Determine your objectives for the presentation

• Do you want to inform, persuade, challenge, and/or entertain?
• What will be your central theme?

Analyse your audience

• What are their values, needs, constraints, knowledge level?

Consider your topic.

• You may be allocated a topic or you may be able to choose your own.
• Narrow your topic if you think it is necessary and if you are permitted to do so.
• Oral presentations are usually quite short so you need to focus most carefully on the title or area that you are to cover.

Brainstorm the topic.

• Working alone, or with someone, generate as many ideas as you can.
• Use these ideas to organise your research.
• Read and make notes around these ideas.

Research the topic.

• Research widely and selectively.
• Take notes wisely.
• Avoid noting any information irrelevant to the topic.

Prepare a preliminary outline or plan.

• Decide what you will include in your introduction, body and conclusion.

  Introduction: say what you want to achieve.

  Body: give the facts with logical persuasion.

  Conclusion: summarise and reinforce your argument and leave a memorable impression.

Write the rough draft of your presentation.

• The balance of introduction, body and conclusion will be about 15%, 60% and 25% respectively.
• For your introduction, you will need an interesting statistic, question or something to gain people's interest.
• The body of your presentation will need a logical organising principle (time, space, comparison and so on).
• Your conclusion will usually repeat some of what you have presented as you summarise your main points and discuss any implications or results.

Prepare your presentation notes.

• Type the notes for clarity.
• Use cards or sheets of A4 paper (find the method that best suits you).

Finalise presentation details.

• Place your points in logical order.
• Indicate on your notes where you will use visual aids and where you will make pauses.
• Finalise your introduction and conclusion.

Time your presentation.

• As a rough guide, you speak at around 150 – 170 words per minute. This means that an A4 typed sheet will take about 1½ – 2 minutes to present
• You will have a time limit for your oral presentation so abide by it. If you practise your speech you will know how long it will take to deliver.

Practise your speech.

• Consider your delivery.
• Make sure you can operate any equipment you choose to use.
• Tape yourself so you can identify the areas of weakness and improve on them.