The joy that is the oral presentation

[Crashing Doors]

Freshman year I took the Public Speaking course and did okay... but the past few semesters I've been awfully nervous and whatnot about giving presentations.

I tend to know what I'm going to say before giving my presentation, then when I go to do it I end up just reading off of my "tiny cue cards" and get marked down a little because I look like I didn't prepare enough. I generally don't care what people think about me, but something about getting up in front of other people... It's been worse since I've had all these sinus problems because it kind of throws off my voice (hard to explain).

Anyway, what kinds of things do you guys and girls do when you give presentations? What kinds of things do you do to prepare, what do you do to relax before presenting, etc?

 

[skooks]

Oh Christ, I go to pieces when I give presentations. I'm the worst. I shake so much you can hear it in my voice. So I have no advice. In fact I need some myself, I have a 15-minute presentation to give in a few weeks.

 

[elmo]

I tend to try to think of a verbal script in my mind during the couple of hours before the presentation. I don't write everything down on cue cards but take little bullet points that will remind me of the structure of the presentation... you know like which thing to talk about next. Like you said, you know what you're going to say before the big event so you only need a couple of words to jog your memory when the pressure's on. I used to get really nervous about speaking in front of people then I realised that I looked more stupid reading from a sheet of paper than actually just going for it. If you have a mental block... make a joke. People will be distracted while you get your bearings again. Most of all... don't worry! You know your stuff... and even your tutors/lecturers don't know everything so if they ask you a question and you don't know the answer tell the truth, say you don't know but you'll look it up and open it out for discussion instead.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

A few years ago I was the Training Officer with a few of the volunteer bushfire brigades near here, also the chairman of that committee for one of the local shires. I would teach people how to fight bushfires and teach other training officers how to best pass on the information.
Knowing the subject helped.
To do that in a set time meant knowing what was to be said and what amount of time was allowed. ie preparation.
I would have a cue cards, a clock and notes of how long was allowed for each topic, humourous comments, applause. Realising only ten minutes is left for a half hours lecture in how to read maps is not a good prospect.
If you keep to the specified time, covering everything you need to adequately and efficiently promotes the notion you know what you are doing. Regardless of how much bullshit you use.
So, know the subject, know what is to be said. The confidence you have in yourself, gained from the knowledge of the subject will promote the confidence / respect / participation / approval others have in you.