Assignment skills: Oral presentations

This interactive video will help students identify the basics of good oral presentations.

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• Just like an essay or report, you'll need to plan your presentation.  You need information on the topic, presentation length, presentation style (i.e. with a PowerPoint), along with other things like where and who you will be presenting to. 
   
• Practice your presentation before presenting - rehearsals should be used strategically to edit content; make sense of the way you're presenting the subject; and to help ease your nerves.  Don't over rehearse either! 
   
• Pay attention to presentation structure. Your presentation should have an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion, and you should move through these sections in order. 
   
• Use notes or your PowerPoint to prompt you; don’t rely on memory alone. 
   
• Speak clearly, using a variety of tones in your voice to hold interest. 
   
• Be aware of your body language, and don’t forget to make eye contact with your audience. You can also use body language to boost the energy of your presentation. 
   
• Engage with your audience by asking them for questions.

Quick tips sourced from: 
Becker, L. (2020). Give great presentations. Sage Publications. 
Burton, G. (2013). Presenting: Delivering presentations with confidence. HarperCollins.

Helpful resources

• Support for Oral Presentations, UNSW Australia -Useful guides and tutorials for presentation skills