CHAPTER

Oral Presenta on
6
Chapter Objective
To provide detailed guidance for acquiring the skill of effective oral presentation (including power
point presentation) both in academic and professional settings, by using time-tested techniques and
strategies of interactive group communication.

COMMUNICATION CORE
The acquisition of oral presentation skills is essential for success in a profession. Adequate
planning and preparation in using one’s voice, body language and visual aids is imperative for
achieving the desired results in an oral communication situation. Body language (eye contact,
facial expression, posture and gesture) plays a significant role. The proper use of the voice and
the ability to modulate it to suit the various nuances of meaning are equally important. Apart
from correct pronunciation, variation in pitch and tempo and fluency in delivery, free from speech
mannerism, make the audience more receptive to a speech. To induce and sustain the interest of
the audience, a judicious use of visual aids is advisable. Meeting is perhaps the most frequently
used form for sharing information and experience, for discussing problems and discovering their
solutions, and for generating confidence, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude within a professional
organisation. Participation in meetings either as a chairperson or a member of the group needs
adequate homework, alertness, tact and ability to generate discussion and respond spontaneously
to the views of others.
In certain oral presentations in which a number of persons spread over a wide geographical area
are expected to participate, a brochure is prepared and sent well in advance. It contains essential
information such as background, theme, main topics for discussion, arrangements for board and
lodging, etc.

You may be asked on occasions to present your reports orally and to take part in meetings,
conferences, panel discussions and seminars. If you are an effective speaker, you will enhance
 Oral Presenta on 69

your prestige, influence decisions and come to occupy more important positions in your
organisation. In fact, skill in oral presentation is an important equipment for life. The advice
Shakespeare gave more than 350 years ago is still valuable and worth remembering:
Mend your speech a little,
Lest it may mar your fortune.
What was said earlier about effective writing applies equally to oral presentation. In this
chapter, therefore, we shall discuss only those factors which are peculiar to oral communication.
Since you will often work as part of a group, we are including here a section on conducting and
participating in a meeting.
Detailed guidance on how to use non-verbal means in all forms of interaction and public
speaking, including oral presentation, is given in Chapter 3.

CHARACTERISTICS
Let us first understand the nature of oral presentation. Is it different from a lecture and
a public speech? It is true that in these three oral forms, one-to-many format is used. But
oral presentation is the most interactive format and public speech is the least. In a lecture, the
audience may ask questions but usually there is no intense interaction as in the case of oral
presentation. The reason is that generally the audience in oral presentation is knowledgeable
whereas in a public lecture it is not. We may thus define oral presentation as a speech
containing authentic and specialised or technical information or new ideas on a
specific topic for a relatively smaller but knowledgeable audience.
The matter presented is generally based on the results of a deep and detailed study of, or
research on, a topic. Often audio-visual aids are used for illustration or in support of views and
ideas. The presentation is followed by discussion, which is not merely a short question-answer
session. There may be comments, explanations, clarifications and exchange of views among
the members of the audience and the presenter. In fact, the speaker–audience divide tends to
melt in the intensity of discussion.

PREPARATORY STEPS
To prepare for an oral presentation you would have to take more or less the same steps as for
writing a report discussed in Chapter 19. We are repeating them here with certain necessary
modifications to make the discussion self-contained.
∑ Gather the relevant material.
∑ Organise the material in proper sequence.
∑ Mark the material which you propose to emphasise.
∑ Decide the places where you would use a question, an anecdote or a story to fortify your
argument or to illustrate your point.
∑ Decide on audio-visual aids, to be used by you.
∑ Prepare material you are going to display through slides, transparencies, etc.
∑ Prepare note cards corresponding to slides or transparencies.
∑ Prepare the material for distribution and decide on the points of time when you would
like to distribute it to the audience.
∑ Collect information about the kind of audience you are going to address.
70 Business Correspondence and Report Wri ng

∑ If possible, inspect the venue for physical arrangements or gather information about it
from the organisers.

AUDIENCE AWARENESS
Before you begin your talk, size up your listeners—their age, sex, background and interest. In
most cases you will know beforehand who will constitute the audience. But even if you do not,
a quick glance will enable you to sense whether they are a group of friendly or hostile people,
whether their eyes are lit with eager expectation or they have been huddled into the room
against their wish and are sitting with a look of ennui on their faces. A lot of common sense
is required to become a good speaker. Use it to choose a suitable approach to your audience.
In most cases if you speak directly, you will be listened to. Try to converse with them. Each
listener should feel you are talking to him individually. No verbal fireworks are necessary to
arrest attention. Instead, speak with conviction and sincerity about their immediate interest
and something with which they are familiar and you will in all probability be able to lure them
into listening. If the subject is drab, give it a personal touch. If necessary, dramatise certain
ideas to break the barriers of communication. However, do not be too dogmatic; instead give
the impression that you wish to share your views and ideas with the audience.
Another way to awaken an audience is to relate a joke. However, the effect of a joke depends
on how you relate it. Try it first on friends, in smaller groups. If you do not get the expected
response, drop it. Build it into the body of your speech in such a way that it appears to be a part
of it and the audience receive it almost unprepared. Humour arising from personal anecdotes
is perhaps the best. Some in the audience may have had similar experiences and they will
quickly identify with you when you relate such a joke.
If you notice a listener smiling or whispering to a neighbour, do not feel disturbed, nor
presume that he is criticising you. He may, in fact, be expressing his admiration for you.
However, the best thing is to concentrate on ideas which you wish to communicate rather than
on whether you are making a good impression.

PRESENTATION PLAN
The art of speaking is the fruit of persistent effort. There is no magic formula to make you
an effective speaker. Adequate planning and preparation are essential for a successful
presentation. In fact, thorough preparation is the best antidote for nervousness.
As far as possible do not read out a written speech word for word. A written speech seldom
sounds fresh or vigorous. Do not memorize it either. The delivery of such a speech will not
allow the necessary animation and spontaneity. Your presentation will lose flexibility and
communication will suffer. Face to face interaction demands thinking and speaking and not a
mere repetition of what you have learnt by rote.
However, if an extremely complex subject (e.g., a research paper for a seminar) is being
presented to the members of a professional body, you may read the written material. But even
here you should acquaint yourself with the material thoroughly. While reading, you should be
able to lift your head and look at the audience after short intervals.
For most speaking situations, you should prepare adequate notes for consultation. The
points should be arranged in the order in which you propose to present them and should
have appropriate headings and sub-headings. You may cite references, quotations, names,
 Oral Presenta on 71

illustrations which you wish to use. Some speakers also write the introductory and closing
remarks. If you think it necessary, indicate in the margin for your personal use the time that
you are going to devote to each item. It is frustrating to hear a 25-minute introduction to a
50-minute talk.
Notes should be written neatly in large letters either on 3≤ × 5≤ cards or small-sized sheets.
Large-sized sheets of paper and notebooks distract the audience’s attention. Moreover, the
sound produced by the turning of the pages, especially on the microphone, is annoying. Cards
are handy and since they are thicker than the ordinary paper, their handling is easy.
You should consider yourself adequately prepared if on reading the notes you can quickly
recall what you have to say on each item. Consult the notes frequently when you are speaking.
There is no need to conceal the fact that you are consulting the notes. In fact, this may create
a feeling among the listeners that you have taken pains to prepare for the occasion. A positive
attitude will be generated and you will be listened to with respect.

VISUAL AIDS
It has been estimated that 11 per cent of what we learn is through hearing, 83 per cent through
sight and the rest through the other three senses. Hence, visual aids can make your presen-
tation more effective. The listeners usually feel stimulated and take more interest in what is
being presented. Your explanation with the use of an aid can become more vivid and easily
understandable. Some of the aids which can serve you well are maps, pictures, charts, motion
pictures, slide and overhead projectors and a blackboard. Your choice will depend upon your
topic, audience and the availability of the aid. But remember that too many aids may cripple
the effect.
To get best results you should keep a few basic facts in mind.
(i) Integrate the aid with the oral presentation and use it when you reach the relevant
point.
(ii) If possible, keep the chart, picture or map hidden or at an inconspicuous place until you
need to refer to it.
(iii) When in use, the visual aid should be displayed where everyone in the audience can see
it. If necessary, examine the room beforehand and decide on the arrangement.
(iv) Interpret it to the listeners and draw their attention carefully to what you want them
to note.
(v) Stand on one side and use a pointer, if necessary, while interpreting it.
(vi) The aid should be sharp; emphasize only those aspects which you consider significant.
Do not clutter it with too much information.
(vii) If there is a blackboard behind you, see that it is clean. Write on it rapidly and legibly
in large letters. Keep speaking while you write, if the entry is long. After you have
finished writing, face the audience as you review or discuss the material. Erase entries
which are no longer required and use coloured chalk for emphasis, if necessary.

USE OF CONNECTIVES
There are some presenters who use meaningless expressions to fill the time gap between one
thought and another. In casual conversation these are not irksome but in public speaking
they distract attention and impede the smooth flow of communication. Often this habit is
72 Business Correspondence and Report Wri ng

developed by speakers who fail to make an effective use of connectives. It is therefore essential
to know the various kinds of connectives and their use in oral presentation. The ones that are
frequency used are discussed below.
1. Transitions are words or phrases that indicate the end of one thought and movement
to another. Examples:
∑ After having said that, I must emphasize the significance of what I stated in the
beginning.
∑ We have been discussing the scope of the topic so far. I believe it is time now to
focus attention on the main features.
∑ The financial aspect of the proposal is only one of the considerations. The others
are management and technical aspects.
∑ In addition to formal instruction, an informal interaction between students and
faculty is essential for enriching the process of education.
2. Internal previews are brief statements letting the audience know what the presenter
would take up next for discussion. Very often these are introduced before the discussion
of the main point in the speech. Example:
∑ After discussing the main provisions of the budget, we shall discuss its impact on
the growth of agriculture and industry.
This statement would prepare the audience to take in the presenter’s views in the sequence
indicated. It is, however, not necessary to give a preview of every main point. You should give
it when you feel it would help the audience in keeping up with the track of your ideas.
3. Internal summaries help the audience to recall what they have heard upto that point
of time. These are useful at the end of the discussion of a number of complicated points
or explanation of a complex problem or situation. You have to decide at what stage
of presentation you should give it. Remember that an internal summary is brief and
precise, focussing attention on the most significant content of what you stated earlier
and establishing a connection with what is to follow. Sometimes an internal preview
follows an internal summary. This helps the audience to grasp easily what is being
presented. Example:
In short, words are arbitrary symbols, abstractions of objects and ideas. And their value
lies in the meaning they convey, not in how they look and sound.
4. Signposts are brief statements indicating where you are in your presentation. These
may take different forms. The commonly used ones are numerical signposts and
interrogative signposts. An example of each is given below:
(i) The first feature of the internal evaluation system is its transparency. The
second feature is that it provides immediate feedback. The third feature is that it
promotes continuous learning.
Each of the above statements would be followed by an explanation and illustrations.
(ii) What are the causes of run away population growth in our country? What steps
should we take to solve this problem?
The first question will be followed by a discussion of the various causes and the second by a
statement of measures to be taken to solve the population problem.
In addition to the above four types of connectives, a few frequently phrases are listed below
to help you integrate your presentation.
(i) I would like to repeat the statement I just made …
(ii) The most significant aspect to which I wish to draw your attention is …
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(iii) An understanding of this factor is essential for comprehending the rest of my

presentation …
(iv) I would like you to recall what I said in the beginning …
(v) Be sure to keep in mind the point I just made …

DISCUSSION SESSION
In almost every oral presentation, a certain amount of time (15 to 20 minutes) is set aside for
discussion. To set the ball rolling, usually the presenter or the organiser invites the audience
to ask questions either orally or in writing. The former saves time but the latter has the
advantage of encouraging even shy participants to take part in the proceedings. Whatever be
the method of asking questions, your response should be addressed to the entire audience. If
the question is written, it should be read aloud and then answered. To generate discussion,
you may ask other participants to express their views, after you have responded to the
question. Sometimes, you should throw back the question to the audience and ask it to answer
or comment. Just to intensify the discussion occasionally you may contradict an opinion or
comment upon a viewpoint and encourage the concerned participant(s) to agree to his or
their views. You should, however, take care to ensure that intensity does not degenerate into
heat. There could be participants who enjoy disrupting the proceedings and embarrassing the
speaker in the process. Take the aggressive participants tactfully by tickling their ego and
then quickly moving on to the substance of discussion. And do remember to end the discussion
within the time allotted for the purpose.
We would now like to quote in this context a statement by San Deep and Lyle Sussman in
which the value of question as a tool of what discussion does has been powerfully brought out:
‘Questions are magic—they have the power to turn confusion into clarity, resistance
into acceptance, division into consensus, frustration of not knowing what to say into
the satisfaction of having said it…..’

POWER POINT PRESENTATION

For Power Point presentation you will have to prepare slides. Through them you can display
the key-points of your talk and related diagrams, drawings, pictures, photographs, etc. You
may also include apt quotations and appropriate embellishments to make slides more effective
and attractive. As the space on the slides is limited, the entire display material should be
carefully selected and concisely presented. To give an example, let us assume that you have
to give a talk on How to prepare for an oral presentation? For this presentation you may
prepare the following slides.

Slide 1
Gather the relevant material
From journals, books, magazines, etc.
From the Internet
Through mail questionnaire
Through personal interview
74 Business Correspondence and Report Wri ng

Slide 2
Organise the material in proper sequence
Keeping the objective in mind
Keeping in mind the nature of audience
Ensuring that the sequence is logical
Deciding which points to emphasize but remember...

Slide 3
“If you emphasize everything, you emphasize nothing!”

Slide 4
Identify the material for special effects
Anecdotes
Stories
Examples
Illustrations

Slide 5
Know your audience
Size
Age group
Background, education, job profile, etc.
Their expectations

Slide 6
Gather information about the venue
Size
Seating arrangement
Facilities available
If possible, inspect the venue

Slide 7
Prepare material for distribution, if any
Cases for discussion
Key points
Quizzes
 Oral Presenta on 75

Short exercises (application oriented)

Keep material hidden from the audience’s view and
distribute only at suitable points of time

Slide 8
For time management
Allocate approximate time to be spent on each key-
point
Decide matter you would cut, if running short
Keep questions ready, if running long
But do not frequently look at your watch

Slide 9
To get ready for the performance
Construct and remember the first few sentences
Recall the key points
Construct and remember the last few sentences
But the final presentation should look spontaneous

Slide 10
Rehearse the presentation
Simulate the actual presentation
Get feedback on
Clarity in expression
Fluency of speech
Effectiveness of visuals
Time management

Slide 11
Remember
“Preparation is the best antidote to nervousness and
the best bet for success.”

Now we give below the full text of a presentation based on the above slides.

SAMPLE TEXT OF A PRESENTATION

Do you feel the fog in your throat when invited to start your presentation? We would be
surprised, if you do not. If you do, you have a reason to be happy. Quite a number of speakers
are like you. The fact is that, when we find an array of faces with expectancy in their eyes sitting
76 Business Correspondence and Report Wri ng

silently before us, we feel a load of responsibility on our shoulders. It is then natural to feel
nervous in such a situation. But there is no need to be panicky. There is an element of energy
present in the nervousness which, if properly harnessed, can help you make your presentation
with agility, passion and conviction. Rest assured that if you prepare well, you can easily
harness this energy and discharge your responsibility with confidence. Now, the question that
automatically arises in our mind is ‘How to prepare for an effective oral presentation?’ Here
are nine steps that we suggest. Just consider taking them next time you are asked to make an
oral presentation.

Step One: Gather the relevant material. There are two types of sources from which you
can do this: primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources are those from which
information is gathered by you first hand, that is, through mail questionnaire, personal and
telephone interviews, experiments, observations, etc., or culled from files, company records,
manuscripts, etc. The secondary sources are journals, magazines, books, newspapers and other
publications in which information is available in organised form. All that you have to do is to
select and use the information to support or illustrate your views and ideas.

Step Two: Organise the material. First, try to visualise the various aspects of the topic by
splitting it in terms of points and sub-points. Think intensely until you become clear in your
mind about the extent and depth of proposed coverage. The three parameters that would help
you arrive at this decision are: the objective of the presentation, the nature of audience and the
time available. Keeping these in mind classify the information you have gathered and listing
your ideas in order of importance in an outline using dentations and decimal number system.
As you know, each main idea constitutes a point, and each subordinate idea a sub-point. The
sub-point illustrates, supports or explains the point. Thus, each sub-point is a sort of further
break-up of a particular unit of thought. The outline thus prepared would serve as a road map,
helping you move forward without losing direction and confidence. At this stage you also need
to know which points or sub-points need to be emphasised. Mark them in your outline or note
cards but remember: ‘If you emphasise everything, you emphasise nothing’.

Step Three: Identify the material for special effects. Experienced presenters often use
anecdotes, examples, stories, illustrations, etc., to make their presentation effective.
These should be appropriate and used at the right time in such a way that they add value to
your presentation, keep the interest level high and relax the atmosphere, inducing receptivity
of what is to follow. It is hard to identify stories or anecdotes relevant to all topics but if you
can, write keywords or phrases in the outline or note cards to signal to you the time for relating
them. The other two interest keepers, namely, examples or illustrations are not so difficult to
use. In fact, you have been using them frequently in almost all courses of study. All that I want
to remind you is that these too should be indicated in the outline or note cards that you may
use for your presentation. Using them at the right time is of paramount importance.

Step Four: Know your audience. Let me first tell you a story. There was one Mr. Adil
Baltiwalla who used to give every semester a series of lectures on ‘marketing strategies’ to
management students of a college located in another town. The class consisted of boys only
as the college did not admit women students. But one day in the beginning of a new semester
when Mr. Baltiwalla went to the class, he found a sea of feminine faces in front of him. He was
 Oral Presenta on 77

so nonplussed that he immediately walked out of the class murmuring to himself, ‘Oh, there is
no one in the class today!’ Thus, howsoever well prepared you may be with your contents, you
may fail miserably, if you do not know your audience. So try to garner as much information
about the audience as is practically possible. Some of the facets of the audience which you need
to know are as follows:
∑ Profile in terms of age, education, job, etc. This would enable you to choose
appropriate examples, illustrations, etc.
∑ Size in terms of number. If you had planned for 20 and find 200 when you go to
the venue, obviously you would have to make a quick adjustment in regard to your
delivery, participation exercises, display of material, etc.
∑ Audience mix. You must know whether the group you are going to address is
homogenous or it is a mix of various disciplines, functions and designations, etc.
∑ Audience’s expectations. All topics have a number of dimensions. If you know
what the audience expects from you, your presentation would have better chances of
success.
∑ Audience’s awareness about you. If your credibility is already established, you
need not do it especially during the initial few minutes.

Step Five: Gather information about the venue. It is helpful to know the size of the room,
seating arrangement, and the facilities available. If possible, visit the venue and see where you
will stand, what arrangements have been made for display of material, etc. Incidentally, an
inspection of the venue is likely to enhance your level of confidence.

Step Six: Prepare material (handouts) for distribution. The handout should be short and
crisp. It may be just a list of additional points or a complicated diagram to which you would
refer in your presentation. Never give the entire text of your presentation just in case you
wrote it for practice and rehearsal. If the organisers want this to be done, distribute it after you
have completed your presentation. Timing of material distribution is very important to ensure
attention of the audience to what you say.

Step Seven: Time management. Lord Birkebt once said: ‘I do not object to people looking at
their watches when I am speaking, but I strongly object when they start shaking them to make
sure they are still going.’ Surely, you would not like to be caught in a situation of this kind. One
way of managing time is to allot time to the coverage of each slide. The material on the slide
would help you decide the amount of time you would like to spend on it. It is advisable to keep
photocopies of your slides with you in the form of note cards. You may write the amount of time
on the top of each note card.

Step Eight: Get ready for the performance by visualising it. Recall the points and sub-
points you have noted in the outline and generate thoughts on each and construct sentences (in
your mind.) in which you would use to express them. Construct and remember a few opening
sentences and those with which you would like to end your presentation.

Step Nine: Simulate the actual presentation. before a group of your friends and obtain their
feedback, specially regarding clarity in expression, fluency of speech, effectiveness of visual
aids and time management.
78 Business Correspondence and Report Wri ng

If you take the nine steps we have just discussed you would definitely do well in your
presentation. Nobody is born with presentation skills. These have to be acquired with
sustained efforts. Remember, preparation is the best bet for success. And to do your
best tomorrow, do your best today. Before I close, all that remains to be said is a sincere
thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for having listened to me patiently.

CHECKLIST
Presented below is a checklist of significant aspects of oral presentation. These would help
you remember the points you should bear in mind in order to make your oral presentation
effective.

Pronunciation
1. Is the pronunciation of individual sounds clear and proper?
2. Have the stresses been put on the right syllables?
3. Is the intonation appropriate?

Delivery
4. Is the presenter poised and relaxed?
5. Is the voice animated, vibrant and well-modulated?
6. Is the volume of voice according to the size of the audience?
7. Are the pauses at the right places?
8. Is the rate of delivery normal, that is, approximately 150 words per minute?

Body Language
9. Has the presenter a pleasant personality?
10. Is his posture proper?
11. Does he make appropriate gestures?
12. Is he dynamic?
13. Does he maintain eye contact with the entire audience?

Organisation of Matter
14. Is the introduction attractive?
15. Does it tell what the presentation contains?
16. Is the objective clearly stated?
17. Is the body of speech properly structured and integrated?
18. Are the points logically ordered?
19. Are the arguments supported by details and illustrations?
20. Is the information presented authentic and accurate?
21. Is the conclusion related to the objective?
22. Does it summarise the main points?
23. Does it clearly signal that the presentation is coming to an end?