Most college courses require students to give a presentation at some point during their studies, and for many students the prospect fills them with dread. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending upon your perspective, the inherent nature of graduate jobs means that at some point there will be a requirement to present to or address an audience. College presentation is good preparation.
The prospect of a college presentation is so distressing for some that they waste time worrying and vital preparation time is lost. Worrying is counterproductive, so you must put it out of your mind. The fact is that confidence is a great antidote for nerves, and a college presentation that is well researched and properly prepared will give you that confidence.
The opposite is also true. I have known students who have been so sidetracked by fear that they have been unable to concentrate upon the task at hand, leading to sub-standard preparation, and in turn promoting a lack of confidence which equates to increased nerves. You need to break the cycle! Focus on the work and the nerves will to a greater extent take care of themselves. Don't forget once completed, it will be easier the next time.
If your college presentation is to be assessed, the first step is to read the assessment criteria. Look at how the points are allocated and gear your efforts accordingly. Take particular note of the time limit; keeping to a time specification is a vital part of the presenter's skill, so ensure that yours is spot on. Too much under the allotted time, and you will have probably failed to do your subject justice; over run, and as interesting as you subject may be, you will fail to demonstrate your ability to plan effectively.
Decide on whether you are going to use a visual aid, and if so, what kind. Aids tend not to be mandatory but their use is advantageous for four reasons:
1. They add quality and will make you look more professional.
2. They make it easier for your audience to follow.
3. They can provide you with a prompt so you don't have to rely on cards.
4. They take the attention of the audience away from you.
Your subject matter will probably dictate the type of visual aid you will be able to use. Flip charts and transparencies still have their uses, but the favorite for many now is 'PowerPoint' which is simple to use and very effective. Whatever you decide, make sure that you use a font size that is easy to read, and use a clear heading. Place bullet points around 4-6 per page to avoid cramming in loads of information.
Do your research, know your stuff, and don't forget that knowledge equals confidence!
Make sure that the information flows in a logical sequence, once you have it planned out practice, practice and practice some more.
Don't just run through it in your head, actually speaking the words will take longer than thinking them - remember that time limit!
It's a common mistake to think successful people are just born that way. Footballers, golfers, advocates, actors, artists, writers - no matter what the field, successful people have one thing in common: they practice and keep on practicing until they get it right. So must you!
When your college presentation is complete, the next thing to consider is how you are going to present yourself. Don't turn up in jeans and sneakers - show your audience and the occasion some respect. If you look professional, you will act professionally and if you are being assessed you will gain extra points.
If you are unfamiliar with the audiovisual equipment, make sure that you have a couple of practice sessions so you know how to use it.
When the moment arrives to deliver your college presentation, wait until everyone is seated and quiet, introduce yourself, and tell the audience the subject that you are going to examine. Make eye contact with a couple of audience members periodically throughout your talk.
Unless you are supremely confident and time is not an issue, you will not want to be disrupted by questions, as this may throw you off course and will eat into your allotted time. Inform your audience that you will take questions at the end. At least if you are being graded, the assessor will know at what point the talk ended and the questions began.
Relax and enjoy, it will get easier!
Sam Collyer:
Related: College Presentation