Tips for a Powerful Student Presentation

By Scott Ingraham, OTR/L

Have you ever listened to a classmate’s presentation and struggled to stay focused or read what was on the screen? Have you ever been to a presentation that was fun and engaging with material that is easy to understand? We have all given our share of presentations during OT school, but what makes some students shine over others? The following tips will get you on your way to giving powerful presentations.

1. Develop a core message for your presentation. Before you begin to create PowerPoint slides, write down the main objective of your presentation. When creating your message, think about why the topic is important and what you want your audience to take away from the presentation. Let that core message guide you as you research your topic and create your presentation (Reynold, 2008).

2. Be familiar with your topic and practice. Make sure you are knowledgeable about, comfortable with, and confident on your subject matter. Do your research and look into what people are saying about it online. To develop confidence, practice your presentation in front of a friend who is not familiar with the topic. Were you clear and concise when explaining the topic? Was your friend able to understand easily? If so, you are on the right track. Ask your friend for suggestions and feedback (Russell, n.d.).

3. Create clean slides. Try not to include too much information on a slide. You want your audience to listen to what you are saying instead of straining their eyes to read text. Resist the temptation to include 3–4 bullet points as encouraged by the default template on PowerPoint, and try to make one main point per slide. When creating your slides, use contrasting colors and visual aids such as pictures, graphs, and figures. Be aware that fancy fonts, elaborate animations, and transitions may make the presentation feel gimmicky and distract the audience from the material they should be focusing on (Russell, n.d.).

4. Avoid reading from your notes, and engage your audience. You can certainly refer to your notes during your presentation, but you are likely to lose interest from your audience if you read from your notes directly. Instead of writing a speech for your presentation, use visual aids and key words on your PowerPoint to help guide you through the content you wish to cover. Don’t be afraid to move around and step away from your notes during your presentation. Not only will it help you to avoid reading from your notes, but movement will add energy to your presentation and will encourage your audience to pay closer attention (Research Guide for Students, 2014). Interacting with your audience will also help you to relax, speak naturally, and avoid clutching your note cards. Your audience is more likely to retain information from your presentation if they are actively involved. Consider asking discussion questions, playing trivia based on your topic, or having the audience engage in small group breakout sessions. Providing handouts can also help your audience actively listen to your presentation instead of writing down everything from your PowerPoint (Research Guide for Students, 2014).

5. Look into alternative options to PowerPoint. Look into alternatives for using a standard PowerPoint, such as a Prezi, cloud-based software that allows users to zoom in and out on a virtual canvas. Using Prezi can help make your presentation more interactive and memorable without being distracting.

6. Dress to impress. While it may be comfortable, don’t wear sweatpants and a t-shirt to your presentation. Dressing professionally will not only make your audience more likely to respect you and listen, but you are likely to feel more confident and ready to present (Jacobs & Hyman, 2010).

Good luck wowing your classmates with your confidence and professional but entertaining presentation. Check out the references for additional tips!