Blueprint & Presentation Project Prof.

Jack Urowitz

Guide Sheet 2 History Makes The News Fall 09

Polishing Your Presentation

Here are some questions that you can ask about your presentation.to test its
effectiveness. If the answer is ‘yes’ to the questions below, then your efforts will
likely be as rewarding as they will be rewarded.

1. Opening (Exordium): Will these first few words, or image(s),

• make the audience laugh (chuckle is pretty good) or

• stun them or
• make them uncomfortable or
• make them wonder?

2. Thesis (Narratio): Is my reason for presenting my thoughts and research clear?

Test it on a friend or family member. Ask them to tell you what they think your
essay will be about after they have read your thesis and before they have read the
rest of your paper.

3. Plan of Attack (Divisio): Are the points that the reader is about to follow
clearly presented here in summary? It is almost like you have to make up a title for
each of the different sources of information or imagery that you will bring in
support of your thesis or value of your commercial product. In this section you just
tease the audience with the titles of the sections that will follow. And once you
are clear about your content ask yourself, or a friendly reader, "Do the opinions or
imagery that I intend to present support/further my thesis or product desirability?"

4. Point by Point Elaboration: (Confirmatio): Is each piece of evidence

developed so that it refers back and supports the thesis/product? Am I repeating
anything for no good reason? (There can be good reasons) If one section leads into
the next, is the connection clear? If different sections are independent of each
other, have you made it clear that you have finished with one section before
moving on to the next?

5. Arguments against your Thesis (Confutatio): By definition, no opinion can

satisfy all questions. What would my opponents say? Have you really taken on
the strongest argument against your opinion? If this section made you rewrite
your thesis, or at least question it, then you are on the right track here.

6. Closing (Peroratio): Did I recall my opening in such a way that its impact is
deeper? Or, did I at least move the audience again with my humanity rather than
my logic?