Presentation Guidelines

Each group is allocated a strict time limit in which to deliver their presentation. Given the time constraints, you must consider very carefully what key points you need to make. Remember who your audience is and be concise.

Presentations are evaluated by the following criteria:

• Content: 50%
  This area covers design methodology, implementation, results and (where appropriate) analysis of the results. Given your time constraints, you will have to be selective on what you want the audience to learn. In the event that the presentation is accompanied by a written report, the content of the two should be consistent. In general, key points should include an overview of your design approach in situations where aspects of the design were left to your discretion, the challenges you encountered (or expected), and how you dealt (or plan to deal) with them. Results obtained should be provided in an easily viewable graphical form and summarized briefly.

• Organization: 20%
  The content of the presentation should be divided between the group partners and each should make clear the extent of his or her contribution to the assignment or project. There should be an introduction and conclusion to each component, albeit brief, reinforced by a logical progression of the slides, linking each section to the next. Your audience should not be struggling to understand what part of the work you're describing at any point.

• Clarity: 30%
  As the ad says, "A lot can be said for clarity." Remember that the delivery should be professional and comprehensible. This does not mean that your slides have to be prepared by a graphics artist, but you should aim to leave your audience with the impression that you can "sell your product." The onus is on the presenter to explain, not on the listener to struggle to understand. This component also includes the quality of your delivery and respecting the allotted timing without racing.

Tips for effective presentations

• Remember that you are a student giving a presentation to assessors -- you are not being evaluated as a news anchor! While it is acceptable to use notes as occasional prompts, your audience should get the impression that you are speaking to them, not reading a report out loud.
• Keep the pace reasonable. A three-minute presentation that tries to include 10 minutes of material is going to place a serious burden on the cognitive resources of your audience. Marks are not allocated for speed-talking.
• Convey some interest in your material. There's nothing worse for an audience member than being stuck watching a lecture in which the presenter seems to be falling asleep. While you don't need to pretend you just won the lottery, you'll keep your viewer's attention much better when it looks like you're happy to be talking about your work.
• Try to find a comfortable balance between the statue pose (where you remain motionless apart from your lips moving) and the kung-fu action sequence. You want the audience to focus on what you are saying, not the number of calories you are burning.
• Avoid playing "musical chairs" with your partner(s) -- overly frequent transitions between presenters tends to be distracting.
• Refer on occasion to your slide -- if you're speaking for more than a couple of minutes, give the audience a quick reminder as to where you are.

Last updated on 10 Feb 2017
by Jeremy Cooperstock