A STUDY ON COMMON PRESENTATION MISTAKES ENCOUNTERED BY FIRST YEAR STUDENTS OF ENGLISH FACULTY AT THUONGMAI UNIVERSITY AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

As a fourth-year student of English Faculty at ThuongMai University, the authorrealized that first-year students of English Faculty still were not used to present a topic in English faci

THUONGMAI UNIVERSITY ENGLISH FACULTY

SOLUTIONS

Supervisor:Mrs Luong Thi Hong Tham

Student:Truong Minh Phuong

Class:K52N6

Student code:16D170387

Hanoi - 2020

This study aimed to identify the main difficulties encountering English majors atThuong Mai University while giving presentations To achieve the aim of the study,the author applied three tools, a questionnaire and an observation and interview

According to the questionnaire, the following results were reached: Mostproblems are come from two primary element including subjective difficulties andobjective difficulties The subjective difficulties are that students do not have a goodpreparation, they do not feel confident with their performance or they sometimes makesome mistakes And the objective difficulties including time allowed performing thepresentation, pressure to perform well and listener's support So students feeldissatisfied with their presentation

Through some observations and interviews, I found some difficulties of students.The presenter and listeners do not have any alignment While the speaker waspresenting, audiences can sleep, talk together or even play their phone Moreover,presenters do not know how to attract the audience, the voice is too small and there is

no interaction with the audience by eye-contacting or some question or telling funnystory

In addition, from the results of the study, some suggestions and recommendationare offered for students to have a good presentation

During the period of researching this graduation paper, I was supported andstimulated by many

First and foremost, I would like to convey my sincere thanks to my supervisor –

Ms Luong Thi Hong Tham, for her constant support, valuable materials andcomments on my draft chapters to fulfill this study This would not have been possiblewithout her

Also, I would also like to express my gratitude to other lecturers of Englishfaculty at Thuongmai University for their supportive lectures over the period of fouryears that have bring me good knowledge to do my Graduation Paper

Besides, I would like to give great thanks to first-year students of English faculty

at Thuongmai University for their answers in my survey questionnaires to completethis study

Additionally, my special thanks go to all of the students who were willing tospend time marking the questionnaires and to participate in the individual interviews.The thesis would not be completed without their assistance

Finally, I owe gratitude to all members of my family and friends for all they havedone for me Without their support and encouragement, this graduation paper wouldnot have become reality

I know my graduation paper still has mistakes for my shortcomings I would like

to receive your comments, suggestions for the perfect of my own graduation paper

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES v

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY 1

1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Previous studies 2

1.3 Aims of the study 5

1.4 Research subject 5

1.5 Research medothology 5

1.6 Scope of the study 6

1.7 Organization of the study 6

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.1 Definitions of presentation 8

2.2 Types of presentation 9

2.3 Importance of presentations 10

2.3.1 The importance of presentations in study 10

2.3.2 The importance of presentations in work 11

2.4 Purpose of student’s presentation 12

2.4.1 Advocacy/persuasion 13

2.4.2 Inspiration or motivation 13

2.4.3 Assessment 14

2.5 What makes a professional presentation? 14

2.6 Some steps in preparing presentation 16

2.7 Some common mistakes in presentation 18

2.7.1 Lack of Preparation 18

2.7.2 Not effective teamwork skills 18

2.7.3 Poor Use of Visuals 18

2.7.4 Non-Functioning Equipment 18

2.7.5 Inappropriate Humor 19

2.7.6 Inappropriate Dress 19

2.7.7 Not Knowing the Audience 19

2.7.8 Starting or Ending a Presentation Late 19

2.7.9 Using a Monotone Voice 20

2.7.10 Mispronunciation 20

2.7.11 Not using body language or using inappropriately 21

2.7.12 Using slang or idioms 21

2.7.13 Not Clarifying the Topic 21

2.7.14 Too Much Material in Too Short a Time 21

2.7.15 Reading the slide 22

2.7.16 Fear of mistake 22

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH FINDINGS 23

3.1 Real situation of students’ presenting in English 23

3.2 Students’ difficulties when making a presentation 27

3.2.1 Difficulties in the area of preparation 29

3.2.2 Difficulties in the area of delivery 30

3.3 Factors help improve students' presentation skills 32

3.3.1 Internal factors 33

3.3.2 External factors 35

CHAPTER 4: RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 37

4.1 Things to do before, during and after the presentation 37

4.1.1 Before the presentation 37

4.1.2 During the presentation 39

4.1.3 After the presentation 40

4.2 Things to avoid when giving presentations 40

4.3 Suggest students on how to fix common mistakes 40

4.3.1 How to overcome the lack of confidence? 40

4.3.2 How to make presentations professional? 41

4.3.3 How to get the audience to pay attention? 42

CONCLUSION 43

REFERENCE 44

APPENDIX 45

APPENDIX A: SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE 45

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Chart 3.1: The students’s attitudes of about presentations 23

Chart 3.2 The importance of presentations 24

Chart 3.3 The frequency of presenting in English 26

Chart 3.4 Presentation ability of students 27

Chart 3.5 Areas of presentation difficulties 28

Chart 3.6 Difficulties in the area of preparation 29

Chart 3.7 Difficulties in the area of delivery 30

Chart 3.8 The influential factors in developing presentation skills 33

Chart 3.9 Internal factors affecting presentation skills improvement 33

Chart 3.10 External factors affecting presentation skills improvement 35

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

1.1 Rationale

English which is widely considered the international language and spoken byinnumerable people has become the primary communication tool for many purposes.According to One World National Online- a reputable website, The ISO 3166-1 codelists 83 countries and regions with English as "official language" (ISO 3166-1 Codesfor the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions.) When arriving in adeveloping country, it is easy to see and hear people communicating in Englishfluently Moreover, English also provides us distilled essence of advance and up-to-date knowledge in all fields of human developments and activities English hasbecome the lingua franca in many fields, including business, politics, science,technology, and entertainment, to name a few The importance of English is clear.Among English skills, speaking is not the most but very important skill showingthe user’s ability in English In speaking skill, delivering a presentation is considered

as the most important because it points out speaker’s ability and knowledge However,presenting a topic in English facing the audience in the class is a challenging issue,since the phobia of English language is always a big challenge for the Vietnamesestudents, formal oral presentation in English is even greater challenge for manystudents at undergraduate level, especially freshmen

As a fourth-year student of English Faculty at ThuongMai University, the authorrealized that first-year students of English Faculty still were not used to present a topic

in English facing the audience and when they present, they have a lot of basicmistakes

As a researcher, I would like to carry out the study with the title “ A study oncommon presentation mistakes encountered by first- year students of English Faculty

at Thuongmai University and suggested solutions.” For following reasons:

First of all, presentation skills are an impressive and powerful tool that will takeyou so

much further than just speaking in the classroom With communication skills,students will become good presenters all round, structuring and expressing their ideasclearly

Besides, the study also provides some tips on how to make a good presentation.Knowing how to make a good presentation will help them in job interviews, to makenew friends, to sell a product and make business deals successfully.

Moreover, students’s body language, hand gestures and eye contact will improvetoo This helps captivate their audience Students’s ability to plan and preparematerials, to convince their audience of what they have to say, will excel too

Last but not least, with only a certain amount of time to give a presentation,students will learn how to communicate their message quickly, clearly andsuccessfully in a limited amount of time A good presentation is easy to understand,memorable and not so long that your audience loses interest

1.2 Previous studies

When the author decided to choose the topic: “A study on common presentationmistakes encountered by first- year students of English Faculty at ThuongmaiUniversity and suggested solutions” The author found out and researched someprevious studies related to the topic he studied There are many research topics inadvance of foreign authors and Vietnamese authors After selecting, the author chosesome of the following researchs:

Studies abroad.

- Farhan Al, Mohammad Osman(2016) “Challenges in Oral Presentation in

English for the Freshers at Tertiary Level ” Green University.

When implementing this study, the researchers mainly highlighted some strikingfeaturesin formal oral presentation following class observation, formal assessment indiffer-ent presentation sessions and then tried to demonstrate the problems faced bythefirst semester students at undergraduate level They even interviewed some experts

in the respective field to investigate the challenges deeply in oral presentation and findthe possible solutions Students can overcome common presentation mistakes andenhance their presentation skill based on this study

The participants in the study include students of social science and sciencedisciplines such as law, sociology and anthropology, business studies, computerscience and engineering, etc They collected data form the class presentationperformance of more than 120 students in different batches Some of the students ofthe final year also have some contribution in the data collection process too

In this study, the authors point out a lot of necessary things that students should

do For example, they said: “In a formal presentation session, the speakers’ overallperformance and preparation are reflected well by his/her body language by gesture-posture, facial expression, movement etc rather than content of the presentation.”People can see the importance of using non- verbal communication through this Thereare a lot of useful information in his study

Moreover, the authors also show that even abroad students makes a lot ofmistakes when making a presentation These mistakes are often related to dress code,non- verbal communication, language proficiency, level of confidence, nervousness orthe fear of facing the audience These are common problems that make students dislikepresenting To overcome these problems, the authors show students the solutions andadvices that actually works with their problems For instant, with dress code, theauthors encouraged the female students to put on traditional Bangladeshi attire ‘saree’and the male students formal shirt-pant or complete suit with tie

Data from this study is actually valuable and useful for the author to accomplishhis study

- Gavin BROOKS and John WILSON (2014), “Using Oral Presentations to

Improve Students’ English Language Skills”, Kwansei Gakuin University,

Nishinomiya, Japan

The aim of this study is to point out valuable benefits of oral presentations inimprove students’ English language skills This study not only helps studentsunderstand the organization of a presentation clearly, but it also gives students advices

to enhance their presentation skills and make a successful presentation

Students in the L2 classroom are people that help the authors to accomplish theirstudy These students were asked to attend a special class in one month At this class,teachers use a special method of teaching, they let students talk freely, express theiropinion, emotion These students had to present a lot of topics After one month, theirEnglish language skills are actually improved

Based on this data, the author has point out a wonderful way to improve Englishskills This is not only important with students but also teacher Through this study,teachers can have a new method to convey their lesson to students in interesting way

Through students’ presentation performance, the author also point out thedifficulties and mistakes that Asian students often make, even these students major inEnglish From that, the authors point out factors that affect to a presentation.

Thanks to this study, I have a lot of information for reference to be able toaccomplish my study in the best way

Studies in Vietnam.

- Le Thị Hien (2018) contributed to this topic a research paper entitled “English

presentation skill in National University of Arts Education”

This study is an attempt to identify the problems faced by the students ofNational University of Arts Education The study showed that teachers and students atNational University of Arts Education encountered many difficulties in teaching andlearning when using presentation teaching and learning method

This study point out the notes that students need to pay attention when making apresentation In addition, several factors that make the student make a poorpresentation As a result, according to this research, these factors come from students’sside, teachers’s side and University’s side For example, about students, a poorpresentation may be the result of their laziness About teachers, they may not haveclear instruction for their students, etc The author also emphasizes the important role

of presentation skills In addition, research also shows that in order to learn to enhancepresentation skills, the optimal method is to increase study time and maintain practicetime in a regular and scientific manner

- Nguyen Thi Phuong Uyen (2008), “Oral presentation skills of the third- year

department at the college ò foreign languages, Danang University”.

This study focuses on investigating presentation skills of third-year students ofEnglish Department Students’ difficulties in making presentations and theirexpectations to deliver a better talk are shown in this research Besides, somesuggestions for students, teachers and the College are raised to improve students’presentation skills The author used quantitative method to implement her study Theresult of this study show that the difficulties students often face relate to speakingability, lack of confidence, etc This study also point out valuable solution for students

to overcomes these difficulties and enhance their presentation skills

Here are the highlights of the research the author is working on Thereby peoplecan see the different aspects of the problem, have a deeper look and recognize theobstacles in learning speaking and listening skills Therefore, learners will be able togive themselves the correct learning methods to improve.

1.3 Aims of the study

Firstly, the study is carried out to investigate real situation of presentation skills

of first-year students in TMU, so this study could work out the reasons for thosedifficulties

Secondly, most students find it hard to make a presentation, so the author want to

do this research to find out the common difficulties that students are facing whenmaking a presentation

Last but not least, this study would like to offer some possible solutions to thesedifficulties These suggestions hope students find motivation for learning andpracticing presentation skills, helping them overcome difficulties they are facing Inparticular, students can improve their presentation skills and make successfulpresentation

The research will address two main issues:

- What is the difficulties that first- year students often face?

- What are some effective solutions for these difficulties?

1.4 Research subject

Based on the rationale and the aims of the problems, the research subjects of thisstudy is presentation skills of first- year students in English faculty The researchparticipants of this study include the first-year students of Thuongmai University’shonored classes The survey will focus on students of one class in K55 of Englishfaculty which include all first-year students The students’ number was 40 of which90% were females and 10% were males All of them (included 36 females and 4males) have difficulties in making presentation

1.5 Research medothology

To fulfill the above purposes, the study was conducted using quantitativemethods of data collection The first step is to collect data from the surveyquestionnaire, the second step is to collect data from the interview Surveyquestionnaire is one of the most effective instruments for collecting data Advantages

of using questionnaires are practice, validity and reliability The author will use aquestionnaire which was conducted among 40 students It aimed to collect informationabout the problems of enhancing presentation skills The responses would contribute tothe great success of this study.

Like questionnaire, interviews can allow intensive individual interviews with anumber of focused to explore their perspectives on a particular idea, program orsituation Using interviews means that the first-year students were randomly chosen inclass and asked within five minutes These interviews included around 8 students whoare studying at the English Faculty of Thuongmai University The purpose was to elicittheir difficulties while making a presentation by themselves and at school Therefore,the author could directly approach research subjects and provide the qualified results

1.6 Scope of the study

Due to the variety of presentations and their own objectives, limited inknowledge as well as experience, it is not possible for the author to cover all theaspects of presentation as well as goods methods for teaching and studyingpresentation skill in speaking periods Therefore, the author would like to focus onfinding difficulties in making a presentation and bring solutions to have an effectivepresentation for first-year students of English faculty at Thuongmai University

The author asked for permission to attend a class of freshmen of English Faculty

at Thuongmai University The subject the author attended is “English grammar” After

2 lessons with presentation performance of 40 first- year students, the author found out

a lots data to help him accomplish his study

1.7 Organization of the study

The study includes four chapters, namely (1) overview of the study, (2) literaturereview, (3) research findings, and (4) recommendations and suggestions

Chapter 1: Overview of the study

In the first chapter, overview of the study, the author gives information about anoverview of the research It consists of the rationale, the previous studies related to thecurrent thesis, and the purposes of the study In addition, this chapter also indicateswhat are the research subjects, the scope of the study and the research methodology.The organization of the study would be the last part

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Literature review looking at some theoretical background relating to the thesis ofthe study This chapter focuses on the concept, characteristics, factors affectingpresentation skill, problems encountering and solutions for these problems

Chapter 3: Research Findings

In chapter three, research findings, shows the results of the study This partmainly analyses collected data after investigation

Chapter 4: Recommendations and suggestions: includes a summary of the study,discussions and conclusions before ending with recommendations for further study

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Definitions of presentation

To make an effective presentation, the first thing we should understand clearly iswhat a presentation is There are a lot of definitions of presentation; however, theauthor only figure out some of them which are easy to understand The followingdefinitions are given by different experts and some anonymous online authors

First of all, according to the definition from Wikipedia, an online dictionary:

“Presentation is the practice of showing and explaining the content of a topic to anaudience or learner It is typically a demonstration, introduction, lecture, or speechmeant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, or to build good will or to present a newidea or product.” This definition actually conveys quite sufficiently in terms ofmeaning However, it is quite broad and readers maybe find it is difficult to understandclearly

The next definition of a presentation is given by Prateek Bhattacharjee (2016)

He defined a presentation as the way to concentrate on a particular topic and project ittowards the audience with a content which not only delivers value but a perspectivefrom the presenter’s point of view in any domain or field He also said that apresentation is something which can outline any scenario in a collaborative way for aperson to deliver and make people understand and bring awareness in the chosen field

In my opinion, this definition is perfect because it conveys full meaning and is stilleasy to understand

Besides, we have a definition given by Big Dog (2013) He claims thatpresentation is a formal talk because this case is in business activities, they needformality Compared with reports, he gave a full definition of a presentation:

“Presentations and reports are ways of communicating ideas and information to agroup But unlike a report, a presentation carries the speaker’s personality better andallows immediate interaction between all participants” This definition is actuallysuitable with business people

One more definition comes from Morrissey & Sechrest (1987): “A presentationinvolves the preparation and delivery of critical subject matter in a logical andcondensed form, leading to effective communication”

Finally, the most comprehensive definition of a presentation are given by ananonymous online author: “Presentation is an even at which preplanned material isshown to audience for a specific purpose Although a presentation is a verbal form ofcommunication, it is often supported by other media, such as a computer software,slides, printed handouts, and so on and to be successful, appropriate body languageand good interpersonal communication skills are prepared A presentation is normallyintended to introduce something new to the audience, to persuade them of a viewpoint,

or to inform them of something Sale representatives use presentations whenintroducing a product to a potential customer Presentations are also used in teambriefing and other business contexts”

In conclusion, we can see from definitions above, a presentation is understoodaccording to a lot of its meanings, depending on certain circumstances But simply, itcan be said that presentations are used by all people every day It may be a short talk, aformal talk or a speaking even but in general, it is made for the purpose ofcommunicating among people

2.2 Types of presentation

Presentations can be classified into different types Basing on the purposes of thepresentations, Lucas (2004) classifies them into two types: informative speechwhose goal is to convey knowledge and understanding, and persuasive speech,

in which the speaker attempts to affect the audience’s attitudes, beliefs oractions Lucas (2004) also mentions another kind of speech – speech on specialoccasions It is also used to inform, but the major objective is to suit thespecial needs of a special occasions In particular, there are several common kinds ofspeeches on special occasions First, speech of introduction is a speech that presentsthe main speaker to the audience Secondly, speech of presentation is a speechthat presents someone an award or other form of public recognition Thirdspeech of acceptance is to express thanks to a gift, an award or other form of publicrecognition Fourth, speech of commemoration is to show respect for a person, a group

of people, institution or idea Last, after-dinner speech is a speech that makes athoughtful point about its subject in an enjoyable manner With reference to classroompresentations, Lucas (2004) mentions that speech classes offer students opportunities

to develop their communication skills before applying them outside the

classroom; moreover, students are given an enormous chance to inform orpersuade other people In other words, it can be said that common types ofpresentation in classroom are informative and persuasive ones In the present research,oral presentations will be focused In general, stages of a presentation consist of threesteps: preparation, rehearsal and delivery.

2.3 Importance of presentations

Presentations play an important role for the learning environment of universities

in general and of Thuong Mai universities in particular Presentations have beenshown to be extremely successful with respect to improving learners’s skills, andincreasing their autonomy It is also the way that they can gain insight deeply on thetopic in their universities’ education program

According to Zivkovic (2014), he said that presentation skills are essential foremployability and true academic study as they lead students to enter intodebate and sustained reasoning Therefore, presentation is not only important forstudents, but it is also a wonderful way for teachers or lecturers to convey lessons tostudents

Moreover, presentation is now used very frequently at schools or universities aswell as companies People cannot deny the importance of presentations

2.3.1 The importance of presentations in study

In most of the universities, presentation has become one of the main methods ineducation program and so does Thuong Mai University Therefore, it plays a veryimportant part in forming self-learning habits as well as enhancing the confidence ofstudents Besides, it is an opportunity for students to practice their speaking skills infront of the crowd The way to the success is really a difficult one Whenever we want

to be successful, what we not only need to have is more intelligence, expertise,creative thinking but also a good command of speech and a style of poise in front ofpeople

As we know, the university learning environment is completely different fromhigh school one It requires students to learn more by themselves And presentationalso requires each student to study on a topic on their own Thereby, their self-learningability has gradually been formed and developed effectively over time

In addition to forming a habit of self-study for students, presentations helpstudents become more active and confident Because making a presentation needs to

be proactive, and passionate about research to create new results After completing aproject, a presentation is a channel for students to share with others what they havelearned It is also a chance to challenge and expand on their understanding of the topic

by proactively having others ask questions It is also a way for students to practicespeaking skills in public This contributes a great deal in improving students'confidence

Besides, presentations are a great way to have students practice all the Englishlanguage system’s areas (vocabulary, grammar, discourse and phonology) and fourskills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) They also build confidence, andpresenting is a skill that most people will need in the life of study and work Throughpractical observation, I find that students who are good presenters are usually bettercommunicators all round, because they can structure and express their ideas clearly.Presentation can also form a natural part of task based learning By focusing on aparticular language point or skill, a presentation is a very practical way to revise andextend book, developing teamwork as well as leadership skills pair and group work.For example: the audiences can also be tasked with answering the questions forpresentations, which is a helpful way of getting students to listen to each other

Presentation can give the students more opportunities to earn a higher percentage

of marks module It uses different intelligences in addition to the linguistic intelligenceneeded for essays and reports In reality, some students are often confident for theirpresentations and work better in group situations than on their own These studentsmay earn a higher total mark for the module where there is a combined assessment ofpresentation and written reports, especially when the presentation earns up to 40 percent of the module mark

In brief, Proficiency in presentation skills is essential for students

2.3.2 The importance of presentations in work

Thesedays, many employers seek the candidates who are confident and usepresentation skills as a part of their selection procedures Some organizations use staffpresentations frequently for progress reports, staff appraisal and development.Preparing and delivering presentations early can help the freshmen of English faculty

to be a more competent and confident candidate for interviews because in the future,the organization will offer opportunities to develop team working and projectmanagement skills In the future, the freshmen of English faculty will have tocomplete the work before the deadlines and take responsibility for delivering anoutcome of their work Therefore, student’s presentations are considered as a positiveexperience that helps them to prepare for the future employment.

Finally, presentation brings students the chance to have a high income as well as

a success career in the future A candidate for job interview has good knowledge,impressive academic achievement, creative business idea Without the ability tolecture, unable to express the ideas, knowledge, strategies and orientations that he setout, students cannot convince employers to choose themselves No matter how muchknowledge and talent the freshmen of English faculty have, if they cannot convey toothers what they want, it will be very difficult for them to succeed Therefore,improving presentation skills every day will shorten their path to success And theimportant thing is, the more they present, the easier it is for them to convince others

2.4 Purpose of student’s presentation

Every time someone started to do something, they must have certain purposesand making presentation is the same And of course, when you are making apresentation you always have a goal You may be trying to give a message on youraudience or trying to sell something There is always a goal when we makepresentation So what is the purpose of presentation?

In chapter-01(2007: 02) of the book “A students’s guide to presentation” BarbaraChivers said that: “There are many reasons why students are asked to givepresentations and these will be influenced by your academic cours e and situationaland organizational factors The purpose and circumstances of your presentation willinfluence its style, content and structure Most presentations will involve acombination of purposes but it may be helpful to think about the different features ofeach of these presentations.” Due to this, not all students have same purpose

Although each student has their own purpose for their presentations, there are afew purposes that students have to achieve:

• Students have to convey enough necessary information about their topic

For this purpose, the presenter should focus on the level of knowledge and theclarity of the information to bring the main specific content to the listeners.

• Convince or impress listeners

Standing in front of a crowd, presenters are often tasked with impressing orpersuading people about the importance of something Presenters need to impresslisteners in a reasonable way, as well as persuade them to change their mind, thinkabout the issue

• Create joyful and humor atmosphere

Making the listener feel relaxed and relaxed will help them to receive thepresentation in a more fun and open way At the same time, it is also easier for thepresenter to inspire the audience

To achieve these purpose is not something easy for students, especial thefreshman Therefore, they have to try their best, they have to practice a lot of times orlearn about their topic clearly, etc

2.4.1 Advocacy/persuasion

The persuasion of a presentation is the one of the top factors that presentersconcern about Therefore, there are many convincing targeted presentations Thespeakers want to convince the audience to understand or believe their position on atopic Or in business, the goal of the presentation is to convince customers to buy aproduct or service The political field is no exception because their goal may also be topersuade listeners to vote when politicians call A convincing speech is workingtowards a solution The first thing needed to do is point out the problem Then providethe audience with a solution by presenting the views and methods A convincingspeech often provides evidence, logic and emotion in it To achieve this goal,presenters have their own strategy and also have to practice many times. 

2.4.2 Inspiration or motivation

In essence, every speaker wants to inspire Inspiration, after all, is one of themost powerful emotions It is so great if presenters are able to inspire people to think,move or change their behavior

Talks that are inspiring are often very personal Stories of overcoming difficultiesare often great and meaningful But it does not have to be about something bad thathas happened It can be about the future The author has seen a lot of Nick Vujicic's

speeches who lost both his arms and legs but still does not give up his passion forswimming, and he felt more motivated and positive than before.

2.4.3 Assessment

Student presentations are frequently assessed and may be awarded a percentage

of the marks that contribute to the overall module mark and credits However, somepresentations may not be assessed but used as an opportunity for students to practiseand further develop their presentation skills, without the anxiety of earning marks forthe quality of their performance

2.5 What makes a professional presentation?

To my mind, a perfect presentation is to attract the attention of the listener,explain and convey the issue that they are presenting To do this effectively we havesome criteria of a professional and effective presentation According to Big Dog’sLeadership Page they are:

• Content: It contains information that people need

• Structure: It has a logical beginning, middle, and end It must be sequencedand paced so that the audience can understand it

• Packaging: It must be well prepared

• Human element: A good presentation will be remembered much more than areport because it has a person attached to it

According to Lenny Laskowski (1997), an international professional speaker andthe author of the book, 10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking and several otherpublications, development of good presentation skills requires efforts and hard work,and good presentation skills mean that you will provide good presentations Thefollowing things will help enhance students’s presentation skills:

• Research the audience before presenting: This will enable you to betterunderstand the traits of the audience You can then develop messages that can be betterunderstood by your target audience For instance, in case of an analytical audience,you can add more facts and figures in your presentation

• Structure your presentation effectively: The best way to do this is to start withtelling the audience, in the introduction, what you are going to present Follow this bypresenting the idea, and finish off the presentation by repeating the main points

• Give of yourself: Try to use personal examples and stories in the speechwhenever possible Make sure that stories help to emphasize or support the presenter'spoint and the stories must match their message Besides, the examples from thepresenter's personal and professional life are also suggestions to make their point.

• Do a lot of practice: Rehearse but do not go for memorizing the presentation.Rehearsals reduce your anxiety and enable you to look confident on the presentationday Make sure you practice out loud, as it enables you to identify and eliminate errorsmore efficiently Do not memorize anything as it will make your presentation lookmechanical This can reduce the degree of audience engagement

• Stay relaxed: To stay relaxed, the presenter should be prepared In addition,they should focus on their message and not the audience Moreover, the presentershould use gestures as walking patterns Practice the opening of their speech and planexactly how the presenter will say it because the audience will judge the presenter inthe first 30 seconds they see them

• Use natural humor: In this element, the presenter should not try to be a

stand-up comedian The presenter can use natural humor by poking fun at themselves andsomething they said or did

• Plan the body and hand positions: During the practice of the speech look foroccasions where the presenter can use a gesture The presenter should establish threepositions where they will stand and practice not only how to move to them but where

in their speech do they move They should pick three positions, one on center stage,one to their right, and one to their left

• Pay attention to all details: The presenters should make sure whether they are

in the right location or not Next, they should make sure that they bring all their visualaids and plenty of handouts Finally, the presenters have to arrive early in order tocheck out where they will be speaking and make any last minute adjustments

In conclusion, a professional as well as effective presentation depends on a lot ofelements such as preparation, content, outline, body language, natural humor, visualaids, etc Each element provides a necessary criterion that helps the students carry out

a better presentation

2.6 Some steps in preparing presentation

Preparation is the beginning step to have a successful presentation Of course, it

is very important To help people succeed in the first step of having a goodpresentation, I have researched and compiled something you should do when preparingfor a presentation

• Step 1: Analyze your audience

The first step in preparing a presentation is to learn more about the audience towhom you will be speaking It is a good idea to obtain some information on thebackgrounds, values, and interests of your audience so that you understand what theaudience members might expect from your presentation

• Step 2: Select a topic

Next, if possible select a topic that is of interest to the audience and to you It will

be much easier to deliver a presentation that the audience finds relevant, and moreenjoyable to research a topic that is of interest to you

• Step 3: Define the objective of the presentation

Once you have selected a topic, write the objective of the presentation in a singleconcise statement The objective needs to specify exactly what you want youraudience to learn from your presentation Base the objective and the level of thecontent on the amount of time you have for the presentation and the backgroundknowledge of the audience Use this statement to help keep you focused as youresearch and develop the presentation

• Step 4: Prepare the body of the presentation

After defining the objective of your presentation, determine how muchinformation you can present in the amount of time allowed Also, use your knowledgeabout the audience to prepare a presentation with the right level of detail You do notwant to plan a presentation that is too basic or too advanced

The body of the presentation is where you present your ideas To present yourideas convincingly, you will need to illustrate and support them Strategies to help you

do this include the following:

- Present data and facts

- Read quotes from experts

- Relate personal experiences

- Provide vivid descriptions

- And remember, as you plan the body of your presentation it is important toprovide variety Listeners may quickly become bored by lots of facts or they may tire

of hearing story after story

• Step 5: Prepare the introduction and conclusion

Once you have prepared the body of the presentation, decide how you will beginand end the talk Make sure the introduction captures the attention of your audienceand the conclusion summarizes and reiterates your important points In other words,

"Tell them what you are going to tell them Then, tell them what you told them."

During the opening of your presentation, it is important to attract the audience'sattention and build their interest If you do not, listeners will turn their attentionelsewhere and you will have a difficult time getting it back Strategies that you can useinclude the following:

- Make the introduction relevant to the listeners' goals, values, and needs

- Ask questions to stimulate thinking

- Ask questions to stimulate thinking

- Begin with a joke or humorous story

- Project a cartoon or colorful visual

- Make a stimulating or inspirational statement

- Give a unique demonstration

During the opening you want to clearly present your topic and the purpose ofyour presentation Clearly articulating the topic and purpose will help the listenersfocus on and easily follow your main ideas

During the conclusion of your presentation, reinforce the main ideas youcommunicated Remember that listeners will not remember your entire presentation,only the Share a personal experience main ideas By reinforcing and reviewing themain ideas, you help the audience remember them

• Step 6: Practice delivering the presentation

Most people spend hours preparing a presentation but very little time practicing

it When you practice your presentation, you can reduce the number of times you utterwords and phrases like, "um," "well," and "you know." These habits can easily

diminish a speaker's credibility You can also fine-tune your content to be sure theymake your most important points in the time allotted.

I hope these instructions will help you to have a successful presentation

2.7 Some common mistakes in presentation

2.7.1 Lack of Preparation

Too often a good presentation is ruined because the speaker has not taken thetime to prepare Preparation involves attention to both the personal and professionalaspects of the presentation Personal elements include body language, voice, andappearance Professional aspects include researching the subject, organizing thecontent, and preparing the visuals So, whether presentation lasts for five minutes, fivehours, or five days, students owe it to themselves and their audience to preparethoroughly

2.7.2 Not effective teamwork skills

Generally, the freshmen of the English faculty understood the methods ofteamwork However, it is not effective because of some following issues:

-There are still a small number of students who do not have a positive spirit towork, which leads to the dependence on each other

-While working in groups, too few students raised and protected their opinions,causing a waste of good and unique ideas

-In small groups, students do not understand each other, leading to disunity

-The students have no plan on making a presentation It is often spontaneous

2.7.3 Poor Use of Visuals

Visuals should enhance presentation, not detract from it Most business peoplearound the world today have learned how to use PowerPoint technically, but notprofessionally Slides are overcrowded, unattractive, and inconsistent They are loadedwith lengthy, unnecessary words, written in sentences, instead of bullets They includedetailed information that should be provided to participants in the form of handouts.They underutilize the power of images By taking the time to learn how to createpowerful visuals, presenter will have a creative edge over the competition

2.7.4 Non-Functioning Equipment

Since so much of our business world is dependent on technology, always checkequipment beforehand There is nothing more frustrating than malfunctioning

equipment, which can cause unnecessary delays and frustration One solution is tohave a printout of speaker’s visuals for themselves That way, students will have thenecessary information they need to deliver a presentation, even if they do not have thenecessary equipment If speaker solve the problem in this way, they will also gain theempathy and appreciation of the audience, who may have been in speaker’s shoes atsome point in their own professional careers.

2.7.5 Inappropriate Humor

Off-color jokes could doom presentation, because students are taking the risk ofoffending someone in the audience Humor is culture-sensitive What is consideredfunny in one part of the world may be considered private and taboo in another.Therefore, avoid using humor in professional presentations, and consider other ways

of breaking the ice and establishing rapport with audience members

2.7.6 Inappropriate Dress

The best advice is to dress conservatively so that the audience can pay attention

to what speaker is saying, not what they are wearing In their private life, feel free toexpress individuality In professional arenas, it can be disastrous to show their truecolors Like it or not, professionals around the world expect to see them dressed acertain way It is best not to surprise them; otherwise they will be concentrating onunusual appearance instead of worthwhile message Women in particular should beextra careful to present a professional appearance, and stay away from low necklines,short skirts, jangly jewelry, wacky hairstyles, and flashy colors

2.7.7 Not Knowing the Audience

Custom-design presentation to fit the needs of your audience Find out the sizeand demographics of audience beforehand What are the ranks and positions of thepeople who will be attending? Who are the decision-makers? How much knowledge

do they have of the subject students will be presenting? What is their native language?What other cultural expectations or protocol should speaker be aware of? Byconsidering such factors beforehand, presenter increase the effectiveness ofpresentation dramatically

2.7.8 Starting or Ending a Presentation Late

The members of the audience have time restrictions Respect them In the UnitedStates and Canada, the mark of a professional is one who starts and finishes the

presentation on time However, time is viewed differently in eastern and westerncultures When traveling or presenting in an international context, consult a localpartner or colleague to find out what is considered “normal”, even if it seems strange

or differs from speaker’s own practices back home

2.7.9 Using a Monotone Voice

Students in the English faculty are just exposed to class presentations so they areoften shy and worried That makes their voice when the presentation becomes unclear,hard to hear even the listener cannot hear what they are saying Students also find itdifficult to press the tone of the voice, which results in a boring speech for theaudience

Voice is the primary means of communicating with audience No matter howinteresting their material, if they speak in a monotone voice, they will lose ouraudience An effective voice should be vital, audible, and clear Of course, voice will

be affected by age, gender, physiology, health, motivation, and past experience.Nevertheless, people of all kinds can learn how to make their voices more effective bylearning about voice production, breathing techniques, vocal exercises and voice care

If necessary, work with a voice coach to learn how to improve their voice

2.7.10 Mispronunciation

Most of the first-year English students encounter this dangerous mistake Theyusually feel shy too much that they cannot pronounce correctly It makes the audiencesnot understand what the first-year English students are saying, or sometimes they willmisunderstand the content of the presentation

Liaisons - This is a relatively difficult part for Asians in general and for thefreshmen of English faculty in particularly, since most Asian languages have no soundconnection According to habits, when presenting something in English, the freshmen

of English faculty do not connect the sounds To limit this situation, they have topractice more and more to get the reflex

Besides, stress of the words is considered "luxury" Accents play a veryimportant role in English pronunciation However, many students ignore this issue.Just few first-year students correctly pronounce the accent of the words Meanwhile,the remaining students have little interest in this issue For example, "download" is