Now Presenting

Think about a situation in which a presenter had a significant impact on you. Describe the situation and analyze why the presenter was able to make such a strong connection with the audience.

A few weeks ago I attended a seminar with a theme on mental health. At first, I was reluctant to attend because I thought it would be all about speeches and boring talks. I was surprised at the turn out of people at the venue and when I inquired I was told that a very popular speaker would be attending. To be honest the presenter made me so captivated till I considered being a public speaker. He was a well-groomed man who had his laptop and a bottle of water which he would be using to conduct the seminar. He said that he preferred to be on his feet so that he feels like he is engaging his audience. His presence and posture showed how confident he was or how much he loved his job.

I can say that he connected with us the audience by how he made eye contact with us, his coordinated gestures and his choice of language was informal but respectful because he was talking to students. He has a strong voice which was audible from across the hall and knew where to use intonation appropriately. He coordinated an interesting speech with his interesting brief notes and images. He even gave a chance to the audience to share their experiences or ask question which he would answer incorporating humor to ensure that everyone was attentive. He was an excellent time manager and only gave facts and examples that were in the context of the theme and this is what made him a great speaker.

Complete the following sentences and the explain your answer.” The most important thing I would tell a future ENG315 student about presenting is…’’

Preparation. A good presenter is one who is fully prepared and that has done enough research on the topic he or she will be conducting. This is because, it will help the speaker to be ready for any question that the audience may pose to them. The presenter should assume that nobody knows what they are talking about and therefore they should have noted that are brief clear and that captivate the audience. A good public speaker is on who is or looks confident and this can only be achieved by being prepared for the presentation. Preparation also means that you have some short notes from your notes that help you to articulate your points accordingly.

Preparation also involves understanding who your audience is such that you prepare for the appropriate content for your crowd. Research or inquire about the size of your audience because this helps understand which pace you will use for your audience to keep them interested. Inquire also on the venue on which you will be presenting because it will help you prepare your prototypes or voice for your audience. It is important to understand which materials you might need to prepare and present your work. Inquire how much time you will be allocated to give your presentation so that you prepare appropriately and look confident in delivering the most important facts within the allocated time.

REFERENCE

Platow, M. (2012). Giving professional presentations in the behavioral sciences and related fields. A practical guide for novice, the nervous and the nonchalant. Psychology press.