Guidelines for Project Presentations

It is nearly time for the class presentations of your projects, so I wanted to reiterate some of the points from the syllabus regarding the presentations (and the projects in general). See the syllabus for more details on some of these points.

1. The presentations should last about 30 minutes. That will allow both teams time to set-up, and also allow some flexibility in case of any problems

2. It is NOT necessary that all team members participate in the actual presentation. This is entirely up to you. Trying to divide a presentation up among 5 or 6 people can be tricky, and one of the evaluation criteria relates to organization. However many (or few) make the actual presentation, make sure the flow of ideas, handoffs, etc. are smooth and well-practiced.

3. The class presentation should normally be different from the written report. I can’t over-emphasize this point! The presentation and the report have different audiences, with different needs. I want all the detail and documentation in the report—the class wants an interesting presentation. That generally requires a very different content and style for each deliverable. Creativity is particularly rewarded in the class presentation.

4. Don’t try to cover too much. Depth of treatment is more important than trying to cover everything. Especially if you try to rush through it all and the rest of us are left in a blur. Take your time, encourage interaction/discussion, make an impact.

5. Clarify your key points. Make sure your audience understands what your take-home point(s) are.

6. Beware technology glitches. If you’re planning to use A/V technology (e.g. PowerPoint, videos, overheads, Internet) be prepared to be the master of the technology rather than the other way around.

• Be at class a few minutes early so that both groups that day can put files on the classroom computer. That speeds things up between groups.
• Have a back-up plan. For example, if you’re using PowerPoint, it’s a good idea to have either transparencies or a handout to use if the LCD projector or computer decides to die.
• Test things out in advance, especially if you’re not familiar with them

7. Don’t forget that a handout is due the day of your presentation. This should be a one-page summary including key references.

8. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Practice makes perfect—and it also helps take away those presentation jitters when you feel confident that you know what you’re doing. That also means you need to have your work done early enough to allow time to rehearse.

And for the audience:

1. Attendance is expected. This is a matter of courtesy to your colleagues (and I will be assigning attendance points on a random basis during the time of presentations!)

2. Yes, it will “be on the exam.” One of the major reasons for the presentations is to cover additional course material, so of course what the teams present about will be on the exam. If it wasn’t important, I wouldn’t be asking you to do it!

3. Do your part. Interactive, discussion-oriented presentations only work if the audience responds. You’ve been good all semester about getting involved, so keep it up!