Writing the Presentation

Know Your Topic

When faced with the task of giving a presentation, the first step you need to take is to do research. Whether you are an expert in the subject or know only a little about it, you need to do some research to come up with the right material for your lecture.

Writing the Script

Don’t try to achieve perfection, because you may never be satisfied with any of the results and end up spending more time than you anticipated without achieving the goals. However, this should not be an excuse for a poor presentation. Do make sure that you have some extra time available in your schedule for last-minute changes such as a new idea, which may come to light after you’ve written your script.

Now that you know what to include, it is time to start writing a script for your presentation. You may decide to read the script or memorise it, depending on your skills and abilities. Whatever you choose to do, it is very important to write a script – when writing something down, it is easier for you to establish your weaknesses or mistakes and try to correct them. Having a script helps you avoid improvising in your lecture, which is a dangerous risk to take as a presenter, experienced or not.

When all the changes are complete, you will have the final script of your presentation. It is now up to you to familiarise yourself with the script and learn it off by heart if you are intending to give the lecture as a talk with cue cards. Whatever you decide to do, try to be as natural as possible when you are presenting. Now the words are ready, it is time to back them up with some pictures, posters or slides.

A presentation plan is an essential piece of equipment for the presenter. It serves to guide you in the correct sequence and ensures that all relevant material is covered during the presentation.

It provides a check to see if objectives are being met, if relevant. It can be checked by others to see if the lecture plan and objectives are both working in the same direction and not against each other.

Click here to download a handout of tips for scriptwriting.

Summarise your Main ideas

It is fine to start with the body of the presentation first and do the introduction and conclusion later because, once your ideas are developed, you will know what it is you are introducing and concluding! Keeping in mind what it is you want people to do after your presentation, make a list of important ideas in achieving your objective. Categorise your list into main ideas, others that support them, and ideas that can be discarded. Two to five main ideas will be enough.

Support each main idea with a few supportive comments. These may be explanations, research data, anecdotes or other relevant ideas which add substance and merit to the main ideas.

You are telling your audience a story, and it is important to repeat the main points, for them to remember, throughout the lecture. Use the following guidelines:

• Every point must have a clear beginning, middle and end to it.
• Smooth transition from one point to the next.
• The audience will absorb a limited amount of information, don’t data overload.
• Jokes must be highly relevant.
• Avoid the use of unnecessary words.
• Phrase your ideas in the form of questions.
• Use appropriate analogies and things of an interesting nature.
• Maintain the level of energy and enthusiasm.
• Summarise regularly.
• Fit contents within the allocated time.

Click here to download a template for summarizing the main ideas.

Write the Introduction and Conclusion

Now that you know what your presentation is about, you are in a position to introduce and conclude it!

Introduction

In your introduction you have to grab the interest and attention of your audience, however, you should also try to space out additional attention-getters approximately every 10 minutes in the body of your presentation in order to keep both interest and your listeners alive. The fact is that every speaker needs some sort of acceptance from the audience if they are to accept what you say, they need some grounds for believing that you are in most ways the same sort of person as them and that you will present new and interesting perspectives/information on the topic.

Structure your introduction as follow:

The Conclusion

Your conclusion must not introduce new material or ideas. It is a wrap-up of what has gone before – the same ideas but perhaps expressed in different words.

It must clearly summarise the main argument, reinforce the benefits and remind your audience of the first step of the action plan. Try to find a punchy ending for your closing words.

Your closing will include the conclusion, that is, the summary of your argument. However, try to find an inspiring, challenging or moving phrase or sentence as the last thought which also encapsulates whatever it is you originally wanted people to do as a result of attending your presentation.

Hold the silence after your last word, without stepping down or away. Wait for and enjoy the applause and acknowledge it with a simple "Thank you."

Don’t bow even though you may experience a peculiar desire to do so!