1.
Oral presentation skills
Katerina Zourou and Tatiana Codreanu, Web2Learn, Greece
Weizmann Institute of Science
October 25, 2018.

2.
Experience in oral presentations?
Oral presentation skills

3.
Objectives of this module
• Designed as core element of soft skills specific
training.
• Aimed towards candidates carrying out academic
work in English.
• English tends to be an international “lingua franca”
over the range of academic contexts (at faculty, at
scientific venues, on the Internet, cf. “the digital
scholar”, Weller, 2011).
=>Speaking skills important also in the digital world, as
many talks are audio/video-recorded or live streamed
(webinars)
Oral presentation skills 3

4.
What are the obstacles you see in oral presentations?

5.
What is an academic presentation?
Produced by the University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=AqrWkGLKgF0

6.
3.1 Before the presentation
• o Think about your audience and how to convey the message in a
way that resonates with them
• o Carefully plan the structure so that the audience can follow your
arguments
• o Practice your presentation several times in front of someone and
ask them to give you feedback.
• o If you can, create engaging materials and use visuals where
appropriate to supplement your arguments
• => From all the above, which is the most important?
6Oral presentation skills

7.
During the presentation
• Look at your audience, avoid looking at your paper, screen or at just
one person
• Be mindful of your elocution – use connectors between statements
so that it is easy for your audience to follow your ideas.
• Not everyone in the audience might be a specialist in your domain=>
pace yourself in a way that allows everyone to follow your train of
thought
Oral presentation skills

8.
Inspiring talk
How to avoid death
By PowerPoint, by
David JP Phillips,
TEDxStockholmSalon
https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=Iwpi
1Lm6dFo

9.
Academic presentation language
Produced by the University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=wAU1Vi2Bq-Q

10.
How to manage the Q/A session
Read the following statements:
1. Before the presentation, try and brainstorm some potential questions
you might be asked and practice answering them in front of someone
2. If you are asked a difficult or unclear question, always ask for clarification
3. Be honest about the results and limitations of your study and use it as a
way to focus on the future research that can be conducted
4. Where possible, back up your answers by referencing other papers and
authors that you may have included in your study
5. Don’t hesitate to pause and think briefly before answering a question
6. Always thank the person asking you the question
7. Use the question and answer sessions to gather and inspire new ideas
and improve upon your own work in the future
Oral presentation skills

11.
Recommended
video:
How to open and
close presentations?
Mark Powell,
Cambridge University
Press ELT
https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Yl_FJAO
cFgQ

12.
Quizz: do you prepare yourself
in some of the ways? how?
1. Before the presentation, try and brainstorm some potential questions
you might be asked and practice answering them in front of someone
2. If you are asked a difficult or unclear question, always ask for clarification
3. Be honest about the results and limitations of your study and use it as a
way to focus on the future research that can be conducted
4. Where possible, back up your answers by referencing other papers and
authors that you may have included in your study
5. Don’t hesitate to pause and think briefly before answering a question
6. Always thank the person asking you the question
7. Use the question and answer sessions to gather and inspire new ideas
and improve upon your own work in the future
Oral presentation skills

13.
A good read:
http://www.pannelldiscussions.net/2011/03/181-answering-questions-after-presenting-a-
seminar-or-conference-paper/

14.
Inspiring talk
Academic skills-
presenting
effectively, by Steve
Campitelli, University
of Melbourne
https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?time_c
ontinue=5&v=qFLL-
XB56UU

15.
Thank you!
http://web2learn.eu/
info@web2learn.eu
@web2Learn_eu
Web2Learn_eu
15
All slides available at https://www.slideshare.net/Web2Learn_eu

16.
Credits
• What is an academic presentation? University of Groningen, The
Netherlands.https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=AqrWkGLKgF0
• How to open and close presentations? Mark Powell, Cambridge University Press ELT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl_FJAOcFgQ
• How to avoid death By PowerPoint, by David JP Phillips, TEDxStockholmSalon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwpi1Lm6dFo
• Answering questions after presenting a seminar or conference paper
http://www.pannelldiscussions.net/2011/03/181-answering-questions-after-
presenting-a-seminar-or-conference-paper/
• Academic skills- presenting effectively, by Steve Campitelli, University of Melbourne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=qFLL-XB56UU