Presentation Guidelines

1. What is the topic of my presentation?
   Of course, you know this, but be sure your audience is fully aware of your goals.
   
   
2. Who is my audience?
   How would you like the information presented if you were a member of the audience.
   
   
3. What is the objective of my presentation?
   Choose main points and elaborate on them.
   
   Once you have answered these questions, you may then begin to outline your presentation. A speech may be divided into three parts:

1. Introduction/Opening
   • State your goal or ideas in general terms.
   • Share a relevant story, anecdote, or quote.
   • Startle them with a statistic.
   • Use a metaphor or comparison to your topic.
   • Use humor very carefully; it can be powerful and engaging, but jokes, as a particular form of humor, are risky and difficult to use successfully.
   • Any one or a combination of these introductory methods may be used in your opening to draw your audience into the presentation.
2. Body
   • Discuss your main idea(s) in detail.
   • Use supporting examples
   • Use visual aids to reinforce.
   • Reiterate your points.
   • Develop a theme.
3. Closing
   • Summarize your main points.
   • Restate your goal, in a memorable way.
   • Explain the value of your discussion.
   • Reiterate the plan of action or any future plans.
   • Return to the opening theme or story.
   • Share another relevant story, anecdote, or quote.

• No matter what types of visual aids you choose, remember the acronym KISS (Keep it Short & Simple) and the old saying "Less is More."
• Choose your visual aids carefully and make each one count.
• Determine if the information really needs visual representation - will it really help to explain your point? Too much information may overwhelm an audience.
• It is also important to prepare your visual aids so that everyone in the audience will be able to see the information. There is nothing worse than telling an audience, "Those in the back of the room won't be able to see some of the information on this slide, so I'll explain..."
• The speaker preparation room will be available for your use during the conference so that you may audition your visual presentation.

• The technology now exists that will allow presentations to be driven from a notebook computer; the same rules of thumb for slides (e.g., type face, color, size, etc.) apply for computer-driven presentations.
• Computer-based presentations increase the capabilities of the presenter; however, a speaker does not want to be upstaged by his/her visual aides.
• Please understand that your presentation time begins when you are introduced. To maximize your presentation time, please make sure any computer-based presentations are pre-loaded on your computer and ready to go when you arrive at the session room. You may take advantage of the Speaker Preparation Room for this purpose.

• Technical assistance is available upon request, but is not present throughout the session.
• Please be sure you know how to set-up your presentation, make good use of the speaker preparation room to work out any last minute difficulties.

• Practice, Practice, Practice!
• The presentation should be well rehearsed, as papers should not be read, but rather a presentation prepared.
• As you practice, be extra conscious of such things as elocution and time constraints.
• If you have practiced your presentation and are comfortable with your material and visual aids, then you will be a more relaxed, effective speaker.