Help Screens
Local Resources
Courtesy of the Drug Prevention Resource Center
Community Resources
Courtesy of United Way uwcf.org
|
|
Emergency assistance after business hours call the Polk County Crisis Line, (863) 519-3744 or Polk County Emergency Operator, 911
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm •
Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm  For Appointments (863) 667-7701
Students initiating services at the Counseling Center are required
to review
the HIPAA Privacy Notice prior to receiving services. Notice
of Privacy Practices
Before
your Presentation
|
|
|
Think
about your classmates/audience.
Are you going to present in front of a small or a large group?
Do you know their backgrounds or interests? Learning about
them would help you to become more relaxed; and tailor your
presentation to that particular group.
Research
your subject/topic.
Even if you know your subject/topic, get more information about
it. Doing this would help you to feel more confident, and would
enable you to answer more questions.
Write
down your presentation.
Writing down your presentation will help you prepare.
You can have this material in front of you if you decide to
read
your
presentation
to your audience. Even if you decide not to read it, it will
be there in case you get lost and need to get back "on
track."
A
step ahead.
If you want to deliver a better presentation, develop an outline
of the headline and main ideas from your written presentation.
Then, avoid reading and use the outline for your presentation.
Trust me, your audience will not only be grateful, but
more interested in what you have to say. You
may have noticed that most good speakers do not read their
presentations, even though they started that way.
Number
and staple together all pages of your presentation.
Remember, most podiums are not horizontal, the air conditioner
unit might blow stronger in that area, and you may become a
little more clumsy when presenting. Numbering and stapling
your presentation, or its outline, will help you put it back
together again in case something happens.
Use
LARGE and bold type.
One of my friends always types his presentations in large and
bold print, with wide spaces between the lines, so he can see
them easily. This also helps him to rapidly spot where he is,
after making a pause, or even when he gets lost.
Use
your capacity of "As if."
Picture yourself "as if" you are in front of your
classmates/audience and rehearse your presentation out loud.
Rehearsing will allow you to evaluate and improve your presentation,
as well as practice your gestures and other non-verbal elements.
Do not forget to time yourself.
Tape
yourself.
Tape your rehearsal and check the content, pace, and length
(time) of your presentation. By listening to yourself you
can find out what is OK and what needs to be changed. Organize
the rest of your work accordingly.
Rehearse
in front of others.
Ask a friend or classmate you trust to critique your presentation.
This person can help you identify the strengths and weaknesses
of your presentation and provide some helpful advice. (Do not
forget to be open and not to take any criticisms in a personal
way; you want to do better, not to lose a friend). If you cannot
do this, practice in front of a mirror. Several of my students
have confided to me that it really helps.
Have
some "comebacks" ready.
Even experienced speakers can lose their place in the middle
of a presentation. The reason they do not freeze is that
they have some "comebacks" ready to fill the
gap and allow them time enough to return to what they were
saying. These "comebacks" can be anecdotes, short
comments, or even jokes that you can throw into your presentation
when you need it.
Highlight
interesting details.
In the same way you highlight key elements when reading, verbally
point out key elements during your presentation. Interesting
and entertaining elements add spice to your talk, and make
it more powerful.
Coach
yourself.
Talk to yourself. Tell yourself what you are doing right and
motivate yourself to practice what still seems to need
some improvement. Avoid telling yourself what you do not
want to happen. Emphasize what you want to do, not what
you want to avoid. Use statements such as "I will
do my best," instead of "I will not be nervous."
Think "catastrophically."
What do you think is the worst that can happen? Having to request
a delay because you have to run to the bathroom? Noticing
some tremor in your voice? Skipping a section of your presentation?
Not being able to talk because of your dry mouth? And what
do you think your audience would do? Would some of them
leave the room? Would they laugh at you? Think about it.
You may be investing too much energy worrying that some
of these things may happen. Chances are they would not.
And even if they do happen you now you can do something
about each of them. You can go to the bathroom, you can
take a deep breath and relax, you can realize that everybody
may miss a part of their talk, and all these will change
for the better with practice. And regarding your audience,
remember, there is always the possibility of somebody leaving
the room or laughing during a presentation, even if the
presenter is doing a good job.
|
|
| |
If
you would like to learn more about the topics discussed on this
site, the Counseling Center has a variety of resources to help you.
Call or stop by the Counseling Center to make an appointment to
talk with a counselor. The Counseling Center is located in Student
Services, LLC 2134. The telephone number is (863) 667-7701.
|
|
