [1].
Energy
Preparation alone cannot pave the path for a good presentation. Make sure you’re not skipping meals or compromising sleep to make time for practice and preparation. This advice is often good advice in general, but especially when there’s an important presentation coming up. Watching someone full of energy presenting information can contribute to the audience’s positive experience thereby increasing their engagement with the information. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try to disconnect a little and give yourself time and space to breathe. Remember to consider what the audience needs (Chapter 1).
Presentation Day
Make sure you’re fully rested on the day of the presentation. Give yourself plenty of time beforehand so that you can be mentally sharp and ready. If you often find yourself jittery before presentations, try to practice deep breathing, yoga, or meditation at the start of the day of the presentation to help settle your nerves. You might also hold a pen or a small paper clip while presenting (if the audience will not be distracted by it) to help release some of your nervous energy.
More Ways to Prepare for Presentation Day
There is a lot of information on the internet about preparing for a presentation. From improving oral language and creating interesting slide decks to how to structure your presentation, there are resources for almost any concern you might have. Below, we’ve provided additional resources to help you plan.
(1) Lucinda Atwood and Christian Westin’s e-book, Business Presentation Skills: Speaking and Presentation Skills for Business, is hosted by BC Campus (British Columbia, Canada). You can access this e-book using this link [3].
(2) Video 1, below, provides explanations about the “dos and don’ts” of creating effective presentations [4]. Remember that part of creating a presentation is ensuring that all of your sources are cited and referenced appropriately. In this e-book, we’ve been encouraging (and demonstrating) IEEE style, but be sure to confirm which style your organization, team, or professor prefers.
Video 1. The Dos and Don’ts of Creating Effective Presentations [4].
Once your presentation is created, you can practice delivering. Sometimes it’s helpful to deliver the presentation to friends or family, or even to your pets. If you do not have anyone who can support your practice, consider delivering the presentation to a mirror so you can see yourself or record the delivery so you can assess what you’d like to change afterwards. Video 2, below, offers tips on how to deliver effective presentations [5].
Video 2. Tips on How to Deliver an Effective Presentation [5].
Tips for Virtual Presentations
Presenting virtually is a very different experience from presenting in person in front of an audience that you can see. The following pointers may be useful in ensuring that you communicate successfully during these virtual presentations.
- Set up your tech: It’s critical to have the right environment to host and attend virtual meetings. Before you begin your presentation, make sure your microphone and webcam are working and the internet connection is good with sufficient bandwidth.
- Set up the background: Setting up your background with a blank wall or another orderly design will appear more professional than a messy space with personal items behind you. A virtual background is an excellent option if an aesthetically appealing live background isn’t possible. In virtual meeting tools, you can choose and set up any background you like.
- Be specific and synchronized: You are not physically connected to the audience during a virtual presentation. Making your point and transitioning from one topic to another is certainly one of the most critical aspects of a virtual presentation. You must relate what you just said to what comes next when you move from point to point. Identifying transitions clearly between subjects and slides is a great way to re-engage your audience in your presentation.
- Connect more with the audience: The more you interact with your audience, the more they will interact with you, making your presentation more effective.
Keeping the entire audience attentive during a virtual presentation can be difficult. Try to find ways to encourage them to speak up — converse with them and connect with them. Many virtual meeting platforms have engagement tools like raising hands, chat boxes, and breakout rooms for added interactivity.
Finally, remember that it is unlikely there will be long-term damage if your presentation is not as successful as you had hoped. Bad presentations often turn out to be learning experiences that help you improve the quality of your presentations in the long run. Be sure that you’ve prepared well, you’re feeling ready, and you do your best. Good luck!
Key Points
- Create an organized presentation that flows from one point to another
- Create flash cards that have information about the presentation in bullet points to help you remember the talking points while you practice
- Include appropriate citations and references for your presentation in the style required by your organization, team, or professor.
- Record yourself while practicing to observe your tone and the speed at which you speak — it’s easiest to make changes *before* the actual presentation date!
- Get proper sleep the night before your presentation
- Try to calm your nerves by breathing deeply, taking a walk, or holding a pen (or find a way for you to feel confident that we have not included here)
References
[1] M. Shwantes, “9 Helpful Tips to Calm Your Nerves Before Speaking,” 2017, https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/9-simple-tricks-to-overcome-your-fear-of-speaking.html [Accessed January 1, 2022].
[2] G. Lay, “Standing Ovation”, [nd], Noun Project [online]. https://thenounproject.com/icon/standing-ovation-969109/
[3] L. Atwood, C. Westin. Business Presentation Skills: Speaking and Presentation Skills for Business. BCCampus. E-book. [Accessed January 1, 2022].
[4] Algonquin College Library, How to Create an Effective Presentation, (Jan. 20, 2016). [Online Video].https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXYxManvI8E. [Accessed Nov. 12, 2021].
[5] Algonquin College Library, How to Deliver an Effective Presentation, (Jan. 20, 2016). [Online Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4y1OO9rppA. [Accessed Nov. 12, 2021].
