Importance Of A Memorable Oral Presentation

How to Give a Memorable Presentation While it is undeniably important to conduct innovative and novel research, the information cannot make a noteworthy impact if no one has ever heard of it. A clear, engaging oral presentation is a great method to introduce novel information to multiple audiences of varying backgrounds. A memorable oral presentation consists of two major components: the contents of the presentation and the delivery of the presentation. The contents include the information that is going to be presented, such as the PowerPoint presentation, the desired audience, the organization of the presentation, etc. The delivery consists of the speaker’s tone, posture, readiness, etc., which has the same or even greater importance than

A good starting point is for the speaker to consider the audience that he or she is speaking to; are they colleagues, experts in different fields, clinicians, investors, or casual patrons of the sciences? Who the audience is a critical factor in formatting the presentation so that it catches their attention and keeps them actively listening until the end. This can mean opening with a practical problem they have experienced in the laboratory or addressing a pitfall in a commonly used technique, if it is related to the topic the speaker is presenting. The audience is much more likely to be engaged in the speaker’s presentation if they can find some information that can benefit them. Another aspect to focus on is the progression of the presentation. If the audience becomes confused due to the lack of connection between the talking points, the impact of the presentation will be greatly diminished. This can be avoided with designing the presentation with a clear beginning, middle, and end. With these guidelines in mind when crafting the presentation, the speaker can create a strong foundation for the oral portion of the

Even with the most relevant, grounding-breaking information can be rendered completely mute by a poor delivery of the information. That is why it is critical to practice the delivery of a presentation and properly prepare the presentation space to ensure the information is engaging and memorable. Before the presentation, the speaker should rehearse the presentation several times and have a general idea of her or his pacing. This also includes practicing the pacing of the presentation so the presentation fits within the allotted time. On the day of the presentation, the speaker should be able to see the space he or she will be presenting in and check to make sure that technical side is working properly, like the microphone or the PowerPoint. The speaker should be confident in their speaking when she or he enters the stage and in her or his stage presence. This includes standing up straight, speaking up or into the microphone, speaking from the diaphragm, maintaining eye contact with the audience, smiling at the audience, and speaking with good pacing. Slouching, mumbling, avoiding eye contact, or speeding through the content can be distracting to the audience. Many of these problems can be caused by “stage fright”, but there are many approaches to calm these anxieties. Deep breathing, positive visualization, and