Tips for Preparing a Presentation 

Whether for capstone design projects or class assignments, presentations can be challenging. Here, Tom Matlock, whose Skills for Success elective course is in its 10th year, shares his top tips for preparing flawless presentations. 

1. Know your audience. When preparing for an in-class presentation, remember your professor is the most important member of your audience – but you’ll also want to pay close attention to content that will be helpful to your classmates. When presenting outside of class, be sure your presentation will meet audience expectations.  
2. One presentation style never fits all. When it comes to presentation types – from informative and educational to persuasive and entertaining – know which type will fit your topic and audience.  
3. Learn your topic. Research your topic to gain knowledge. When working in a team, quiz each other so that you are each prepared to answer questions from your professors and peers.  
4. Time is of the essence. Know the time requirements for your presentation and design it accordingly -- keeping within time limits is essential for success. Be sure you know if your allotted time allows for a Q&A at the end of your presentation. 
5. Practice, practice, practice. Create a schedule and practice as much as possible. Remember, practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. 
6. Picture Perfect. Visit the venue ahead of time to make sure that your visuals – whether a power point, individual slides of graphics, team photos, etc. – will load and project on a classroom or other screen.  
7. Less is More. Don’t overload your slides with too much information. Include key points that you can elaborate on in your remarks. This keeps the focus on you, not your slides. 
8. Showtime! Don’t just read your visuals when presenting. Bring your content to life by clearly and concisely delivering your key points, engaging the audience, and smiling. Remember, you’re telling a story, and your presentation should follow a narrative arc. 
9. Have fun! Presentations are stressful, but if you’re well prepared, you’ll be able to enjoy yourself while sharing your subject expertise with others.