Presentation skills

This resource will help you to:
•    Approach in-class and recorded presentations more effectively and confidently. 
•    Apply the principles of effective rhetoric, credibility, logic and emotion, to improve academic outcomes. 
•    Understand how to plan, structure and research an academic presentation strategically.

“An oral presentation differs from a speech in that it usually has visual aids and may involve audience interaction; ideas are both shown and explained” (Williamson, 2023, p. 45).

Oral presentations are a common form of university assessment: in class or recorded; individual or in groups. This is because in addition to providing an alternative to written assessments and tests, they develop the graduate attributes future employers are looking for. In short, developing your presentation skills improves academic outcomes AND employment opportunities.

Presentations are usually extemporaneous speeches, where both the message and the communication of the message are being assessed. In this genre, you are the expert on your topic and are sharing this knowledge with your audience, so content and delivery matter.

In group presentations, all members are expected to participate in the preparation and delivery. Approaching the task strategically helps produce equitable outcomes and respectful collaboration produces the team synergy that results in higher grades.  For example, aim for seamless transitions between discussion points and speakers; format slides consistently; rehearse together (lots).

It is important to keep it REAL and use the time strategically, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Relevant, eloquent, articulate and learned. Adapted from Scearce, J. (2014, October 2). Your cheat-sheet to public speaking. LifeHack.

Generally, there are three stages to develop a presentation:
1.    Preparing the presentation.
2.    Delivering the presentation. 
3.    Answering questions from the audience.  

As with any academic assessment, presentations enable students to demonstrate understanding of course concepts and critical thinking. This also helps the presenter(s) determine and prioritise research, content and structure.

Questions to ask when developing a presentation

•    What is the marker looking for? 
•    How can you present this in a way that connects with the audience? 
•    How can you share your knowledge about relevant course concepts convincingly by applying it to examples? 

Brainstorming ideas should happen well in advance. As a rule, there is an expectation that research drives the content process; this is usually evidenced by citations and a reference list.

Preparation AND rehearsal ensure the content is both delivered convincingly and relevant to the marking criteria. 

"Rehearsing a presentation will teach you more about how it is going to go than anything else you do before the actual event" (Nash, 2013, p. 145).

Presentation structure is important: think of it as a journey where you are the leader (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Your presentation is a journey.  Adapted from Scearce, J. (2014, October 2). Your cheat-sheet to public speaking. LifeHack.

Like an academic essay, there should be an introduction, body and conclusion in your presentations, but what you share needs to be delivered in a way that connects with the audience AND the marker, so: 

Introduction

Introduce yourself and the topic in a way that gets the audience interested and gives a preview: What is your thesis and what are the main premises you will cover? The audience should know where this journey is taking them and why they should care about what they will learn. 

Body

Body sections of an academic presentation need to demonstrate critical thinking by moving beyond simply summarising texts to provide: 

• Analysis: identify factors/examples/data from your own research and explain these by linking to course theory and literature.  
• Evaluation: explain and discuss your interpretation of factors raised and summarised.
• Synthesis: show the links and relationships between topics/key ideas, research and theory.
• Engagement: carefully plan how/when to reinforce main points cohesively.

Conclusion

Conclude with a succinct reminder of the main points and reiteration of your thesis: your takeaway message. If required, provide an opportunity for questions and reinforce the takeaway message to end the presentation.

“Creating a presentation differs from writing an essay in that the information in the speech must align with the visual aid. Therefore, with each idea, concept, or new information that you write, you need to think about how this might be visually displayed through minimal text and the occasional use of images” (Williamson, 2023, p. 46).  
 

A good academic presentation uses credibility, logic, and emotion to convince the audience that the speaker is trustworthy and knowledgeable, and they should care about the information being presented. Aristotle’s three modes of effective persuasion – Ethos, Logos, Pathos (Table 1) – are the foundation of a convincing delivery; critical thinking, preparation and rehearsal enhance ALL three of these elements.

Note. Adapted from "Logos, Ethos, Pathos" by McMurrey et al., 2023 (https://oercollective.caul.edu.au/communication).

Credibility (Ethos): Why should the audience believe you?

• Is the CONTENT researched from a range of credible, discipline-relevant sources and supported by citations ethically? 
• Is the DELIVERY convincing? 
  • Well prepared and rehearsed to improve confidence (not read from a script or memorised without expression). 
  • Material paraphrased to demonstrate the presenter’s understanding.
  • Professional appearance (the presenter and the slides). 
  • In group presentations, do the members demonstrate cohesive teamwork?

Logic (Logos): Why have you included the information and how is it presented? 

• Are the ideas RELEVANT to the course and the marking criteria? 
• Can the audience FOLLOW your discussion points from start to finish?
• In this context, like an essay, a clear STRUCTURE helps the audience follow along    
  • Present your thesis and overview in the introduction.
  • Body sections that progress clear sub-arguments: define key terms; provide examples to illustrate theory in practice; present strong data/evidence
  • Summarise the main points at the end to conclude.

Engagement (Pathos): Why should the audience care and how can you keep them interested? 

• Enthusiasm for your topic is contagious and sharing it in an interesting way will keep them listening. 
• Do not read a script (or memorise it word for word): use palm-cards with bullet points as this will improve eye-contact, vocal expression and body language. 
• Well–prepared visual aids and relevant props add clarity and interest.
• Rehearsal is vital! A well-prepared, confident delivery adds life to the message and maintains a connection with the audience, but it will also enable you to adapt when required.  
   

“How you explain your evidence and its relationships to other claims and evidence is just as important a logical appeal as the information itself” (McMurrey et al., 2023 p. 39).  

Ultimately, these three modes of persuasion are interconnected, like three overlapping circles; if you can create something with credibility, logic and emotional engagement peppered throughout, you will have a much stronger argument. 

This video (4:39 min) will teach you about Aristotle and his theory about persuasion.

This video (3:15 min) will teach you about ethos, pathos and logos.

This video (3:27 min) will provide your with some great public speaking tips.