ABSTRACT
We all know that making presentations is one of the greatest causes of anxiety. Few can actually say they enjoy the process. So why do your tutors insist that you should make them? In the last chapter we investigated ways of finding information, recording it and storing it, but, of course, it’s not a lot of use to you just filed away. Knowing how to present your learning is a really useful skill. You will be surprised how many times you might be called on during your career to make a presentation in a more formal situation. You may be asked to make a short presentation about an aspect of a job you are being interviewed for, or you could at a later date be making a presentation of your work at a conference, or trying to persuade clients. So, the more you participate in seminars and tutorials the better. Getting used to speaking in front of people is a good way to prepare you for making presentations. Oral communication cannot be taught; this chapter can only show you the way, so the more you practise, the better. Presentations are a particularly good way to consolidate your learning
about a topic, because you have to think carefully about the content and approach. Researching and learning about a topic in preparation for making a presentation often makes it easier to remember the information. Presentations also show to others what you know and understand. For instance, your presentation could be a very good way for your tutor to make an assessment of what you know. It can also help to make the subject clearer for your fellow students. For some students a presentation may allow them to show a wider range of skills, particularly if they feel they are better at talking than writing. Quite often you will be given a choice of topic and you will be presenting something that interests you. There are different types of presentation that you might be asked to make,
and for different reasons. Your presentation will most likely be 10 to 15 minutes long followed by a discussion. Usually only very experienced presenters are asked to talk for more than 20 minutes. Broadly speaking, the presentations you make will form part of your assessment process, but some may not. Those that
do may be assessed formally by your tutor and allocated a grade or mark, or assessed informally. In both cases you will most likely be given verbal or written feedback on your performance. Sometimes your peers will assess your presentation. This can also be very helpful as it will give you useful clues for improving your skills. You might also make informal presentations where you are not assessed. However, wherever possible, ask for feedback, because it always helps to know how effective you were. You may be asked to give a group presentation or to be part of a series of
presentations. This is one of the ways that tutors allocate the responsibility of sharing knowledge and making a session more memorable. Group presentations are also an excellent way for you to learn to work closely with colleagues. You may be asked to give a poster presentation. This is usually a visual
display of the topic you are presenting, which you are prepared to answer questions about or to explain to a small audience. It is a good way to help you understand your subject matter as you will need to be able to synthesise what you know into key points, diagrams, photographs or other visual forms in a sequence. You may be asked to demonstrate or explain a process or product, such as
showing how to prepare a recipe or diagnose a fault in a machine. Although there are some key differences in that you are more likely to be using objects rather than visual representations of them in a demonstration, the key points in this chapter also apply. You may also have to provide a written brief and for further information about this go to Chapter 7.
