What qualities of an oral presentation are most important to you as an audience member and why?

Answer 1

In any presentation what will retain your audiences interest is something to connect them to the material. Typically this is done with visual aides or humor. Ranked right next to these two are respect for the presenter - either through manorisms or appearance. Here are some examples:

If you were educating your audience on how to SCUBA dive, bringing in samples of the equipment they would be expecting to use would be more effective that just naming the parts. Sharing memorible experiences or underwater slides of things they might see would be preferable to describing the inherient dangers of the sport. Dressing in clean, comfortable clothes that say "I know this sport" would be better than a business suit or beach wear (who would you trust of these three to teach a dangerous sport?) and would you expect smeone that knew the material and could simplify it so everyone could understand, or someone who spoke in either surfer slang or in nothing but scientific formulas and physics principals.

It all come down to know your audience. If you know them, they will respect and enjoy your presentation. Speak clearly, look your audience in the eye, and be fluid. If you see people not following, slow down. Be prepared for interuptions and enjoy what you're doing. If you are having a good time, your audience will too.

Answer 2

All of the answers are great and will be of great use. One thing to remember is that people have a limited capacity for information. Keep the presentation to a few key points that you try to drive home. Outline the presentation using those points, then describe them, and then summarise them at the end. My best presentations have seemed simple on paper or powerpoint but the audience was able to follow the presentation all the way through, which made them successful. This works especially well if there is a question period where you can really lay your knowledge down when people ask questions. Also, keeping it simple often avoids very confusing and complex questions that serve only to confuse you and the audience. I hate those questions because they are so specific that they should be handled after the presentation in person.
Good luck!

Answer 3

1. Speak loudly enough for all to hear you.
2. Speak clearly so that you are understood.
3. Organize your presentation in a sequence that is logical.
4. Make sure your visuals can be seen from a distance.
5. Acknowledge your audience---look at them. If you can't look at them, pick a spot on each wall just above their heads and look at it. Direct eye contact is better, but this trick helps if you are nervous.

Most important---Prepare ahead of time so that if something does go wrong you can go ahead with the presentation anyway. It's the mark of a speaker/presenter if he/she can complete the job with finesse if any disruption occurs.

Answer 4

VISUAL AIDES- I have ADD and to sit there and listen to someone speak for more than 3-5 minutes is extremely difficult, especially if I have pressing things going on. If I have something to look at that describes what the speaker is presenting then I tend to learn more about the presentation.

Answer 5

I think a speaker should be very confident and at least appear interested in what they are saying. If a speaker is nervous and has weird nervous habits like touching their hand to their nose, the audience gets distracted. Speakers should be confident and know their material.

Answer 6

Good visual aids.

The content of the presentation is actually relevant to the speaker's topic (in other words, avoid going on wild tangents).

Answer 7

visual aids good energy and some humor
nothing worse than sitting through a bone dry lecture/meeting with nothing to look at and zzzzzzzzzzzz

Answer 8

eye contact cant explain why just makes more personal i guess