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SFL/METU 2014
Dept. of B.E.
SHO-Oral Presentation Guidelines

PRE-INTERMEDIATE GROUP
Oral Presentation Guidelines

In order to prepare a successful presentation, you need to take the following steps:
1) Choose an interesting topic that attracts the attention of your listeners.
2) Analyze your audience in order to decide on the material you will use.
3) Narrow down your topic so that your presentation will finish on time.
4) Do research on your topic by using:
Search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc.
Online advocacy groups like forums, communities, etc.
Newspapers and magazines
Books and references: use library card catalogs and online reference sources
Government sources: check out websites for the various branches of government
5) Prepare visual aids like photographs, posters, charts, graphs, videos, handouts, flyers etc. You can also
use the blackboard, OHP (overhead projector), or Microsoft PowerPoint. However, begin your
presentation with no aids. Use them at the most appropriate time in order to:
look more professional
add variety
help your audience focus on what you are saying
show relationships among ideas
help to explain the points you make more clearly
help the audience remember what you have said
6) Organize your talk:
Before the presentation:
a) Choose a title: The title of your presentation should prepare your audience for the content that you
will present. In this way, from the beginning of the presentation, your audience will know what you
will be talking about.
b) Prepare the body of your presentation: Arrange the points of your presentation in a clear, logical
way. Organize your ideas just like in an academic paragraph, with an introduction, with a body, and a
conclusion / summary.
c) Prepare a preview: After organizing your ideas, prepare a preview to give your audience an idea
about what you will say.
Example: My purpose today is to tell you what to do in the event of a hurricane. I will
cover three major areas.
o First, how to prepare for a hurricane.
o Second, what safety measures to take during a hurricane.
o Third, what to do after the storm is over.
AT THIS POINT, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR AND GET FEEDBACK FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION (10 pts.)

d) Prepare an attention-getting opener: At the beginning of your presentation, it is very important to attract
your listeners attention. Here are four possible ways to do so:
Ask your audience a series of rhetorical questions
Tell a story
State a surprising fact
State a well-known quotation

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e) Determine your style of speech: Determine the style in which you will present your topic. Style refers to
your choice of words, the length and structure of your sentences, and the tone, or attitude. Here are some
tips for creating an effective style:
Avoid speaking in a written style and using long sentences. In general, keep your sentences short.
Remember KISS: Keep It Short and Simple.
Avoid using excessive jargon (terminology) and abstract words. Explain any important words your
audience may not be familiar with.
Design your presentation with planned repetition. A balanced amount of repetition will help your
audience to understand the points that they couldnt catch in your first mention of them.
Announce each main point as you come to it. In this way, your audience will know when you have
completed one topic and are beginning the next one.
When you are moving onto a new segment of your presentation, state it clearly.
Do not memorize your presentation, and dont write out your whole presentation. Instead, use brief
notes, written on one page or on cards.
Use your voice well. Your words and sentences should be clear, correct and meaningful.
Be aware of how you use your body. Body language is very effective in keeping the audience
interested. Also, keep eye contact with the entire audience for the presentation.
f) Prepare a Summary: At the end of your presentation, you need to make a summary of the main points
that you have made throughout your presentation.
g) Rehearse (practice) your presentation until you feel comfortable.
DELIVER THE PRESENTATION (30 pts.)

After the presentation:
h) Ask the audience if they have any questions: When the presentation is over, you should make sure that
what you have talked about has been understood. Encourage your audience to ask questions, and be
prepared to answer them.
i) Reflect on your performance as a speaker, following the guidelines of the self-critique assignment at the
end of the handout, by writing a short paragraph on the strengths and the weaknesses of your
presentation.
COMPLETE THE SELF-CRITIQUE ASSIGNMENT (10 pts.)

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LANGUAGE FOCUS: INTRODUCING YOURSELF AND YOUR TALK

Greeting, Name, Position (for future use in business presentations)
* Good morning. (My names (...). Im the new Finance Manager.
* Ladies and gentlemen. Its an honor to have such a distinguished audience.)
* Good morning. Let me start by saying just a few words about my own background. I started out in ...

Title/Subject
* Id like to talk today about ...
* Im going to present the recent history ...
explain Turkeys position on ...
inform you about ...
describe a little-known phenomenon...

* subject talk
The focus of my presentation
topic paper (academic research)
speech (usually to a public audience)

Length
* I shall only take (...) minutes of your time.
* I plan to be brief.
* This should only last (...) minutes.

Outline/Main parts
* Ive divided my presentation into four parts/sections.
* They are
* The subject can be looked at under the following headings: ...
* We can break this area down into the following fields:
* Firstly/first of all ...
* Secondly/then/next ...
* Thirdly/ and then we come to ...
* Finally/lastly/last of all ...

Questions
* Id be glad to answer any questions at the end of my talk.
* If you have any questions, please feel free to interrupt.
* Please interrupt me if theres something that needs clarifying. Also, therell be time for discussion at the end.

Reference to the audience
* I can see many of you are ...
* I know most of youve put time aside to...
* You all look as though youve heard this before.

LANGUAGE FOCUS: ENDING
Signaling the end
* That brings me to the end of my presentation.
* That completes my presentation.
* Before I stop/finish, let me just say...
* That covers all I wanted to say today.

Summarizing
* Let me just run over the key points again.
* Ill briefly summarize the main issues.
* To sum up ...
* Briefly ...

Concluding
* As you can see, there are some very good reasons ...
* In conclusion ...
* Id like to leave you with the following thought/idea..

Recommending
* So, I would suggest that we ...
* Id like to propose ... (more formal)
* In my opinion, the only way forward is ... (a call for
action)
Closing
* Thank you for your attention.
* Thank you for listening.
* I hope you have gained an insight into ...
Inviting questions
* Id be glad to try and answer any questions.
* Any questions?

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Please note that you will be graded according to the rubric below.

Presentation Rubric

Organization and Presentation Mechanics and Fluency Eye contact and body language Visual aids



EXCELLENT
(9-10)



Student presents information in
logical, interesting sequencethat the
audiencecan follow

Each member participates in an
organized sequence. Each section
flows into the next with no
repetition of facts. There is smooth
transition between thespeakers.
Thegroup works together so that
thepresentation finishes on time

Presentation has no grammatical
errors

Student uses aclear voiceand
correct, precisepronunciation so that
all theaudience can hear the
presentation



Student maintains eye contact with
audience, seldomreturning to notes
Student uses visual material that
explains and reinforces thetext of
thepresentation


GOOD
(7-8)


Student presents information in
logical sequence that the audience
can follow

Only oneor two minor problems
not severely affecting presentation

Presentation has no more than two
grammatical errors

Students voice is clear. Student
pronounces most words correctly.
Most of the audience can hear the
presentation

Student maintains eye contact most
of the timebut frequently returns to
notes
Students visual material relates to
thetext of thepresentation


SATISFACTORY
(4-6)

Audience has difficulty following
presentation becausestudent jumps
around

Quite afew unpracticed areas that
takeaway fromthegroup effort

Presentation has three-four
grammatical errors

Students voice is low and/or student
mispronounces terms. Audience
members havedifficulty hearing the
presentation

Student occasionally uses eye
contact but still reads most of the
text/notes
Student occasionally uses visual
material that rarely supports thetext
of the presentation


POOR
(1-3)
Audience cannot understand
presentation becausethere is no
sequenceof information

Major problems with important
points making the presentation
seemunrehearsed and disorganized
Students presentation has fiveor
more grammatical errors

Student mumbles and/or
mispronounces terms, and speaks too
quietly for students in theback of the
class to hear
Student reads thetext/notes with no
eyecontact
Student uses unnecessary or no
visual material

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SELF-CRITIQUE ASSIGNMENT (10 pts.)

FORMAT:
1 paragraph (150-180 words)
Typed
Double spaced

WHAT TO DO:
Finish your presentation.
Reflect on your performance.
Rate the effectiveness of your presentation and your delivery according to the Presentation Rubric on the
previous page.
Write your paragraph answering the following questions honestly.
Put your paragraph in your writing portfolio.
WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT:

Provide an overall evaluation of your presentation:
- How would you rate the effectiveness of your speech?
- Were you satisfied with your performance?
Comment on your preparation:
- Did you allocate sufficient time and energy for the preparation?
- Did you practice thoroughly?
Comment on the presentation and its content:
- Do you believe that you provided your audience with an attention-getting opener?
- Do you believe that you provided your audience with an interesting content?
- Do you believe that you delivered the presentation in a clear and logical manner?
- Do you believe that you provided your audience with appropriate visual aids?
- Do you believe that you provided your audience with sufficient eye-contact and appropriate body language?
- Do you believe that you encouraged your audience to ask questions at the end?
Describe one thing that you did well in the presentation.
Describe one thing that you would change in the presentation.
Comment on the overall experience:
- How do you think you have benefited from the overall experience of presenting? Put your paragraph in
your writing portfolio.
PUT YOUR SELF-CRITIQUE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO.





Comfort, J . (1995). Effective Presentations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Carney, Josh and Karaba E, Ayen, Reading, Listening, Speaking, 2007, METU
DBE Materials Archive.
DML Materials Archive.