Purpose
The purpose of an oral presentation is to present gist of research findings/analysis. Although you may not enjoy presenting in front of an audience, it’s what academics do (and also, of course, non-academics). One of your goals when giving a presentation will be to make sure the audience retains some information.
Audience
Your audience will most often be peers in class who are (or not) familiar with your topic. Occasionally, you might present to a wider audience on campus or perhaps in town. Eventually, you might present at a professional conference or in a business environment.
Organization
Every presentation should have an introduction with a clearly stated thesis. We recommended that you present the most important parts of the presentation at the beginning when attention spans have not waned.
Three Main Points
You should focus on three main points in your presentation; that is about as much as the human brain can retain. Reiterate your thesis at the end of each part, or show how the section connects to your thesis. It might be a good idea to group points differently than in a paper, depending on the field of your presentation.
Conclusion
Leave the audience with a clear sense of your thesis and its importance.
Style
When giving your oral presentation, it's good to change tempo and rhythm. Use numerical signposts (first, second, third) to signal organization to the listener. Repeat your thesis or show how sub-points connect to your thesis. Follow a parallel structure and use old-to-new transitions.
