A research paper presentation carries a lot of weight that affects your overall grade. It requires as much attention as any academic assignment. According to termpapereasy.com, a bad presentation will water down an otherwise captivating paper.
It is understandable that presentations are not a cup of tea for everyone. However, with a few tips, you can ace it and save your grade. In fact, experts agree that a good presentation will change the perspective of the panel towards your paper. Here are 7 easy ways to prepare and make a mind blowing presentation.
1. Thoroughly Understand Your Topic
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Physical presentations are made to test your understanding of the topic. Remember that the department or committee already has your paper. The team can read and understand your arguments or ideas in the paper. However, they insist on a presentation to see how well you understand the ideas discussed in the paper. It is, therefore, a moment to show your comprehension of the topic and the general area covered in the paper.
Whether you hire a professional writer or write the paper, it requires you to understand its content. Read the paper thoroughly and also go beyond the content of your paper. Know about writers who share similar ideas. You must also understand why others do not support your idea. Such knowledge prepares you to handle any question arising from your discussion.
2. Prepare An Outline For The Presentation
A presentation is not reading through your paper. It means highlighting the main points and clarifying areas that may be fuzzy. To capture these elements, an outline is necessary.
The outline captures an introduction that lays the basis for your argument. The body of the outline will discuss the main points and their supporting subtopics. Conclude the outline with a convincing punch line that sums up all your ideas and gives your stand on the issue.
The outline is a skeleton of your discussion. Once you see a point on the outline, the underlying ideas should flood your mind and inform your words. An outline helps you to see the ideas that require the most attention.
3. Slideshows Will Make The Presentation Easier
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Create a slide-show for the main points you will be presenting. There are free slide-show applications on computers with easy prompts that will make your work easier. You may also hire a slide-show specialist or talk to peers who have mastered slide show creation.
Each slide should contain one main idea. In case the supporting ideas are more than 3, they should spill to the other slide. You may include images and videos that make it easier for the audience to follow the discussion.
Practice how to use the slide show so that it does not delay your presentation. Keep it as simple as possible to avoid distracting your audience. The slide show you mount during the mock presentation should be the same you use when making the actual one.
4. Watch Other People Making Presentations
Learn from your peers or seniors on how to make a captivating presentation. Whenever they are announced, participate and learn a few tricks to make yours better. Watch how the best students open it, the props used, question and answer, as well as time management.
While you are invited to follow discussions by other people, your presentation must be unique. It makes the session memorable and unique, increasing the chances of a better grade. Request for assistance from your committee in case an aspect of the presentation is not clear. By watching them by other students, you have an idea of what to expect when your time comes.
5. Dress Well And Feel Good
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A presentation is about the optics. It is how you appear, the tone of your voice, posture, and eye contact, among other visible elements. Dress comfortably to avoid too much heat when the discussion gets intense or freezing that may affect your composure.
An upbeat spirit translates into a more convincing presentation. Listeners can feel your enthusiasm and feel-good effect in your voice. They can see it in your posture and gestures. It says a lot about how you relate with the topic and ideas discussed.
6. Have A Mock Presentation
Invite a few friends and seniors for a mock presentation. The dry run should happen upon completion of the research paper. It helps you to determine how much time your outline will take to present. Test your mock performance against what is expected during the actual presentation.
Allow peers and seniors to ask questions. The scenario that unfolds during the mock exercise will repeat during the actual presentation. In fact, it will be more intense because you are dealing with experienced seniors. Correct the errors of the mock presentation as you prepare for the real one.
7. Prepare For Anything
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It is impossible to determine what will happen during an actual presentation. In fact, no amount of preparation is enough for any presentation. The audience asks different questions from what you may have in mind. You might also wake up with a flu that affects your composure or voice. All these factors interfere with your presentation. The actual determinant is your performance on the D-day. Give it your all and you will get an impressive grade.
Research paper presentations demand understanding of the topic and confidence. Prepare adequately but do not memorize anything. Prepare and test your resources like slideshows and projectors before the actual day to ascertain that they are working. Look and sound presentable as well as confident to attract a better grade.
