Library Services
You will put a lot of work into your research or project and will be keen to show others what you have achieved or discovered, so you need to impart this knowledge as clearly as possible. Don't let your lack of presentation skills bring the whole of your message down. Delivering an impactful presentation to an audience is all about thoughtful design, thorough preparation and plenty of practice. This section should give you a solid foundation of advice and examples to help you make the most of your presentation.
As you improve your presentation skills, you will develop other skills like time-keeping and organisation. You will become more self-confident and persuasive in your communication, which is good for your studies as well as your professional work environment.
Here are some key considerations from the moment you start to plan to when you answer questions at the end.
Consider the presentation as a whole:
Careful preparation and creating a good structure for your presentation will yield good results.
The beginning and ending should be the bookends of your presentation, strategically placed to capture the audience’s attention, build your credibility and call to action.
Although these can bring a presentation to life, keep your slides uncluttered, showing only the relevant information as concise key messages.
Have a balance between text, images and blank space. Remember less is more!
Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse again!
Practice your delivery in the time scale you will be allowed. Practising the timing will help with your confidence and enable you to deliver a more impactful presentation.
Don’t rush. Speak more slowly than you think you should, as you always speed up with nerves.
Why not practise your presentation to a friend or colleague who can provide feedback?
Smile! You will appear more relaxed even if you do not feel it.
Think about your tone of voice and use of hands – try to keep elbows to your sides to reduce distracting arm waving.
When delivering a presentation as part of a team it is important to co-ordinate your portion with others in the team and not duplicate their presentation.
Make proper eye contact with the whole audience. You can do this by slowly glancing across the audience from the left to the right, and front to back of the room. Try not to keep looking at only one or two audience members.
Why not ask others for feedback or record yourself? What can you improve next time?
Nerves before presenting or public speaking are very common, even celebrities suffer from this. You can calm nerves and build self-confidence using a few techniques, some of which you will need to practise, such as through good thought patterns, developing pre-speaking routines and positive self-talk.
Here are some strategies that really do help you have confidence and reduce your nerves:
Once you are a registered student you can access the full range of online support via the Study Skills Hub.