You'll almost certainly be asked to give a presentation
at least once during your time at university. This expert
advice will help you conquer you nerves.
You'll almost certainly be asked to give a presentation at least once during your time at university. This expert advice will help you conquer your nerves and deliver an accomplished performance...
Depending on your degree subject, you might be expected to summarise your reading in a seminar, deliver the results of a scientific experiment or provide feedback from group work.
Whatever the topic, you'll usually be presenting to your tutor and fellow students, which some people may not find that daunting. Others will understandably be apprehensive – getting up and making your case in front of an audience is never easy, especially if you're not used to it.
However you feel, though, it's worth trying to develop your skills and become as comfortable with the format as possible. The experience will be useful when it comes to giving a presentation in an even more high pressure situation, such as a job interview.
To help you, academic skills tutor Andrew Edwards and careers adviser Andrea Hilditch, both from Glyndwr University, provide their top tips for making your presentation stand out for all the right reasons…
1. Prepare carefully
Give yourself plenty of time to prepare thoroughly, as a last-minute rush will leave you flustered when it comes to delivering your presentation. Gather the information you need and set it out in a logical order, with a clear introduction and conclusion.
As part of your planning, make detailed notes if it helps, recommends Andrew. But don't rely on these on the day, as reading from a prepared text sounds unnatural.
Andrew suggests that if you make memory aids to take with you, you should use small index cards. This is because referring to A4 sheets of paper during your presentation would be distracting and highlight your nerves if your hands were to shake.
2. Use visuals wisely
'Visuals should complement your oral presentat