Title: How to give a BAD oral presentation of your final year project and how to give a good presentation,
1How to give a BAD oral presentationof your final
year projectand how to give a good presentation,
too
- Presented by
- David Mutchler
- (who has both attended and given many bad talks)
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technologyand the
University of Mauritius - David.Mutchler_at_Rose-Hulman.edu
2Outline
- Two parts
- Part 1
- I will demonstrate how to give a BAD
presentation. - So that you can avoid the mistakes I make!
- Part 2
- Some specific advice for how to give a GOOD
presentation - Including some details about the format of the
final-year presentations
3Outline of this part of the talk
- Youve just seen
- Mistakes to avoid!
- Now
- Advice for doing a GOOD final-year presentation
- But different people ? different styles of
presentation. - Outline
- What to say
- How to say it
- Visual aids
- Delivery Getting through to the audience
4What to say
- For ANY talk (not just final-year talks),to
determine what to say,you must know - Who is your audience?
- How long is the talk?
- What are the goals of the talk?
5What to sayWho is your audience?
- Educated people (students and staff) in your
field - Your supervisor and examiner
- Assume that they have NOT read your final year
report. - But realize that they can absorb technical
material quickly. - Some fields (but not CSE, usually)
- Mock exam with internal examiner.
- Second exam with external examiner.
- But mock exam is critical!
6What to sayHow long is your talk?
- Different fields ? different formats,so ask your
supervisor! - In computer science, entire talk (including
demo) - For teams of 230 minutes, of which 5-10 is for
questions - For teams of 3 or 445 minutes, of which 10-15
is for questions - In some other engineering fields 10 minutes per
student, I think (but ask your supervisor!) - In any case it is a VERY SHORT talk!
7What to sayWhat are the goals of your talk?
- Motivate audience to learn more about your
project. - Convince the examiner to assign you high
marks!Your examiner will want to learn - What is your project?
- What did you accomplish?
- Whole team, each individual.
- Did you do high-quality work? Lots of work?
- How difficult was your project?
- Do you understand your project and the work you
did?
8What to say summary
So the examiner knows what your project is and
what you accomplished
- Emphasize the main results.
- Dont get bogged down in details
- You are familiar with the material,the listener
is not. - The examiner can go into details at question
time. - But do include some of your most impressive work.
- CSE Demonstrate your software
- Since you cant do this in your report
- Add any important results obtained since the
report.
So the examiner knows the quality of your work
9How to say it structure your talk!
- Here is a common format for a 30-minute,2-person
presentation in computer science - Introduction explain what the project is 3
min. - Summary of your contributions 2 min.
- Person 1 her most impressive work 5 min.
- Person 2 his most impressive work 5 min.
- Demonstration of the software 8 min.
- Conclusion summarize 1 min.
- Question time 6 min.
- But use whatever format shows YOUR project best.
10How to say it Introduction
- Define the problem.
- Critical!
- Be clear and complete
- DONT assume the listener is familiar with your
project - DO assume the listener will pick up technical
material quickly. - Include only necessary background related work.
- Motivate the audience.
- Why is the problem important? How does it fit in
the larger picture? Why is the problem hard?
Applications? - Provide a road-map of the rest of the talk.
11How to say itSummary of your contributions
- List what you accomplished in your project.
- What are the main results?
- Organize the list into groups
- Use language/ideas you introduced in the
Introduction - This is often the only thing the listener will
remember! - Indicate what the team accomplished
- Indicate what each individual accomplished
- Help the examiner judge
- the quality of the work
- the quantity of the work
12How to say itPerson 1 her most impressive work
- Here is a possible outline (person 1, then person
2) - Very briefly indicate scope of your work (if a
team project) - Show the quantity of your work
- DONT try to say everything you did.
- The talk compliments (not repeats) the written
report. - DO explain something you did that is
- Impressive, high-quality
- Important, a major part of the work
- Explain that one thing clearly, using technical
language - How does it fit in the project?
- What is it? Why challenging? Show the quality
of your work. - Use an example? Screen shot? Graphs? Demo?
???
13How to say itDemonstration of your software
- Must be VERY smooth demo
- Ready to go at a button-click
- You know exactly what you will show
- Everything must work exactly right
- Practice, practice, practice! Test on the host
computer! - Best if it shows both
- The big picture what did the project
accomplish? - The quality of the work
- Critical for some projects, less critical for
others. - Maybe merge with Most impressive work.
14How to say it Conclusion
- Repeat the main results.
- Hindsight is clearer than foresight
- You can now state results more clearly,using
appropriate technical terms. - Weave results into a cohesive whole.
- Make observations that would have been confusing
if stated earlier. - If time, give open problems and future research
- But probably not enough time for this.
- Indicate that your talk is over.
- Thank you. Are there any questions?
15What to say and how to say it summary
- Communicate only the key ideas.
- Dont get bogged down in details
- Remember your goals
- Motivate, summarize and demonstrate quality of
work. - Structure your talk
- Introduction (most important!), Contributions
- Most impressive work, Demonstration
- Conclusion.
16Visual aids
- What to use?
- What to put on them?
- How many to have?
17Visual aids what to use?
- Use PowerPoint slides (or their equivalent)
- Overhead transparencies or computer/projector?
- Transparencies simpler and more reliable.
- Computers/projectors much better for
demonstrations. - Number your slides.
- Make notes and have a copy of your slides in
front of you, but generally dont refer to them. - CSE You can assume an overhead projector and
LCD projector - If you need more (network connection? Special
computer?), see Mr. Seetohul and Mr. Sonah ASAP
18Visual aidsWhat to put on your slides?
- Key words and important points only.
- Avoid long sentences.
- If you can replace words by a picture/diagram, do
so. - Examples!!!
- The slides and your words are a partnership.
- Slides are for emphasis, clarity, precision.
- They also help the listener retain information.
- A good slide
- Underlines the key points for the listener.
- Acts as a cue-card for the speaker.
Note!
19Visual aidsHow many transparencies?
- In a short talk (up to 20 minutes of talking)
- 1 to 1.5 minutes per slide.
- So if you talk 10 minutes 7 to 10 slides.
- In a longer talk
- 1.5 to 2 minutes per slide.
- If you think you need more transparencies, are
you really presenting only the key ideas? - You can do more slides if
- You are an experienced speaker.
- The material is less technical.
20Delivery before the talk
- Have your slides and other equipment ready.
- Put your materials on any computers beforehand.
- Show up 15 minutes early.
- Dont write on the whiteboard (too slow).
- Dress appropriately.
- Depends on place and culture.
- At a job talk jacket and tie for men,
comparable clothes for women. - At a theoretical CS conference in U.S. more
casual. - For final-year project ask your supervisor or
other staff you trust.
21Delivery how to talk
- Dont read the slides.
- Augment them. Say them in different words.
- Dont use notes.
- Let the slides act as your cue cards.
- Talk slowly and clearly.
- Avoid um...
- Avoid impolite or overly informal phrases.
- Do use technical language. Dont use jargon.
22Delivery how to act
- Maintain eye contact.
- Control your motion.
- Dont block the slides.
- Use natural gestures.
- Appear vital, not hyperactive.
- Try not to fall off the platform.
- But if you do no problem!
23Delivery using animations
- Dont uncover a slide bullet by bullet.
- Each slide should be a whole.
- By showing it all at once, you allow the listener
more time and flexibility to grasp the ideas on
the slide. - If you think you must cover part of a
slide,consider dividing the slide into two (or
more) slides. - Exceptions
- Small and incremental changes that illustrate a
complex idea. - Example running an algorithm on an example.
- Interactive items where you want the listener to
think about a question before you show the answer.
24Question time
- Be prepared.
- What questions can you anticipate?
- Know your material!
- Think before replying.
- If you dont understand the question, ask for
clarification. - Be truthful, but never arrogant.
- It is OK to say I dont know.
- Contrast with It is not known.
- 3 kinds of questions
- Request for knowledge reply honestly as best
you can. - Selfish question reply with a compliment, if
possible. - Malicious question avoid an argument.
25Finally
- Practice, practice, practice.
- By yourself. In front of friends. In front of
advisor. - At least once with your actual slides and
equipment. - Practice the talk in Creole (or whatever) at
first,if that makes you more comfortable. - Confirm that your timing is OK.
- As you practice more, your talk usually goes
faster.
26Summary
- Different people ? different styles of
presentation. - Goal of this talk
- Help you develop a workable style of your own.
- I have given advice on
- What to say
- How to say it
- Visual aids
- Delivery Getting through to the audience,
Question time
27What to say and how to say it summary
- Communicate only the key ideas.
- Dont get bogged down in details
- Remember your goals
- Motivate, summarize and demonstrate quality of
work. - Structure your talk
- Introduction (most important!), Contributions
- Most impressive work, Demonstration
- Conclusion.
28Summary Visual aids
- Use PowerPoint slides (or their equivalent)
- Follow the PowerPoint guidelines
- Key words and important points only. A good
slide - Underlines the key points for the listener.
- Acts as a cue-card for the speaker.
- For a short talk 1 to 1.5 minutes per slide.
29Summary Delivery
- Be ready.
- Speaking
- Dont read the slides.
- Dont use notes.
- Let the slides act as your cue cards.
- Talk slowly and clearly.
- Do use technical language. Dont use jargon.
- Movement
- Maintain eye contact.
- Control your motion.
30Finally
- Practice, practice, practice.
- At least once with your actual slides and
equipment - Any questions?
- Some of the advice of this talk is from
- How to present a paper in theoretical computer
science A speakers guide for students - by Ian Parberry, 29 July 1993. Email
ian_at_ponder.csci.unt.edu