STAGE FRIGHT?

Seven tips to get you through those

presentation jitters
:2-er 1: Show Up Early
W Yo: will always -eneIit Iro2 -eing early to
yo:r presentation. Yo: 2ay have a chance
to head oII so2e technical diIIic:lties or ask
yo:r proIessor a last 2in:te q:estion -eIore
yo:r presentation starts. By showing :p
early yo:ll re2ove the stress oI r:shing
and give yo:rselI a chance to cool down
aIter that walk Iro2 the parking lot.
:2-er 2: Know Yo:r Material
W To avoid the anxiety oI presentations, yo:r
-est deIense is to -e prepared. Gather
inIor2ation Iro2 2:ltiple so:rces to gain a
-etter :nderstanding oI the topic. Dont rely
solely on yo:r text-ook as yo:r so:rce oI
knowledge.
:2-er 3: CareI:lly Consider
Yo:r Props
W Are yo: going to :se Power Point, a
poster -oard, or hando:ts? Take
into consideration how yo: are
going to incorporate the props into
the presentation. Dont :se props iI
they will distract the a:dience or iI
they will distract yo:.
umber 4: Humor Can Be Good
W hen h:2or drives the presentation Iorward,
it can -e a great techniq:e to keep the a:dience
interested. Avoid :sing canned jokes that
dont depend on the context oI the
presentation. They can lead to awkward
2o2ents.
umber 5: Allow Time for
Questions
W Many people j:dge the q:ality oI yo:r talk
not -y the twenty 2in:tes oI presentation,
-:t on the thirty seconds yo: spend
answering their q:estions. Block in ti2e
Ior q:estions thro:gho:t the presentation or
at the end.
:2-er 6: Record Yo:rselI
W II yo: can, record yo:r presentation and play it
-ack to yo:rselI. Listen Ior ':2s or other
words that yo: repeat. Also listen to the speed
oI yo:r voice and try to learn the words. The
2ore yo: can co22it to 2e2ory the less
nervo:s yo: will so:nd.
:2-er 7: atch Yo:rselI in the
Mirror
W Be cognizant oI tendencies to play with
yo:r hair, crack yo:r Iingers, or do other
distracting ha-its. HalI the -attle is
realizing that yo: have a distracting ha-it.
IdentiIy 2ethods that will keep yo:rselI
Ioc:sed on yo:r presentation.
So dont sweat the s2all st:II and
re2e2-er to. W 1. Show :p early
W 2. Know yo:r 2aterial
W 3. CareI:lly consider yo:r props
W 4. H:2or can -e good
W 5. Allow ti2e Ior q:estions
W 6. Record yo:rselI
W 7. atch yo:rselI in the 2irror
Do these 7 things and yo:r
presentation is -o:nd to -e great!