A Presenter's Little

Instruction Book
 
 
 

by Thomas F. Piatkowski
 
 
 

Department of Computer Science
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008



 
Version : 20 July 1999
Copyright © 1999 by Thomas F. Piatkowski

 
 
 


INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

THIS BOOK has been created for and is dedicated to my students, especially those who are preparing for the first really important presentation in their academic lives -- a public thesis or project defense.
 

I am indebted to H. Jackson Brown, Jr. and his Life's Little Instruction Book whose style I have flagrantly emulated here.
 
 


1 
Dress to please your audience. If you don't know what to wear, dress conservatively... you can always become more casual on the spot if you need to. 
 

You do not want your appearance to interfere with the message you are trying to communicate.


2 
If you are presenting slides, stand as close to the screen as you can and use a pointer; this way you will block the view of as few people in the audience as possible. 
 

Avoid standing next to an overhead projector and pointing at your material directly on the slide.


3 
Do not put more than ten lines of text on a slide.


4 
Use a sans-serif font for slide text.


5 
Never put up a slide with material on it that you do not understand.


6 
Use color on your slides, especially in figures, to help structure the information.


7
If your slides must have fine print or fine granularity graphics; provide the audience with hand out copies before you begin your presentation.


8
Never make up an answer to a question.


9
If you don't understand a question, ask the questioner to rephrase it.


10
If you don't immediately know the answer to a question but you think you can formulate it with just a little time... buy some time by asking the questioner to rephrase it.


11
Some tactics if you don't know the answer to a question: 
  • Admit you don't know the answer and offer to get the answer back later.
  • Offer to meet with the questioner after your presentation to get deeper into the question.


12
Never lose your temper.


13
Preparing to give a presentation is like preparing to give a concert: to do a good job you have to practice, practice, practice! 
 

And you must practice answering questions, too.


14
Practice alone and practice in front of your buddies. Get them to ask you really tough questions.


15
Scope out where you are going to make your presentation. Figure out what is the best way for you to use the facility and to accommodate for any physical difficulties.


16
It is your responsibility to make sure that everything you need to make a good presentation is ready on time... this includes the sound system, the projection system, the computer system, the black boards and flip-charts, the lighting, the staging arrangements, etc...


17
Bring your own pointer.


18
Bring your own pens for writing on slides... and make sure they work well.


19
If you plan to use the blackboard (whiteboard) bring your own chalk (markers).


20
Don't move overhead slides around on the projector while you are talking...it is very distracting.


21
Consider using two slide projectors -- one for holding the point of reference in your presentation and the other for changing material.


22
Observe and learn from other speakers -- both good and bad ones. Pick out good techniques to emulate and bad habits to avoid.


23
Here is a suggested structure for your presentation and associated visuals: 
 

Title slide

Full agenda slide -- do an overview, then highlight your first major section

Section 1 material

Full agenda slide -- with Section 2 highlighted

Section 2 material

Full agenda slide -- with Section 3 highlighted

Full agenda slide -- with last section (Conclusions?) highlighted

Last section
 

Time for questions from your committee and the audience.


24
Prepare visuals and an oral delivery that is clear and elegant. 

This shows that you have a love and deep understanding of your material and that you respect your audience and the responsibility you -- as a teacher -- have to them.


25
Bring a copy of your thesis or report to your oral presentation and make it available to the audience at the beginning of your presentation.


26
The title slide, agenda slide, and all title lines of all slides should be in the same font.


27
The title lines of all slides should appear in the same locations... preferably at the tops of the slides.


28
All slide titles should be bolded and should be the same point size.


29
In your conclusion point out explicitly what were your original contributions vs. the state-of-the-art.


 
 

THE END