Formal And Informal Communication Network

Formal Communication
Definition: The Formal Communication is the exchange of official information that flows
along the different levels of the organizational hierarchy and conforms to the prescribed
professional rules, policy, standards, processes and regulations of the organization.

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The formal communication follows a proper predefined channel of communication and is
deliberately controlled. It is governed by the chain of command and complies with all the
organizational conventional rules. In the organizational set up the formal communication can
observe any of the following forms:

1. Downward Communication: The downward communication is when the

information passes from the management level to the subordinate level. This is
the most common form of formal communication wherein communication
flows downwards, i.e. from the people occupying top positions in the
organization to the people at lower levels.

It mainly includes orders and instructions and can either be written or oral depending on the
importance of the message and also the status of individuals involved in the communication
process. Reports, emails, letters, manuals, etc. are the commonly used communication tools.

2. Upward Communication: The upward communication is when the message

passes from the subordinate level to the management level. Here, the
communication flows upwards i.e. from the subordinates to the managers in the
form of request, reports, suggestions, complaints, and instructions.
3. Horizontal or Lateral Communication:Horizontal communication means
when the Co-workers with different areas of responsibilities, but at the same
level in the organization communicate with each other. The communication
between the managers of a different department, such as marketing, finance,
production, HR, is the best example of horizontal communication.
4. Diagonal or Crosswise Communication: When the employees of different
departments at different levels communicate with each other irrespective of the
chain of command, then the communication is said to be a diagonal or a cross-
wise communication. The communication between the floor manager and the
sales team is the example of diagonal communication.

The way in which the formal communication can be facilitated is called as the formal
communication network. There are several forms of Formal Communication Network that
individuals use to get their message transmitted to others.
Informal Communication

Definition: The Informal Communication is the casual and unofficial form of communication
wherein the information is exchanged spontaneously between two or more persons without
conforming the prescribed official rules, processes, system, formalities and chain of command.

Formal And Informal Communication Network

Formal Communication
Definition: The Formal Communication is the exchange of official information that flows
along the different levels of the organizational hierarchy and conforms to the prescribed
professional rules, policy, standards, processes and regulations of the organization

The formal communication follows a proper predefined channel of communication and is

deliberately controlled. It is governed by the chain of command and complies with all the
organizational conventional rules. In the organizational set up the formal communication can
observe any of the following forms:

1. Downward Communication: The downward communication is when the

information passes from the management level to the subordinate level. This is
the most common form of formal communication wherein communication
flows downwards, i.e. from the people occupying top positions in the
organization to the people at lower levels.

It mainly includes orders and instructions and can either be written or oral depending on the
importance of the message and also the status of individuals involved in the communication
process. Reports, emails, letters, manuals, etc. are the commonly used communication tools.

2. Upward Communication: The upward communication is when the message

passes from the subordinate level to the management level. Here, the
communication flows upwards i.e. from the subordinates to the managers in the
form of request, reports, suggestions, complaints, and instructions.
3. Horizontal or Lateral Communication:Horizontal communication means
when the Co-workers with different areas of responsibilities, but at the same
level in the organization communicate with each other. The communication
between the managers of a different department, such as marketing, finance,
production, HR, is the best example of horizontal communication.
4. Diagonal or Crosswise Communication: When the employees of different
departments at different levels communicate with each other irrespective of the
 chain of command, then the communication is said to be a diagonal or a cross-
wise communication. The communication between the floor manager and the
sales team is the example of diagonal communication.

The way in which the formal communication can be facilitated is called as the formal
communication network. There are several forms of Formal Communication Network that
individuals use to get their message transmitted to others.

Informal Communication

Definition: The Informal Communication is the casual and unofficial form of communication
wherein the information is exchanged spontaneously between two or more persons without
conforming the prescribed official rules, processes, system, formalities and chain of command.

The informal communications are based on the personal or informal relations such as friends,
peers, family, club members, etc. and thus is free from the organizational conventional rules and
other formalities. In the business context, the informal communication is called as
a “grapevine” as it is difficult to define the beginning and end of the communication.

The informal communication is characterized by an indefinite channel of communication, which

means there is no definite chain of command through which the information flows. Hence, the
information can flow from anywhere. Often such communication arises out of the social relations
that an individual creates with other persons on the basis of common interest, likings or
dislikings.

There are four types of Informal Communication (Grapevine) network that show how the
communication is facilitated. These are:

1. Single Strand Chain

2. Gossip Chain
3. Probability Chain
4. Cluster Chain

The gossip in the organization is the best example of informal communication, wherein the
employees of different department irrespective of their hierarchical positions come together and
communicate with each other. The grapevine satisfies the social needs of people and smoothens
the formal relations by filling in the gaps and even bring together different people who do not
fall under the common chain of command.

Meaning A type of verbal A type of verbal

communication in which the communication in which the
 interchange of information is interchange of information
done through the pre-defined does not follow any channels
channels is known as formal i.e. the communication
communication. stretches in all directions.

Another
Official Communication Grapevine communication
Name

Reliability More Comparatively less

Speed Slow Very Fast

As the communication is
Evidence generally written, documentary No documentary evidence.
evidence is present.

Time
Yes No
Consuming

Efficient because employees

Effective due to timely and can discuss work related
Advantage
systematic flow of information. problems, this saves time and
cost of the organization.

Distortion due to long chain of

Disadvantage Spread of rumors
communication.

It is difficult to maintain the

Secrecy Full secrecy is maintained.
secrecy.

Flow of Only through predefined

Can move freely.
Information channels.
Communication Networks
The pattern of contacts among the members of the organisation and flow of information among
them is communication network. Network helps managers to establish contacts in different
patterns through communication flows. The network depends upon the magnitude of the
organisation, nature of communication channels in the organisation and the number of persons
involved in the process. There can be many patterns of communication network.

The most frequently followed networks are the following:

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1. Vertical Network:

The vertical network is usually between the superior and subordinate and vice versa. It is two-
way communication. The immediate feedback is possible in this type of communication network.
It is formal network.

2. Circuit Network:

Under this network two persons communicate with each other. Say Mr. ‘A’ sends message to
Mr. ‘B’. After receiving message Mr. ‘B’ communicates the feedback message to Mr. ‘A’. So
communication takes the form of a circuit. Therefore it is known as circuit network. It is similar
to vertical network but in circuit network ‘A’ and ‘B’ are not necessarily superior and
subordinates.

3. Chain Network:

This network of communication follows the organisational hierarchy and chain of command. All
subordinates receive commands or instructions from their superior. B, C, D and E, F, G are the
subordinates to A in the organisational hierarchy and receive commands from ‘A’ which follows
the way shown in the diagram.

4. Wheel Network:

Here all subordinates receive commands from one superior. This is highly centralized type of
communication network where each subordinate receives commands or instructions from a
single authority or superior ‘A’ and wants the immediate feedback.
5. Star Network:

Under star communication network all members of the group communicate with each other and
exchange information. This network is a must for group communication or where teamwork is
involved. This network channel of communication is open to all members of the group. The
members communicate with each other without hesitation.

The effectiveness of the above networks of communication channels depend upon their users i.e.
the managers at all levels, their subordinates and other members of the organisation and above all
the seriousness with which all these human resources make use of the facilities provided to them
by the organisation to accomplish its objectives.

Grapevin
Though grapevine provides innumerable utilities to the organization, still it is not free from
defects.

Therefore, managers should try to use grapevine in a way so that the organization can take the
highest benefits from it.

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Grapevine is a form of informal communication, operates both in internal and external informal
channels which can contribute to and benefit the organization.

Therefore, it is found in all organizations. It does not follow any prescribed or predetermined
rule and spreads any information quickly.

Through the grapevine, information flows in different directions linking almost every one of an
organization.

It is governed by social and personal relationships rather than officially recognized rules and
formalities.

Grapevine operates both in internal and external informal channels. It passes opinions,
suspicions, and rumors that generally do not move through formal channels.

By nature, the grapevine is a channel of horizontal communication.

However, in fact, it does not follow any set pattern. It effectively operates horizontally, vertically
and even diagonally.
Grapevine is a natural outgrowth person-to-person informal communication channel through
which information flows horizontally, vertically or diagonally without following any set rule or
regulation among the people within or outside the organization.

5 Ways to make Grapevine Beneficiary to Organization

Grapevine in Business Communication

 Providing real news to the grapevine initiators.

 Considering grapevine as a pulse feeling tool.
 Contradicting the false rumor.
 Allowing workers in the decision-making process
 Developing a good organizational climate.

Providing real news to the grapevine initiators

Managers should identify the people who take an active part in grapevine channels and provide
them with real news so that they can transmit real facts to the grapevine channels.

This will eventually, resist transmission of rumor, untrue and distorted messages.

Considering grapevine as a pulse feeling tool

Since grapevine is an important source of receiving feedback, managers should use it as a tool
for feeling the pulse of the employees.

Contradicting the false rumor

If any false rumor occurs in the organization, management should immediately contradict and
protest the rumor through formal channels. As a result, the feeding of false rumors will decrease.

Allowing workers in the decision-making process

If the workers are allowed to take part in the decision-making process, they will be well
informed of the facts.

In such a situation, there will be nothing to suspect and to create a false rumor.

Developing good organizational climate

Good organizational climate impels the employees to develop a sense of belongingness, to
maintain status, chain of command and self-respect, and to enhance satisfaction.

All these will facilitate the occurrence of grapevine in the most desired and effective way.

At last, we can say that though the organization cannot hire and fire the grapevine, it can ensure
an environment where people can practice grapevine in the most desired and effective way.

4 Patterns or Types of Grapevine

The grapevine communication is usually horizontal in nature. But it can be horizontal, vertical
and diagonal. Prof. Keith Davis has classified grapevine into 4 types.

 Single Strand Chain

 Gossip Chain
 Probability Chain
 Cluster Chain

Barriers to Communication
29 Aug 2019
The process of communication has multiple barriers. The intended communique will often be
disturbed and distorted leading to a condition of misunderstanding and failure of communication.
The Barriers to effective communication could be of many types like linguistic, psychological,
emotional, physical, and cultural etc. We will see all of these types in detail below.

Linguistic Barriers
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The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective communication. Language is
the most commonly employed tool of communication. The fact that each major region has its
own language is one of the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even a thick dialect
may render the communication ineffective.

As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions changes within a few kilometers. Even
in the same workplace, different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a result, the
communication channels that span across the organization would be affected by this.
Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for different
employees. Some of them are very proficient in a certain language and others will be ok with
these languages.

Psychological Barriers
There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers to effective
communication. Some people have stage fear, speech disorders, phobia, depression etc. All of
these conditions are very difficult to manage sometimes and will most certainly limit the ease of
communication.

Emotional Barriers
The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which they can
communicate. A person who is emotionally mature will be able to communicate effectively. On
the other hand, people who let their emotions take over will face certain difficulties.

A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for effective communication. Emotions like
anger, frustration, humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a person and thus limit the
effectiveness of their communication.

Physical Barriers to Communication

They are the most obvious barriers to effective communication. These barriers are mostly easily
removable in principle at least. They include barriers like noise, closed doors, faulty equipment
used for communication, closed cabins, etc. Sometimes, in a large office, the physical separation
between various employees combined with faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to
effective communication.

Cultural Barriers of Communication

As the world is getting more and more globalized, any large office may have people from several
parts of the world. Different cultures have a different meaning for several basic values of society.
Dressing, Religions or lack of them, food, drinks, pets, and the general behaviour will change
drastically from one culture to another.

Hence it is a must that we must take these different cultures into account while communication.
This is what we call being culturally appropriate. In many multinational companies, special
courses are offered at the orientation stages that let people know about other cultures and how to
be courteous and tolerant of others.

Organisational Structure Barriers

As we saw there are many methods of communication at an organizational level. Each of these
methods has its own problems and constraints that may become barriers to effective
communication. Most of these barriers arise because of misinformation or lack of appropriate
transparency available to the employees.

Attitude Barriers
Certain people like to be left alone. They are the introverts or just people who are not very social.
Others like to be social or sometimes extra clingy! Both these cases could become a barrier to
communication. Some people have attitude issues, like huge ego and inconsiderate behaviours.

These employees can cause severe strains in the communication channels that they are present
in. Certain personality traits like shyness, anger, social anxiety may be removable through
courses and proper training. However, problems like egocentric behaviour and selfishness may
not be correctable.

Perception Barriers
Different people perceive the same things differently. This is a fact which we must consider
during the communication process. Knowledge of the perception levels of the audience is crucial
to effective communication. All the messages or communique must be easy and clear. There
shouldn’t be any room for a diversified interpretational set.

Physiological Barriers
Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also prevent effective communication
between the various channels of an organization. The shrillness of voice, dyslexia, etc are some
examples of physiological barriers to effective communication. However, these are not crucial
because they can easily be compensated and removed.

Technological Barriers & Socio-religious Barriers

Other barriers include the technological barriers. The technology is developing fast and as a
result, it becomes difficult to keep up with the newest developments. Hence sometimes the
technological advance may become a barrier. In addition to this, the cost of technology is
sometimes very high.

Most of the organizations will not be able to afford a decent tech for the purpose of
communication. Hence, this becomes a very crucial barrier. Other barriers are socio-religious
barriers. In a patriarchal society, a woman or a transgender may face many difficulties and
barriers while communicating.
Group Discussion
Do’s

1. Rich Content with good subject knowledge

Having good subject knowledge and rich content is the first and foremost GD
tip to enter the Group Discussion Round. Following are the key steps to
improve your Group discussion skills in regard to GD content preparation:
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 You should prepare on variety of topics as rich and right subject knowledge
will be required during GD round.
 You should have subject knowledge and be well aware of the latest happenings
around you, not just in India but around the world as well.
 Subject knowledge is a pre-requisite while you are preparing for a group
discussion because you will then have the power to steer the conversation to
whichever direction you want to. If you can memorize some relevant data, it
will be an added advantage.
 If you are a good reader and read on variety of topics, it will help you in group
discussion round. There is no need for last minute preparation. You should
read over a period of time. Reading not only adds to your knowledge database,
but enhances your vocabulary skills as well.
 Always choose the magazines that are content rich and not just full of
advertisements. Often magazines have columns which are promoting a
particular institute etc. Avoid such magazines, do some research and buy the
best that will be beneficial for you.

2. Be a Leader

There is no doubt that to emerge a winner in GD round you should speak after getting a grasp on
the given topic. But it also gives you opportunity to take lead. So be a leader to begin the Group
Discussion. Key tips are:

 Usually when the moderator announces the GD topic, for a minute there is
silence all round.
 If possible, gather your thoughts in a few seconds and start the Group
discussion with positive impact and be a leader.
 If you find that it is taking time to gather ideas, let others begin, and then enter
the GD round by agreeing/disagreeing with previous speakers
  Beginning the Group Discussion gives the opportunity to make an impact but if
you are not able to make your point well, it will create negative effect
 Therefore, it is not necessary to speak first but it is necessary that when you
speak you are heard and are able to make your point well
 If you are able to speak out the name of your previous speaker and then present
your views, it will mark a good impact.

3. Be relevant

 When you speak you should speak to the point without any ambiguity of
thought
 Express your ideas at length. If you simply follow the other speaker or his
ideas, remember your elimination is imminent
 Wherever possible, emphasize your point with facts and figures

4. Be a good Listener

 Learn to be a good listener. Listening Skills are Essential for GD round,

socarefully listen to what others have to say.
 Just speaking throughout the discussion doesn’t make you better. You should
learn to give others a chance to speak. Try and listen to others.
 If the speaker is making an eye-contact with you remember to acknowledge
him by nodding your head, so that the speaker is aware that his listeners are
listening to him and paying full attention. This will also show that you are
vigilant and are an active participant in the discussion.
 Unless you listen well, it will not be possible for you to add value to your
content and communication
 Listening offers you the opportunity to summarise the Group Discussion on
each and every aspect.

5. Improve your Communication Skills

You may have good and rich content with lot of ideas but if you are not able to communicate
well your thoughts and opinions, all is useless. The need is now to improve your communication
skills with following GD tips:

 Be well versed in your communication skills.

 You should have a good vocabulary and a decent command over English.
 Much before your actual group discussion, rehearse well.
 You can sit with a group of friends and choose a topic and indulge in a friendly
GD.
  Not only will this increase your knowledge, you will be a better speaker by the
time it is time for your GD.
 In case you are not sure about something, you can use phrases such as: “I
think” or “Probably/Approximately” or “If I remember correctly”

6. Body gestures: Very important tool for Group Discussion

The panelists observe the way you sit and react in the course of the discussion.
Body gestures are very important, because your body language says a lot about
you. In a GD, sit straight, avoid leaning back on to the chair or knocking the
table with pen or your fingers. Also, do not get distracted easily. Nervous body
movements, folding your hands across your chest, having skeptical expression,
constantly moving, evading eye movements are the indicators of a negative
personality and should be avoided at all costs.

Don’ts

7. NoAggressiveMove
It is expected during the Group Discussion that you are firm on your ideas and
are audible enough to make an impact on the group. But being aggressive,
shouting and not allowing others in the group to speak, is not appreciated. So
be careful and don’t be a bully.
8. Don’tCrisscrossonyourIdeas
Don’t crisscross your ideas. The topics given in Group Discussion are
debatable, you might like to speak for or against the topic and while speaking
don’t forget that you may be crossing your own lines. It gives a bad impact and
you are judged a person who has no stand for his own thought.
9. Don’t be a part of fish market
As a team player, your ability to lead and play in team is measured in the GD.
During the Group Discussion there are many instances where you will find
every one is saying something and no one is heard. It is better to be quiet for a
while and then after gathering your thoughts, raise your voice initially and
make your point.
10. Don’t give up: Make multiple entries
Don’t be content with one round of one minute or half a minute speaking in the
group. Focus on key points, form the ideas and opinions to enter again based
on the views presented by others to further strengthen your view point.

The Group Discussion round passes through highs and lows. So it is a good opportunity to re-
enter the Group Discussion after gathering more ideas coming out of others’ view and make an
entry when the noise level is low in Group Discussion.
Purpose of Group Discussion
The very purpose of conducting Group Discussion (GD) round for MBA admission by top MBA
colleges is to test the applicants’ communication skills, topic knowledge, thought process and
their leadership impact on the audience before finalizing their merit lists and offering admission.

Composition & expectation from the Group in GD round

Before learning the Group discussion tips and tricks to crack the GD round, one must be aware
what in fact is Group Discussion, how many candidates are there in a group, what skills are
expected by the MBA College from you in the Group Discussion round before offering you
admission.

 Healthy debate leading to selection of one or more candidates from the group
on a given topic is conducted in GD round.
 Around 8 to12 candidates are included in a group
 Group Discussion time duration is about 12-15 minutes
 During the Group Discussion (GD) round strong exchange of opinions with
logical and thoughtful arguments is anticipated.
 Group Discussion is supposed to be an indicator of your leadership qualities,
judgement of knowledge domain and communication skill.
 Out of these 8-12 candidates, selection goes in favour of the one or two while
others get eliminated either due to their inadvertent mistakes or because they do
not follow the Group Discussion rules.

4 Group Discussion Tricks to be a winner

To emerge a winner in GD round a candidate should speak after getting a grasp on the given
topic. Irrelevant speaking is not good. The 4 Group Discussion tricks to crack the GD round are:

 Follow the Group Discussion Rules

 Key Group Discussion skills are – speak logically, be audible, present your idea
firmly and be a leader
 Use every opportunity to enter discussion to strengthen your point further
 Read a few model and actual Group Discussion rounds

Tips To Prepare For Group Discussions

GD Preparation should begin along with your written exam preparation like
CAT/XAT/SNAP/NMAT/CMAT. Immediately after the written exam is over, you should focus
on preparing for Group Discussion round which commands 10 to 15 percent weightage in final
selection round.

Following are the key expert tips to prepare for Group Discussion:
 1. To prepare for a group discussion, keep track of happenings around the world.
2. Being aware of current affairs and issues and happenings, which affect our
lives, however remotely, shows a well-rounded personality.
3. Make a habit of reading English newspapers and magazines, watch interesting
documentaries and profiles on television to get a wider perspective on issues.
4. Group Discussion topics can be from a wide range of issues. It could be a topic
on current events, business news, sports or anything very general. The wider
your reading interests, the better prepared you will be to face the group
discussion.
5. Prepare the topics that are Repeated. There are topics which re-appear with
minute changes and minor variations. Be aware of such topics well in advance
so that you have ample time to prepare for the same. For example the issues of
terrorism, gender inequality, poverty, liberalization and privatization,
reservations in educational institutions etc often appear as GD topics. Make
sure you know these topics well and can come up with some unique, insightful
points along with some data.
6. Controversial and political topics do not figure in Group Discussions. So there
is no need to waste your time on them.

Types of Group Discussion

Group Discussions is the test of knowledge and communication skills with coherent flow of
thought necessary for a leadership role of a candidate on a topical issue. There are other Group
Discussions which are designed to test the ‘lateral thinking’ of candidate. Another type of Group
Discussion comes in form of a short ‘case-study’ where applicants are asked to analyze a
situation and frame responses. Yet another type of a Group Discussion is a ‘group exercise’.

Group Discussion (GD) is an important testing tool of participants’ skills in final admission
round for MBA/PGDM after getting shortlisted by the B school. Most of the top MBA colleges
including a few IIMs conduct GD along with Personal Interview in the final admission round.

10 roles participants play during Group Discussion

Following are the roles that participants in GD round play. While some of the roles lead to
selection, others invite elimination. Carefully choose the right role in your Group Discussion
round:

Beginner: The candidate who starts Group Discussion. He may suggest new ideas, define the
GD topic but may not necessarily have sufficient subject knowledge to present effectively his
view point.

 Facilitator:He is leading GD while keeping track of Group Discussion

 Seeker of Information: He tries togather and solicit information from others.
 Disseminator of Information: He prefers to share information and facts.
  Seeker of Opinion: He tries to gather some opinion from others and ask the
fellow participants for their opinion.
 Giver of Opinion: Promptly jumps to give his opinion on the views shared by
the other participant.
 Analyst: He analyses and clarifies the ideas and opinions discussed during the
group discussion
 Community Supporter: He supports the ideas of all participants but has none
of his own
 Reliever: He presents and discusses the problem with a broader perspective
and makes mountain out of a mole hill and relieves all of any tension.
 Energy spreader: This participant can be seen encouraging other participants
to explore some new ideas during a GD.
 Bridge creator: He creates harmony between different opinions by giving a
solution with different ways of compromise.
 Summary maker: He summarizes and concludes a GD by including all
important points discussed during a GD.

Individual and Group Presentations

The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills
and Personal Presentation.

These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and
practice of verbal and non-verbal communication.

These can all be considered presentations.

They do not, however, all require the same approach. You would not, for example, use
PowerPoint to thank a colleague who was leaving. It would be unusual (though it has been done)
to use it in a speech at a wedding. However, a conference audience would be somewhat surprised
NOT to see slides projected onto a screen.

It follows, therefore, that there is no single set of rules that apply to all presentations. There are,
however, some things that every presentation opportunity has in common. These include:

 You will present better if you have prepared effectively. This does NOT necessarily mean that
you have written out your speech verbatim and rehearsed it until you know it off by heart—
although that might work for some people. It does, however, mean that you have to be confident
that you are saying the right thing, in the right way, to the right people.
 You need to be clear about your audience and your message. Every presentation will be better if
you have clearly considered the message that you want or need to convey, and how best to
 convey it to your audience. These two pieces of information drive your style, structure, content,
and use of visual aids.
 You must never overrun your allocated time. In other words, don’t outstay your welcome. Almost
every speech or presentation is better if it is shorter. Nobody minds going for coffee early or
finishing before they expected to do so. Everybody minds being held up.
 Generally speaking, your audience starts on your side. As a rule, your audience is there (more or
less) voluntarily. They have chosen to listen to you, and they want to enjoy your presentation.
The occasion is yours to lose.

Group Presentation

Preparing for the group presentation

As with any presentation, there is a significant amount of work during the preparation stage. The
group must be well organised because there are multiple individuals, and therefore multiple
personalities involved.

Presentation moderator

To assist with organisation, the group should first decide on a presentation moderator – this is
essentially the “leader”. The presentation moderator can have the final say when decision-
making is needed and, during the Q&A portion of the presentation, can decide which speakers
will answer certain questions.

Understanding the audience

To make your presentation engaging you need to think about the audience so you can tailor it
towards their needs. How much will the audience already know about this topic? What will they
want to get from this presentation?

For example, if you are presenting the topic of building a bridge to a group of civil engineers,
you can confidently use technical language. However, if you are presenting to secondary school
students, you would need to use simpler language and not explain the methods in as much detail.

The presentation’s purpose

As a group, ensure you agree on the purpose of the presentation so that you all understand the
message that needs to be conveyed e.g. “We want to find out which treatment works best for
social anxiety.” Deciding on your message means that the group can start building key points
around this – just keep in mind that each subtopic must contribute to the presentation’s aim.
Divide the presentation

The presentation needs to be divided into main areas so there is a clear beginning, middle and
end. This is where can you decide on the order of the subtopics. Presentations usually follow this
structure:

1. Introduction:

 It is useful to agree on the first minute of the presentation as a team. This is because the audience
should be interested from the start and convinced to listen.
 The presentation’s aims are also discussed and an overview of the presentation’s structure is
provided. For example, “We set out to explore the effectiveness of different treatments for social
anxiety. We will first cover the symptoms and prevalence of social anxiety, before explaining the
different treatments. This will then lead into a discussion about the pros and cons of each
treatment route. Finally, we will explain which treatment route we decided was the most effective
for this disorder.”

2. One or two middle sections:

 These sections consist of providing the information that addresses your presentation’s aim.
 There can be more of these sections depending on your topic.

3. Conclusion:

 After summarising all of the key points, there must be a clear conclusion. It is beneficial to
appoint the conclusion to the best speaker as this is where all the information is pooled together.