{"id":147,"date":"2018-12-20T21:50:26","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T21:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/technicalwritingh5p\/chapter\/developingpresentationskills\/"},"modified":"2022-07-28T20:20:28","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T20:20:28","slug":"developing-presentation-skills","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/technicalwritingh5p\/chapter\/developing-presentation-skills\/","title":{"raw":"8.2 Developing Presentation Skills","rendered":"8.2 Developing Presentation Skills"},"content":{"raw":"Like any kind of advanced communication skill, the art of giving effective presentations is not in-born; it requires deliberate practice<\/a>. An excellent way to learn more about delivering effective presentations is to follow a systematic process:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Observe others<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Study their strategies and reflect on their effectiveness<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Select and practice strategies that will work for you; reflect and get feedback from others.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Step 1: Observation<\/h1>\r\nYou can learn a lot simply by observing how successful public speakers \u201cwork the room\u201d and engage their audience. Observe what they do. How do they use their voice to make it work as a tool of communication? How do they deploy tone, pausing, pacing, and projection? What do they do with their hands? How do they make use of the physical space around them? Take note of how speakers physically operate, either in person or on media: identify what they do, make note of what you feel works well and what doesn\u2019t, then put what you\u2019ve learned into practice.\r\n

    As a student, you might start by observing your professors. Aim to identify what makes one professor a great lecturer and another less engaging. Compare what they do with their voice, their hands, their gestures, their movements. Pay attention to how they pace their talk to draw you in and create emphasis. Reflect on what they do to convey a sense of enthusiasm for what they\u2019re talking about\u2014or fail to do so. You want to know what kinds of things to avoid\u2014a dull monotonous tone, for example\u2014as well as what kinds of things to adopt to ensure your voice comes across as a powerful tool for communicating your ideas clearly and emphatically.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n

    EXERCISE 8.1: Observation in action<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

    \r\n\r\nWhether observing your favourite professor give a lecture; watching your favourite podcaster, TV or YouTube presenter; or viewing the videos linked below, turn your observations into an active learning experience: create a list of what the speakers do well as speakers<\/em>, and then use them as role models. The goal is to create a toolkit of practical tips, approaches, and ideas for building confidence, developing your own \u201cspark\u201d as public speaker, and engaging your audience. In short, watch, observe, and learn.\r\n\r\nHere are some public speakers on film that you may enjoy watching and learning from:\r\n