Senior Project Senior Project Presentation TipsPresentation TipsFeracoFeraco

Search for Human Potential + SDAIESearch for Human Potential + SDAIE

14 May 201414 May 2014

Content and ConductContent and Conduct Your emphasis during your project should Your emphasis during your project should

be on the material that someone wouldn’t be on the material that someone wouldn’t gather simply by watching a person do gather simply by watching a person do your job a couple of timesyour job a couple of times The “hidden realities,” as I’ve called them The “hidden realities,” as I’ve called them

elsewhere, or just information that’s elsewhere, or just information that’s interesting and not necessarily well-knowninteresting and not necessarily well-known

We’re chasing insights about all else – We’re chasing insights about all else – careful observations that you worked hard careful observations that you worked hard to obtainto obtain

Don’t refrain from sharing them now!Don’t refrain from sharing them now!

Content and ConductContent and Conduct Your supplemental material should Your supplemental material should

amplify your presentation, as should your amplify your presentation, as should your activities and demonstrations activities and demonstrations Don’t just include them for their own sakeDon’t just include them for their own sake

Remember to elaborate on each point, Remember to elaborate on each point, within reason: you really don’t want to within reason: you really don’t want to end up reciting bullet pointsend up reciting bullet points

It’s much more interesting to mention a It’s much more interesting to mention a point within a sentence, then follow that point within a sentence, then follow that with another sentence or two that makes with another sentence or two that makes the point’s relevance clearthe point’s relevance clear

Content and ConductContent and Conduct The occasional use of personal anecdotes or The occasional use of personal anecdotes or

experiences can go a long way towards experiences can go a long way towards sustaining audience interestsustaining audience interest We don’t want to hear too many of them, but a couple We don’t want to hear too many of them, but a couple

can add a personal touch to the proceedingscan add a personal touch to the proceedings Philosophies or views are even better: when you Philosophies or views are even better: when you

contextualize information instead of simply contextualize information instead of simply reciting it, you come across as someone who was reciting it, you come across as someone who was intelligent enough to study and care about the intelligent enough to study and care about the material you’re giving us…which, in turn, makes material you’re giving us…which, in turn, makes said material seem more valuablesaid material seem more valuable

Don’t forget to include the basics – not just Don’t forget to include the basics – not just career information, but assumptions, career information, but assumptions, introductions (don’t just launch into the career), introductions (don’t just launch into the career), aspirations, whether the career choice proved aspirations, whether the career choice proved feasible, and future plansfeasible, and future plans

Content and ConductContent and Conduct Dress appropriatelyDress appropriately. No skirts well above the . No skirts well above the

knee, no sneakers, no ties over shirts that aren’t knee, no sneakers, no ties over shirts that aren’t buttoned all the way up, etc. buttoned all the way up, etc.

It’s not rocket science once you get used to it, It’s not rocket science once you get used to it, but some presenters still struggle with this due but some presenters still struggle with this due to limits on either experience or wardrobe to limits on either experience or wardrobe Your clothes won’t get you a job, but they can definitely Your clothes won’t get you a job, but they can definitely

cost you an opportunity to get one.cost you an opportunity to get one. Don’t shift and sway; project confidence with Don’t shift and sway; project confidence with

your posture and stanceyour posture and stance Try not to stand in the same place for too longTry not to stand in the same place for too long

Even if you don’t want to be a pacer, you should still Even if you don’t want to be a pacer, you should still cover at least some of the ground around the classroom cover at least some of the ground around the classroom

Content and ConductContent and Conduct Try to avoid over-gesturing. I know that I Try to avoid over-gesturing. I know that I

do this a lot myself as an enthusiastic do this a lot myself as an enthusiastic young Italian; some of us talk with our young Italian; some of us talk with our hands hands

Remember, however, that this is a Remember, however, that this is a presentation, and thus an environment presentation, and thus an environment that’s a little more controlledthat’s a little more controlled

Some gestures are good, even Some gestures are good, even encouraged. Just don’t overdo themencouraged. Just don’t overdo them (For example, you’ll have a laser pointer; point (For example, you’ll have a laser pointer; point

with it, and not with your hand, whenever with it, and not with your hand, whenever possible.)possible.)

Content and ConductContent and Conduct When you present, face forward When you present, face forward Don’t get caught standing for minutes at a Don’t get caught standing for minutes at a

time at a perpendicular angle to the rest time at a perpendicular angle to the rest of the class, and don’t turn your back on of the class, and don’t turn your back on them! them!

You’ll need to do this anyway because you You’ll need to do this anyway because you don’t have notes; if you’re facing forward, don’t have notes; if you’re facing forward, you can see your PowerPoint on the you can see your PowerPoint on the laptop screen, and you won’t have to look laptop screen, and you won’t have to look back at the board to remind yourself back at the board to remind yourself where you are in the presentationwhere you are in the presentation

Content and ConductContent and Conduct When you speak, your voice should be modulated When you speak, your voice should be modulated

– strong but not loud, hitting a number of – strong but not loud, hitting a number of different notes depending on the situation, and different notes depending on the situation, and so onso on

You obviously know to avoid lapsing into You obviously know to avoid lapsing into monotone, but you also want to avoid speaking monotone, but you also want to avoid speaking too quietly or shoutingtoo quietly or shouting

Warmth, passion, and humor will all help you Warmth, passion, and humor will all help you Some of you have dry senses of humor, or just Some of you have dry senses of humor, or just

come off as low-key peoplecome off as low-key people Both work fine during conversations, but you Both work fine during conversations, but you

have to bring energy to the proceedings have to bring energy to the proceedings You’ll probably be presenting in a dark room in front of You’ll probably be presenting in a dark room in front of

an audience whose members want to put their heads an audience whose members want to put their heads down, and you’re not allowed to beat them up if they dodown, and you’re not allowed to beat them up if they do

Given them a reason to watch besides fear!Given them a reason to watch besides fear!

Content and ConductContent and Conduct Don’t forget your audience, or only Don’t forget your audience, or only

interact with them once, and don’t limit interact with them once, and don’t limit your interaction to rhetorical questionsyour interaction to rhetorical questions Either risk their participation or get some Either risk their participation or get some

people who you know will watch to agree to people who you know will watch to agree to participate (even in specific ways) beforehandparticipate (even in specific ways) beforehand

Don’t shift your tone abruptly (say, go Don’t shift your tone abruptly (say, go from something depressing to something from something depressing to something really happy)really happy) Your audience will feel jerked around or self-Your audience will feel jerked around or self-

conscious and won’t know how to respondconscious and won’t know how to respond

Design and FormatDesign and Format Avoid “like,” “uh,” “yeah,” and similar nonsense Avoid “like,” “uh,” “yeah,” and similar nonsense

soundssounds At this point, you’ve had a little less than a At this point, you’ve had a little less than a

month to finish your presentationmonth to finish your presentation Your PowerPoint should be clean and error-free, Your PowerPoint should be clean and error-free,

and your speaking should be too – you’ve had and your speaking should be too – you’ve had plenty of time to practiceplenty of time to practice

You’ll get away with a couple, but not many more You’ll get away with a couple, but not many more than thatthan that

You are in front of an audience of peers, but you You are in front of an audience of peers, but you should be practicing “casual formality” – not should be practicing “casual formality” – not standing in front of a podium, but not winging it standing in front of a podium, but not winging it and presenting sloppilyand presenting sloppily

Conclude your presentation gracefullyConclude your presentation gracefully Don’t just stop, and definitely don’t end with a Don’t just stop, and definitely don’t end with a

“Yeah, so…that’s my presentation”; finish with a “Yeah, so…that’s my presentation”; finish with a memorable linememorable line (When’s the last time I dismissed you with a “So, (When’s the last time I dismissed you with a “So,

yeah…”?)yeah…”?)

Design and FormatDesign and Format When it comes to your design aesthetic – When it comes to your design aesthetic –

background, font, image placement, etc. – strike background, font, image placement, etc. – strike a balance between consistency and varietya balance between consistency and variety

You don’t want chaos in your design, but you also You don’t want chaos in your design, but you also don’t want every slide to look the same don’t want every slide to look the same

I get around this by moving my slide I get around this by moving my slide backgrounds through a series of color shifts, or backgrounds through a series of color shifts, or by including a variety of related images for my by including a variety of related images for my backgroundsbackgrounds

It takes a little more work, but the difference It takes a little more work, but the difference between presentations that have variety and between presentations that have variety and those that don’t is often the difference between those that don’t is often the difference between tolerable and acceptable tolerable and acceptable (Some students used various stages of drawings as (Some students used various stages of drawings as

backgrounds; every time they’d switch a slide, the backgrounds; every time they’d switch a slide, the background drawing grew more complete. It was a nifty background drawing grew more complete. It was a nifty effect!)effect!)

Design and FormatDesign and Format Transitions (structure-wise, not Transitions (structure-wise, not

PowerPoint-wise) should link each slide to PowerPoint-wise) should link each slide to the ones that followthe ones that follow Order matters as much as pace! Order matters as much as pace! You won’t be effective if you just give us a You won’t be effective if you just give us a

broad survey of informationbroad survey of information We want to learn in a controlled, polished We want to learn in a controlled, polished

settingsetting Transitions (PowerPoint-wise) should be Transitions (PowerPoint-wise) should be

quick and subtlequick and subtle Flashy and ostentatious ones not only Flashy and ostentatious ones not only

distract the heck out of your audience, but distract the heck out of your audience, but interrupt your delivery as wellinterrupt your delivery as well Transitions should be used to amplify your Transitions should be used to amplify your

momentum, momentum, notnot cripple it; you aren’t using cripple it; you aren’t using them for their own sake.them for their own sake.

Design and FormatDesign and Format Remember your transitions in advanceRemember your transitions in advance That way, you can start clicking to the That way, you can start clicking to the

next bullet – or even the next slide – as next bullet – or even the next slide – as you’re finishing your discussion about the you’re finishing your discussion about the current onecurrent one

If you have to wait after you finish a point, If you have to wait after you finish a point, especially for a long transition or for a especially for a long transition or for a slide to switch, it leaves you pausing slide to switch, it leaves you pausing awkwardlyawkwardly That’s a lot of awkward-pause potential if you That’s a lot of awkward-pause potential if you

have a presentation that runs over ten slides! have a presentation that runs over ten slides!

Design and FormatDesign and Format Don’t spend too long on one bullet, Don’t spend too long on one bullet,

and don’t spend too long on one and don’t spend too long on one slideslide

I can’t think of many reasons to stay I can’t think of many reasons to stay on one slide for much longer than a on one slide for much longer than a minuteminute

On the other hand, don’t flash On the other hand, don’t flash bullets too quickly or all at once, and bullets too quickly or all at once, and don’t show slides without transitions don’t show slides without transitions (there are exceptions); parcel out (there are exceptions); parcel out your information at a specific paceyour information at a specific pace

Design and FormatDesign and Format Avoid full-blown sentences (like Avoid full-blown sentences (like

everything in this presentation) as everything in this presentation) as bullets unless they’re necessarybullets unless they’re necessary

Quotes are fine, for exampleQuotes are fine, for example This presentation breaks the rules for This presentation breaks the rules for

note-taking purposes; don’t let yours note-taking purposes; don’t let yours look like mine!look like mine!

I’d rather hear your verbal elaboration I’d rather hear your verbal elaboration in this presentation than see you in this presentation than see you elaborate in writingelaborate in writing That’s what your paper is for!That’s what your paper is for!

Design and FormatDesign and Format Some colors, particularly when it comes to Some colors, particularly when it comes to

fonts, don’t project wellfonts, don’t project well Purple, especially richer shades, doesn’t show Purple, especially richer shades, doesn’t show

up against anything other than a white up against anything other than a white background background

Don’t choose your color scheme and aesthetic Don’t choose your color scheme and aesthetic randomly!randomly!

Shade your text boxes if necessaryShade your text boxes if necessary Skinny fonts Skinny fonts almost never workalmost never work Don’t just embolden your text: find fonts Don’t just embolden your text: find fonts

with substantialitywith substantiality You want readability above all else, and You want readability above all else, and

some fonts simply weren’t designed from some fonts simply weren’t designed from presentationspresentations Times New Roman works great for essays, but Times New Roman works great for essays, but

do you really want to see it blown up on the do you really want to see it blown up on the big screen?big screen?

Design and FormatDesign and Format Also, the bold command usually isn’t Also, the bold command usually isn’t

enough to make your font stand out enough to make your font stand out against your backgroundagainst your background

You need to also give the words some You need to also give the words some sense of depthsense of depth

That requires you to go into the “Font” That requires you to go into the “Font” command menu and choose “Shadow” command menu and choose “Shadow” If you do this in the Master screen, it will If you do this in the Master screen, it will

apply to all of your slidesapply to all of your slides

Design and FormatDesign and Format When you embed your images, make sure they When you embed your images, make sure they

don’t clash with the background you chosedon’t clash with the background you chose This is for those who don’t plan to make the background This is for those who don’t plan to make the background

itself the imageitself the image Your own visuals are always superior to Your own visuals are always superior to

something you can pull at random off Google – something you can pull at random off Google – not just because it makes your work feel more not just because it makes your work feel more organic, but because the images you produce are organic, but because the images you produce are often more relevant to what you’re presenting often more relevant to what you’re presenting than something you grabbed off a searchthan something you grabbed off a search

Similarly, Web images are better than clip art, Similarly, Web images are better than clip art, which comes across as amateurish unless you which comes across as amateurish unless you use it effectively (which is really, really tough to use it effectively (which is really, really tough to do)do)

Clip art is better than nothingClip art is better than nothing Don’t show up without visuals!Don’t show up without visuals!

Design and FormatDesign and Format Capitalize your slides consistently Capitalize your slides consistently The bullets should be short, so you should The bullets should be short, so you should

capitalize their words you’d capitalize in capitalize their words you’d capitalize in an essay titlean essay title Prepositions and the like remain lowercase, Prepositions and the like remain lowercase,

while nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. get the while nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. get the uppercase treatmentuppercase treatment

This goes for your slide titles as wellThis goes for your slide titles as well Similarly, you won’t really use end marks Similarly, you won’t really use end marks

in your PowerPoint in your PowerPoint The main exception occurs in your slide The main exception occurs in your slide

titles: if you’re asking a question there, titles: if you’re asking a question there, you have to include the question mark at you have to include the question mark at the endthe end

Don’t forget your Works Cited page!Don’t forget your Works Cited page!

Last Things LastLast Things Last If you encounter adversity, roll with it! If you encounter adversity, roll with it! I’ll be watching to see how you handle I’ll be watching to see how you handle

things if they do not, in fact, go as things if they do not, in fact, go as planned (say, if you drop a PowerPoint planned (say, if you drop a PowerPoint remote and it explodes mid-presentation)remote and it explodes mid-presentation)

Finally, remember that everyone in the Finally, remember that everyone in the room is rooting for you… room is rooting for you…

……Except the person scheduled to go after Except the person scheduled to go after you. you.

That guy hopes you bomb so he’ll look That guy hopes you bomb so he’ll look better. better.

Don’t look at him.Don’t look at him.