Unit 2

Oral Skills

2.1 Oral Communication: Definition, Types, Advantages and Limitations

Definition

Oral communication can be defined as the process of transmission of information and ideas through verbal means from one individual or group to another. It is the method of expressing information or ideas by word of mouth. This type of communication is carried out orally through direct or indirect channels. Sound is the only channel through which oral communication can take place. Oral communication can be either formal or informal. Face to face conversations, chatrooms, voice podcast, telephone conversations are some examples of oral communication. More formal sorts of spoken communication include: Presentations at business meetings, classroom lectures, commencement speeches given at a graduation ceremony etc.

Types

There are different types of oral communication in any formal or informal setting. Let’s look at different types of oral communication:

1. Formal Conversations: These are common at work because you need to constantly interact with managers, co-workers and stakeholders like clients and customers. Formal conversations are crisp, direct and condensed. You have to get your point across in a comprehensive manner using only a few words because everyone has only limited time to spare.
2. Informal Conversations: Informal Conversation means the informal discussion among the people. When one person discusses his views, opinion to another person and exchanges their views in the presence of both then it is called face to face conversation. It also includes the face-to-face discussion on a particular issue. In this method, both the information receiver and sender can exchange their views freely and fairly. So, face-to-face conversation is an informal discussion through spoken language and words on a particular issue among the people to exchange their views freely and fairly weighs each other.
3. Business Presentations: This is where you are required to make the most effective use of your speaking skills. Public speaking is a vital skill to develop if you wish to command a room filled with people.
4. Speeches: Speeches are important in businesses like event management or community outreach. In a corporate setup, speeches are reserved for top management and leaders.
5. Teleconferences: A teleconference refers to a telephone meeting among two or more participants involving technology more sophisticated than a straightforward two-way phone connection. At its simplest, a teleconference may be an audio conference with one or both ends of the conference sharing a speaker phone.

Some other forms of formal/academic oral communication includes debates, dialogues, discussions, diatribes.

• Debate is a competitive, two-way conversation. The goal is to win an argument or to convince someone, such as a participant or a sidekick.
• Dialogue is a collaborative, two-way conversation. The role of the participants is to exchange information and build relationships with others.
• Discourse is a collaborative, harmonious conversation. The purpose is to bring information from the speaker / author to the audience / readers.
• Diatribe is a competitive and one-way conversation. The goal is to express feelings, to attack those who disagree with you, and / or to include those with the same opinion.
   

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages of Oral Communication

• There is high level of understanding and transparency in speech because it is interpersonal.
• There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing changes within the decisions previously taken.
• The feedback is spontaneous as far as the instances of oral communication are concerned. Thus, decisions are often made quickly with no delay.
• Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon expenses and efforts.
• Oral communication is best for processes that involve problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes a lot of issues/differences are often put to an end by talking them over.
• Oral communication provides the speaker with a chance to make themselves clear by changing his voice, tone, pitch etc.
• Oral communication is vital for teamwork and group energy.
• Oral communication promotes a receptive and inspiring morale among organizational employees.
• Oral communication may be best employed to transfer private and confidential information/matter which is not legally bound.
• In spoken language the speaker enjoys the advantage of understanding the groups they are addressing. They can immediately understand the group’s reaction and reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication

• Relying only on oral communication might not be sufficient as business communication is formal and carefully organized.
• Oral communication is far less authentic than written language as oral communication is mostly informal and not as organized as written communication.
• Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in some cases, for instance, of meetings, long speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at times.
• Oral communications aren't easy to keep up and thus they're unsteady.
• It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on the receiver's end.
• Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in investigation work.
• If the speaker has not carefully organised his thought oral messages may result in misunderstanding.
• The length of the message may pose a problem. If the message is long it is not always suitable for oral communication.
• It becomes difficult to mend responsibility for anything going wrong or for any mistake in spoken communication.

Key Takeaways

1. Oral Communication is the process of transmission of information and ideas through verbal means from one individual or group to another.
2. Oral communication is carried out orally through direct or indirect channels.
3. Face to face conversations, chatrooms, voice podcast, telephone conversations are some examples of oral communication.
4. Types of oral communication includes formal oral conversations, informal conversations, business presentations, speeches and teleconferences/telephone communication.
5. Academic oral communication may include debates, dialogues, discourses and diatribes.
6. The feedback is spontaneous as far as the instances of oral communication are concerned. Thus, decisions are often made quickly with no delay.
7. Oral communication can be used to transfer private and confidential information/matter which is not legally bound.
8. Oral communication is far less authentic than written language as oral communication is mostly informal and not as organized as written communication.
9. The length of the message may pose a problem. If the message is long it is not always suitable for oral communication.
10. Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in investigation work.

2.2 Effective Public Speaking

Public speaking can be defined as a presentation which is given in front of a live audience. It is a performance-based art. The goal of public speaking may be to educate, influence or entertain the audience.

Public speakers often implement visual aids such as power-point presentations; relevant objects etc. to get their content across more easily.

Public speaking is different to an online presentation is the sense that an online presentation is made as per the viewer’s discretion whereas public speaking is performed at a specific time and place.

Public speaking consists of five main elements:

1. The source of the message – The speaker
2. The content or information to be delivered – The message
3. To whom the message is addressed – The audience
4. The medium of the message – Speaking
5. The reaction of the audience – The Effect

It is significant to note that one of the most important rules of public speaking is to know one’s audience. In other words, the speaker must know how to talk to and influence his audience, to know which words will carry more effect, how his audience will react to a certain idea, what is the knowledge base or background of his audience etc.

Below are some reasons why the skill of public speaking is important and should be incorporated in one’s skillset:

1. It is a self-confidence booster. By speaking publicly one can overcome their fear of inferiority.
2. Public speaking improves speaking skills in general allowing one to be comfortable around others.
3. It can help one make an impression and win over crowds in both formal and informal settings.
4. Influential public speaking can motivate others to change or grow.
5. Didactic public speaking can help inform people about various topics and ideas they were previously unfamiliar with.
6. It is one of the most effective ways to get one’s message across large audiences.
7. One is required to speak publicly at some point in their lives. Therefore, it is advisable to hone one’s skill beforehand.
8. It allows one to demonstrate their knowledge and introduce radical ideas.
9. Public speaking helps one garner people’s admiration which can be helpful in one’s career and social life as well.
10. Public speaking can help advance one’s career and social life.

Methods for effective public speaking:

1. Staying True to Oneself:

Watching other efficient public speakers is a good way to learn and practice but everybody is different. That means that there aren't any rules for what makes an efficient orator. Part of being an authentic orator is knowing the way to be yourself when underneath the spotlight. Acting like yourself instead of trying to imitate somebody else allows you to behave more organically, which may be a boon when attempting to connect with an audience.

2.     Knowing the Purpose of the Speech:

One should always know whether they want to influence, educate or inspire the audience and depending upon that one should decide how to formulate their speech.

3.     Expanding Knowledge Base, Presentation tools and Vocabulary:

Reading about various topics is a great way to expand one’s horizons. ‘Always keep learning’ should be the motto of every public speaker. The speaker should be updated with current affairs and should have a vast vocabulary to incorporate within his speeches. One should also learn how to use electronic slideshows and other presentation tools as they provide an edge to the speech.

4.     Playing to One’s Strengths:

Some people are good at storytelling others are good at using information to influence people. One should find out his strengths and practice them time and time again. The most efficient speakers are ready to effectively identify their strengths and use those strengths as tools to make a presence that's authentic and relatable.

5.     Improvisation:

While speaking it is rare that things go exactly as planned. Therefore, one should practice how to improvise when he fumbles or goes blank. Sometimes the presentation tool may malfunction, a listener may ask a question that the speaker is not prepared to answer or the speaker may simply forget one of their points, in situations like these, improvisation helps to get back on track and prevents the audience from losing interest.

6.     Audience is the Center

The speaker is not the focus of the event, the audience is. All good orates cares more about the audience than themselves. This can be difficult if one has speech anxiety, which tends to fill them with bursts of anxiety and self-consciousness. However, focusing fully on the audience lifts a tremendous burden from your shoulders in terms of worrying about your performance.

One should practice taking the audience’s reactions into notice.

7.     Using Body Language and Gestures:

Body language and gestures say as much as the words themselves. One should practice employing gestures as much as possible while speaking. Smiling and being active in general is useful for keeping the attention of the audience on the speaker.

8.     Recording and Reviewing:

One of the most effective public speaking practice techniques is to record oneself while speaking, preferably video recording. Although few people like their own voice, the audience’s viewpoint is more important. Are you gesturing with your hands too much? Is the intro too long? Should you include a story in the middle, so you hold the audience’s attention? All of these questions are important to answer, and it can be easiest to do so by seeing yourself.

9.     Practicing in front of Friends and Family:

Asking family or friends to be practice audience members is a good way to know where one is going right or going wrong. In most cases, these two groups of people know you better than anyone else in your life. That means that, although you may not want to hear it, they know your bad habits better than anyone.

In addition to your bad habits, your family and friends will also be able to tell you if you don’t quite sound like yourself.

Importance of Humour in Public Speaking

When used properly, humour is a powerful tool in any speaker’s arsenal and it can have tremendous benefits:

It creates a bond with the audience

A speaker who uses humour well comes across as more human, more likeable. This puts an audience at ease and makes people more receptive to your ideas. As British comedian John Cleese has said, “If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas.”

It energizes people and keeps them engaged

When we laugh, there is a lot that goes on inside our body. Our heart rate increases and that keeps us stimulated and alert.

It can provide emotional relief for the audience

Many talks are serious and many talks are emotionally challenging for an audience. Well-placed humour can give your audience some much-needed relief in an otherwise serious talk.

It helps the audience remember your points

Laughter has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function. This helps the audience remember your ideas.

It leaves the audience with a good impression of the speaker

American poet, Maya Angelou, said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Importance of Emotions

Emotions make humans different from the rest. Having emotions distinguish us from robots. Having emotions is what makes us humans. Feelings make us feel alive. Having emotions helps us to know one another. Having an emotional impact on the audience will allow the following:

Emotions help the speaker to relate to the audience and make the audience understand the message.

The main reason for giving a speech is to induce the message across to your listeners; whether you want to educate, persuade or inspire them. When a speaker shares a true-life experience, a speaker tells a story. By telling the story with feelings, the audience will understand what the speaker went through and also the points that the speaker is trying to make. The speech message will get across to the listeners faster and more practical. Through understanding, the questions of why, how and what are often answered.

Emotions helps speaker to connect with the audience.

Every time you hear a speech, you're always trying to find something or someone who you'll be able to relate too. What's the purpose of listening to someone who that does not understand you? A speaker who speaks with feelings can connect easily with the audience.

Emotions move the audience.

The use of emotions is vital especially when you try to inspire and motivate your audience. You need to deliver your speech with enthusiasm and dynamism. The audience will be inspired and motivated by you. You'll be able to convince them, to move them and drive them towards changing their life and their mind-set. History has proven that powerful speeches changed the planet and the greatest speakers in history delivered their speeches with passion, intensity and filled with heart.

Emotions make the speech more interesting.

The audience will not be interested in the speech of a speaker who does not show emotions while speaking. These expressions allow the audience to relate to what is being said and develops a sense of empathy in them towards the speaker.

Key Takeaways

1. Public speaking is a performance-based art
2. It involves the speaker giving an oral presentation in front of a live audience
3. Public speakers often implement visual aids such as power-point presentations; relevant objects etc. to get their content across more easily.
4. The five main elements of public speaking are: the speaker, the message, the audience, speaking and the effect/feedback
5. Implementing humour in public speaking creates a bond with the audience and energizes them while keeping them engaged in the speech
6. Humour also helps the audience remember the main points of the speech and leaves a good impression of the speaker
7. Emotions help the audience to relate to the message and understand it better
8. Emotions are a helpful tool as they make the speech more engaging and interesting

2.3 Viva Voce: Definition, Scope and Purpose

Definition

"Viva voce" literally translates to, 'by or with the living voice' - i.e., by word of mouth as opposed to writing. So, the viva examination is where one has to provide a verbal defense of their thesis. In other words, a viva voce is a verbal counterpart to a written thesis. A thesis demonstrates one's skill at presenting their research in writing. In the viva examination, one can demonstrate their ability to participate in academic discussion with research colleagues.

Scope

Every viva examination is different, so it is impossible to understand beforehand exactly what the examiners will ask you. However, there are some common questions which you can begin to practice as a part of your own preparations.

Generally, the questions that are asked in viva examinations are often grouped under four basic headings:

• What is it about?
• What did you do?
• What did you find?
• Why does that matter?

Below are some more specific questions that follow on from these basic questions; these are arranged following the order of a typical thesis. Again, practice how you can answer them and consider any other different kinds of questions that may come up in the context of your own research.

General Questions

• Why did you choose on this particular research question?
• What have you found most vital interesting aspect of your research?
• How did your pondering over this theme develop as you went through this research process?
• Now that you have completed the research, which part of the procedure would you say you enjoyed most and why?
• Were there any surprises along the way?
• How did doing this research change you as a researcher?

Research Context

• You consult with ... As a key influence on your research - can you summarize the specific relevance of their work?
• What developments have there been within this field since you began your doctorate? How have these changed the research context within which you're working?
• You make only passing reference to the sector of ... Why do you think that field not as relevant than the others you have given more room to?
• You do not say much about the ... Theory in your thesis - are you able to explain why you have not focused more on that?.

Research Methods

• How well did the study design fall in practice?
• Did you have any problems with the information collection process?
• You used an existing research method and developed it further - are you able to tell us why this further development was needed?
• What were the major ethical problems with conducting this research?
• How did you identify the boundaries around the scope of your data collection?

Analysis and Findings

• Can you talk us through your methods of analysis?
• Did you encounter any problems with applying this method of analysis?
• Do you think the information you collected were the most effective and appropriate to answer your research question or are there other forms of data you would have liked to have collected?
• Can you describe your main findings in a few sentences?

Discussion

• If you were starting your research again now, are there any changes in the way you would plan it?
• You interpret these findings as ... But do you think there may be an argument for interpreting them as ... Instead?
• You said in your thesis that ... - are you able to expand on it?
• In what way does one consider your thesis to be original?

Conclusions/Implications

• What are the empirical, practice, and theoretical implications of your findings?
• How would you hope that this research may be followed up and brought further?

Purpose

The purpose of the viva voce is to:

• This oral examination is a chance for candidates to discuss their work with experts.
• To ensure that there’s no plagiarism involved
• The student understands and can explain their thesis.
• It involves several penetrating questions, conceptually complex debates and is infamously terrifying
• Provides an opportunity to demonstrate that the thesis is your own work
• To confirm that the candidate understands what they have written and can defend it verbally
• To investigate one's awareness of where their original work sits in relation to the wider research field
• To establish whether the thesis is of sufficiently high standard to merit the award of the degree for which the thesis is submitted
• It allows one to clarify and develop the written thesis in response to the examiners' questions

Key Takeaways

1. "Viva voce" is a Latin term which translates to 'by or with the living voice' - i.e., by word of mouth as opposed to writing.
2. In the viva examination, one can demonstrate their ability to participate in academic discussion with research colleagues.
3. Generally, the questions that are asked in viva examinations are often grouped under four basic headings: What is it about? What did you do? What did you find? Why does that matter?
4. The purpose of the viva voce includes: oral discussion of the work, checking plagiarism, provides an opportunity to demonstrate your thesis and it allows one to clarify and develop the written thesis in response to the examiners' questions.

2.4 What is Interview? Types of Interview, Effective Interviewing

What is Interview?

A personal or face to face interview is one that employs a standard structured questionnaire (or interview schedule) to ensure that all respondents are asked the same set of questions in the same sequences. It is a two-way conversation initiated by an interviewer to obtain information from a respondent. The questions, the wording, and their sequence define the structure of the interview, and the interview is conducted face-to-face.

Studies that obtain data by interviewing people are called surveys. If the people interviewed are a representative sample of a larger population, such studies are called sample surveys.

Types of Interview

Selection Interview:

Selection interviews are typically face-to-face interviews/panel interviews conducted onsite at the hiring company. The purpose of a selection interview is to analyse whether a candidate can be selected for the position he or she is interviewing for. A selection interview is usually more rigorous, detailed and lengthy than a screening interview. At this stage, a corporation is trying to determine whether or not you should either be moved to the subsequent step in the hiring process or a proposal should be extended, so there will be more scrutiny than with a screening interview. The company wants to understand - Are you qualified for the job? Are you a good cultural fit? Can you make a direct impact, or will you require extensive training? Questions in a selection interview are more specific and your answers will have to be more detailed.

Appraisal Interview:

Once a year, all employees of an organization are required to undergo appraisal interview with their line manager. This interview evaluates the interviewee’s performance over the past year, reviews the tasks and objectives for subsequent year. The appraisal interview is used as a tool by the managers of personnel department for planning training programmes.

On day-to-day basis, managers don't have time to debate long-term and basic conditions with respect to employee’s employment and commitments. Therefore, the businesses want that each individual employee should have a chance to participate in annual appraisal interview to secure that competence of the individual employees is employed in the best possible way in connection with company’s goals.

This interview improves:

• Performance of employees on the job,
• Employer-employee relations, and
• Communication between managers and employees.

Grievance Interview:

Grievance Interviews are a formal opportunity for individual employees to produce management with their conflicts regarding a company policy, procedure, practice, or person. These interviews are often given by Human Resources professionals who are compatible to act as a more objective third party independent from the people and situation that may be creating the grievance.

The process of a grievance interview may begin by an employee who wants their grievance addressed. Depending on your organizational structure, this might simply be initiated by word of mouth, but presumably would require the problem to be submitted in writing directly by the employee to be able to proceed. The employee can provide that written grievance to an immediate or higher supervisor, an HR rep, or an Equal Employment Opportunity officer at the organization.

Exit Interview:

Exit interview is one of the most widely used methods of getting employee feedback. An exit interview could be a meeting between at least one representative from the company’s human resources (HR) department and the departing employee. (The departing employee may have voluntarily resigned or fired or may have been laid off). The HR representative asks the worker questions or asks him to answer a questionnaire, or both.

Exit interview could also be survey conducted with an employee when he leaves the organization. The information from each survey is employed to supply feedback on why employees are leaving, what they liked about their employment and what areas of the organization need improvement. Exit interviews are effective when the data is compiled and tracked over time.

These types of interviews may be conducted through one of the following methods:

1. Traditional Interview

A traditional interview is a selection interview and is an in-person style of interview held with the hiring a manager of a company for a position within an organization. Be prepared to answer a wide range of questions about your experience and why you're right for the job. In addition to finding out if you have the right experience for the job, they want to see that you're well-prepared, enthusiastic and a good fit for the team.

Research the company and your potential boss so that when they ask why you want to work there, you'll be able to give a thoughtful, engaging answer. Knowing more about the specific types of work will prepare you when they say, "Do you have any questions for us?"

A traditional interview may be the first in a series of interviews. If the hiring manager is impressed by you, they might invite you back for a panel interview, or to meet one-on-one with other people on the team.

2. Behavioral Interviews

Behavioral interviews focus on getting to know who you are, how you think and how you'll act in certain situations. Behavioral interview questions might be broad ("Tell me about a time when you handled a stressful situation at work"), or they might be specific ("You received an email from a client asking an urgent question, but you're unsure of the answer and your boss is on a plane, away from email. What would you do?").

Before your first job interview, get used to talking through your answers to behavioral questions out loud. You'll be better able to stay calm and create a short and sweet scenario that gives the interviewer a peek into your mind and problem-solving abilities.

3. Video Interview

With the advent of technology, video interviews have become increasingly common (for ex. Skype Interviews). Presentation and preparation are vital for video interviews, as the combination of technology and distance means it's easy for issues to arise.

Before a video interview, you should:

     Ask who is going to be on the call.

     Confirm the time and date of the interview and make sure to adjust for different time zones for international interviews.

     Figure out where you'll do the interview. Choose a quiet place with a neutral backdrop and few distractions.

     Do a test-call to check your equipment.

     Print a copy of your resume and cover letter so you can refer to them easily.

While a range of traditional and behavioral interview questions might arise during a video interview, you might also have to answer more questions about location or work style.

Dress professionally, even if it's a phone interview. You don't want to be caught unprepared, and a sharp outfit can bolster your confidence. Dress as if you were walking into their office for an in-person interview. Check out our complete guide to video interviewing for more information.

4. Panel Interview

Panel interviews are the most common type of interviews. You should always ask with whom you'll be meeting. Therefore, if you're interviewing with a group of people (as in the case of a panel interview), you won't find yourself surprised upon arrival.

It is essential to address everyone in the room during a panel interview. Begin your answers by making eye contact with the person who asked the question and then pulling back your scope to make "soft eye contact" with other members of the group. (Learn more about that technique here.)

5. Case Interview

Prevalent in the fields of management consulting and marketing, a case interview presents a prospective employee with a series of questions or scenarios to answer or solve. Most of the time, these questions center on business cases or markets. It's vital to practice for these interviews, as succeeding in a case interview is all about mastering a way of thinking.

Successful case interview candidates are the ones who prepare in advance. If case interviews are common in your field, you'll know it. If you haven't started practicing yet, now's the time to start.

6. Informational Interview

Informational interviews are usually less formal than traditional interviews and most of the times are conducted before you've even applied. It's a chance for you to ask questions about what entry-level jobs are like in the field, learn about possible career trajectories and discuss other aspects of work life with someone in the profession. You can find opportunities for informational interviews through many informal channels such as your university's career office, a parent's friend or a former mentor.

Even though it's not a job interview, you should dress professionally, ask well-prepared questions and make eye contact while the person you're meeting with answers them. Consider asking them about their career trajectory, as well as advice they might have for someone starting in the field. Remember to be considerate of the person's time and not to ask for a job or a more formal interview. An informational interview is an educational and networking opportunity. If the meeting goes well, they may ask for your resume to pass along to a friend or another connection in the field. Bring a few copies with you, just in case.

7. Telephonic Interview

A telephonic interview is a 30-min interview which is usually conducted by a recruiter or the hiring manager. It's used to decide whether or not you are invited for an onsite interview.

You should have a copy of the job description as well as your resume and cover letter handy, in case you need to reference them during your conversation. You'll want to prepare to answer standard interview questions like "Tell me about yourself" and "Why are you interested in the position?" It is imperative that you prepare some questions to ask the interviewer, in case there's time for that kind of interaction.

If you get a call unexpectedly for a phone screen, it's best to let the interviewer know it's not a good time and set up one that gives you an opportunity to prepare and be in a quiet place where you can focus.

Effective Interviewing

Preparing for an interview can be a difficult task, but it’s not impossible. With the help of a few basic interview techniques, it should be fairly simple to crack

1. Visualizing the Interview: Visualizing the interview is an excellent way of working out what areas one needs to work on. One should imagine as if they were in a interview where the interviewer is looking at their resume for the first time. One should then imagine the most difficult questions that the interviewer could ask them, e.g. “Why weren’t you more proactive at university?” or “Why has it taken you a whole year to find your first graduate job?”

Then one should try answering these questions. It is also helpful to prepare a format for these answers to be used in an actual interview. Also, one should try to imagine the qualities that the interviewer might be looking for in an ideal candidate. And one should ask themselves, how many of those qualities are possessed by them and how can they be shown in an interview.

2.     Self-Reflection and Selling Oneself: It’s worth making a list of one's values, interests, strengths and weakness with accompanying examples or evidence to back up each one. One needs to sell these attributes to the interviewer and give examples of times when they have been shown in everyday life.

One also needs to think about why they want the job or position and what you have to offer the organization. What would one change or what ideas would one bring to the role? It might also be worth thinking about one's short-term and long-term career goals.

3.     Asking Questions: One should not be afraid to ask the interviewer to clarify a question. Questions should also be asked by the interviewee during the interview and not just at the end. The key here is to position oneself so it looks that, whilst they are interested and enthusiastic about the job, they have a sense of their own self-worth. However, it is important that this should not seem as arrogance to the interviewer.

4.     Body Language: Body language is very important. Slouching with one's arms crossed won’t exactly make them look like a model employee. The head should be straight up and the eyes should meet the interviewer’s line of sight at all times. Making eye contact with the interviewer while speaking to them is almost as important as saying the right words during an interview.

5.     Paying attention: It’s extremely important to keep one's concentration levels up during the interview and to make sure one listens attentively. Interviewers tend to go on long rants about their organizations but the interviewee must never lose focus and always show the interviewer that he is listening attentively by nodding and smiling.

6.     Speaking correctly: During an interview the most important thing is to choose one's words carefully. The pronunciation, intonation and syntax must all be appropriate and the words should be spoken as clearly as possible. One should be articulate in expressing one's thoughts and opinions but at the same time it is essential to be cautious of others opinion's and feelings and should try not to hurt them.

7.     Whom to Speak to: In many cases the interview is conducted by more than one person. One needs to make sure they pay attention to all of the different interviewers. So while answering a question, they should all be given proper attention, so as not to exclude anyone. Although, if an interviewer asks a direct question, it’s important to address the answer solely to them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the ten most frequently asked questions in interviews:

1. Tell me a little about yourself.
2. What experiences have led you here?
3. Why are you a good fit for this position?
4. What will you bring to our team?
5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
6. Where do you see yourself in five years?
7. How would your boss describe you?
8. Tell me about your work ethic.
9. Why do you want to work here?
10. What questions do you have for us?

Your answers should always come back to how your experiences and education prepared you to succeed in this job. If a potential boss says, "tell me a little about yourself," you can start with some personal details, but don't lose track of the goal.

Figuring out what you have to offer will help you prepare for most interviews. You need to be able to confidently and competently tell your story: Who you are, what you're about, how you got to where you are, what is important to you and how that aligns with that organization."

Some of these questions may seem to have obvious or simple answers, but it's still essential to practice answering them out loud. But don't overdo it. You shouldn't over-rehearse, which can lead to a robotic feel in an interview.

Key Takeaways

1. An interview is a two-way conversation initiated by an interviewer to obtain information from a respondent. The questions, the wording, and their sequence define the structure of the interview, and the interview is conducted face-to-face.
2. It is important to prepare for the interview by visualizing the interview and rehearsing for it. The following FAQs may be helpful for practicing:

• Tell me a little about yourself.
• What experiences have led you here?
• Why are you a good fit for this position?
• What will you bring to our team?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• How would your boss describe you?
• Tell me about your work ethic.
• Why do you want to work here?
• What questions do you have for us?

3.     Two of the most important skills to use during interviews is asking relevant questions to the interviewer and using body language such as making eye contact with the interview

15. If a panel of more than one interviewer are present it is imperative to look at the individual asking the questions while answering them

2.5 Group Discussion: Definition, Rules, Scope and Objective

Definition

A group discussion is a communicative situation that consists of more than two participants who share their views and opinions with other participants. It is an organized way of exchanging information, views and opinions about a problem, issue or topic among the members of a group who share some common objectives.

A group discussion is less formal when compared to meetings as it may have no structured order or specific agenda depending upon the requirement. The leadership is also less directive in group discussions as compared to meetings.

Group discussions emphasize process over product. Meaning, the emphasis in a group discussion is on how the participants interact with each other rather than the ultimate outcome of the discussion.

Rules

Given below are the basic rules for conducting group discussions:

1. All members of the group should get a chance to speak about the given topic freely. They must be allowed to express their thoughts, opinions and feelings without restraint and also should be allowed to peruse and finish their thoughts completely without interruptions.
2. All members of the group should be able to hear each other’s ideas and thoughts without any hindrance.
3. Group members should be allowed to test unformed ideas and explore new territories.
4. All members should be able to receive and provide constructive feedback. Feedback could be positive, negative or merely a correction of factual errors but must always be done respectfully.
5. Since the discussion is one a singular topic, there are bound to be arguments and disagreements. Therefore, it must be always kept in mind that the group discussion serves a common purpose that is to inform and educate.
6. A large number of thoughts and ideas should be discussed with different perceptions on them from all members instead of sticking to only facts.
7. No group discussion should be dominated by a single person, all members should be given an equal chance to speak.
8. Group discussions must be thought provoking and inspiring. Members must always feel like they are learning while involved in a group discussion.

Scope

Below are the areas which are to be kept in mind for developing group discussion skills:

A)    Contents: What you say during a conversation is viewed from two

Perspectives - complementary and holistic. The participant may have said a lot to GD, but he or she may have deviated from the topic too much, where the content was considered inappropriate without further scrutiny. If the content is relevant to the topic, the panel assesses whether your content management is excessive or in depth, a distinction that we will discuss in more detail in the next few posts.

B) Analytical skills: The panel is confident about your facts, but also likes to see if you can explore anything 'why' and 'how' about a subject matter. This is put to the strongest test in the case study article.

C) Consultation Skills: The panel looks at how you support your position, and how you respond to others, how you can 'strengthen or weaken' the debate, how reasonable you are in your handling of the topic.

D) Organizational Skills: You can have facts, supports, explanations, but are you able to present them in the right order to maximize the impact of your good content? The panel wants to explore this.

E) Communication Skills: You may be able to demonstrate all of the above-mentioned skills, but can you get your point across in a language that is simple (not simple) that they understand, with relevant images that they can understand?

F) Authorship: Are you able to bring to the table an idea of ​​a passage on a topic? Can you look at the problem differently from the other ten participants and suggest a solution? Can you translate a mysterious article in ways that others can? If yes, the panel considers you to be one of the rare personality symptoms.

Objectives

Below are the primary objectives of group discussions:

1. Better understanding of the subject: GD offers a great opportunity to the discussants to take a deep dive into the subject, and understand it profoundly. It expands the horizon of knowledge and learning. In addition, it extends a chance to the participants to improve their abilities to think critically and develop their analytical skills.

2.     Solve problems: Since GD brings together a group of people holding diverse opinions, it also perceived as one of the sought-after ways to arrive at solutions to problems. Because of the fact that people bring in a wide range of insights, GDs help in changing the thought process from a narrow to a wider view, thereby paving the way to solutions.

3.     Improve listening skills and confidence: Since GDs necessitate the contribution of ideas and thoughts, the participants are required to be listen keenly to others’ observations. In this sense, group discussions are a fantastic way to enhance listening skills, and also boost the confidence of speakers by engaging them and encouraging them to express their thoughts.

4.     Enhance communication and interpersonal skills: While one aspect of GDs is that it encourages people to share their knowledge, the other important aspect is that it gives an opportunity to people to build their communication skills. The participants, in the process, learn how to express their ideas while also respecting viewpoints of others. This in turn contributes to the development of interpersonal skills among the peer group.

5.     Team building exercise: GDs help in developing teamwork and leadership attributed in people, which are extremely important in the current context. Working in a group helps them increase tolerance and respect towards others, and also how to unanimously arrive at conclusions.

Key Takeaways

1. A group discussion is a form of information exchange where in a communicative situation that consists of more than two participants who share their views and opinions with other participants
2. A group discussion is less formal when compared to meetings as it may have no structured order or specific agenda depending upon the requirement
3. The following skills are tested in a group discussion:

• Contents
• Analytical skills
• Consultation skills
• Organizational skills
• Communication skills
• Authorship

4.     The primary objectives of a group discussion includes to improve understanding of a subject and coming to a solution while enhancing the communication and interpersonal skills of the participants.

2.6 Presentation Skills: Types of Presentation Skills, Techniques of Presentation, Effective Presentation

Types of Presentation Skills

Presentations can typically be categorized into four basic forms depending upon their purpose:

1. Informative: Informative presentations are common in the corporate world, typically to inform listeners about a specific event or project or to give the audience basic information. For example, a stockbroker might use an informative presentation to inform clients about projected changes within the securities market.

2.     Instructive: Instructional presentations exist to provide directions or orders to a specific audience for teaching audience members new skills or presenting key information. This type of presentation typically runs longer than other types of presentations depending on how complex the subject is. An instructional presentation from a builder, for instance, might detail all the steps needed to plan construction, install water and electrical systems, fire escape, blueprints and more.

3.     Persuasive: Persuasive presentations are those in which the speaker works to convince members of the audience to accept a proposal or the speaker is trying to make a sale. For instance, a city councilperson may use a persuasive speech to urge the rest of the council to allot more tax money for a brand-new park.

4.     Decision-Making: Decision-making presentations are useful for professionals when their company has to choose specific policies or to make decisions about the company’s organizational structure. These types of presentations are generally highly interactive because the presenter introduces an idea or set of concepts that the entire group in attendance will work together on.

Depending upon the requirement, presentations can be classified into eight main forms:

1. Visual Presentation: A visual presentation involves the use of visual elements such as PowerPoint slides, videos, images, graphs and charts etc. for presenting an idea. This visual presentation technique is efficient for individuals who have many important talking points. This form of presentation includes a visual of what the speaker is talking about in the presentation.

2. Coach Presentation: The coach presentation style is typically employed by energetic and charismatic speakers.  This presentation style is a great style to use with an audience who needs to be sold on an idea. Coach presentation is oral and does not involve too much detail in the presentation of ideas.

3. Instructor Presentation: The instructor presentation method is used to inform or educate the audience regarding a complex subject. With this form of presentation high impact visuals are used to get the point across to the audience. This presentation style is appropriate for speakers who are well-versed at presenting and are comfortable with their subject.

4. Freeform Presentation: The freeform presentation method doesn't employ the use of visual methods. This style of speaking is very impromptu and colloquial. This presentation style is useful for a speaker who has a short speech and knows their presentation points well.

5. Storytelling Presentation: The storytelling type of presentation relies on stories and examples to make points in their presentation. This style is suitable if only if the speaker has a lot of time to get their point across. This type of presentation may also appropriate for networking events and conferences. This presentation technique often has a question and answer session at the end of the presentation.

6. Connector Presentation: Connector presentations highly encourage audience feedback. The speaker will try to connect to the audience through their similarities. Sales and marketing presentations are often connector presentations.

7. Interactive Presentation: The interactive presentation method requires interaction between the speaker and the audience. The presenter can connect with the audience by passing out speaker notes or an outline before the presentation. The speaker could also interact with the audience by using a whiteboard or host a webinar. This style helps keep the audience engaged with what the speaker is saying.

8. Educational Presentation: The educational type of presentation is for a speaker who is teaching the audience. Educational presentations are useful for launching new products or informing the audience regarding a new technology. The audience can also be taught about the new product while the speaker is selling or offering it.

Techniques of Presentation

Subject of Presentation

The first thing that must be kept in mind while making a presentation is the subject. Since content is central to any presentation, your content must be accurate, factual, and well-organized before there comes any kind of ornamentation to the main content. In an ideal world, you would have a thorough knowledge of your subject matter before you start to present, but we all know that doesn't happen every time. Our clients and supervisors give us assignments just outside our comfort zones, or we change jobs and have to learn new product lines, or a new issue comes up that we have to quickly learn, digest, and be able to explain to someone else.

Advances in presentation technology (like PowerPoints and multimedia) has made it easier to get distracted from the main content of the presentation. Many times, people spend hours working on slideshows and various little details in those slideshows when what really matters is the actual message. It's pretty easy to understand how this happens. Research is hard if you're working on a new subject. And if it's a familiar subject, you feel like you know it so well you don't even have to prepare.

However, keep in mind the great and famous presenters who shaped world history: Moses; Jesus; Gandhi; Martin Luther King, Jr.; Abraham Lincoln. What stands out about these speeches are the concepts expressed and the words used to express them. Most of these orators lived in a time before any kind of visual aids were available (except for Moses, who had the stone tablets) a lack of visuals forced speakers to focus on the message.

People will say that we live in an MTV-world, where everyone is so accustomed to bright colours and flashy packaging that they can't pay attention to anything else. But remember that glitz without substance is just like a tin-foil necklace--something to be tossed aside and forgotten at the earliest opportunity.

Scope of the Presentation

After the subject of a presentation is defined, the second step is defining the scope of the presentation. The scope of a presentation refers to how much of the subject is covered in the presentation or how much detail the presentation will encompass.

Depending upon the objectives of your presentation and the time you have been allotted, the scope of your presentation can be divided into two types:

• A broad scope with less detail, or
• A narrow scope allowing for greater detail.

The broader the scope of a presentation, the harder it becomes to go into detail of each specific topic. Similarly of the scope of the presentation is narrow, it allows you to go in depth regarding specific topics. Depth and scope of a presentation to be decided before starting to create the actual presentation, otherwise a lot of time would be wasted.

Depth and scope decide a duration of the presentation, it is essential to have a balance of depth and scope as the audience often tends to find longer presentations tedious and boring. There is a well-known saying that states 'a successful presentation needs a good beginning and a good ending, and these should be as close together as possible'.

This sentiment is truer now than ever before. Most people have more work than they can comfortably deal with in a working week and they do not appreciate having their time wasted unnecessarily. Even a well-structured and well-delivered presentation will be unpopular if the audience feels that it went on too long.

Outlining the Presentation

While defining the scope of a presentation, it is essential to know what is to be included in the main content and what isn't. One way to achieve this objective is by making a preliminary outline of the key content in the presentation.

This preliminary outline is made up of a number of topics which support the main content of the presentation. The most difficult part of a presentation is to decide what to include and what to exclude from the presentation. Therefore, the main content of the presentation should be supported by 3-5 key points. If more than 5 points are presented the audience might not be able to keep up and might lose interest in the presentation.

To create an outline for a presentation:

• Note down all the topics that are to be covered in the presentation
• Brainstorm each topic for 10-15 minutes and come up with key points which can be put into a mind map.
• Do not spend more time on this activity because you will very quickly hit diminishing returns
• If you remember a certain key point later you can always add it to the list.

Using a mind-map can be very advantageous at the outlining stage of a presentation. Mind maps allow you to make associations, form links and group similar topics together.

To draw a mind map, take a black piece of paper and start the subject of the presentation at the centre. After that think of all the ideas and concepts associated with the subject and start writing it around the central idea. Try to be as inclusive as possible at this stage. Don't try to edit the list down, just write down everything that occurs to you and don't worry about where to begin, it doesn't matter.

A presentation Outline comprises of several stages:

• State your purpose and main idea and then use these elements to guide the rest of your
• Planning.
• Organize your major points and sub-points in logical order, expressing each major
• Point as a single, complete sentence.
• Identify major points in the body first, then outline the introduction and close.
• Identify transitions between major points or sections, then write these transitions in full-sentence form.
• Prepare your bibliography or source notes; highlight those sources you want to identify by name during your talk.
• Choose a compelling title. It should be brief, action oriented, and focused on how the audience can benefit from the presentation.
• Add delivery cues, such as places where you plan to pause for emphasis or use visuals.
• Arrange your notes on numbered cards or use the notes capability in your presentation software.
• Most speakers like to prepare both a simple and complex outline that provides them with all the necessary cues and reminders they will require to present their material.

Using Visual Aids

While preparing for a presentation, visual aids such as PowerPoint presentations could be very useful to illustrate one’s ideas more clearly. It can be very purposeful to employ such visual aids while discussing the central themes of the topic.

Most presentations have three different sections: Introduction, The Middle, and Conclusion.

Draft the Introduction:
Think of it as a journalist: the introduction should explain "in your research, who, when, when, and why. The Middle Ages will explain" how. " Your title slider will convey most of this information. Foreign currency for your research, your slide title should identify the source of your support. In this section, see your Introduction as a bad draft.

Concentrate on the Middle and Conclusion:
Visualize yourself at the end of the presentation. What do you really want the audience to learn, or take away? Engineering experts recommend that you focus on 3-5 points per presentation (Document, 2009). But in a busy conference, most of us can remember exactly the main point of each speaker (Alley, 2003, 153.). Organize your points in order of importance. Make sure that all the information you put in the Middle on your presentation gives your most important point; many unnecessary details will reveal important details. Select the most convincing visual data to use as supporting evidence.

Organize your argument and support:
First, protect your computer (Grant, 2010). Instead write your points on note cards and arrange the cards, so that you can see the whole structure where you look and then make quick changes. When you start this project on presentation software, you run the risk of wasting time with the slide design details. This process will also help remove unnecessary information that does not support your main points. Pre-empting the notecard, you have written instead of deleting the slide took an hour to complete.
Repetition helps you emphasize important details. If you want the audience to remember the point, give it a go in advance, present the information as clearly as possible, and repeat your point in conclusion.

Finally, return to your introduction:
Review all of your draft content, including your title. Make sure that your introduction explains why your work is important - and why it should pay attention to you. Also explain the main context of your work (or "big picture") of a very small member with expert audience experience; that person may have the power or money to help you. If your presentation will last longer than 5 minutes, provide an overview slide to present the content. You can use the overview to define your rating: what to discuss and what not to do.

Delivery Nuances

Public speakers, politicians, and professional actors get nervous before they get on stage, why shouldn't you? Ironically, a certain level of 'nervousness' works to your advantage because it keeps you alert and boosts your performance. However, learning to channel that energy takes time and practice. Delivery can make or break a presentation, so start planning it early. Prepare your delivery as follows:

Create note cards. Even if you are asked to “present the paper,” do not plan to read the paper aloud. Explain it on the cards, stating important points. Make sure you know the sources for all your information. When using presentation software, sources should be identified on the slide. Otherwise, strip the source to your note cards. You may be called to your sources for a question-and-answer session.

Practice in front of friends - not just a mirror. It's amazing how quickly your brain will despise the 10 hours of homework you do when dealing with another human being. A real audience, no matter how small, will help give you a sense of "sensation" to experience and alert you to hats clearly or to create errors on your slides. Practice keeping eye contact as much as possible. Practice twice, and notice your progress. If you are spoken lightly, practice in a very large academic room. Ask your friend to sit in the back row to practice the voice sequence.

Visit the site/ location if possible. Introduced on campus, you should be able to visit the room ahead of time.
Note the size of the room and where you will stand. When presenting in the main lecture hall, check your slides so they can be seen from the back row. Check the projector and screen controls and schedule technical support if necessary.

Remember Murphy's laws. Prepare your laptop to crash, the projector light to explode, so that your partner cannot be seen. If you are presenting outside the University, prepare a final program to bring your speech from memory, by handouts.

Anticipate questions and challenges. Be prepared to specify each major point. Prepare to support your sources, methods, and conclusions without coming up in defense. If you don't know the answer, say so.

Handling Questions

Most presentations are followed up with a question and answer period. To some people this could be one of the most exciting parts of the presentation, whereas to others it can be their worst nightmare. In fact, there are some presenters who purposely avoid the question and answer period altogether. Below are some techniques on handling questions during and after a presentation:

1. Listen to the entire question. Listen to the whole question before you start to answer any questions. Too many of us start responding to an issue before the whole question is even asked. Not waiting to listen to the whole questions may result in you providing a response which had nothing to try to with the question. Force yourself to concentrate to the whole question and confirm you understand the question.

2.     Pause and permit yourself time to value the question and listener. Repeat the question out load therefore the entire audience can hear it. It is important that everybody "hears" the question or the solution you provide might not add up to a number of the people. Repeating the question may allow you some overtime to gauge the question and formulate a response.

3.     Credit the Person for asking the question. You may say something like, "That was an excellent question" or, "Glad you asked that question" or maybe, "I get asked that question a lot". One word of caution. If you credit one person with raising an issue, make certain to credit everyone for raising an issue. You don't want people to feel their question wasn't as important.

4.     Respond to the Question honestly and the best you can. If you are do not know a solution to an issue, don't attempt to fake it. Be honest, and tell them you are doing not know but do promise to research the solution for them and do revisit to them.

5.     Bridge to subsequent question by asking them a question. "Does that answer your question?", "Is that the type of data you were looking for?". This is often critical. Once they answer you, "yes" you now have permission to travel on to subsequent person. This also gives them another opportunity to mention, "No" and permit them to clarify their question more by asking it again.

Tips for creating a great PowerPoint presentation

When preparing a PowerPoint presentation, it’s a good idea to create with intention, cohesion and purpose. A slideshow should include a clean design and key visual elements to assist audience engagement. Here are several things to think about in your approach and an in-depth check out each of them:

1. Outline Your Presentation: The purpose of a PowerPoint is to focus on key information. Start by making an overview of what you’d like your presentation to appear like. Minimize the number of slides so as to take care of a clear message. Creating an outline before time will assist you in staying focused on what to present to your audience.

2.     Create an Easy Template: Once you have got an idea of what you’d like your presentation to incorporate, consider the visual elements that might correspond to your talking points. A well-designed presentation is vital for keeping your audience captivated.

Make your presentation stand out from the remainder by creating one of your own that's simple, refined and professional. Consistent backgrounds and slide formats will present your message with more transparency, as well. The content within each slide may vary, but the design elements should remain the same.

3.     Consistency with Fonts and Colours: Your audience’s interest and comprehension can be increased with a sleek template paired with consistent design elements. Choose fonts and colours that correspond with your subject material and make the data easily readable.

Fonts

• Limit your presentation to 2 to 3 fonts.
• Try using for sans serif fonts like Futura or Gill Sans that are easier to read on PowerPoint slides.
• Keep a large font size (at least size 24) that your audience can read from afar.
• Use bold type and multiple sizes for subheads, captions or to intensify overall importance.
• Avoid italicized type because it can be harder to read.

Colours

• Limit the types of colours you employ throughout your presentation.
• Choose a colour scheme that matches your subject matter. For instance, you may use greens and blues if presenting a subject associated with the environment.
• Use modern colours and pairings like teal and red, opposites like blue and yellow or a colour scheme palette like blue, green and cyan shades.
• Use contrasting colours in each slide (i.e. dark text on a light background and light text on a dark background).

4.     Focus on Your Key Points: When writing the text for your presentation, concentrate on the most essential material you want to cover. Your PowerPoint must guide the flow of your speech. Keeping your points simple will allow your audience to better comprehend your message. Make sure each sentence holds a purpose. Consider adding short and precise sentences to keep your presentation concise.

Many times, words can hinder more than they help when explaining a point. It’s also significant to keep in mind that visual elements such as photos, graphics, graphs and charts must be utilized in PowerPoint presentations in conjunction with the text.

5.     Utilize the Right Type of Chart When Necessary: Charts and graphs are a great way to display a statistical data set and add another visual element to a PowerPoint presentation. Choose a chart type that best explains your data. The following are suitable choices:

• Pie charts: For comparing percentages.
• Horizontal bar graphs: For comparing quantities.
• Vertical bar graphs: For showing changes in quantity over time.
• Line graphs: For showing trends over time.

6.     Use Transitions with Caution: If you use too many transitions between slides, it may easily distract your audience and make it more challenging to understand your message. If you’re using transitions, use no more than two types of effects, choose simple transitions and don’t use them between every slide.

7.     Avoid Sound Effects: Sound effects can obstruct your presentation and distract others from your message. Your audience can easily lose focus with sound effects that are unrelated to your presentation. Use music only when extremely necessary to highlight a point and try to avoid irrelevant sound effects altogether.

8.     Use Audio and Video if Necessary: Audio-visual aids are a great way to gain the audience’s attention and will make the subject matter simpler to comprehend. These multimedia elements can often state your thoughts more easily and will separate any string of text-filled slides. Try to use audio and video that adds value to your presentation and does not digress from your overall message.

9.     Use Quality Images: Images are a great way to separate the monotony of text and statistical content in a presentation. When adding photographs or graphics to your presentation, make sure the resolution is large enough to fit within the confines of your layout and not be blurry at the same time. If needed, use open-source websites such as Gettyimages.com for high-quality images to add to your presentation.

10. Review Your Presentation upon Completion: Once you think you have completed your presentation and covered every topic, review your slides from the beginning. A well-edited PowerPoint will add credibility and value to your work. Read through every slide as if you’re seeing it for the first time, check for redundancy and remove anything that doesn’t add value. Simplify your wording and proofread for spelling and grammar.

A PowerPoint’s purpose is to highlight key points in your message. Rehearse your presentation, time yourself and use the slides to navigate through your speech. Know your subject material and when you feel ready to present, do so confidently.

Effective Presentation

A formal Presentation is a formal talk given on a specific set of topics to inform and educate. They may be short or long, include slides or other visual aids, and be done individually or in a group.  Planning and structuring a presentation is similar to the process of writing an essay, except the speaker needs to be conscious of a live audience and use spoken language instead of written.

Below are the four basic skills required to create an effective presentation:

Step 1: Planning:

While planning a presentation, the following questions should be kept in mind:

1. What is the aim of your research?
2. Why are you presenting it in oral form?
3. What is important about your findings?
4. What is the key focus of your presentation?
5. To whom are you presenting your findings?
6. Are they more or less knowledgeable on the topic than you?
7. What does your audience expect to gain from listening to you?

The presentation must be planned in such a way that it answers all these questions first before moving on to the structuring stage.

Step 2: Structuring the Presentation:

Like an essay, a presentation needs an introduction, body and a conclusion. The introduction may consist of an anecdote or provocative question to engage the audience right from the start. A question that includes your audience will make them want to follow through with you to find out the implications as they relate to them directly. The body will contain the main theme of the presentation where the ideas introduced earlier are explored thoroughly. The concluding statement should be a clear summary of what has been said in the main part of the presentation. It should also point toward further research or conclusive results if possible.

There are a lot of differences in speech and writing, and they must be kept in mind while preparing a presentation.

One of the most obvious ways in which to achieve natural speech is to speak sometimes in the first person - you can refer to yourself in a presentation, for example, "I'd like to start by..." or "Let me give you an example...", whereas in written projects it is best to keep the use of the first person to a minimum.

While preparing for a presentation, visual aids such as PowerPoint presentations could be very useful to illustrate one’s ideas more clearly. It can be very purposeful to employ such visual aids while discussing the central themes of the topic.

Step 3: Preparation:

Preparedness helps in easing nerves nous and boosts confidence. The following considerations should be kept in mind while preparing for presentations.

• Time limits: The presentation must be practiced a number of times to get the pacing right and to ensure the information can be contained in the time provided. Finishing too early might make the audience think that you lack proper material or understanding of the topic whereas finishing too late might make them feel boredom.
• Speak from notes: It's preferable to reduce the original paper to bullet points while presenting so as to not lose eye contact, intonation and good posture.
• Body language: Use of gestures and good posture combined with a smile keeps the audience engaged and interested.
• Voice: Loudness should be ample so that the audience can hear you clearly and the pace should be perfect so they can follow your arguments. Use silence and pauses effectively when making particular points, also speaking in monotone should be avoided.

Step 4: Presentation:

If all of the previous steps are followed carefully, one should be able to present easily and effectively. Questions should be welcomed and special attention should be given to the audience’s reactions and one’s own body language.

It should always be kept in mind what the purpose of the presentation is and all improvisations should be done in accordance to that purpose. The presentation should be ended with a polite “thank you” and all questions from the audience should be answered as clearly as possible.

Key Takeaways

1. Presentations usually serve four main purposes: to inform, to instruct, to persuade and to help make decisions.
2. There are 8 main forms of presentations:

• Visual
• Coach
• Instructor
• Freeform
• Storytelling
• Connector
• Interactive
• Educational

3.     The most common types of presentations are visual, instructor and educational

4.     Most presentations are a mixture of one or more of the given types.

5.     A Formal/business Presentation is a formal talk given on a specific set of topics to inform and educate, it typically includes the use of visual aids such as PowerPoint slides.

6.     Formal presentation can be done individually or in a group as per the requirement

7.     There are four basic skills of effective presentations: Planning, Structuring, Preparing and Presenting

8.     A business presentation is a formal talk given on a specific set of topics to inform and educate. They may be short or long, include slides or other visual aids, and be done individually or in a group.

9.     The first thing that must be kept in mind while making a presentation is the subject. The content of the presentation must be accurate, factual, and well-organized before there comes any kind of ornamentation to the main content.

10. The scope of a presentation refers to how much of the subject is covered in the presentation or how much detail the presentation will encompass.

11. Depth and scope decide a duration of the presentation, it is essential to have a balance of depth and scope as the audience often tends to find longer presentations tedious and boring.

12. A PowerPoint presentation may be a collection of slides curated to inform an audience on a specific topic. PowerPoint is a part of various software designed for office use be Microsoft called Microsoft Office.

13. The purpose of a PowerPoint is to focus on key information. Start by making an overview of what you’d like your presentation to appear like. Minimize the number of slides so as to take care of a clear message.

14. It is essential to understand the use of fonts and colors while making presentation to leave a lasting impact on the audience.

15. When writing the text for your presentation, concentrate on the most essential material you want to cover.

16. Charts and graphs are a great way to display a statistical data set and add another visual element to a PowerPoint presentation. Choose a chart type that best explains your data.

17. Avoid using too many transitions in between slides as they can distract the audience from the main content of the presentation.

18. Audio-visual aids are a great way to gain the audience’s attention and will make the subject matter simpler to comprehend.

19. Review and edit the presentation after completion.

20. The structure of a presentation must include an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

21. Using a mind-map can be very advantageous at the outlining stage of a presentation. Mind maps allow you to make associations, form links and group similar topics together.

22. To present effectively one can: prepare note cards, practice in front of friends, visit the location of the presentation, and anticipate questions and challenges.

23. It is essential to keep in mind that handling questions during an after the presentation is an integral part of the presentation process and must plan their presentation accordingly.

References

1. Oxford Guide to writing and speaking, John Seely, O.U.P
2. A Communicative Grammar of English, Leech, G.N. And Jan Svartvik
3. Better English Pronunciation, J.O O’ Corner, Cambridge.
4. Effective Technical Communication, M.Asraf Rizvi, Tata McGraw Hill
5. Technical Communication Today, Bovea et al. Pearson.