Regardless of age, one of the biggest fears of those who are in graduation goes by the following name: presentation of academic work. It is not for nothing that many students get nervous, they do not know how to organize themselves to present their arguments in a clear and objective way, they believe that they will make several mistakes, they fear the judgments of those who will be watching, they are incessantly looking for “crutches” to achieve go through the activity etc.
With that in mind, we’ve put together some simple and foolproof techniques to change this scenario and make it so that from now on you can make incredible and memorable presentations without any difficulties or struggles. Follow our post and take note of each of them!
Study and map your audience
The first one is quite simple: study who your audience will be in order to adapt to it and, thus, be able to capture their attention. This is because each work will have a different audience. For example, a seminar is aimed at your classmates or housemates. On the other hand, the exhibition of an experimental research or a scientific article is made for university professors, especially if there is an interest in submitting them to a congress in the future.
In turn, the defense of your course conclusion work (the TCC) is for a panel formed by your advisor and two more invited professors. Therefore, knowing how to identify your listeners, it is possible to map them to find out, for example, if they:
- they like the use of technological devices during the show;
- prefer a more theoretical and critical approach;
- appreciate interventions or performances;
- value the use of charts, tables, and comparative charts for data;
- they want more dynamic and fast presentations or more traditional and pragmatic presentations.
Create a presentation script
After applying the previous technique, dedicate yourself to creating a presentation script. This will be very important so that you have an order of the contents that you must expose and, consequently, discover the best way to approach them. In addition, if the work is done as a team, this process will also help to define what each participant must develop and explain to the audience present, preventing someone from being overwhelmed with more speeches.
However, make no mistake: just because you’ve completed the script doesn’t mean it’s all right. On the contrary, it is just the first step! The second and most crucial is to practice it at home. For this, you need a few days between the preparation of it and the date scheduled for the presentation. So you can train according to the time allotted for each student or team.
Make use of visual aids
With a script planned, it’s time to outline the presentation of work in the way it will be exposed to your listeners. The most common way to do this is to use slides that bring topics of what you talk about, as well as images (and sometimes videos) that illustrate concepts, ideas and arguments.
However, know that PowerPoint is not the only program that allows you to create them. There are other options, such as Prezi and Amazed, that serve the same purpose and even offer more tools for users, such as:
- transition effects;
- layout customization;
- assembly of e-cards;
- creating infographics;
- 3D displays models;
- template insertion.
That is, when used well, these visuals draw attention and arouse curiosity in people. Therefore, it is (and very) worth exploring them!
Extra tip: the topics inserted in the slides must be clear, objective and short. No inserting long texts, as this makes people lose interest and makes the presentation dull! A simple solution to this is to apply the three-second watering which consists of reading what you have just typed and evaluating whether or not within a three-second interval it was possible to understand what was said. If the result is negative, just adjust the topics!
Focus on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
Using neuro-linguistic programming to your advantage can be a big help when planning presentations during college. This is because NLP, as it is known, consists of tracing behavior patterns that make your verbal and non-verbal (gestural) languages align with your mind and, thus, pass on to the people around you very more security, tranquility, flexibility and mastery over the subjects you talk about.
For this, you train, for example, which gestures should be repeated and which should be avoided, how to maintain the correct posture, which emotions can be shown, how to use diaphragmatic breathing, which tone of voice is most appropriate, when it is indicated approach the public, what types of anchors are allowed, and more.
Avoid distractions in the environment
The fifth and final technique is to avoid distractions in the environment (room or auditorium) in which your presentation will take place. The reason for this is quite obvious: if there are sources of dispersion in the place, you will need to compete with each of them for the attention of the people who are present there. As a result, you can end up wasting time, not following the script as you should and getting in the way when approaching theoretical issues that are more complex.
Therefore, familiarize yourself with the space as far in advance as possible and arrive earlier on the day of the presentation to check for noises, odors or even objects (such as posters, electronic devices and laboratory items) that can alienate your listeners and, consequently affect its performance. After all, as the saying goes: prevention is always the best medicine!
