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by Anna
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This past Monday, November 28th I did my first presentation in graduate school. It was for my Reading in a Second Language course taught by Professor Esther Geva.
I have to admit that I was a little overwhelmed when preparing for this presentation, but everything turned out all right in the end. I’m good at talking, presenting facts, and sharing my opinion. Upon further reflection, making presentations is actually easier for me than writing papers. Our professor also allowed people to present in pairs or groups; this likely made the presentation much less frightening for some students. I chose to present individually because that’s what I’m comfortable with.
I’m happy to report that my first graduate-level presentation went well! ^_^ There was discussion, everything I said made sense, and my topic tied into what the professor was going to be talking about for that particular class.
I thought it might be helpful to include some strategies I used to ensure things ran smoothly.
Without further ado, I present…
Anna’s Superstar Tips For Effective Presentation Preparation:
- Schedule your presentation around the middle of the semester so you can get presentation ideas from the students who presented before you.
- Include a clear agenda so that your audience knows what to expect.
- If you aren’t that technologically savvy, get a friend or trusted classmate to help you set up your presentation and run it effectively.
- Try to relate your presentation content to your own personal experiences, and to what was said in the class previously.
- Include enough research to make your point, and try not to overwhelm your audience with statistics.
- Involve your audience by including discussion, and asking them to reflect on what they already know about your topic before you begin.
Final Thoughts:
I hope that these tips help prospective students understand the process behind giving a good presentation. It’s not that difficult if you prepare, and it will be over before you know it. Try to relax and make the most of the experience. You never know when presentation skills may come in handy after you’re done your graduate degree at OISE.