Presentation Skills Organising your presentation

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Unit 2.64 University English Entry Course (UEEC 10) UNSW Global

SUSTAINABILITY Presentation Skills

Organising your presentation

Learning outcomes

This lesson will help you achieve Course Learning Outcomes: 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

• Demonstrate information and digital literacy skills by locating, analysing, and evaluating learning resources.

• Engage proactively in tutorial style group discussions and delivers formal oral presentations on topics of a discipline-specific nature suitable for an academic audience.

• Communicate effectively with peers and university staff on subjects of an academic and non- academic nature.

• Demonstrate a reflective and self-directed approach to the learning process.

• Demonstrate critical thinking skills by analysing ideas, evaluating alternative views, making criterion-based judgments, and searching for well-informed answers to self-generated questions.

In this lesson you will:

• review requirements for the organisational structure of a research presentation;

• practise delivering an introductory statement to a research presentation;

• identify different stages and signal language in a sample UEEC research presentation;

• review signal language and reporting structures.

Learners should be able to:

• deliver structured oral presentations

• demonstrate rhetorical and discourse management skills.

UNIT 2

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University English Entry Course (UEEC 10) UNSW Global Unit 2.65

Task 1: Pre-lesson task

Read the UEEC Research Presentation Marking Rubric and prepare to discuss the criteria in the live lesson, using the questions below to guide you. Find the Rubric in the Assessment Guide. If you need to download the Assessment Guide again, see the Assessment Details page.

1. What are the criteria that you will be assessed on?

2. Do you know what to include in the introduction and the conclusion?

3. How should the content of the presentation be developed?

4. Which criteria do you need clarified? Prepare to discuss with your partner during the lesson.

Beginning the research process

Task 2: Reviewing mind-maps

Your teacher will select some examples of mind-maps that you uploaded in last week’s Presentation Skills lesson. Look at each example and discuss the following questions:

1. What is the proposed topic for the presentation?

2. Do you think this is a suitable topic for this assessment task? (E.g. is it relevant to the student’s field of study? Does it focus on issues which can be analysed in depth in an academic context?

Would it be interesting and engaging for the audience?)

3. What causes and effects of the problem has the student identified? Can you think of any other relevant parts of the problem that the student could investigate further?

Task 3: Forming a research group

Your teacher will help you form a group of 3-4 members. Ideally the group members will have similar future fields of study, but this is not essential. Your group will have a number.

1. Go to the Group Space in OpenLearning and join your assigned group.

2. Post a message saying hello to your fellow group members.

3. Read the information about the Group Space Activities and clarify any questions with your teacher.

Group Space in OpenLearning

You will be working with a group of 3-4 students to support you in the research process for your Research Presentation and Final Essay. These are the main items that you will share in your Group Space:

• Week 2: post your responses to two questions about your research topic and comment on at least one other group member’s post

• Week 6: upload a video of yourself in a group, reflecting on your presentation by answering two questions and comment on at least one other group’s video.

This group collaboration is designed to support you in your research and preparing for your presentation. You may also like to clarify the assessment requirements together, practice speaking and rehearse your presentations together.

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Structure of a presentation

An academic presentation should include:

 An introduction – a ‘hook’ and background as orientation, a purpose and an outline

 A body – main points & supporting evidence, using analysis and evaluation. This is where your verbal reference to sources are very important.

 A conclusion – findings, implications, future applications, recommendations

 Appropriate signposting phrases to clearly signal the different stages of the presentation

 Logical development and sequencing – the connection between ideas must be clear.

See Appendix 1 at the end of this lesson for more details about planning and structuring a problem- solution presentation.

Introduction section

The topic and focus of the presentation should be clearly stated in the introduction. The introduction should also be used to give an overview of the important points or main ideas to be covered during the course of the presentation. This should be short, clear and concise.

Introduction content

The function of the introduction is to:

• attract and focus the attention of the audience

• assist in developing rapport with the audience

• outline the presentation and orientate the audience to its main ideas.

The structure of an introduction should include a:

• brief orientation to the topic

• clear statement of purpose

• brief outline of the main ideas to be presented.

Task 4: Identifying strategies for introductions

The following strategies are designed to engage and orientate the audience in the introduction section of the presentation. These are referred to as ‘hooks’.Match each hook with its description.

Hooks Descriptions

1. A surprising statement 2. A hypothetical example 3. A question

4. Reference to a recent event

5. A quotation 6. A visual

7. A personal anecdote or story

8. A survey

a. An image or video can have a powerful impact.

b. Usually rhetorical which aim to stimulate thinking rather than to give an answer.

c. This makes the presentation topical but must relate directly to the main idea of the presentation.

d. This could be fact, an opinion, a reality or a projection.

e. Engage with the audience (E.g. “Raise your hand if…” or

“who has…?”)

f. If used, it is important to verbally reference the source.

g. An imaginary projection into the future or how the past might have been.

h. This must be brief and directly relevant to the topic.

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Task 5: Analysing strategies for introductions

Read the following introductory presentation statements. What hooks are used to engage the audience?

Statements:

1. It is interesting to think that, in 1999, the founders of Google were willing to sell their company to Excite for around $1 million. Excite turned the offer down. This was a phenomenal mistake on their part because Google is now worth a staggering $527 billion!

2. Okay, so how many of you here today are familiar with the term ‘electrosmog’? What do you think it might be referring to? …Anyone?

3. A well-known marine biologist, Jacques Cousteau, once said “With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea”. What does he mean by this? Well…

Signposting language

A good way to make your presentations effective, interesting and easy to follow is to use signposting language. 'Signposting language' refers to words and phrases that are used to tell the listener what has just happened, and what is going to happen next. In other words, signposting language guides the listener through the presentation. A good presenter will usually use a lot of signposting language, so it is a good idea to learn a few of the common phrases, even if you spend more time listening to presentations than delivering them.

For more examples of signposting language refer to Appendix 2 at the end of this lesson.

Task 6: Identifying signposting phrases

Look at the following useful signal language or signposting phrases with a partner and match each one with its purpose.

Useful signposting phrases Purpose

1. The aim of my presentation is to…

2. Now let’s move on to…

3. Johnston (2017) claims that…

4. Could I draw your attention to Figure 2?

5. As you know…

6. Wrapping up then…

7. This presentation will analyse… and evaluate…

8. Thanks for your attention. Are there any questions?

9. I am going to divide my talk into three parts.

10. The next issue I would like to discuss is…

11. Today I am going to talk about…

12. As you may be aware…

13. If you take a look at this data, you’ll see…

14. The topic of my presentation is…

15. Statistics from WHO (2019) indicate…

a. Introducing the topic b. Stating the purpose

c. Structuring the presentation d. Referring to audience knowledge e. Changing the topic

f. Referring to visuals g. Referring to sources h. Concluding

i. Ending and inviting question

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Body section

In academic speaking, one of our goals as presenters may be to persuade listeners to our position on a given topic. Our ability to persuade depends in part on the supporting evidence we provide. The body of the presentation serves an important role in this regard; it is used to convey and develop the main points outlined in the introduction.

Body content

Main points in the body should be expanded upon and supported with:

 reasons and explanations

 details and examples

 evidence and data

 evaluation and critical comments.

Supporting Evidence

A presentation must always include appropriate supporting evidence as support. This evidence must be verbally referenced by the presenter. It can be incorporated in the form of:

• Expert opinions or reference to authority

• Data and statistical evidence

• Examples

• Case studies

Task 7: Identifying supporting evidence

Match each type of supporting evidence with a quote taken from a presentation.

Supporting evidence Quote from a presentation

Expert opinion a. “Another interesting source of evidence comes from a recent study published in the Journal of Geoscience. Smith & Jones, the authors, investigated an incident in Mexico, where…”

Data b. “The threat of radiation from nuclear accidents has always been a concern. The events of Fukushima in 2011 shows us that…”

Example c. “According to Malcolm Knowles, who is a pioneer in the field of adult learning theory…”

Case study d. “Statistics released by the World Health Organisation in (2017), reveal that close to 70 % of…”

Tip: Remember to use appropriate evidence to support your assertions just as you would in an academic essay. You must remember to verbally refer to your sources. Your UEEC Research presentation should include reference to at least 3 different sources.

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Conclusion section

The conclusion is an important stage of the presentation in which all the main ideas are brought together, and their implications are discussed.

Conclusion content

A conclusion should contain the following:

 A restatement of the purpose

 A summary of the main points or ideas presented

 A concluding statement to the topic

o This could take the form of (1) a recommendation, (2) a future statement offering projections or applications for use, or (3) a discussion of likely outcomes.

 A closing statement to:

o acknowledge the end of the presentation o thank the audience for their attention o invite questions.

Task 8: Analysing a presentation

Watch a video sample of former UEEC students delivering research presentations. They demonstrate the key elements on which you will be assessed.

As you watch and listen:

1. note each of the key elements in the table below

2. note an example of the signposting language that the students use for each element.

Key elements Signposting phrases

1 2 3 4 5 6

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Task 9: Reflecting on the lesson content

Reflect on what you know. Tick the statements you agree with and consult your classmates or teacher about the ones you disagree with.



I understand the basic structure of a research presentation.



I know what to include in the introduction, body and conclusion.



I’m aware of the criteria that I will be assessed on.



I have some ideas of a technique I could use as a hook to start my presentation.

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I feel confident about the language I need to use for each section.

Post-lesson tasks – Group Space (Research Presentation Group)

Complete your week 2 task: post your responses to two questions about your research topic and comment on at least one other group member’s post

Post-lesson tasks – Individual

1. An impromptu speech is a talk you give without any preparation. Giving an impromptu speech can help you to practice your fluency and communication skills.

Record yourself giving an impromptu speech on video and upload it to the Live Lesson Share Space on OpenLearning. Watch at least one of your classmates’ videos and provide some constructive feedback.

Guidelines:

a. Choose a topic card with key points to refer to in your talk (see Appendix 5).

b. Speak for a maximum of 2 minutes without too much hesitation.

c. Try to structure your talk with a basic introduction, body and concluding statement.

d. Use linking words to help yourself expand (i.e. and, so, but, because, etc.)

e. You can spend one minute thinking about the topic or making notes before you start.

2. In the next Presentation Skills lesson, you will be required to give a brief introductory talk about your future field of study and the proposed topic and problem that you want to present. In preparation for this, plan a ‘hook’ to engage and orientate your audience.

The talk should be brief: about 2 minutes in duration. Visuals or PPT slides are NOT required. Come prepared to present to the class.

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Appendix 1: Planning a problem-solution presentation

Your presentation should follow a problem-solution format. You need to plan the structure of your presentation very carefully. Consider the:

• audience. Will they understand your chosen issue? Is it too technical?

• time limit. Speak for 15 minutes. Your presentation must NOT be less than 14 minutes.

• amount of information available. How much of it will you include?

• analysis and evaluation. DO NOT spend a lot of time on descriptive background information.

Structuring your presentation

Have a clear, organised structure for your presentation. Structuring a presentation is no different from writing an essay or a report; it requires an introduction, body and conclusion. Like an essay, these sections of your presentation need to fit together, and be linked clearly. Use the following structure guidelines to plan and present your research.

Introduction Suggested timing: 1 min

• Greet your audience.

• State your name, UNSW faculty and future field of study.

• Capture the audience’s attention with a ‘hook’ (E.g. question, fact, visual).

• Explain the aim of your presentation – the specific issue.

• Provide any necessary background or definition of terms.

• Present your purpose statement.

• Outline the main sections of your presentation.

Body Suggested timing: 12 mins

• Background

o Provide some background to the issue – keep this very brief.

• Problem Analysis

o Offer an analysis of the issue.

 Examine the causes and effects of the issue.

o Include evidence from source articles – verbally reference sources.

• Solution Evaluation

o Present solutions from source articles. Do NOT present your own solutions.

o Evaluate each solution by examining the benefits and limitations.

o Include evidence from source articles – verbally reference sources.

• Provide logical links between main points, explanations and examples.

o Develop main points by offering thorough explanations.

• Use visual aids to emphasise important information

o Interpret images, diagrams and data – do not let visuals speak for themselves.

• Use signpost language to guide your audience through the presentation, highlight key points and indicate the different sections of your presentation.

Conclusion Suggested timing: 2 mins

• Signal your conclusion with the phrase ‘In conclusion ...’

• Restate your main points.

o Show that you have covered all the points you made in your introduction.

o Do NOT introduce any new information.

• Explain how you have achieved your aim.

• Thank your audience for their attention.

• Invite questions.

Source:

The Learning Centre 2014, Planning and structuring a presentation, UNSW, accessed 19 August 2014,

<https://student.unsw.edu.au/planning-and-structure>

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Appendix 2: Presentation signposting language

You must demonstrate use of signposting language in your presentation. Use the phrases below and add any new phrases that you learn in the course to this table.

Purpose Useful signposting phrases

Introducing the topic • Today I am going to talk about…

• The topic of my presentation is…

Stating the purpose • The purpose of my presentation is to…

• I will argue that…

Structuring • I am going to divide my talk into three parts.

• First I will talk about… after that… and finally…

Referring to audience

knowledge • As you know…

• As you may be aware…

Changing the topic • Now let’s move on to…

• The next issue I would like to discuss is…

Referring to visuals • Could I draw your attention to…(figure X)?

• If you take a look at… (visual), you’ll see…

Referring to sources • (Author’s name) argues that…

• Statistics from (source) indicate…

Wrapping Up • So, to summarise…

• In conclusion…

Closing / inviting question • Thanks very much for your attention.

• Are there any questions about...?

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Appendix 3: Impromptu speech cards

Topic: Business & trade Issue: Globalisation

• Benefits:

• Drawbacks:

• My position:

Topic: Health & Fitness Issue: Exercise

• Importance:

• Barriers:

• My position:

Topic: Business & trade Issue: Free trade

• Arguments for:

• Arguments against:

• My position:

Topic: Conservation Issue: Freshwater scarcity

• Causes:

• Effects:

• ^Solution:

Topic: Conservation Issue: Animal protection

• Importance:

• Barriers:

• My position:

Topic: Society

Issue: Overpopulation

• Causes:

• Effects:

• ^Solution:

Topic: Society

Issue: Freedom of speech

• Arguments for:

• My position:

Topic: Society Issue: Free education

• Arguments for

• My position:

Topic: Society

Issue: Capital punishment

• Arguments for:

• My position:

Topic: Society Issue: Urbanisation

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: Renewable energy Issue: Solar power

• Benefits

• Drawbacks

• My position:

Topic: The environment Issue: Global warming

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: Health & nutrition Issue: Obesity

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: The environment Issue: Plastic waste/pollution

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: Renewable energy Issue: Wind power

• Benefits:

• Drawbacks:

• My attitude:

Topic: Society

Issue: Criminal behaviour

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: Healthcare Issue: Free for all

• Arguments for

• My position:

Topic: Society

Issue: Ageing of society

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: Society

Issue: Gender equality

• Importance:

• Barriers:

• Solution:

Topic: Energy security Issue: Nuclear power

• Arguments for

• My position:

Topic: Structural engineering Issue: Building collapse

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: Employment Issue: Unemployment

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution:

Topic: Employment Issue: Automation

• Arguments for

• My position:

Topic: Engineering

Issue: Space debris/garbage

• Causes:

• Effects:

• Solution: