Present like a pro: simple steps to boost your confidence and your grades
You may not think you’ll need presentation skills in the real world, but you’d be surprised by how many jobs will require some kind of public speaking—whether it be presenting at conferences, delivering project proposals to a board, leading a tour or teaching a class. University is a great place to hone your presentation skills and build your confidence—plus, you might score yourself a great mark along the way! Here are a few pointers to help get you on the right track with your next presentation.
Know your subject and assessment requirements
The first step is to carefully consider the assignment criteria and then get started on some thorough research. Following the criteria will help you plot the structure of the presentation and ensure you’re including all the necessary information. Once you’ve decided on your topic and structure, use your research skills to gather as much information as possible, so you can be confident you’re crafting a well-informed presentation.
Consider your audience
Who are you delivering the presentation to? A presentation on interpersonal skills in nursing would be pitched very differently to a group of registered nurses than it would be to a group of high school students. Make sure you tailor your language and content appropriately. Also consider pacing, the placement of visual aids, and balancing out more dry information sections with more active and engaging material to keep the audience listening.
Do a couple of test runs, and get your friends and family involved!
It’s important to practise delivering your presentation a few times. This helps you ensure length and pacing are right, that you’re comfortable with the language and flow, and that any technology you’re using is working correctly and easy to manage. Bonus points if you can practise on a classmate, family member or friend who can listen and provide feedback!
Nail your visuals
Your assignment might dictate that you need to accompany your presentation with PowerPoint slides, but if not, why not consider using Canva, Google Slides or another tool to create some engaging visuals? If you’ve been tasked with creating a video presentation, we have plenty of useful tips, tricks and technology ideas to help you on your way, including a tutorial on how to make infographics.
Reference!
What’s a library blog without a reminder to reference? Presentations may feel a little different to other assessment types, but you still need to reference your sources. Slides need to include in-text references when using direct quotes, images or figures that you haven’t created yourself. You’ll also need a final slide incorporating a full and properly formatted reference list. But as always, refer to your assignment criteria for specific instructions.
