Delivering the presentation
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| questions/ˈkwestʃnz/ | Requests for information, clarification or an answer, used to guide inquiry or discussion. |
| signposting/ˈsaɪnpəʊstɪŋ/ | signposting |
| eye contact/aɪ ˈkɒntækt/ | eye contact |
A five-minute talk takes six minutes in rehearsal
- Your timed rehearsal reveals a problem while you can still fix it. Do not rely on speaking faster on the day.
- Protect the main claim and its evidence. Shorten repetition or optional detail, and check whether the brief includes time for questions.
Your five-minute rehearsal is 90 seconds too long. What should you try first?
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Protect the main claim and evidence while removing material that does not serve them.
Rehearse in a way that fits you
- Practise aloud with the slides, transitions and any demonstration. Stand or sit as appropriate; use the same access arrangements you will use on the day.
- Time each section. For a five-minute talk, one possible plan is 30 seconds opening, 180 seconds evidence, 60 seconds interpretation and 30 seconds conclusion.
The opening, evidence and interpretation take 30, 180 and 60 seconds. How many seconds remain in a 300-second talk?
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300 − (30 + 180 + 60) = 30 seconds for the conclusion in this example plan.
Give listeners a route through the talk
- Signposting 提示语 tells listeners where they are: “First, our method”; “Now, the result”; “Finally, the limitation”. Pause at transitions.
- Define an unfamiliar term, then connect it to an example. Speak clearly at a pace your audience can follow and test this with a listener.
Which help listeners follow a transition? Select all that apply.
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Structure and pauses offer a way to follow or rejoin. Faster speech may make confusion worse.
Describe the evidence aloud
- Say the main finding and important labels: “The vertical axis counts students; the bus bar is 18.” Do not assume everybody can read the screen.
- Reading a key quotation or number aloud may help. Avoid reading every bullet without explanation; provide a transcript or notes when needed.
Slide: “18 of 30 used the bus.” Spoken explanation: “That is 60% of our respondents. We asked one class, so the result does not represent every student in the city.”
You should never read a key quotation or chart value aloud.
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Speaking key text can improve access. Explain its meaning rather than reading every slide word without context.
Answer the question you can support
- Listen to the questions 提问, clarify if needed, and answer using your evidence. If the data is missing, say exactly what was not measured.
- Eye contact 眼神交流 can help some audiences, but is not a requirement for every speaker. Face the audience when possible, use a clear microphone and offer a realistic follow-up.
“We did not measure ticket cost” is an honest answer. Do not invent a number or promise a follow-up you cannot deliver. Presentation advice does not guarantee a particular assessment mark.
Your survey did not measure ticket cost. How should you answer a cost question?
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State the evidence gap. A next step is helpful when feasible, but never replace missing data with a guess.
Answer “Did bus users spend less?” when your survey recorded journey methods but not costs.
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Example: “We recorded travel methods, not spending, so our survey cannot answer that; we would need cost data.”
Use feedback to change one thing
- Ask a listener what they understood, where they lost the thread and whether the evidence supported your claim. Adjust one problem, then rehearse again.
- Record a short practice talk if you have permission. Check time, a clear transition, an audible explanation of the visual and one evidence-based question response.
Rehearse → time → get feedback → revise. Explain visual evidence aloud and distinguish what you know from what you did not measure.
Further guidance: W3C accessible presentations.
Match the rehearsal problem to a useful next revision.
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Use the observed problem to choose a change. No single technique fixes all delivery problems.
A partner remembers “60% of all city students use buses.” Your sample was one class. What should you revise?
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The partner has overgeneralised. Explain that 18 of 30 describes your respondents, not the entire city.