Critical and Analytical

Reading & Thinking

,
Objectives

• Key part of university/college syllabus to sharpen &

develop analytical skills of students as part of their
study

• There should be evidence of analytical skills in

writing

• Demonstrates wider knowledge and deeper

understanding of subject
What is Critical and Analytical Thinking?
• Word ‘critical’ has positive and negative
meanings – does not mean just criticise
• Weigh up the arguments for and against

• Look deeper into what is being said

and why it is being said

• Question what you read

• Identify strengths and weaknesses

• Evaluate what is being argued – do you agree with it?

 Barriers to Critical and Analytical Thinking

• Misunderstanding of criticising
• Our reasoning skills are not
objective – we are biased ourselves
• Reluctance to criticise experts
• Reluctance to criticise the ‘norm’
• Not reading deeply enough around a subject – surface knowledge
 How to think critically and analytically

• Form a set of questions to help you think more deeply about what
you have read

• Apply these questions and similar ones to all of your arguments and
essays/any text under observation, to encourage you to question
why things are the way they are
Question Bank
Assess your sources

• What is the source? (Web, academic journal,

newspaper…)
• What are the strengths and limitations of
this source?
Identify bias
• Does the author have a hidden agenda?
• What is the purpose of the writing?
• Does their writing reflect a political viewpoint?
• Who might disagree with the writer?
Evaluate evidence
• What evidence/examples does the writer use?
• How reliable or useful is the evidence?
• Does it support the argument?
• Is the evidence up-to-date?
• Do they make any assumptions?
• Consider their argument
• What is the main argument?

• What statements/evidence in the article

strengthen or weaken the argument

• Think about the viewpoint in relation to

the bigger picture – stand back

• Compare the same issue from the point of view of other authors –
do their views differ?
Draw conclusions
• Understand why authors have arrived at different conclusions
• Argue why one viewpoint is preferable to another
• All ideas and arguments must be supported by evidence to add
credibility
• Question your own assumptions and biases as well as those of the
author
Sentence fragment & complete sentence
Sentence fragment:
What is a complete sentence?
A complete sentence is not merely a group of words with a
capital letter at the beginning and a period or question mark
at the end. A complete sentence has three components:
Examples:
1. a subject (the actor in the sentence)
2. a predicate (the verb or action), and
3. a complete thought (it can stand alone and make sense—
it’s independent).
A sentence fragment on the other hand is an incomplete sentence due
to a missing:

• Subject
• Verb
• Or a sentence is a dependent close due to use of
subordinator connection
1. Sentence Fragments Without a Subject

Some sentence fragments lack a subject.

Here are examples along with a possible revision:

Examples:
1. Shows no improvement in your efficiency.
REV: The evaluation shows no improvement in your
efficiency.
2. Slammed the door and left.
REV: Sarah slammed the door and left.
Sentence Fragments Without a Subject (continued)

Examples:
3. Running down the lane and into the forest.
REV: The moose was running down the lane and into the
forest.
4. Discovered the cure for the disease.
REV: The researcher discovered the cure for the disease.
5. Gave many reasons but no logical ones.
REV: Our boss gave many reasons but no logical ones.
2. Sentence Fragments Without a Verb
Some sentence fragments lack a verb.
Here are examples along with a possible revision:

Examples:
1. A time of wonder and amazement.
REV: That was a time of wonder and amazement.
2. Clothes and shoes scattered around the room.
REV: Clothes and shoes were scattered around the room.
Sentence Fragments Without a Verb (continued)

Examples:
3. The elected official for our district.
REV: The elected official for our district was at the ribbon
cutting ceremony.
4. The answer to our prayers.
REV: The answer to our prayers is a corporate sponsorship.
5. Showing her award and gloating.
REV: Terri was showing her award and gloating.
Read more at
3. Sentence Fragments that are Dependent Clauses
Some sentence fragments are dependent clauses that cannot stand
alone.
Here are examples along with a possible revision:

Examples:
1. Because it was raining.
REV: We canceled the picnic because it was raining.
2. After I finish the project.
REV: I will get a bonus after I finish the project.
3. Sentence Fragments that Are Dependent Clauses (continued)
Examples:
3. Since she never saw that movie.
REV: We should invite her, since she never saw that movie.
4. Such as drama, music and dance.
REV: I like the arts, such as drama, music and dance.
5. To explain why that happened.
REV: He neglected to explain why that happened.
6. Worrying that she would be robbed.
REV: She locked the car, worrying that she would be
robbed.
Run- On Sentences.
• A run-on is a sentence in which two or more independent
clauses (i.e complete sentences) are joined without
• an appropriate conjunction
• or mark of punctuation.
• For example:
• (wrong) It is nearly half past five we cannot reach town
before dark.

• (correct) It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town

before dark.
or
• (Correct:)It is nearly half past five, hence we cannot reach
town before dark.
• Or (Correct:)It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach
town before dark.
• Types of Run-On Sentence

1. Comma Splice:
In this type, a comma splits two independent clauses.
However, the position of this comma is a bit weak to make a
complete relationship between two complete sentences.
Thus, it requires a proper coordinating conjunction to make a
relationship. For instance:
People are mingling, everybody looked so happy.
• Types of Run-On Sentence
2. Fused Sentence
• It occurs when a writer connects two clauses with no
punctuation where main clause can make a proper sense
and you would not find them smashed together, for
instance:
• “A wise man makes his own decisions an ignorant man
follows public opinion.”
• Or
• 'My instructor read my paper he said it was brilliant.'
• FIVE WAYS OF CORRECTING RUN-ON SENTENCES
writing requires grammatical accuracy in order for the work to
be taken seriously; as a result, it is important for writers to
eliminate run-on sentences in order to convey a professional
tone and style. Fortunately, there are five common ways in
which grammarians recommend fixing run-on sentences:
• Make two simple sentences of the run-on sentence.
'My instructor read my paper. He said it was brilliant.‘

• Add a semicolon to divide the two sentences to imply and/or

between them.
'My instructor read my paper; he said it was brilliant.'
• Add a comma and joining word to link the two sentences.
'My instructor read my paper, and he said it was brilliant.'
• Reduce the two spliced sentences to one cohesive sentence.
• Place a subordinating conjunction before one of the clauses
How do you fix run-ons?
There are four common ways to fix a run-on. Each
method is explained below.
Method #1
Write the two independent clauses as separate
sentences using periods. Or make two simple
sentences from the fused wrong sentence

INCORRECT
Carmen loved traveling in Italy she felt
Rome was too hot.

CORRECT
Carmen loved traveling in Italy. She
felt Rome was too hot.
Method #2
Use a semicolon to separate the two independent
clauses.

INCORRECT
Carmen loved traveling in Italy she
felt Rome was too hot.

CORRECT
Carmen loved traveling in Italy; she
felt Rome was too hot.
Method #3
Use a comma and any one of the following
connecting words or coordinating conjunctions:
FANBOYS(for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

Carmen loved traveling in Italy

INCORRECT
she felt Rome was too hot.
for* and nor but
or yet so**

Carmen loved traveling in Italy,

CORRECT
but she felt Rome was too hot.
Method #4
Use a semicolon and one of the following words:
therefore, thus, however, consequently,
furthermore, also, nevertheless,

Carmen loved traveling in Italy she

INCORRECT
felt Rome was too hot.
Carmen loved
CORRECT traveling in Italy; however, she felt
Rome was too hot.
NOTE: If you use any of these connecting words
with method #4, a comma must follow it.
NOTE: When using semicolons, the two
independent clauses must share a related or
common idea.
You cannot write the following
sentence.

Christine loves hot chocolate; I am watching TV.

These two clauses are completely unrelated.

Method #5
Use a subordinating conjunction. Turn one of the
independent clauses into a dependent clause. A
subordinating conjunction (such as because, unless,
and although) connects two clauses to create a complex
sentence. This option works to cement the relationship
between the two parts of the sentence and may improve
the flow of the clauses.
Example: Because I love to write papers, I would write
one every day if I had the time.
Misplaced Modifiers
Modifier Basics

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that

modifies—that is, gives information about
another word in the same sentence. For example, in the following
sentence,
the word "burger" is modified by the word
"vegetarian":
Example: I'm going to the Saturn Café for a vegetarian burger.
•The modifier "vegetarian" gives extra information about what kind of
burger it is.
A modifier can be an adjective (a word that modifies a noun, like
"burger"), but it can also be an adverb (a word that modifies
a verb):
Example: The student carefully proofread her draft.
•The adverb "carefully" is the modifier in this example—it modifies
the verb "proofread," giving important details about how the
proofreading was conducted.
A modifier can even be a phrase or clause, as in the following
example:
Example: She studied in the library.
•Here, the phrase "in the library" gives us extra information about
the verb, "studied."

Modifiers can also be used for sentence variety..

 Misplaced Modifiers
Sentences would be pretty dull without modifiers to provide

excitement and intrigue. Thanks to modifiers, words like

“the bird” become “the soaring bird.”

Sentences like, “She peered through the window,” become “With a

gleam in her eye, she peered through the window.”

• Modifiers dress up otherwise plain sentiments.

• However, it’s important for modifiers to stick close to the word or

words they’re modifying.

• When they stray too far, they become misplaced modifiers.

• And, the further away they get, the more it looks like they’re
modifying something else entirely.
Let’s dive right in to some examples of misplaced modifiers and talk about why these examples don’t work.
 Example #1: Mary’s Birthday
• Eagerly awaiting her birthday, Mary's presents were all picked up and
admired by Mary many times throughout the day.

Here, this sentence makes it seem as though Mary's presents were eagerly
awaiting Mary's birthday. Since presents can't exhibit the emotion of feeling
eager, it’s unlikely that this modifier is written correctly. The most logical
explanation is that Mary was eagerly awaiting her own birthday. The sentence
should be rewritten so the modifier actually modifies Mary.

• Correction: Eagerly awaiting her birthday, Mary picked up and admired her
presents many times throughout the day.
 Example #2: Mitch’s Travel

• Tired of all of the nights in hotels, delight overcame by Mitch when his
boss finally said he didn't have to travel anymore.

Here, “delight” is being modified by the phrase “tired of all of the nights in
hotels.” Unfortunately, “delight” can't be tired, because delight isn't a person.
Instead, it is more likely that “Mitch” is tired. We can correct this sentence by
moving the proper subject next to the modifier.

• Correction: Tired of all of the nights in hotels, Mitch was delighted when
his boss finally said he didn't have to travel anymore.
Example #3: Children’s Paper Plates

• She served sandwiches to the children on paper plates.

This sentence makes it seem like the children were on paper plates.
The goal is to modify the sandwiches.

• Correction: She served the children sandwiches on paper plates.

 Example #4: An End to His Driving
• He nearly drove the car for six hours a day.

This one’s a little bit trickier. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with
this sentence. However, the word order makes the meaning slightly
ambiguous or misleading. The intent is to say that he drove for nearly
six hours a day. As such, it should be revised to:

• Correction: He drove the car for nearly six hours a day.

 Example #5: Puppies and Kittens

• She saw a puppy and a kitten on the way to the store.

This sentence might conjure up images of a puppy and a kitten

prancing down the street, headed to the local store. What should be
stated here is that the woman is walking to the store and, on the way,
she saw a puppy and a kitten.

• Correction: On the way to the store, she saw a puppy and a kitten.
 Example #6: A Measly Five Dollars
• Only Pastor Johnson gave me $5 to clean all his sidewalks.

This sentence makes it sound like only this one pastor, Pastor
Johnson, paid $5. In other words, no other pastor paid $5 to clean
the sidewalk. Meanwhile, the intent is to emphasize that Pastor
Johnson only paid a meager amount.

• Correction: Pastor Johnson gave me only $5 to clean all his

sidewalks.
 Example #7: Failed Exams
• She almost failed every exam she took.

It may be true that this student almost failed every exam. However,
what’s meant to be said is that she did, in fact, fail many exams. In the
misplaced modifier version, it sounds like the student passed all of
her exams, but each individual score was close to a fail. Perhaps she
kept getting a 51%. In the corrected version, it sounds like she failed
most of her exams and only passed a few. In either version, the
outcomes are drastically different.

• Correction: She failed almost every exam she took.

 Example #8: People Who Laugh

• People who laugh rarely are sad.

This is another great example of a misplaced modifier. Is it people

who laugh rarely are sad? Or, is it people who rarely laugh become
sad? Both may be correct. But, it’s important to be clear about the
intent.

• Correction: People who rarely laugh are sad.

Example #9: His Sister’s Horse

• He bought a horse for his sister called Prince.

• This sentence makes it sound like the sister’s name is Prince.

That would be… unique. Instead, it should be made clear
that the horse is named Prince, and he purchased it for the
sister.

• Correction: He bought a horse called Prince for his sister.

 Example #10: Robbed Offices
• Three offices were reported robbed by the Atlanta police last week.

• The misplaced modifier here makes it sound like the Atlanta police
were the ones performing the robberies themselves. The offices
were not “robbed by the Atlanta police.” It is, however, likely
someone else reported the robberies to the police. Then, the police
might publicize a report on the robberies

• Correction: Last week, the Atlanta police reported that three offices
were robbed.
Modifiers in a sentence should generally be placed as close to the

noun, word, or phrase they're intended to modify.

Misplaced modifiers can cause confusion (or sometimes a good laugh)

when they're placed too far from the noun they're modifying.
Dangling Modifiers
What is a dangling modifier? It’s a grammatical error where
the modifying word or phrase is attached to the wrong subject
or where the subject is missing in a sentence. It’s fairly
common and plagues even the best of writers.
A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes, defines, or
qualifies something else in a sentence.
Modifiers include descriptive words such as adjectives and
adverbs: adverb

• She always listened attentively in class.

• She decided to buy the blue car.
adjective

Modifiers can also be phrases or clauses:

• Anna smiled when she walked past the bar where she met her
husband.
• Having received a promotion at work, he went out to celebrate
with his family.
The most common modifier mistakes are dangling modifiers and
misplaced modifiers. Both terms refer to modifiers that are
connected to the wrong thing in a sentence.

A misplaced modifier is too far away from the thing it’s supposed
to modify, while a dangling modifier’s intended subject is missing
from the sentence altogether.
• Dangling modifiers often take the form of an introductory phrase followed by
a clause that doesn’t state the intended subject.
Main clause written in active voice

Dangling Corrected
•Fumbling in her purse, the keys could •Fumbling in her purse, she could not find the keys.
not be found.
•As she fumbled in her purse, the keys could not be found.

• In this example, the subject who was fumbling in her purse is not stated, so it
seems like the keys were doing the fumbling. A dangling modifier like this can
be fixed either by rewriting the main clause in active voice, or by revising the
introductory phrase.

Introductory phrase revised

Recognizing dangling modifiers

• In a correct sentence, the subject (or doer) that is modified

should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. In the
example below, the introductory phrase modifies Jane, the
Subject of the
subject of the main clause. main clause

• While driving to work, Jane witnessed a car accident on the

highway.
Modifying phrase
• When a sentence does not clearly state the subject being modified,
the introductory phrase becomes a dangling modifier. Often this error
is a result of a main clause written in the passive voice.

While driving to work, a car accident was witnessed on the highway.

• In this sentence, the intended target of the modifier, Jane, is missing.

Because a car accident appears where the subject should be, the
sentence now suggests that a car accident was driving to work. This is
an example of how dangling modifiers can result in nonsensical
sentences.
How to fix a dangling modifier
There are two simple ways to fix a dangling modifier.
Method 1: Revise the main clause
One method of fixing a dangling modifier is to leave the modifier as it
is and rewrite the main clause so that it begins with the subject being
modified. Missing/uncl
ear subject

• Having injured his dominant hand, it was difficult to write the exam.
• Having injured his dominant hand, John had difficulty writing the
exam. Clear subject
added

In the example above, the first sentence fails to clarify whose hand
was injured – it does not state the subject of the introductory modifier
phrase. In the corrected sentence, the subject, John, appears
immediately after the modifier phrase.
•Dangling •Corrected

Hungry after two hours of hiking, my packed Hungry after two hours of hiking, I quickly
sandwich was quickly devoured upon reaching devoured my packed sandwich upon reaching
the peak. the peak.

Smiling from ear to ear, the candles are blown Smiling from ear to ear, the heroine blows out
out, and the novel concludes happily. the candles, and the novel concludes happily.

To become a practicing dentist, many To become a practicing dentist, you must

teeth must be cleaned, filled, and filed. clean, fill, and file many teeth.
Method 2: Revise the modifier phrase
Another method of fixing a dangling modifier is to include the
subject in the introductory phrase, leaving the main clause as it is.

• Having injured his dominant hand, it was difficult to write the

exam.
• Because John had injured his dominant hand, it was difficult to
write the exam.

In the corrected sentence, the dangling modifier is replaced with a

complete clause that clearly states the subject who is doing the
action.
•Dangling •Corrected

While driving to work, a car While Jane was driving to work, a car
accident caused a traffic jam on the accident caused a traffic jam on the
highway. highway.

Requiring more data for the Because we required more data for the
study, questionnaires were collected from study, questionnaires were collected from
an additional 200 people. an additional 200 people.

Taken down to the cellar, the As he was taken down to the cellar, the
darkness obscured the details of the room. darkness obscured the details of the
room.
Summary writing
Summary writing is a great skill to have as a reader, writer. It’s important to be able
to write all kinds of summaries - some short, condensed, and simple; some
, long, and extremely detailed. Writing summaries is an easy skill to learn
elaborate,
and an even easier skill to practice. Summaries are an important part of everyday
life, providing a way to quickly share information.
STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN WRITING A SUMMARY
• Quickly read the article through once to ascertain its general meaning, overall
organization, and tone.
• Reread the article, more carefully this time, with a pen in hand to “gloss” the
text.
• Write what the paragraph “does” (how it contributes to the argument’s
development: for example, makes a claim, provides evidence, creates emotion,
draws conclusion, etc.) in order to see the structure and to quickly find the
thesis and main ideas.
• On a separate sheet of paper, use your notes to make an outline, flowchart, or
diagram of the article from the main divisions or parts of the argument.
• You do not need to explain everything the author has said; find the most
.
relevant and crucial points for readers to get an understanding of the author’s
meaning and intent. Indicate the author’s main point or thesis in your outline or
diagram.
• Use your list, notes, and outline to create a prose summary. Include the most
important points and relevant supporting details, showing how the author
makes connections
• Include the author’s full name and the title of the text in the first sentence. For
example, In “Against the Grain,” David Bartholomae argues that… Refer to the
author by last name in the rest of the summary.
Reviewing Your Summary for Effectiveness
• Analyze the effectiveness and accuracy of your summary by responding to the
following questions: ,
• Does the first sentence of the summary include the source information and the
original author’s main point?
• List the main points of the summary. Are they the same as the main points of
the original article?
• Is there any information in the summary that should have been left out, for
example, something that is too detailed or is a side note rather than a main
point?
• Judging by the summary, what was the original author’s thesis or main point?
Do you think the summary accurately reflects the author’s main point?
• Are there places in the summary where your opinion about the subject matter
is evident? Where? (Remember that summaries should be objective without
,
your opinion or analysis of the subject matter, unless the instructor has also
asked for this.)
• Wherever you have borrowed a string of three or more words from the original
text, did you use quotation marks and a citation?
Letter Writing
Learning Objective
Students’ command of professional writing specifically
on letters to editors
 Different letter formats
Most business letters must include a return address (letterhead or
your name and address), date, an inside address (receiver's name
and address), a salutation, body paragraphs, and a closing. However,
there are several ways to format this information. For example,
return addresses can be centered or begin at the left margin or
begin at the horizontal center of the page.
 There are 3 basic business letter formats.

Full block letter

Semi block letter
Modified block letter
 Full block letter writing
All letter parts begin at the left margin. When writing a letter using block form, no lines are
indented. Include your name, address, and phone number where you can be contacted, as well
as the date. You then include the name and address of the person you are sending the letter to.
With new paragraphs, just skip a line instead of indenting.
Add your phone number where you can be contacted in the last paragraph.
Block format is typically used for business letters.
In block format, the entire text is left aligned and single spaced.
The exception to the single spacing is a double space between
paragraphs (instead of indents
for paragraphs).
An example block style letter
is shown
Another sample block-style
letter
 Modified block format
Modified block differs from block style in that the date, sign off,
and signature lines begin at the centre point of the page line. The
beginning of each paragraph is indented five spaces, along with
the subject line, if used. Depending on the length of the letter,
paragraphs may be separated by a single or double line space.
See an example of a letter in modified block format.
Semi-block format

• Semi-block is similar to block but has a more informal appearance. All

elements are left-aligned, except for the beginning of each paragraph,
which is indented five spaces. Paragraphs are separated by a double
line space.
• See an example of a letter in semi-block format.
“Letter writing can be seen as
a gift because someone has
taken his/her time to write
and think and express ”
 Presentation Skills
Learning objective:
Developing communication skills of learners for
individual presentation skills. Learner will be
able to successfully present informative &
persuasive presentations clearly.
Questions?
• Who is your audience?
• Why are they there?
• What is your goal?
• How long will it be?
• Where will it take place?
Structure

Have a sound, clear structure

Create interest

“We need to open gaps before we close them. Our tendency is to tell
people the facts. First, though, they must realize that they need these
facts.”
Structure

Introduction Get Attention

Main theme
Content

Summary/
Key message
Conclusions
Presentation Slide
• Steps in giving presentation
1. Preparation
(a). Objectives
• Why you are making your presentation? Bear in mind
what you want to achieve and what you want your
audience to take away with them. :
• what do you want your audience to have understood?
• what action do you want your audience to take
following your presentation?
• how can you best design your presentation to meet
your objectives?
1. Preparation
(b). Audience
• how much will your audience already know about your
topic?
• how can you link new material to things they might
already understand?
• will you need to win them over to a particular point of
view?
1. Preparation
(C). Venue
• what kind of atmosphere do you wish to create?
• how might the room arrangement affect your
relationship with the audience?
• can you do anything to change the arrangement of the
room to suit your
objectives?
• what audio-visual aids can you use?
2. Preparing Presentation
• Prepare the body of the presentation
• After defining the objective of your presentation, determine how
much information you can present in the amount of time allowed.
Also, use your knowledge about the audience to prepare a
presentation with the right level of detail. The body of the
presentation is where you present your ideas.
2. Preparing Presentation
• Prepare the body of the presentation
• Strategies to help you do this include the following:
• Present data and facts
• Read quotes from experts
• Relate personal experiences
• Provide vivid descriptions
• And remember, as you plan the body of your presentation
it's important to provide variety. Listeners may quickly
become bored by lots of facts or they may tire of hearing
story after story.
2. Preparing Presentation
• Prepare the introduction and conclusion
• Once you've prepared the body of the presentation, decide
how you will begin and end the talk. Make sure the
introduction captures the attention of your audience and
the conclusion summarizes and reiterates your important
points. In other words, "Tell them what you're going to tell
them. Tell them. Then, tell them what you told them."
2. Preparing Presentation
Strategies that you can use include the following:
• Make the introduction relevant to the listeners' goals,
values, and needs
• Ask questions to stimulate thinking
• Share a personal experience
• Begin with a joke or humorous story
• Project a cartoon or colorful visual
• Make a stimulating or inspirational statement
• Give a unique demonstration
1. Personal Notes

2. Visuals

3. Handouts
• The evils of Powerpoint are familiar to everyone, they
include:
• Too much text
• Too small to read and is really only serving as a
crutch for the presenter
• Clip Art and Slide templates that have been seen
a million times
• Spinning, wooshing, dazzlings animations
Your presentation, Powerpoint or otherwise,
should be a supporting aid – you want main the
focus on you not your presentation. Ideally, you
should be able to deliver an equally interesting
presentation should the
projector/computer/room/audience break.

Avoid too many bullets as well – it makes the

information dull for the audience.
Colour

Use colour well

High quality images

Use images to
support your point

Use a consistent
theme
3. Practice
• Most people spend hours preparing a presentation but very little time
practicing it. When you practice your presentation, you can reduce
the number of times you utter words and phrases like, "um," "well,"
and "you know." These habits can easily diminish a speaker's
credibility. You can also fine-tune your content to be sure you make
your most important points in the time alloted.
Feeling Nervous?

• Lack of experience
• Lack of preparation
• Lack of enthusiasm
• Negative self-talk
It’s not about you
Focus on your goal
• what you are going to say

Audience
• Make them comfortable
• Interesting
Becoming Confident

• Be over-prepared
• Rehearse and practice
• Know your subject
• Use relaxation techniques
• Be positive +++
• Avoid stressors
4. Presenting
1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience
2. Focus on your Audience’s Needs
• Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience
is going to get out of the presentation.
• As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind
what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can
tell them.
• While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain
focused on your audience’s response, and react to that.
• You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and
respond.
•
4. Presenting
• While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to
remain focused on your audience’s response, and react
to that.
• You need to make it easy for your audience to
understand and respond.
•
4. Presenting
3. Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message
4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience
5. Start Strongly
4. Presenting
5. Start Strongly
The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to
grab your audience’s attention and hold it.They will give
you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before
they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on
explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.
• Try a story (see tip 7 below), or an attention-grabbing (but
useful) image on a slide.
4. Presenting
8. Use your Voice Effectively
9. Use your Body Too
It has been estimated that more than three quarters of
communication is non-verbal.
That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body
language is crucial to getting your message across. Make
sure that you are giving the right messages: body language
to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back
or in your pockets, and pacing the stage
Dealing with Questions
TRACT technique
1. Thank the questioner
2. Repeat the question
3. Answer the question
4. Check with the questioner if they are satisfied
5. Thank them again
Practice

Person A speak for 30 seconds about your

work.
Person B listen. At the end ask a question.
Person A use TRACT to respond.