“I’d like a swing …” A feasibility story

[http://thevc.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/engineering.jpg]

THIS UNIT’S QUOTE: “Un defecto puede ser un tesoro. El descubrimiento de la imperfección nos brinda la posibilidad de reducir el espacio que nos separa de la excelencia.” – D.M. Berwick

THEORY: General revision. Preparing an oral presentation.

RECOMMENDED SITES:

• Hints for Your Oral Presentations (http://www.bio.davidson.edu/courses/Bio111/Bio111LabMan/Preface%20A.html)
• How To Speak In Public To A Group (http://management.about.com/od/communication/ht/PublicSpeaking6.htm)
• Language Skills Handbook On-line Edition (http://www.etsu.edu/scitech/langskil/toc.htm)
• Making Effective Oral Presentations (http://web.cba.neu.edu/%7Eewertheim/skills/oral.htm)
• Presentation Skills (http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/Tips/present/present.htm)
• Principles of Public Speaking (http://www.nvcc.edu/home/npeck/spd100/default.htm)

TASKS:

1. Imagine you were to present a given topic on your degree, e.g. (“Renewal energies”) before a suitable audience. What’s the general lay out you would use for your transparencies? Is there any web-site devoted to public presentations and laying out slides/transparencies? Give reasons, as well as web-addresses (Please, note well: your suggestions should be different from YouTube video «5 Quick Tips to Effective Public Speaking», already included below).
2. Watch the following You Tube video-clip: «5 Quick Tips to Effective Public Speaking» , and then answer the questions: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcMOzkne8ko&feature=related)
   1. How does the speaker rate herself as a public speaker?
   2. Name the five tips she mentions, together with, if possible, a piece of advice she may give.
3. Look for a web-site tutorial, and, if possible, a video-tutorial (YouTube, Metacafe, DailyMotion, etc.) on public presentations/speech deliveries.
4. By this week, your group should have finished the presentation material, and would be about to deliver it. If given the opportunity, do check all the text twice with your lecturers. On “Presentation Day” you are advised to be suitably attired, and bring along with you, not only your lap-tops or USB flash-memory disks (“memo-sticks”), but also a very detailed script of all the procedure: Who comes first, what visual aid is to be shown, etc. DIN A-5 sheets of paper, printed on font size 14, double-spaced, are preferred to loose, DIN A-4 sheets, printed on font size 12 (or even 10!!), and single-spaced.
5. Read thoroughly all your presentation material, especially visual aids, and try to answer these questions:
   1. Is everything written in English?
   2. Is the spelling correct?
   3. Do you know how to pronounce all difficult and/or technical words? Are you really 100% sure? (Are you sure, indeed?)
   4. Are all quotes, prices, measures presented in an intelligible way? (i.e., in euros instead of pounds sterling or US dollars; in metres instead of inches, etc.).
   5. Have all group members been assigned time slots and tasks? (All of you should present a part of the topic, during an average of 5-7 minutes. The spoken language should be English).
6. Do check that ALL group members can deliver their part in a maximum of only 7 minutes. You will not be given extra points if you stay longer, or try to deliver a very difficult topic.

A N N E X E S