How To Prepare Your Presentations
Presenting in front of your class can be pretty daunting, but efficient preparation can make things a lot less stressful on the day. I split my presentation prep into four sections; the content, the visuals, the script, and the live prep. This post will walk you through how to organise each section and will give tips on what elements you can add into your presentation to put you in the top tier marking bracket.
The Content:
Ground your presentation in one of the theories that you have studied throughout your course. One of the ways you could do this is by analysing how a particular theory helps to explain a certain subject/event. For example, your presentation could focus on how a feminist perspective helps to understand the rise in alt-right nationalism in the United States. A presentation of this style should first break down the theory that is being discussed and then apply this theory to the chosen event. By grounding your presentation in theory, you will demonstrate a deep understanding of the course material. You will also give your presentation a through-line, as each point you make will be demonstrating how that particular theory explains the event, providing you with an in-built argument.
Incorporate the perspectives featured in the main readings from your course that are relevant to your presentation. Consider whether these scholars use the same theory that you are focusing on in your presentation, or if they put forward an alternative theory. If they are proponents of the theory you are focusing on, use this as evidence as to why it is the most effective in explaining your chosen subject. If they argue in favour of an alternative theory, you could demonstrate why it is not as effective in explaining the event.
Critique the theory/scholars you’re focusing on. Consider the ways in which the theory fails to explain the example that you have looked at. You can advocate for other theories during this time. The theory you focus on doesn’t necessarily have to be the one that you agree with. You can use your presentation to explain the theory and to analyse why others support it, but still challenge it’s merit once you have done this.
The Visuals:
I always advocate for the use of power point/slides. Even if your professor doesn’t require you to use slides in your presentation, it will provide your audience with visual aids which will help you to convey your argument. It will also help to guide you and keep you on track throughout your presentation.
Don’t put block text in your slides. Only put in key points and quotes that you want to bring attention to and that your audience will actually be able to read in a short amount of time.
Use images as prompts to guide you in your speech and as a way to highlight the examples you are putting forward.
The Script:
Write out a full, detailed script—kind of resembling an essay. Then condense this script into flashcards, including only the most important points.
Familiarise yourself with the original script so that you know it well enough to expand upon the bullet points that you have put on the flashcards.
Number the flashcards so that you can be sure they’re in the right order when you’re reading from them.
Remember that your notes should only be there to keep you on track and to prompt you. You don’t want to have your eyes glued to a sheet of paper for the entirety of your presentation.
The Live Prep:
Practice, practice, practice! Do a bunch of run throughs of your presentation. Do it for friends and family, for yourself, for your teddy bears; just keep doing it. This way, when it comes to presentation day you’ll know it like the back of your hand.
If you have a time limit, practice to a timer to make sure that you’re staying within it.
On the actual presentation day , I like to pretend I’m hosting a Ted Talk and that all my classmates watching me are actually audience members who have paid to see me talk about my brilliant ideas. This helps me to see my allotted speaking time—not as a nightmarish abyss that could lead to me either fainting or throwing up—but as my space to speak about my ideas on a subject I’m interested in.
Remember that the heavy lifting has been done before the day of the actual presentation. So, on the day, all that’s left to do is show off your hard work! You’ve researched, you’ve practiced, you’ve got this!
Tash.
