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 he best way to
give the impression that you know what you are talking about,
is really to know what you are talking about. This means that
you should understand your subject well, and be able to answer related
questions. On the other hand,
it is impossible for any one speaker to be able to answer all
questions that might be asked. There is no shame in answering
``I don't know'' to a question that is asked in fact, this answer
is preferable to an incorrect or misleading reply, or a ``stab in the
dark.''
Of course you must know when and where your presentation is to be held, and,
if necessary,
what specialized audio-visual equipment (slide projectors, videocassette
recorders, etc.) is available. You can usually count on the availability
of the ubiquitous (overhead) viewgraph projector.
Discover that your pens are dried out before your presentation!
Technical presentations
invariably rely on some sort of visual aid, usually slides or viewgraphs.
(Whatever they are, they will be called slides in these notes.)
More will be said about preparing these later.
You should find out how long you are required to speak,
and aim to have your presentation fit
within the allotted time. One good way to judge the presentation
time is to rehearse your presentation ahead of time. Another
method is to count slides; if you know your average rate of going
through the slides, this can work quite well. The author uses
the ``one simple slide per minute'' rule of thumb; most people use
fewer. Experiment to determine your own rate. If, for some
reason, you find yourself running out of time, don't be afraid
to skip slides.
It is a good idea to keep your slides well organized in a folder,
binder, or notebook during your presentation. This allows
for easy retrieval during the question period, when, almost inevitably,
somebody will ask you to put up a slide from your presentation.
You may want to prepare three or so back up slides for anticipated
questions. Such slides could present interesting details that are peripheral
to the main chain of reasoning, for example.
It is also handy to have a couple of blank slides around, so that
you have something to write on when
have to explain something not covered in your other slides.
You might want to practice your presentation at least
once before a friendly (or simulated unfriendly) audience a couple
of days before your presentation. Talking to a mirror can also help,
but even better is a tape recorder, since you can play it back and
hear yourself as others will hear you.
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f you have nothing to say, you cannot give an effective talk.
Assuming that you do have something to say, it
is important to identify at the outset just what it is that
you are trying to communicate. Write
down a short list of important points that
you want to make (no more than 3 or 4). These points are often called the
``take-away message,'' that is, the message that the audience
should be receiving if your presentation is to be effective.
Your entire presentation should focus on presenting the take-away message
in a clear and convincing way. Guard against making your take-away
message overly complex, as this will only overwhelm the audience.
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