Presentations : A Guide
Osborne High School Senior Project 2017- 2018
Three areas of consideration for your presentation should be I . Visual II . Content / Talking Points III . Delivery & Appearance
I . VISUAL A . The visual should be something that helps the audience understand the content of your presentation as well as a device to keep your speech organized and on track . B . The visual should focus on “ substance ,” not “ show .” Since it functions to help guide both you and the audience , it should not in itself be distracting , nor should it take attention away from you . C . The visual should be an outline of your talking points , and could be in any number of forms including ( but not limited to ): 1 . a flip-chart outline ( minimal text ) 2 . overhead transparencies ( again , minimal text ) 3 . a hand-out to be given to the judges to help them follow your speech . 4 . a poster 5 . a PowerPoint presentation ( limited in number of slides , with minimal text on each slide ). When using PowerPoint , care must be taken in the following ways : a . Student must be very familiar with the program so as to use it with ease during the presentation b . PowerPoint visuals must not distract from the speech itself c . Students should use no more than eight slides , and slides should contain graphs , charts , or photographs of your product and not serve as a script for your presentation . D . A secondary visual may include your own photographs documenting the creation of your product , a video ( no more than 2 minutes in length ), a demonstration of a skill , or display of a tangible product . However , these items--if used-- would further enhance your outline , and would not substitute for it . Your speaking time , regardless of visuals , must be 8 minutes .
E . Be aware that any type of technology used in your presentation ( TV , computer , overhead ) may fail , so reliance on such a visual should be minimal .
II .
CONTENT / TALKING POINTS
A . Your speech should attempt to anticipate questions that might be asked about your Senior Project , and to answer those questions before they are asked . Certain questions should be answered by ALL presenters ; other questions depend upon your particular Senior Project . 1 . Questions to be answered by all presenters Why did you pick this topic for your research ? What did you hope to gain by researching this topic ? What DID you gain from your research ? How did you tie in your product to your research topic ? What was your “ stretch ” in doing this particular product ? What role did your mentor play in your product ? Explain the process you went through in doing your product . What challenges did you face in doing your Senior Project ? What were the benefits you derived ( if any ) from doing this project ? What costs did you encounter ?
2 . Considerations for presenters with specialized topics Be certain to define any technical or important terms for your audience . What equipment did you need for doing the product ? What components made up this particular product that they audience should know ? Discuss the benefits of your product or the attributes that attracted / helped you .
B . Imagine being in the audience for your presentation . Address those points that would be confusing or unusual , so that the audience fully understands your topic , your challenges , your triumphs , and your achievements . Be mindful that your audience may not be familiar with your topic ; avoid using technical or topic-specific terminology without explaining it first .
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This guide has been adapted and revised from Hillgrove Senior Project Student Handbook for Osborne Cardinal Capstone Student Handbook .