Giving presentations

Abstract

All forms of teaching, including giving a lecture or a seminar, are intended to fulfil one or more particular aims. In planning a presentation, it is helpful to begin by defining the intended aims of the presentation and associated objectives. The aims and objectives will help to determine what methods to use, and what teaching aids might be appropriate. For example, if the main aim of a presentation is to provoke thought and discussion among the audience on a controversial topic, a didactic talk in a large auditorium to a widely dispersed audience is less likely to fulfil this aim than a facilitated interactive discussion in a smaller room with seating not fixed in rows.