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CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT OF NIGERIA
PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATIONS
FEBRUARY 2019

CIPM/PE1/005: PRESENTATION SKILLS (Regular)

Instructions to Candidates: Answer all questions in Section A, one case study question in
Section B and three complete questions in Section C.

Time Allowed: 3 hours

SECTION A
[20 marks]

Answer all questions in this section. Write out only the letter that corresponds to your
chosen option. Read every question in this section very carefully and select the option that
most correctly applies.

1. Environment of presentation does not include

(A) Venue of presentation and its facilities
(B) Lighting, technological devices and sitting arrangement
(C) Geographical weather and approval of programme
(D) Atmosphere of the presentation room/hall

2. A common problem identified with most presenters is

(A) Nervousness
(B) Poor delivery
(C) Poor time management
(D) Inability to complete content delivery

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3. …is usually the result of inadequate preparation.

(A) Voice articulation.
(B) Anxiety.
(C) Poor pronunciation.
(D) Over-confidence.

4. The presenter’s eye contact with members of the audience can elicit.

(A) Fear.
(B) Confidence.
(C) Emotional fitness.
(D) Psychological confusion.

5. Establishing eye contact with the audience is suggestive of

(A) Disregard.
(B) Psychological pride.
(C) Communication immunity.
(D) Effective communication.

6. Navigation slides on Microsoft PowerPoint tend to…

(A) Indicate the extent of content coverage, including where the presenter is going,
where the presenter has been and the current position of presentation.
(B) Indicate only what has been covered.
(C) Indicate areas of less emphasis.
(D) Help the presenter find out whether or not listeners are following up.

7. A mass media advertising campaign guest at a consumer protection forum with the
objective of allaying fears of purchase and consumption of a consumer product will be
more convincing by using
(A) Video clips.
(B) Statistics.
(C) Press release.
(D) Questionnaire.

8. During a public presentation, the burden of…rests on the…

(A) Integration/listeners.
(B) Coordination/audience.
(C) Integration/presenter.
(D) Presentation/control.

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9. PowerPoint slide sizes…

(A) Can be varied for effect.
(B) Are permanently constant.
(C) Can be permanently reduced.
(D) Are not adjustable.

10. Which of the following views does PowerPoint present?

(A) Slides orientation, view menu, view button and outline view.
(B) Workspace view, slide orientation, slide sorter view and Note page view.
(C) Slide view, outline view, slide sorter view and Note page view.
(D) Slide view, view icons, slide orientation and outline view.

11. At the stage of word processing and slide preparation...helps to correct errors.
(A) The slide sorter on PowerPoint.
(B) The cursor on the screen.
(C) The display icon on PowerPoint.
(D) The spell check tool on PowerPoint.

12. The speaker’s/presenter’s facial expression is suggestive of…

(A) Confidence.
(B) Mental readiness, mood and state of mind.
(C) Level of preparation and knowledge.
(D) Friendly communication.

13. Which of the following is not responsible for the presenter’s change of physical position
and movement during presentation?
(A) To enable everyone present to hear the presenter’s voice clearly if a
microphone is not being used.
(B) To attract everyone’s attention and focus all through the presentation exercise.
(C) To animate the presentation and prevent boredom.
(D) To prove that the presenter is in control and can demonstrate competence.

14. Appropriateness and cohesion of presentation material is revealed in the order of

(A) Number of slides, main theme and coverage.
(B) Fluency and chronological arrangement.
(C) Main title, sub-headings and outlines.
(D) Technical terms and arrangement of material.

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15. One way by which a presenter can facilitate audience understanding is to

(A) Use a different font for technical jargon.
(B) Display technical jargon in colour.
(C) Highlight and explain indispensable technical jargon.
(D) Increase the number of slides containing technical jargon.

16. As part of the ethics of public speaking and presentation, the speaker/presenter should
display
(A) Courtesy.
(B) Ambience of confidence.
(C) Friendliness.
(D) Exuberance.

17. Which of the following does a presenter embark upon once the area of coverage is
known?
(A) Work on how to overcome pressure.
(B) Research, planning and preparations.
(C) Decide on illustrations.
(D) Planning and collection of information.

18. …contribute to the credibility of a presenter.

(A) Clarity of thought and body language.
(B) Method of delivery and audience conviction.
(C) Social carriage and appearance.
(D) Intellectual capacity and language prowess.

19. Which of the following is characteristic of good presentation?

(A) Mode of presentation.
(B) Audience feedback.
(C) Clarity and distinction.
(D) Subtle compliments.

20. The concluding part of a presentation should…

(A) Use statistics to validate an argument.
(B) Ask questions.
(C) Highlight a case.
(D) Reinforce the essential points earlier discussed.
[20 marks]

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SECTION B
CASE STUDY
[20 marks]

Attempt only one case in this section. Study the case closely and respond to the questions
that follow.

Case 1: Re-defining Presentation Patterns with Technologies

The infrastructure of public and organized presentations is expanding by the day through
innovative technological developments. So is the horizon of presentations. About 23 years
ago, Microsoft and Lotus made important strides in real-time technologies with virtual
meeting rooms that could accommodate large group sessions on the Web. With Microsoft’s
NetMeeting, for instance, as many as 30 people could be connected at one time, sharing files,
audio, video clips, and other information. Lotus has developed Sametime, a technology that
evolved from its acquisition of Ubique, a pioneer of document-based awareness technology,
and DataBeam, which developed audio and video-conferencing applications.

On the Sametime server, co-workers could see who else was logged on, track who had read
which document, go through a virtual presentation, and communicate in real time through text
chat and instant messaging. Bulletin boards and e-mails keep everyone in the group informed.
Sametime technology was soon to be integrated into Lotus’s other worksgroup packages.

Collaborating in real time with colleagues over the Web will inevitable change the way people
work and share information. Gone are the days when managers hoarded information to retain
power. Technology has provided the platform for a team of managers, engineers and
marketers to reach decisions at presentations even if they are in different time zones.

Questions
1. (a) Do you see technology as posing a new challenge to presenters now in future?
Discuss your views, based on the context of the case above. [7 marks]
(b) Comment on the significance of presentations to teams working in collaboration.
[6 marks]
(c) Attempt a comparative description of efforts put into presentation before and
after the emergence of presentation-technology. [7 marks]

Case 2: Operation at Mutiara Hotel

There are many luxury hotels in Asia but few can compare with Mutiara, a 440-room top-of-
the-market hotel in Malaysia. The hotel’s General Manager presents a profile of the hotel’s
objectives and the strategic importance of running an effective operation. He says, “Managing
a hotel of this size is an immensely complicated task. Our customers have every right to be
demanding. They expect first-class service and that’s what we have to give them. Our staff
must be courteous at all times and also friendly towards our guests”. The manager continued,
“We take pride in quality which, to us, is about anticipating our guests” needs, thinking ahead
so you can identify what will delight or irritate a guest.”

The hotel does this in number of ways. Quality of service indeed means helping guests sort
out their own problems. Speed, in terms of fast response to customers’ requests is something
else that is important. “A guest just should not he kept waiting. If a guest has a request or
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needs, it must be sorted out now. This is not always easy but we do our best. We therefore
ensure that our hotel staff are multi-skilled. This is a deliberate policy for flexibility and focus
on maintaining international standards.” Dependability is also a fundamental principle of a
well-managed hotel. “We keep our promises to guests, and provide services timely. Drinks,
food, entertainment and laundry when on request are made available as exactly planned. We
give no room for excuses. Once we have done the planning, we anticipate possible problems
and plan how to cope with them, or better still, prevent them from occurring in the first place.”

Flexibility is another principle the hotel does not compromise. Flexibility means two major
things to the hotel. One is the ability to meet a guest’s requests, and the other is the ability to
cope with seasonal fluctuations in demand. Where and when necessary, the hotel signs on
temporary part-time staff to address high guest demands. The hotel maintains a policy of cost-
prudence by ensuring that food is not wasted. Focus is also placed on energy cost which is
about 6 per cent of total operating costs. Here, cost saving is achieved through minimal use of
energy. According to the manager, “Good service means our guests return again and again.”
Although cost savings are welcome, the hotel is very careful never to compromise the quality
of its service in order to cut costs

Questions
2. (a) What are the selling points of the hotel and how effective is the
presenter in presenting them? [10 marks]
(b) If you were a potential guest at the hotel, state with reasons whether
or not you would be readily convinced by the presenter. [4 marks]
(c) What specific objectives could be deduced from the case?
Would you use the manager’s approach as a marketing reference
point? [6 marks]

Total= [20 marks]

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SECTION C
Essay Type
[60 marks]

Answer any three questions in this section.

1. What is the structure of a good presentation? Describe vividly what you will do in a
stage presentation of not more than 20 minutes on ‘How to Improve Customer
Relations in the Telecommunications Sector.’ [20 marks]

2. Explain the necessity of obtaining background information about the audience prior to
preparation and planning of presentation. How does it contribute to presentation
effectiveness? [20 marks]

3. Discuss lucidly the factors you would put into consideration when called upon to
make an oral presentation. [20 marks]

4. Comment on the benefits and short-comings of visuals in online presentation with

specific reference to any five visuals. [20 marks]

5. A management intern made a presentation on ‘Outsourcing of Staff Audit and Its Cost
Implications to Organizations’ which lasted 35 minutes. A post-presentation
evaluation revealed that 8 per cent of the audience were indifferent; 46 per cent were
not convinced while another 46 per cent merely got along. What could have
presumably gone right or wrong with the intern’s presentation? [20 marks]

6. How would you effectively employ PowerPoint to convey product performance

information/data to select audience made up of sales executive and marketing
researchers? [20 marks]

7. How would you employ the 4Ps for mastering presentation to teach individuals who
are about to learn how to acquire the skills of presentation?

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