Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once famously stated that while it was difficult to define what pornography was, he ‘knew it when he saw it.’ You all know an effective presentation when you see it- and hopefully you can do more to define and describe what makes it effective. In this brief blog entry, include some criteria for an effective presentation- what does an effective speaker do, and what should you all try to do well in your presentations?
No need for lengthy entries for this post- just list the criteria you would like for us to consider
on Aug 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
a presentation is effective if the person giving the presentation is knowledgable on the subject or material being presented, has excitement and passion on the material being presented, is organized, and keeps eye contact and tries to personalize with the audience
on Aug 25th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
An effective speaker must engage his or her audience in order to maintain their attention. Eye contact, enunciation, energy, and pausing when appropriate are also important basics in presentations.
on Aug 25th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
~When the speaker engages the audience through eye contact
~Use of both rational/logical arguments and arguments which appeal to the audience’s emotions
~Connections to real life, making the speech relevant for the listener
~Change in voice tone, gestures and slight movement on the stage to keep the audience’s interest
on Aug 25th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
-The speaker maintains eye contact with the audience
-the audience is engaged in the topic
-the delivery is clear, energetic, and expressive
-distractions are limited (pacing, fidgeting, swaying, etc.)
-the speech is structured and transitions easily from point to point
on Aug 25th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
The speaker must carry themselves in a manner fitting to the speech. This includes voice inflection, tone, dress, and hand gestures. The speaker must show confidence in what they are saying. A firm understanding of the topic is crucial to this.
on Aug 25th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
A public speaker who is effective will inspire an audience. They are prepared, confident, and enthusiastic when talking. A good speaker never fidgets or any other habit that would distract their audience. To be effective the speaker will also start with a strong introduction and end with a stronger conclusion. Most importantly an effective public speaker keeps his/her composure.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 10:11 am
-The speaker is knowledgeable and excited about the topic and is prepared to field questions from the audience.
-The speaker maintains eye contact with the audience, but their eyes are not darting around the room. Eye contact is especially important when the speaker is stating the most important points of the presentation.
-The speaker’s tone is loud and clear and suitable to the nature of the presentation.
-The speaker should be inclusive using body language and gestures that make the audience feel engaged in the presentation.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 10:37 am
A good public speaker sets the audience at ease when he or she speaks and continually has good but not forced eye contact with the audience. A good speaker can afford to seem conversational with the audience because he or she is prepared enough to alter his or speech to match the ebb and flow of the audience. Good speakers are confident, appear knowledgeable on the subject they are speaking about, and do not distract from what they’re saying by having off-putting mannerisms and clothing. A good speaker is calm, which in turn lets the audience be calm, and has the speech in a logical order.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 11:37 am
An effective presentation is engaging and makes the audience think. Depending on the topic, the speaker should choose their words carefully and modify their tone, expressions, and body language as appropriate. Eye contact is important, as well the sense that the speaker is at ease and well informed on their subject. A speaker should bring in outside information to strengthen their argument/presentation, but also bring their own original thoughts and style to the presentation. In order to be effective, the presentation should neither be too long or too short, but flow smoothly, keeping the audience’s attention.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
1. An effective speaker is enthusiastic. The speaker is assure about a topic and has emotion and energy projecting to the audience.
2. An effective speaker communicates with audience. Of course it includes eye contact, tone of voice, and concentration on the audience.
3. An effecitve speaker has credibility. The speaker’s speech should be belivable and make sense.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
1. An effective speaker is enthusastic. The speaker is assure about a topic and has emotion and energy projecting to the audience.
2. An effective speaker communicates with audience all the time. Of course it includes eye contact, tone of voice, and concentration on the audience etc.
3. An effective speaker has credibility. The speaker’s speech is belivable and coherent.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
An effective speaker is able to both engage and inform their audience. In order to hold their audiences attention, the speaker needs to be entertaining by using anecdotes, jokes, or personal experiences, but not straying too far from the topic. It is also important for the speaker to be knowledgable and clearly passionate about the topic. In order to accomplish this, the speaker will need to be thoroughly prepared.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I guess I also sort of feel that “you know it when you see it,” but I feel that the speaker should not only give an air of confidence (both in that s/he knows what they are talking about and that s/he is comfortable doing it), and also really give the listeners the sense that s/he her/himself believes in/is really interested in whatever s/he’s talking about–because if the speaker makes you think s/he is bored by the topic, then you will most likely follow suit.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
For a presentation to be effective, the speaker must have energy and be engaging. This can be seen through how they project their voice, the clarity of their speech (both in terms of its mechanics and content), and the ability to interact with their audience. Some people feel that the topic of their speech is just as important, but I believe that a speaker can make a presentation of any topic effective if he or she has the above qualities.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I good speech is one that an audience member is able to pay attention to from the beginning until the end. An effective speech should leave an audience member more informed than he/she was prior to the speech. The speech giver should maintain eye contact with the audience and only refer to notes as needed. The speech should be structured in a logical way so it is easy to follow and information can be absorbed by audience members.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
A presentation is effective when the speaker is able to captivate the audience with knowledge and passion for the topic. They should engage the audience with eye contact and gesture while remaining confident and at ease with the subject at hand. They should come prepared for the presentation in attire and attitude and be organized during the presentation.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
For a presentation to be effective, one must be engaging. This means having the ability to involve the audience with your speech (asking them questions, speaking in second person, etc.). Also, a speaker must provide clarity both mechanically and in the content of their speech. This means using appropriate grammar and diction, and making sure you are conveying the purpose of your presentation to your audience. Finally, most people think the content of one’s speech is very important. While I think this is also true, I also strongly feel that a speaker should be able to make any presentation effective by being able to present virtually any topic (no matter how dull it is) and capture the audience’s attention with originality and energy.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
I agree with what a lot of other people are saying. I think that speakers need to be engaging. If they speak in a monotone, no one’s going to pay any attention to them. Also, it’s important to keep eye contact or to at least make frequent eye contact. At the same time, you don’t want to memorize the speech word for word, because then it just SOUNDS rehearsed and you lose your audience. I also think that speakers should give token attention to common arguements that will be brought against your own. Not that you should devote your entire speech to counter arguing with yourself, I’m just saying it’s good to acknowledge and dismiss them if you can briefly.
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I think it is really important for the speaker to draw in the audience.
They should make eye contact, and relay stories that connect them to their audience.
An effective speaker should also speak clearly and appear comfortable with his/or her topic.
The presentation should be somewhat brief, but also not too short. Enough to discuss the topic in depth, but not to go off on a tangent about something entirely different.
on Aug 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I think the most important thing when someone gives a presentation is being honest. If someone gives me a speech or presentation honestly from her/his heart, It can be delivered very well to me, which means effectively as well.
and it can be okay to consider eye contact or enunciation, things like that after being honest.
on Aug 27th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
I think 70% of public speaking is appearance, meaning how you look as well as the speakers confidence, and the way the speak, capturing the audience’s attention and keeping them interested the whole time. They must present their points in an organized manner, using an outline is a good idea. Using your hands when you speak is a good way to keep the audience’s attention. Also moving with a purpose, some people just aimlessly walk around when they speak, but when you step forward when you are making a point to put emphasis one that point it can be very useful.
on Aug 28th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
An effective speaker appears before the audience in a confident and presentable manner, making sure to open their speech with a “Good Morning, my name is___” or some form of introduction. I appreciate a speaker who makes good eye contact. I think using notes is appropriate, but the speaker should not rely too heavily on them. A memorable closing statement is what can really make or break a speech for me, so concluding the talk in a cohesive way is critical.