Presentation Experience ?

[dropdeded 0]

I have to do a report and a presentation in a class and the intsructor has said that there are 20 different things we will be graded on as far as the presentation itself.He wont tell us what those 20 things are though.I do know that a couple are: knowledge of the subject (OSHA),using visuals,involving the audience(asking them questions)oh hell,I dont know.
The presentation itself is on a JSA (job safety analysis) for the whole Junior College and all its employees.
This is a first for me so any help is appreciated.

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[Unutsch 0]

just be calm and relaxed and learn a lot about the subject...

but if you get nervous, pick up the hotest babe in the audience and undress her in your mind, just make sure your won't get a bonner

Check out the site of the Fallen Angels FreeflY Organisation:
http://www.padliangeli.org

[RichM 0]

Done a fair bit, some pointers in general should include:

Use aids, white boards, overhead projectors, powerpoint presentations, etc.
Make sure you talk to the audience, not the aids.
Begin each section with an overview/objective so the audience know what you are talking about and why.
Close each section with a summary of the critical bits of that section.
If using powerpoint or something similar, stick to bullet points, dont be verbose, you want the audience focussed on you, not the screen.
Never use more than 10 bullet points, and aim to use no more than 6.
Supply handouts if relevant, so they can take away and read up on the bits they were asleep for ;)
Make sure the audience seating is comfortable and they have a good view of you and your aids.
Dont walk in front, stand in front, or otherwise obscure your aids.
If you dim the room for projectors ensure the room isnt too warm or the seats too comfy :)
Vary your voice, tone and delivery speed. Use emphasis on critical parts, don't waffle, be concise.
Use relevant jokes to keep their interest, should be fairly easy on a safety topic - show them some dangerous shit.
Get the audience to do a lot of the work by asking them questions.
Two basic wasy of presenting a topic:
1) sequential, just start at the beginning and go to the end in sensible chunks
2) hub and spoke, declare the theme (hub), deliver a spoke, return to the hub and show how the spoke fits, then out on another spoke, etc etc

good luck

Rich M

[wmw999 2,452]

What he said.
Things that matter for me:
Eye contact
smiles sometimes if you can manage it
3 steps: Tell them what they're going to find out, then give it to them, then a quick review of the high points
Try to have something in there that leads to a question -- a good question and answer session at the end is always good
Be physically comfortable. It shows.
Use language that's appropriate -- if you're talking to a bunch of college students, the vocabulary might be different from when you're talking to a bunch of engineers.
Spelling counts. Grammar counts
Your transparencies/handouts should supplement the pitch, and give them room to write notes for themselves.
A picture or two is always good.

Good luck, and may you not need it.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Gawain 0]

In addition to what others have suggested:

When looking over the audience, make sure you look to the entire audience.

When speaking, speak as though you are talking 1/2-beat slower (in your own perception). Be sure to enunciate your words.

Also, make certain you have some water available. Depending on the length of your presentation, you'll want some water, etc.

Don't move around a whole lot, and while using visual aids is very important, I would stick to no more than three (i.e. Powerpoint, white-board, handouts).

Go kick *ss!!

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[LouDiamond 1]

As an addition to what was just said. If you do opt to use power point presentations, watch the use of the sounds and animations as too much is a detractor. When using bullet statements on the slides, don't read the bullet statement, people can read and having a speaker read right down a list of bullets is a sure way to put people into a 9 G turn. In one word:

CONFIDENCE

if you exude it to the audience they will respond.
Don't be afraid to call on people to answer questions but make sure they are questions that have a relatively short answer or don't have too specific of an answer that the average person wouldn't have the answer to it. If they think you may ask them something they tend to saty alert for fear of embarassment

Try to avoid the "chained elephant" syndrom where you rock back and forth while presenting.
Avoid the "grip of death" on the podium if there is one and don't be afraid to move from behind it. Movment is good but make sure it isn't nervous movement. If you place a hand in your pocket don't play with your change, nuts, etc.

Laser pointers are a great tool but many people over use them or use them inappropriatly. Blinding your audience is not a good thing.

if you have notes, don't read right off of them and not look at the audience. either set your notes up in bullet fashion with relevant points or in a manner which allows you to quickly ID each topic. A ink pen or other utnesil can be used as a place marker to point to the next bullet that way your not hunting for your info when you look back at your notes.

AND THE NUMBER 1 THING TO AVOID: The dreaded "UUUHMMMS", "AAAAAAAAs" "YA KNOWS" and other verbal space fillers that most people interject into their speech when in front of a crowd. Overuse of a word or phrase will start the old "lets see how many times he/she says" game.

Know your material/subject and present it in a confident manner as you are the subject matter expert right then and there. If you don't have an answer to a question state it. "I don't have an answer to that question but I will research it and get back to you" is a good way of dealing with those moments and still allows you to keep your credibility.
If you state that you will cover something later on in the presentation be sure that you do indeed do that.

Take a few deep breaths before you start, smile, relax and remember..... YOU ARE THE BADDEST MUTHA FUCKER UP THERE.

Let us know how it turns out for you.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[Michele 1]

And in addition to those, Ed, remember two things...

1. You jump out of planes. That can kill you. Doing a presentation will not. Not one person in that audience will threaten you, hurt you, or otherwise create intimidation. The worst that will happen is you may bore someone. Big deal. So they get a nap! There is nothing to be concerned with, afraid of, or worried about.

2. Enjoy what you're talking about. If you really enjoy it, that will communicate itself to your audience, and to the instructor. Play, have fun, and bring that enthusiasm to your audience...

And if you get scared, remember the door, the joy, the freedom, and take a breath and leap!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[pilotdave 0]

Have nothing in your hands. No note cards or anything. No matter what you have in your hands, it will be a distraction.

Dave
www.skydivingmovies.com (coming soon? )

[kmcguffee 0]

DO NOT read the visuals you are using. That annoys the hell out of me. Everyone there should be able to read. Use them to remind you what you are going to talk about (like note cards).

"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin

[2fat2fly 0]

Don't keep your hands in your pockets. If I'm shooting for casual (Like when I'm presenting to my subordinates) I'll put my hands in for short periods and adopt a laid back, we're all together body language-but not for long. Also, take the keys, change, and stuff out so you don't jangle.
You'll do great.

I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried

[dropdeded 0]

Wow,great advice guys.Really appreciate all the input.
Rough draft on this deal is due thursday.I got a lot of work, and again,I appreciate the help.

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[skytash 0]

On the 'grip of death' point, someone once suggested using the flipchart/free standing whiteboard (if being used) as your item to do your grip of death on if you need to. You would be standing next to it, and the grip of death is not as obvious to the audience.

tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[RichM 0]

Quote

I have to do a report and a presentation in a class and the intsructor has said that there are 20 different things we will be graded on as far as the presentation itself.He wont tell us what those 20 things are though.I do know that a couple are: knowledge of the subject (OSHA),using visuals,involving the audience(asking them questions)oh hell,I dont know.
The presentation itself is on a JSA (job safety analysis) for the whole Junior College and all its employees.
This is a first for me so any help is appreciated.

dropdeded

If you think you'll be nervous, get a preachers book resty thing and start your presentation with a 3 min exciting video. Stand behind the book rest during the video and you gf who has hidden in there can give you a bj, that will relax you before you start

Rich M

[dropdeded 0]

Stand behind the book rest during the video and you gf who has hidden in there can give you a bj, that will relax you before you start
__________________________________________________

But,my wife,she'd fukin KILL me

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[kallend 2,027]

Quote

I have to do a report and a presentation in a class and the intsructor has said that there are 20 different things we will be graded on as far as the presentation itself.He wont tell us what those 20 things are though.I do know that a couple are: knowledge of the subject (OSHA),using visuals,involving the audience(asking them questions)oh hell,I dont know.
The presentation itself is on a JSA (job safety analysis) for the whole Junior College and all its employees.
This is a first for me so any help is appreciated.

dropdeded

I'm a college professor and regularly grade students on their presentations.

There's been a lot of good information in the thread, but I would like to emphasize a couple of points that I think are important and that often mar a student's effort if ignored:

Substance is more important than sizzle. I have sat through countless presentations that used all sorts of animations and movie clips, but had no useful information content in them (there are lots of web sites like that too).

Be professional in appearance and manner. People don't trust the professional opinion of anyone who looks like and speaks like a slob or a moron.

Have some kind of change in pace every few minutes - this helps keep the audience awake.

Make sure your audience understands why you are talking about any given topic - your introduction should put everything in context.

Have a summary that reinforces the important points.

Good luck.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[masher 1]

The pointers that have been given so far are pretty good, so I won't add to them.

However...

Quote

He wont tell us what those 20 things are though

This is bollocks.

You a doing a performance based assesment. You should know how you need to perform in order to pass.

I was involved in marking "Instructional Technique" at a cadet promotional course, and we had to make sure that all the cadets knew what they were being marked on.

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[kallend 2,027]

Quote

The pointers that have been given so far are pretty good, so I won't add to them.

However...

Quote

He wont tell us what those 20 things are though

This is bollocks.

You a doing a performance based assesment. You should know how you need to perform in order to pass.

I was involved in marking "Instructional Technique" at a cadet promotional course, and we had to make sure that all the cadets knew what they were being marked on.

That depends. It is perfectly reasonable to expect independent research on the part of the student. The information is out there - go and find it. In "the real world" you won't always have everything you need spoon-fed to you.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[masher 1]

Quote

That depends. It is perfectly reasonable to expect independent research on the part of the student. The information is out there - go and find it. In "the real world" you won't always have everything you need spoon-fed to you.

I was refering to the marks allocated to the actual presentation of the information, not the information itself.

I could write up 3 different presentations that gave the same info and get responses from snores to cheers.

I would give info on what I'm looking for in a presentation. I wouldn't tell you how to present it, or what to present.

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[dropdeded 0]

Well,today's the day.Thanks for all the tips and help.

Im actually pretty confident it will go well,a lot of work was put into it and I got some very useful advice from you peoples.
Besides,it aint like this could end up in the incidents forum if it DONT go well


dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[SkyDekker 1,465]

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Well,today's the day

Good luck bro.

[dropdeded 0]

Thanks man,Im watching my skydive videos to get me in the mood

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[wmw999 2,452]

Have a good one. The comment you made later about feeling pretty good about it is the best thing you can do -- you'll knock 'em dead.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Michele 1]

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Besides,it aint like this could end up in the incidents forum if it DONT go well [Wink]

Egggggggggggggzakkkkkkkly!!!!!

Go kick some ass and don't bother with names....you'll be fine! And let us know how it goes!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[dropdeded 0]

Allrighty,just took my math final,pulled a B 30 minutes til the presentation and all is well

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[RichM 0]

Hey, congrats and good luck

Rich M