How to Create a Presentation
The ultimate student guide…
Your tutor gives you a presentation. Talking in front of people eeek, making a presentation that is interesting double eeek! Don’t panic, we got you covered. Here is some hint and tips to make a stand out presentation.
1. Make a plan
This may sound obvious but it is the back bone of any good presentation. Make a list of all the topics you would like to cover, plan what will be covered in what slide and when in the presentation it will appear.
2. Start creating
Once you have an outline of what you are going to talk about you can start putting it together. The most common presentation tool is PowerPoint however you can use other tools which offer a different/smoother look such as Prezi. It takes a bit of time to get the hang of but can be worth the effort, it comes with a free trial, bonus.
3. Don’t over pack the slides
If you have already created the basic templates for your slides you can now start putting your content onto them. Keep the text light, just key points and images, this will keep the audience more engaged with what you’re saying if they aren’t having to read along with you.
Key tip: Keep the colour, style and theme consistent throughout the slide, it adds a more professional feel to your presentation.
4. Flash cards
Create some flash cards with prompts, just for you to see. This will include key information which is not on the slides and trigger your memory if you start forgetting what to say next when it comes to presentation time. Try not to look down to much at these, they shouldn’t act as a script.
5. Rehearse
It may sound silly reading your presentation out loud again and again to no one but this is a great way to learn your presentation inside out. Try getting some friends or family to watch you present so you can get some honest feedback and tweak it accordingly. Time yourself, this is especially important if you have time constraints.
Key tip: Try recording yourself presenting, that way you can see what it would be like as an audience member watching you.
6. Presentation time
Worked really hard? Followed all the steps? Rehearsed so much that you hate the sound of your own voice? Then perfect, you are ready! Be confident, take your time (pauses are good in presentations, it allows the audience to absorb) and relax. You are basically a presentation pro.
