Welcome to the TEMC Presenter Development Page

The following are some tips to help you prepare your presentation ready for TEMC in October.

  1. Work to time

    Tailor your presentation to the timeslot. Speaking faster because you are running out of time is not going to help the audience. Keep an eye on the time and allow time for questions.

  2. Rehearse

    Practise and practise and practise!
    This will help you become more confident and say the words and sentences more smoothly and without hesitations or annoying interjections such as “erm, um”. You can ask a critical friend to listen and provide feedback.

    Practise more!

    Did I mention you have to practise?

  3. Avoid Reading

    There is nothing worse than reading from notes or reading from the Powerpoint slides. Written language is constructed different to the spoken word so your listeners will be able to understand you better if you tell the story, give examples and explain your topic. The main complaint about conference presentations is presenters who read their paper rather than talk to the audience. NEVER READ!.

  4. Engage with your audience

    Make eye contact with your audience and talk to them, not the Powerpoint slides. Use voice projection and use positive body language. Show confidence. Use the power of pause and slow down when you are nervous.

  5. Content

    Find the three main points of your talk and focus your energy on crafting your presentation around those points. Don’t try to cramp in too many points, as your audience will be overwhelmed and won’t be able to remember that much content.

  6. Structure

    Tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, and then tell them what you have told them.

    The introduction is very important as it needs to capture your audience’s attention and build interest in you and your topic. You need to establish your credibility and build rapport. In your introduction, explain the topic and preview the main points that you will be covering.

    The middle of your presentation should include your research method, the data collected, your research findings and the implications. Don’t overload your presentation with fact and figures. Avoid cognitive overload.
    In your conclusion, summarise the main ideas and reinforce the central idea. Leave a lasting impression because there is a good chance this is the only thing your audience will remember after attending numerous presentations.

  7. Visual aids

    Visual aids should be used to reinforce the speech, not replace it. The aid should not deflect attention from the presenter, nor should it detract from the message. Powerpoint slides are not necessary or even desirable in all presentations. If the slides are not relevant, they will only detract from the message you want to communicate. Although the slides are a comfort to the inexperienced conference presenter, they have the psychological effect of diverting the audience’s attention away from the speaker to the illustration, the graph or the slide.

    Powerpoint slides could be the most powerful tool if used well. Ensure you do not have too much data, complex graphs, too many words, pretty pictures that have no relevance to the topic, too small fonts, too many fonts and word art. Use the same typeface, size and colours throughout the presentation. Be brief and have only one or two thoughts per slide. People can not read and listen well at the same time. All your visuals and graphics need to be consistent with the topic. Good presentations target the audience’s left and right brain – intellectual and emotional.

    And finally, use spell check.

    Have you considered using Prezi?

Watch this video on presenting and public speaking tips