Instructions for
Oral Presentations
1) To see the schedule of Oral Presentations click one of these three:
409a www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy18/g18present409a.html
409b www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy18/g18present409b.html
459 www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy18/g18present459.html
HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR ORAL PRESENTATION (worth 10 points)
1) Read through the entire material assigned, take notes, and think about it for a few days. Then discuss the content informally with someone. Explain what the main concepts are. See if you can define them without your notes. Note the reaction, and the comprehension or misunderstanding.
2) Prepare an outline for your 20-min presentation. Your presentation must take at least 19 minutes, but no more than 22 minutes.
3) Prepare a handout, or use the overhead projector. Useful handouts include one or more of the following: a copy of the outline, a test, an exercise, a table, a diagram, Web links, etc.
4) Make your presentation interesting. Do not just present what the material says, but also how you reacted to it and what your opinion is. This is what makes your oral presentation worthwhile and interesting--the combination of the material and your opinion.
Remember: you need to state your opinion or implications you see for each segment as you go along, and not wait till the end to do so. Many students lose points for not following this important requirement.
5) Practice ahead of time. Do not read your notes--learn them so you can talk while looking at the audience. This is very important.
Make outline notes for yourself, not full sentences, so you will be making up the sentences spontaneously as you talk. This helps you to stay in rapport with the audience. The skills you practice here are the same that will make you successful on your job.
6) Find a way of involving the audience. Ask a question, for example, and pick someone to answer. Or ask for a show of hands on How many of you agree that X is the case? Then make sure you ask someone why?
If you have them fill out test items, use no more than two or three items (do not use a whole test since it takes away from your time and focus). Be sure to explain each item: How do you understand it and why it is considered to be a measure of that trait. Don't just give the audience a task--talk about what it means afterwards.
7) Grading Criteria:
a) Did you stay within the scheduled time (at least 19 and no more than to 22 minutes)?
b) Did you mix the content with your own opinion throughout the presentation?
c) Did you read full sentences (not preferred), or used an outline to talk spontaneously (preferable)?
d) Did you maintain eye contact with the audience?
f) Did you involve the audience in some interactive task?
e) Was your content coherent, or disjointed and vague?
f) Did you act like you were well prepared?
g) Was your voice strong and clear?
h) Did you answer audience questions in a skilled way?
8) HOW TO BE A GOOD AUDIENCE MEMBER (5 points)
a) speak at least once in every class
b) look at the speaker and act like an audience
c) give others a chance to speak
d) make comments that are relevant to the topic