General Resources: Presentation
Tips
Strategies for Public Speaking
Strategies for Writing Papers and Giving Speeches
Strategies for Public Speaking
Here are a few strategies pertinent to public speaking:
- Be prepared. Know your topic well.
- Develop rapport. Smile and maintain eye contact
with your audience.
- Take note of your audience. Notice when your audience
agrees with you or looks puzzled or confused.
- Develop visuals. When it is appropriate, use overheads,
slides, handouts, and demonstrations. They can add drama, reduce your stress,
and reinforce your speech. Just make sure the type on your visuals is large enough
to read, the projector works, and you have practice working with the visual aids.
- Prepare your prompters. Don't memorize the speech,
but be well versed on your topic that you are comfortable just talking about it.
Prepare notes to prompt yourself. Put key phrases down in large letters, with
stories and quotes on note cards.
- Practice. Rehearsal is everything! Practice the
speech several times out loud, in front of a mirror, an empty classroom, or to
friends. Practice speaking slowly and calmly, but louder than usual. Vary the
pitch and speed for emphasis.
- Avoid unecessary words. Use clear, concise words.
Don't use pauses as fillers, irritating non-words, or overused, annoying slang,
such as "uh", "um", "you know", "stuff like
that", "sort of", "like", and so on. Use pauses for emphasis;
then take a deep breath and go on.
- Review your performances. Ask your instructor and
other students for feedback. Be open to learning and strive to improve.
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Strategies for Writing Papers and Giving Speeches
- Determine your purpose and set a schedule.
- Brainstorm ideas and choose the best. Limit your topic.
- Do reading and general research. Prepare a bibliography.
- Develop an outline.
- Analyze and continue research.
- Refine your purpose and start writing and speaking!
- Revise and shine. PRACTICE!
- Edit and proof.
Use this handy checklist for papers and speeches.
