Student Academic Resources
Oral Presentations
Oral Delivery
- speak fluidly and audibly: an excellent delivery style helps keep your audience attentive and focused (rehearse this!)
- emphasize key words or phrases that help your audience follow your argument; sometimes it helps to number your main points and refer to those numbers as you speak (鈥淢y argument consists of three main parts鈥︹�� and later 鈥淢y second point鈥︹��)
- make eye contact with your audience: avoid reading your presentation
- body language counts: look assertive, alert, in control; be attentive to audience response
- avoid distracting vocal 鈥渢icks,鈥� such as repeating 鈥渁h鈥� or 鈥渦m鈥� or 鈥渓ike鈥�; it鈥檚 okay to pause and be momentarily silent
- avoid distracting body 鈥渢icks,鈥� (e.g., hair twirling)
- don鈥檛 rush! we need to think and absorb as we listen to you
- observe any time limit you might have; practice the presentation to be sure you can deliver it without rushing: less can be more
Content
- begin with a clear thesis: i.e., an overview of your arguments and what you will cover
- organize your arguments carefully, so your audience can easily follow
- present clear evidence鈥攅.g., visual, textual鈥攆or each main point
- at the end, briefly summarize what you鈥檝e demonstrated and address the 鈥渟o what鈥� question: why does this matter? what import does it have for art history? what exactly do you conclude?
Audience Issues
- consider the level of expertise of your audience and pitch your presentation to that level
- be ready to respond to audience questions; if necessary, ask people to repeat or clarify their questions for you
Visual/Technological Aspects
- select a reasonable number of images that directly address your points; be sure to have good quality digitals
- judiciously combine words and images: as soon as text is projected, audiences read it (and listening drops off!), so keep it short; e.g., use key words or 鈥渂ullet lists鈥� rather than full sentences
- helpful text might include brief ID labels adjacent to images; significant dates; spelling of specialized terminology, places or names; concise quotes from primary sources
- edit carefully any text you include: avoid typos!
- practice your presentation on a different computer from that on which you created it, in order to confirm your CD or flash drive will likely work on the classroom computer; if possible, practice in the classroom