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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

By Krystle Wong , Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

• PRESENTATION SKILLS

What is a Presentation?

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Presentation Skills:

• A - Z List of Presentation Skills
• Top Tips for Effective Presentations
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• Preparing for a Presentation
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• Writing Your Presentation
• Deciding the Presentation Method
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• 7 Qualities of Good Speakers That Can Help You Be More Successful
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The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation .

These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication. 

This article describes what a presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills.

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk.  Some of these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation that also lays the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered. 

A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a ' persuasive ' element. It may, for example, be a talk about the positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding for a project.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Making a presentation is a way of communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience and many of our articles on communication are also relevant here, see: What is Communication? for more.

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.

When and where will you deliver your presentation?

There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room, lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.

Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?

If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.

Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?

A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.

Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?

Are you already familiar with the audience?

With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and effectively, to get them on your side.

What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will you be expected to use?

In particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be expected to stand in one place, or move around.

What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?

Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information needs to be included in your presentation.

All these aspects will change the presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation Method .

The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the presentation.

Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.

You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.

The audience receives the presenter’s message(s).

However, this reception will be filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge and personal sense of values.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why communication can fail.

The message or messages are delivered by the presenter to the audience.

The message is delivered not just by the spoken word ( verbal communication ) but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact ( non-verbal communication ), and visual aids.

The message will also be affected by the audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well . They will judge your presentation a failure, because you have not met their expectations.

The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message, and whether it met their expectations.

As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will meet expectations.

See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.

How will the presentation be delivered?

Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience.  However, there may be occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video conferencing systems, such as Skype.

It is also important to remember that if your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous references should be kept to a minimum.

Impediments

Many factors can influence the effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience.

For example background noise or other distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.

As presenter, you have to be prepared to cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your message.   

Our page: Barriers to Communication explains these factors in more depth.

Continue to read through our Presentation Skills articles for an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Continue to: Preparing for a Presentation Deciding the Presentation Method

See also: Writing Your Presentation | Working with Visual Aids Coping with Presentation Nerves | Dealing with Questions Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks

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What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them)

Presentation skills are essential for your personal and professional life. Learn about effective presentations and how to boost your presenting techniques.

At least seven out of 10 Americans agree that presentation skills are essential for a successful career [ 1 ]. Although it might be tempting to think that these are skills reserved for people interested in public speaking roles, they're critical in a diverse range of jobs. For example, you might need to brief your supervisor on research results.

Presentation skills are also essential in other scenarios, including working with a team and explaining your thought process, walking clients through project ideas and timelines, and highlighting your strengths and achievements to your manager during performance reviews.

Whatever the scenario, you have very little time to capture your audience’s attention and get your point across when presenting information—about three seconds, according to research [ 2 ]. Effective presentation skills help you get your point across and connect with the people you’re communicating with, which is why nearly every employer requires them.

Understanding what presentation skills are is only half the battle. Honing your presenting techniques is essential for mastering presentations of all kinds and in all settings.

What are presentation skills?

Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images.

You'll make presentations at various times in your life. Examples include:

Making speeches at a wedding, conference, or another event

Making a toast at a dinner or event

Explaining projects to a team 

Delivering results and findings to management teams

Teaching people specific methods or information

Proposing a vote at community group meetings

Pitching a new idea or business to potential partners or investors

Why are presentation skills important? 

Delivering effective presentations is critical in your professional and personal life. You’ll need to hone your presentation skills in various areas, such as when giving a speech, convincing your partner to make a substantial purchase, and talking to friends and family about an important situation.

No matter if you’re using them in a personal or professional setting, these are the skills that make it easier and more effective to convey your ideas, convince or persuade others, and experience success. A few of the benefits that often accompany improving your presentation skills include:

Enriched written and verbal communication skills

Enhanced confidence and self-image

Boosted critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities

Better motivational techniques

Increased leadership skills

Expanded time management, negotiation, and creativity

The better your presenting techniques, the more engaging your presentations will be. You could also have greater opportunities to make positive impacts in business and other areas of your life.

Effective presentation skills

Imagine yourself in the audience at a TED Talk or sitting with your coworkers at a big meeting held by your employer. What would you be looking for in how they deliver their message? What would make you feel engaged?

These are a few questions to ask yourself as you review this list of some of the most effective presentation skills.

Verbal communication

How you use language and deliver messages play essential roles in how your audience will receive your presentation. Speak clearly and confidently, projecting your voice enough to ensure everyone can hear. Think before you speak, pausing when necessary and tailoring the way you talk to resonate with your particular audience.

Body language

Body language combines various critical elements, including posture, gestures, eye contact, expressions, and position in front of the audience. Body language is one of the elements that can instantly transform a presentation that would otherwise be dull into one that's dynamic and interesting.

Voice projection

The ability to project your voice improves your presentation by allowing your audience to hear what you're saying. It also increases your confidence to help settle any lingering nerves while also making your message more engaging. To project your voice, stand comfortably with your shoulders back. Take deep breaths to power your speaking voice and ensure you enunciate every syllable you speak.

How you present yourself plays a role in your body language and ability to project your voice. It also sets the tone for the presentation. Avoid slouching or looking overly tense. Instead, remain open, upright, and adaptable while taking the formality of the occasion into account.

Storytelling

Incorporating storytelling into a presentation is an effective strategy used by many powerful public speakers. It has the power to bring your subject to life and pique the audience’s curiosity. Don’t be afraid to tell a personal story, slowly building up suspense or adding a dramatic moment. And, of course, be sure to end with a positive takeaway to drive your point home.

Active listening

Active listening is a valuable skill all on its own. When you understand and thoughtfully respond to what you hear—whether it's in a conversation or during a presentation—you’ll likely deepen your personal relationships and actively engage audiences during a presentation. As part of your presentation skill set, it helps catch and maintain the audience’s attention, helping them remain focused while minimizing passive response, ensuring the message is delivered correctly, and encouraging a call to action.

Stage presence

During a presentation, projecting confidence can help keep your audience engaged. Stage presence can help you connect with your audience and encourage them to want to watch you. To improve your presence, try amping up your normal demeanor by infusing it with a bit of enthusiasm. Project confidence and keep your information interesting.

Watch your audience as you’re presenting. If you’re holding their attention, it likely means you’re connecting well with them.

Self-awareness

Monitoring your own emotions and reactions will allow you to react well in various situations. It helps you remain personable throughout your presentation and handle feedback well. Self-awareness can help soothe nervousness during presentations, allowing you to perform more effectively.

Writing skills

Writing is a form of presentation. Sharp writing skills can help you master your presentation’s outline to ensure you stay on message and remain clear about your objectives from the beginning until the end. It’s also helpful to have strong writing abilities for creating compelling slides and other visual aids.

Understanding an audience

When you understand your audience's needs and interests, you can design your presentation around them. In turn, you'll deliver maximum value to them and enhance your ability to make your message easy to understand.

Learn more about presentation skills from industry experts at SAP:

How to improve presentation skills

There’s an art to public speaking. Just like any other type of art, this is one that requires practice. Improving your presentation skills will help reduce miscommunications, enhance your time management capabilities, and boost your leadership skills. Here are some ways you can improve these skills:

Work on self-confidence.

When you’re confident, you naturally speak more clearly and with more authority. Taking the time to prepare your presentation with a strong opening and compelling visual aids can help you feel more confident. Other ways to improve your self-confidence include practicing positive self-talk, surrounding yourself with positive people, and avoiding comparing yourself (or your presentation) to others.

Develop strategies for overcoming fear.

Many people are nervous or fearful before giving a presentation. A bad memory of a past performance or insufficient self-confidence can contribute to fear and anxiety. Having a few go-to strategies like deep breathing, practicing your presentation, and grounding can help you transform that fear into extra energy to put into your stage presence.

Learn grounding techniques.

Grounding is any type of technique that helps you steer your focus away from distressing thoughts and keeps you connected with your present self. To ground yourself, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and imagine you’re a large, mature tree with roots extending deep into the earth—like the tree, you can become unshakable.

Learn how to use presentation tools.

Visual aids and other technical support can transform an otherwise good presentation into a wow-worthy one. A few popular presentation tools include:

Canva: Provides easy-to-design templates you can customize

Powtoon: Animation software that makes video creation fast and easy

PowerPoint: Microsoft's iconic program popular for dynamic marketing and sales presentations

Practice breathing techniques.

Breathing techniques can help quell anxiety, making it easier to shake off pre-presentation jitters and nerves. It also helps relax your muscles and get more oxygen to your brain.  For some pre-presentation calmness, you can take deep breaths, slowly inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

While presenting, breathe in through your mouth with the back of your tongue relaxed so your audience doesn't hear a gasping sound. Speak on your exhalation, maintaining a smooth voice.

Gain experience.

The more you practice, the better you’ll become. The more you doanything, the more comfortable you’ll feel engaging in that activity. Presentations are no different. Repeatedly practicing your own presentation also offers the opportunity to get feedback from other people and tweak your style and content as needed.

Tips to help you ace your presentation

Your presentation isn’t about you; it’s about the material you’re presenting. Sometimes, reminding yourself of this ahead of taking center stage can help take you out of your head, allowing you to connect effectively with your audience. The following are some of the many actions you can take on the day of your presentation.

Arrive early.

Since you may have a bit of presentation-related anxiety, it’s important to avoid adding travel stress. Give yourself an abundance of time to arrive at your destination, and take into account heavy traffic and other unforeseen events. By arriving early, you also give yourself time to meet with any on-site technicians, test your equipment, and connect with people ahead of the presentation.

Become familiar with the layout of the room.

Arriving early also gives you time to assess the room and figure out where you want to stand. Experiment with the acoustics to determine how loudly you need to project your voice, and test your equipment to make sure everything connects and appears properly with the available setup. This is an excellent opportunity to work out any last-minute concerns and move around to familiarize yourself with the setting for improved stage presence.

Listen to presenters ahead of you.

When you watch others present, you'll get a feel for the room's acoustics and lighting. You can also listen for any data that’s relevant to your presentation and revisit it during your presentation—this can make the presentation more interactive and engaging.

Use note cards.

Writing yourself a script could provide you with more comfort. To prevent sounding too robotic or disengaged, only include talking points in your note cards in case you get off track. Using note cards can help keep your presentation organized while sounding more authentic to your audience.

Learn to deliver clear and confident presentations with Dynamic Public Speaking from the University of Washington. Build confidence, develop new delivery techniques, and practice strategies for crafting compelling presentations for different purposes, occasions, and audiences.

Article sources

Forbes. “ New Survey: 70% Say Presentation Skills are Critical for Career Success , https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/09/25/new-survey-70-percent-say-presentation-skills-critical-for-career-success/?sh=619f3ff78890.” Accessed December 7, 2022.

Beautiful.ai. “ 15 Presentation and Public Speaking Stats You Need to Know , https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/15-presentation-and-public-speaking-stats-you-need-to-know. Accessed December 7, 2022.

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How to make a great presentation

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How to Deliver Great Presentations

Presenting like a pro.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Key takeaways:

• Connect with and understand your audience . Who is attending and why? What are their needs and expectaions?
• Prepare your content . How to start and finish strong. Tips to keep your audience engaged.
• Deliver confidently . Get comfortable with your visual aids. How to use body language effectively.
• Control the environment . Practice, practice, practice! Handling equipment failures. Have a back up plan.

Ever been to a really bad presentation? You know, the kind where the speaker stands behind the podium, uses slides that mirror what he is saying directly, and includes lots of data tables to validate his position.

But. "What's so bad about that?" you ask. "Isn't that how most presentations are given?" Yes. That is how most presentations are delivered, but that doesn't mean that's the most effective way to deliver them. This kind of presentation risks boring your audience to the point where they start wishing for a fire alarm to go off so they can escape. And once you lose someone, it is next to impossible to bring her attention back.

If the information you are presenting is important enough for you to deliver orally, then it demands an appropriate amount of planning and preparation so that the information you present is memorable – for the right reasons. Give a bad presentation and you'll be remembered all right: it just won't be the type of impression you want to leave in anyone's mind.

When someone presents well, it sends the message that the person is capable, confident, intelligent, and competent. These people get noticed and that type of attention bodes well for your career. Even if you don't make formal presentations in your current position, think about the future and keep in mind that you do have to present your ideas and opinions on a daily basis. The same basic principles of effective delivery apply.

Four Principles of Great Presentations

• Connect With and Understand Your Audience.
• Prepare Your Content.
• Deliver Confidently.
• Control the Environment.

1. Connect With and Understand Your Audience

To deliver a great presentation you have to consider the following audience characteristics:

• Profile – Who are they? What is the common element that brings them together?
• Needs – Why are they attending the presentation? What do they need to know after you've finished?
• Wants – What do they want from the presentation? Do they want to increase knowledge, learn something or be entertained? How can you connect their interests with your message?
• Expectations – What do they expect in terms of content and length?
• Current Knowledge – How much explanation do you need to provide? What assumptions can you make?

When you know your audience, you can prepare content that appeals to them specifically. If you pass over this first crucial step you risk delivering a presentation that is content rich and relevance poor.

2. Prepare Your Content

Now that you know who you are presenting to and why they are there, you can determine what to present. Here are some tips for content preparation:

• Don't try to cover everything. As Voltaire said, "The secret of being a bore is to tell all." Great presentations stimulate thoughts, questions, and discussion. Develop your content so that it covers the main points but leaves room for the audience to apply the information to their own circumstances.
• Start off well with a great hook – you only have a few minutes right at the start to fully engage the audience. Don't use this time to present background information. Get your audience charged up and eager to listen. Make the relevance immediately obvious.
• Also, start by telling your audience where you are heading. Don't make them wait for your conclusion, tell them up front what your premise or purpose is. This helps your audience stay focused. They may or may not agree with you at the start, but they will be able to quickly spot all of your supporting arguments.
• Your presentation should have five to seven take-away points. This follows the chunking principle , which you can learn more about here .
• Tell a story, make comparisons, and use lots of examples. Be sure to mix up the type of content to stimulate audience interest.
• Present your ideas logically using supporting evidence as necessary.
• Provide only as much background information as needed.
• Outline actions or next steps that are required.
• Develop a strong close, including a summary. Bring your conclusions back around to audience need and the hook you created. Consider ending with a question designed to stimulate further discussion.

For a similar but a subtly different approach, see our article on the Rhetorical Triangle .

3. Deliver Confidently

There are two main aspects of your delivery: your visual aids and your style. We'll look at them separately.

Unless your presentation is very short, you will need some sort of visual aid to keep the attention of your audience. There is a fine line, though, between drawing attention to your points, and distracting the audience from what you are saying. Here are some key factors to consider when designing slides:

• Keep slides simple and easy to understand.
• When explaining, start with the overall concept and then move to the details.
• The information on the slide should add value to your presentation or summarize it – it is not meant to be your presentation.
• Ensure that any charts, graphs or tables you include are very simple and easy to read. Use them sparingly.
• Use images (clip art and photos) sparingly and make sure the image means something and isn't just there to fill up space.
• Use pleasant color schemes, high contrast, simple fonts, and bold and italic to add meaning to words.
• Don't use fly-ins, fade-ins or outs or other animations unless absolutely necessary to really emphasize a point. How many times have you been put into a hypnotic state watching words or lines fly into a presentation?

Delivery Style

The way you deliver the content is often what makes or breaks a presentation. Here are some pointers to remember:

• Use gestures for meaning, not for comfort. Try not to talk with your hands or move about carelessly. Everything you do should have purpose i.e. gesture to the visual aid to draw the audience's attention.
• Pause for effect after main points or after you present a visual aid.
• Step out from behind the podium and connect with your audience – make sure you have a remote control device to change slides or cue other types of visuals.
• Talk loudly enough for people at the back to hear, or use a microphone.
• Make eye contact and hold it for three to five seconds. Any less and it looks like you are merely scanning the crowd.
• Be passionate – show your audience that you care about what you are saying.
• Consider putting up a blank or low-content screen between slides – this puts the attention where it should be: on you!
• Change your pace and style from time to time.
• Be natural – don't try to be a comedian if you're not.
• Finish early rather than late.

When you present with confidence and authority, your audience will pay attention and react to you as someone who is worth listening to. Fake it if you need to, by turning your nervousness into creative and enthusiastic energy.

4. Control the Environment

You won't ever eliminate all sources of problems, but through diligent planning and preparation, you can mitigate your risks.

• Practice, practice, practice: The ultimate goal is to deliver your presentation note-free. Short of that, you want to be sure you are comfortable with the material and that nothing comes as a surprise. Consider practicing in front of a video camera and reviewing your delivery. Don't take short-cuts here because it shows! The point is for the presentation to look effortless – when you struggle, the audience focuses on you, and not on what you are saying.
• Keep the lights on: when you darken the room, the screen stands out, not you. And it also encourages sleep, which you want to avoid at all costs!
• Always have back-ups and a backup plan. What if you forget your material? What will you do if the CD won't load? What if the equipment doesn't arrive on time? Plan for as many contingencies as possible.
• Dress appropriately for the situation – find out in advance what the dress code will be.
• Have a policy for answering questions – let your audience know when they can ask questions so you aren't inappropriately interrupted.
• Finish on time, every time. Last impressions are just as important as first ones.

Presenting is not a natural activity and to do it well requires careful thought and lots of practice.

You can choose to be average, or even below average, by simply emulating what most other presenters do. Or, you can take your presentations to the next level and leave your audiences with a powerful message that they remember, while keeping them interested and connected from start to finish.

To do this you need to pay strict attention to your audience analysis, content preparation, delivery style, and the external environment. When you control these for optimum audience relevance, interest, and engagement you are ready to deliver a great presentation.

The final element you must add is lots and lots of practice. Make your next presentation great by planning and preparing well in advance and making it look like it does come naturally to you.

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How To Give An Effective Presentation (With Examples)

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Even if you have great ideas, nobody will listen if you don’t know how to give a compelling presentation.

In your career, how you frame your ideas will be the key to influencing those who matter. Learn how to give a compelling presentation, and you’ll enjoy an advantage over the competition.

Key Takeaways:

Understand your purpose for presenting, structure your presentation in a logical manner, and prepare as much as possible.

Remember to breathe during your presentation! This will help keep you calm and focused.

Structure your presentation with a beginning, middle, and end.

Keep your presentation as concise and clear as possible.

How To Give A Presentation

How to structure your presentation, top tips for writing an effective presentation.

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Understand your purpose and environment. This is the first step to giving any effective presentation. You want to know what you are getting yourself into. Ask yourself:

Why am I giving this presentation? What are my reasons?

What am I trying to accomplish?

Who is my audience?

Where is my presentation going to be?

When is my presentation? How much time will I have to speak?

This information allows you to structure your presentation so that it remains relevant and appropriate. Once you understand the who, what, where, when, and why of your presentation, you can then begin to focus on the “how”.

Tell a story with a logical and engaging structure. Your presentation needs to connect with you audience. This means you need to incorporate the ancient art of story telling. You need to present your purpose in such a way that hooks your audience in, takes then on a journey, and concludes with some feeling of fulfillment.

Essentially, you need a beginning, a middle, and an end. Each point of your presentation should flow into the next. Each point should build off one another to manifest the purpose of your presentation. In most cases, this is some kind of argument or goal you are trying to accomplish. Your structure is the framework of establishing this argument or goal.

Practice and prepare. This ensures that you understand your material and you give yourself the chance to make changes ahead of time. Consider recording yourself to evaluate your performance and/or ask others to watch you practice. Do you research to make sure you have your information correct.

Also, do you research on the presentation environment. Know where you are going to speak and what resources you will have or need to bring. Nothing will be perfect, but the more you practice and prepare, the more equipped you are to handle challenges, such as feelings of performance anxiety or technical issues.

You may think practice and preparation will limit you, but in fact it frees you to be in the moment during your presentation.

Present (and remember to breathe). Be present and in the moment during your presentation. Remember to breathe. If you have practice and prepared enough, you will find most of what you need to do will come without thinking. Stay relaxed and work through each step of your presentation at a steady pace. Don’t rush yourself, nor ramble on some random tangent. Stick the points and keep moving forward.

Conclude and evaluate. Wrap everything up in a logical manner that hammers home your purpose. Then, you may or may not need to answer questions. Once you are done, congratulate yourself! Give yourself some time to reflect and consider what worked and what didn’t. Use this reflection to improve future presentations.

Every effective presentation uses an easy-to-follow structure that includes:

A compelling introduction.

The purpose of the introduction is to briefly sum up what you’re going to talk about and convey why the topic is relevant to the audience.

Make sure to:

Start with an attention-grabber. You need to make the audience feel invested in your presentation as early as possible.

There are a million different strategies to do this, such as:

Cite a shocking statistic. A surprising statistic makes the audience realize that they’re uninformed about the subject, inviting them to listen and learn more.

Tell a brief anecdote. Humans love stories. If you capture the audience’s emotional attention, then you’ll have their intellectual attention too.

Clearly convey what the subject of your presentation is.

After all effective presentations, the audience should be able to recall its core message clearly.

Body of evidence.

The body is where you present evidence to support the core message you stated in your intro.

Make sure that the body section of your presentation:

Split each argument into clearly distinct sections. Think back to a compelling TED talk or presentation you’ve watched. You can probably still recall the main points and arguments that were given.

Use rhetorical techniques . The reason that most effective presentations include many of the same elements is that they’re proven to work.

Use tools such as repetition to drive a point home.

Humans respond well to numbers and statistics. If you can quote a percentage or figure to highlight your point, then definitely take that opportunity.

Conclusion.

Use the conclusion to sum up your key takeaways.

You want to loop back to your original statement using what you said during the body of the presentation, but in a new and memorable way.

This is your last chance to make a lasting impression on the audience, so don’t just lazily repeat what you’ve already said.

Many presenters mistakenly treat the conclusion as an afterthought that’s added in as a custom. In fact, it’s probably one of the most important parts of your entire presentation.

Most compelling presentations follow several similar guidelines that hold true whether the audience is a large crowd or a few company administrators .

Here are a few of the most important ones to help you when writing your own presentation:

Use a short, easy-to-follow structure. Be concise. When watching the most effective presentations, it’s easy to identify the introduction, body, and conclusion.

This simple structure makes the presentation easy to comprehend while watching and similarly easy to recall afterward.

Limit the amount of clutter on each slide. Less is more when it comes to making a memorable presentation.

The end result of cramming paragraphs of compelling evidence into a slide is that nobody will process even a single line.

Many marketing experts recommend a six-word limit per slide.

Pay attention to design details. It’s often obvious to audiences from the first minute if a presentation is worth listening to or a complete snore.

This is often due to design decisions that can make or break the presentation. Make sure to use eye-pleasing:

Color schemes. Too much color contrast on a slide can distract from its contents. Too little can make the entire presentation seem boring and ignorable.

Fonts. Imagine how seriously you would take a presentation that uses the same fonts often used in second-grade classrooms.

Choose a font and size that are appropriate for your type of presentation and stick to them consistently throughout each slide.

Format. A single badly-pixelated image can make your entire presentation seem amateur and sloppy.

Practice your delivery . What’s on the screen is only half of the presentation; the other is the actual presenter .

Presentation delivery is composed of two key parts:

Vocal delivery. Research shows that effective speakers know how to appropriately vary the pitch, volume, and pace of their voices.

This isn’t just a gimmick and makes intuitive sense.

If a presenter raises their voice when emphasizing a key point, we assume that they must be confident in their message.

If a speaker pauses after delivering a shocking message, then their point seems more surprising and meaningful.

Research some popular presentations on the internet and observe the different ways that speakers employ their voices as a tool.

Body language . Our brains are wired to pay attention to body language when someone is speaking to us.

Even if someone makes a great point, a stiff posture and dead energy can easily distract from their message.

Of course, you don’t need to swing your arms around and go overboard.

Create “wow” moments. Think back to any memorable presentations you’ve watched. They’re probably memorable not because you remember the majority of their details, but because of one or two moments that really stood out.

A great example is Bill Gates’ 2009 TED talk about his foundation’s efforts to reduce the spread of malaria.

Gates started the presentation off by stating: “Now, malaria is, of course, transmitted by mosquitoes. I brought some here so you could experience this.”

He then promptly walked to the center of the stage and opened a small jar that contained non-infected mosquitos.

The presentation is well-remembered even a decade later because he captured everyone’s attention through surprise.

Polish multiple times. Don’t review your presentation once and call it a day. Perfection requires iteration.

A popular and effective approach is to start by outlining your ideas and structure to make sure you’re satisfied with the foundation.

From there, add in all your details and what you want to say. Don’t be afraid to end up with a messy, bloated monster of a presentation.

The next step is to polish your presentation down to the bare essentials. Examine what information is critical for your core message and what isn’t.

This step is often the most difficult, as it can be challenging to choose what information to eliminate to reach that target of six words per slide.

Practice in front of people. You can practice a million times in front of a mirror, but it still won’t prepare you for stepping in front of an actual crowd.

You need to become accustomed to confidently addressing a group of faces .

Use a remote. Using a remote to advance your slides allows you to face the audience at all times.

Prepare backup material. During the presentation, you’re going to discover that not everything you say is going to resonate with the audience.

Be genuine. Although you want your presentation to be polished and well-practiced, make sure to maintain a sense of authenticity when delivering it.

Use small moments of humor to make your message more memorable and interesting to listen to.

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Justin Parker is a dynamic and driven writing professional in advertising, film, and web-based content. He has over 10 years of experience as a professional writer in these realms, having written for commercials, music videos, feature screenplays, and content for Zippia. Justin holds a bachelor's of fine arts degree in film and television from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

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Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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Presentation

• Written By Gregg Rosenzweig
• Updated: November 8, 2023

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is a Presentation?

A communication device that relays a topic to an audience in the form of a slide show, demonstration, lecture, or speech, where words and pictures complement each other.

Why should you think of presentations as content?

The beauty of content creation is that almost anything can become a compelling piece of content . Just depends on the creativity used to convert it and the story that brings it to life.

The long and short of it

Although the length of a presentation in terms of time can depend on the overall approach (Are you talking a lot? Are you referring to the screen in detail or not?), consider the number of informational content slides when tallying the overall presentation length. For instance, don’t include title slides in your tally when conveying length to a content creator.

A general guide to presentation length:

• Short Form (5 content slides)
• Standard Form (10 content slides)
• Long Form (20+ content slides)

Popular use cases for presentations…

Let’s consider TED Talks for a minute: one of the best examples (bar none) of how words, pictures, and a narrative can make people care about something they otherwise might not.

These “talks” pre-date podcasts and blend a compelling use of language and imagery in presentation format to spread ideas in unique ways.

TED Talks have been viewed a billion-plus times worldwide (and counting) and are worth considering when it comes to how you might use video-presentation content to connect with your customers in creative, cool, new ways.

Business types:

Any company that has a pitch deck, executive summary , sales presentation, or any kind of internal document that can be repurposed into external-facing content pieces — without pain.

Presentation Examples – Short Form

Presentation Examples – Standard Form

Presentation Examples – Long Form

Understanding Content Quality in Examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality ( Good, Better, Best ) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels ( General, Qualified, Expert ) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

Impress your clients, co-workers, and leadership team with exceptional content for your next presentation, product demonstration, and more. If you need help getting your message across in a succinct, attention-grabbing, and persuasive way, talk to one of our content specialists today.

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17.2: Background of Special Occasion Speaking

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• Juliann Scholl@Texas Tech University
• Millersville University via Public Speaking Project

epideictic oratory

Many organizational contexts offer opportunities for special occasion and ceremonial speaking. These organizational functions help establishments mark important occurrences, celebrate successes, remember key figures, and commemorate those who are no longer with the organization. Furthermore, special events help an organization define itself as well as help establish and maintain a corporate identity— for organizational members, clients and key stakeholders. Special occasion speaking has also been calledepideictic oratory, which is used to praise or blame, condemn or commend, and celebrate and give thanks (Osborn & Osborn, 1994). For instance, President George W. Bush used epideictic oratory when he addressed the United States after September 11, 2011, condemning the terrorist attacks. Epideictic oratory is also used anytime we are called to mourn the loss of a loved one at a funeral, congratulate a recipient of an award, or toast a special occasion, such as a wedding or anniversary.

purpose of special occasion speeches

In your personal and professional life, you will likely have the opportunity to give at least one ceremonial speech to celebrate an event or contribute to a company’s corporate image. Regardless of the occasion, epideictic or ceremonial speaking calls for language that is arousing, clear, and inspiring. In addition, Osborn and Osborn (1994) suggest that language use and delivery style should serve to magnify and identify. Magnificationmeans giving benefit to the audience, amplifying emotion, and exceeding expectations. This technique involves promoting positivity and goodwill among the people gathered for the occasion as well as helping to build the audience’s feelings toward the person honored or the reason for the occasion.Identification involves creating familiarity and closeness. Special occasion speaking, among other things, helps build community, and a speaker’s language and delivery style can serve to enhance feelings of togetherness.

Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words. ~ Plautus

A special occasion or ceremonial speech, regardless of the level of formality, should have a purpose that is clear to the speaker and the audience members. A ceremonial speech can do a variety of things, such as celebrate an event, commemorate a person, entertain an audience, or inspire people (O’Hair, Stewart, & Rubenstein, 2001). Each type of ceremonial speaking occasion has its unique considerations, and each speech needs to be adapted to the audience, the honored person(s), the social context, and the event. This section covers several types of ceremonial speeches: speech of introduction, toast and roast, award presentation, acceptance speech, keynote address, commencement address, commemorative speech or tribute, and after-dinner speech.

Oral Presentations

Presentation basics, key elements of good presentations.

There are three key elements of good presentations: Content, Organization, Delivery.  Your audience needs interesting and appropriate content in order to pay attention, especially at the start of a presentation.  Logical organization helps retain your audience’s attention – they need to be able to follow your train of thought and predict where you are going with your ideas.  Delivery also is important, as your own engagement with the information helps your audience engage.

Content deals with the substance of your presentation. Your ideas and information should be original and significant.  Use accepted and relevant sources in your research, and reference those sources as needed.  Offer a clear analysis that’s comprehensive and concise at the same time – strive for the right amount of information for your audience’s needs and the allotted presentation time. Make sure that your content is relevant to your audience, so that they understand immediately why they should pay attention to your presentation.

Garr Reynolds, in his book Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery , identifies characteristics of presentation content that create what he calls SUCCES(s): [1]

• Simplicity – reduce information to key points and essential meanings
• Unexpectedness – pose questions, offer interesting statistics, “make the audience aware that they have a gap in their knowledge and then fill that gap”
• Concreteness – use specific language, provide real-life examples
• Credibility – use sources, facts, statistics to back up your content; deliver information confidently; know your information well
• Emotions – engage your audience to feel something about your content
• Stories – use examples and illustrations to create a “story element” to the presentation

Finally, to make your content effective, repeat key information throughout your presentation. A memory research pioneer, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, found that we forget approximately 50 percent of new information within 18 minutes, with retention falling to 35 percent after a week. However, Ebbinghaus also discovered that repetition of the new information at key intervals can change this trajectory, a discovery known as the spacing effect. The lesson for presenters: work repetition into your presentation content.

Organization

Good organization requires a clear beginning, middle, and end. Link your ideas logically throughout the presentation to lead to an ending that resolves the problem or summarizes the situation you presented at the start. If you’re presenting based on a formal report or proposal, you may want to follow the order of the longer written document, but you don’t have to; as long as you include main ideas, it’s up to you to determine your presentation’s organization based on your audience and purpose. Strive for clear transitions between individual points, slides, and topics.

Delivery involves a range of factors from body language and word choice to vocal variety. A good presenter has a passion for the subject and an ability to convey and perhaps elicit that emotion in the audience. Audience engagement through eye contact, facial expression, gestures, and/or vocal tone contributes to an effective presentation. Delivery also deals with the confidence and professionalism with which you deliver the presentation.  Hesitations, “ums,” and other types of vocal fumbling will distract your audience, while a clear, confident presentation helps to engage them.

Content, organization, and delivery work together and are equally important aspects of presentations.

The following two videos provide basic tips for creating effective presentations in terms of content, organization, and delivery.  As you view them, consider their similarity of information and dissimilarity in presentation style. What can you infer about the presenter and intended audience of each presentation?  Which video resonates more fully with you personally, and why?  In terms of conveying information to a general audience, which video do you think is most effective, and why?

Planning Presentations

As you can see based on the video examples, presentations always require a situational analysis in the planning stage.  Identify your audience, purpose, context, and all of the communication variables that you need to consider in order to make choices that will result in an effective presentation for your purpose and audience. For example, your purpose – the one, main idea that you want to convey through your presentation – can influence your content, organization, delivery, and overall approach.  Identifying your audience can help you with what may be the most critical aspect of your presentation, making your information relevant to your audience.  Analyzing communication variables for your presentation also will help you determine if you need supplemental materials or handouts, how to arrange a room for an in-person presentation, how best to structure a virtual presentation, and more.

Even if you are creating a presentation based on a formal report or proposal for which you have already done a situational analysis, do another situational analysis for your presentation, as your audience, organization, language, and overall approach may differ based on the different communication mode.

Planning Online Presentations

In addition to doing a situational analysis, online presentations may require some additional planning time in terms of how you present information.  A real-time, in-person audience may pay attention to your presentation simply because you are present, and you may be able to adapt your presentation to audience reaction.  However, it’s more difficult to capture the attention of a virtual audience, either real-time or asynchronous, so online presentations need to be thought through very deliberately in terms of their content, organization, look, and approach.

The following video, while written for online instructors, nonetheless offers important points to consider for any type of virtual, online presentation.

Understanding Presentation Audiences

Audiences are egocentric, meaning that they operate under the principle of WIIFM: what’s in it for them. Don’t expect your audience to meet you where you are; meet them where they are and then take them where you want to go together. According to Lucas, audiences “pay closest attention to messages that affect their own values, beliefs, and well being. Listeners approach speeches with one question uppermost in mind: ‘Why is this important to me?’ … What do these psychological principles mean to you as a speaker?  First, they mean that your listeners will hear and judge what you say on the basis of what they already know and believe.  Second, they mean you must relate your message to your listeners–show how it pertains to them, explain why they should care about it as much as you do.” [2]

Also, audiences have relatively short attention spans, and often decide whether or not to give you their attention within the first minute or so of a presentation. Various research studies indicate a five – twenty minute attention span for any type of presentation (note that results of studies vary). An article titled “ Neuroscience Proves You Should Follow TED’s 18-Minute Rule to Win Your Pitch ” discusses the concept of “cognitve backlog,” or the idea that the more information you provide, the more information your audience will tune out and not remember. [3]

These audience characteristics lay the groundwork for presentation strategies identified in the videos, strategies such as starting with and continuing a story, engaging attention with an interesting statistic, and more.  The point to remember is that you need to make conscious, reasoned decisions about ways to engage your audience.  Keeping audience attention span and egocentrism in mind, strive for the following presentation basics:

• Conciseness
• Connection with audience

Expectations for Presentations

The 10/20/30 rule, generally attributed to venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki, is a good guideline to help you achieve a “just right” balance in your presentations. Geared for entrepreneurs pitching their business, his advice is a discipline that would improve the quality—and, effectiveness—of most presentations. In brief, 10/20/30 translates to a maximum of 10 slides, a maximum of 20 minutes and a minimum of 30 point font. [4]

While this rule is a good starting point, it does not overrule your audience analysis or understanding of your purpose. Sometimes, you may need more slides or have a more involved purpose—like training people in new software or presenting the results of a research study—that takes more than 30 minutes to address. In that case, go with what your audience needs and what will make your presentation most effective. The concept behind the 10/20/30 rule—to make new learning easy for your audience to take in, process and remember—should still be your guide even if you don’t follow the rule exactly.

One last way to gauge presentations is to consider most audiences’ expectations for good presentations:

• main ideas are compelling and relevant
• information is organized with a clear beginning, middle, and end; audience can follow where the ideas are leading
• delivery shows the presenter’s enthusiasm and engagement
• visuals apply good design practices
• presentation length is appropriate for audience, purpose, and context

The following video summarizes characteristics that create effective presentations.

[1] Reynolds, Garr. (2012) Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. 2nd ed. New Riders, Pearson Education. Information from pages 78- 81. http://ptgmedia.pearsoncmg.com/images/9780321811981/samplepages/0321811984.pdf

[2] Lucas, Stephen E. (2020) The Art of Public Speaking (13th edition).

[3]  Gallo, Carmine. “Neuroscience  Proves You Should Follow TED’s 18-Minute Rule to Win Your Pitch.”   Inc. ,  https://www.inc.com/theupsstore/small-biz-ings.html

[4] Kawasaki, Guy.  The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint . December 2005.  ↵

• Presentation Basics, original material and material adapted from Business Communication Skills for Managers, see attributions below. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Project : Communications for Professionals. License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
• Making a Presentation for a Meeting. Authored by : Nina Burokas. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/making-a-presentation-for-a-meeting/ . Project : Business Communication Skills for Managers. License : CC BY: Attribution
• image of professional making a presentation. Authored by : rawpixel. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/photos/agreement-brainstorming-business-3408113/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• video Create an Effective Business Presentation. Authored by : Nick Morgan. Provided by : Harvard Business Review. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTRt0zkD73M . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• video How to Give a Great Presentation - 7 Presentation Skills and Tips to Leave an Impression. Provided by : Practical Psychology. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnIPpUiTcRc . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• video Teaching Tip: Designing Online Lectures and Recorded Presentations. Authored by : Greg Steinke and Jill Zimmerman. Provided by : CCAPS Teaching Tips, University of Minnesota. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCAaRZJFJAU . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video
• image of businesswoman presenting to an audience. Authored by : rawpixel. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/photos/analyzing-audience-board-3565815/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• Visual Aids. Authored by : Nina Burokas. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/visual-aids/ . Project : Business Communication Skills for Managers. License : CC BY: Attribution
• video Five Simple Rules for Creating World Changing Presentations. Authored by : Nancy Duarte. Provided by : Duarte Inc.. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT9GGmundag . License : Other . License Terms : YouTube video

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MCU: 5 Upcoming Disney+ Specials We Expect In Phase 5 & 6

After Werewolf By Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special , Marvel Studios has a new weapon in their arsenal with Special Presentations, and they are going to use it.  

Special Presentations are a pseudo-evolution of Marvel One-Shots from the earlier days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What used to be 15(ish)-minute one-off stories filling in the gaps of lower-level MCU players have now become 45(ish) minute TV movies that make a genuine impact on the world's largest cinematic universe. 

Two entries in and there are already so many fans who have learned about this new storytelling medium for the red brand and are calling for more.

Werewolf By Night introduces a new character and corner of the MCU in a hyper-stylized horror noir way. The Guardians Holiday Special acts as a precursor to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in a unique Christmas special way. 

So, which characters will receive the Special Presentation treatment in Phases 5 & 6? And how will these stories be told?

Few Marvel Comics characters have had their name sung by die-hard Marvel fans more than Nova . The human rocket is a pillar in the cosmic arena of the Marvel Universe and is a perfect fit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

The question has always been how and why. The Nova Corp and Xandar were introduced all the way back in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova seemed to be a prime candidate to follow suit. Especially with the events of Avengers: Infinity War destroying Xandar. 

A Marvel Studios Special Presentation in a cosmic-military-movie format introducing Richard Rider and/or Sam Alexander would be a win for everyone. 

2.) Silver Surfer

With so much time spent in the cosmic corner of the MCU, Silver Surfer might be the most significant omission in the Infinity Saga roster. Obviously, the rights deal with 20th Century Fox is the primary reason, but the light is now green and the Herald of Galactus is coming!

Silver Surfer seems along the same lines as Werewolf By Night as a character that needs a dedicated and contained origin story before putting him into a feature-length project. 45 minutes of X-Files -style space adventures explaining the origins of Norrin Radd would put him in a prime position to play a major part in MCU stories for years to come. 

3.) Werewolf By Night 2 / Man-Thing

Speaking of the maiden Special Presentation, they have to run it back right? Werewolf By Night was a hit in all respect, showcasing the boldness, creativity, and utilitarian advantage of these specials and what they can do for introducing new characters. 

Now both Werewolf and Man-Thing are in a prime position to take advantage of what these Special Presentations can do for existing characters - one-off stories setting them up for a future project. The supernatural corner of the MCU is primed to get weird, and Special Presentations are the place to do that. 

4.) Ghost Rider

Marvel Studios is one of the biggest movie studios of all time. In today's cinema landscape, it is not a good use of resources to create a full-length feature film in the style of an '80s action movie.... but 45 minutes?

Ghost Rider is the perfect candidate to be surrounded by huge explosions, electric guitars, and perfectly cheesy one-liners. James Cameron isn't a huge fan of Marvel movies but just wait until they pay homage to Terminator 2 with a potential Ghost Rider Special Presentation. 

5.) Ten Rings

One thing Marvel Studios might look to do moving forward is converting projects that were previously slated to be Disney+ series into Special Presentations. This is a great way to highlight characters that may not garner attention for 6+ weeks but still have a story to be told. 

A leading candidate for that plan is Shang-Chi's Xu Xialing and The Ten Rings. Teased in the post-credit scene of the Shang-Chi, The Ten Rings will play a major part in the MCU moving forward and a Special Presentation could be the perfect cost/benefit way to show that. 

Dark Horses

The five pitches above are the best bets for Marvel Studio's use of this new storytelling format. Based on rumors, reports, and the perceived game plan, they are the leaders in the clubhouse for the MCU's next Special Presentations.

That does not mean fans cannot do what fans do best and speculate on other projects that would fit the Special Presentation mold. 

The Wong-CU is in full swing and Benedict Wong's character is quickly becoming one of the most prominent supporting characters since Agent Coulson. Wong appeared in five different Phase 4 projects but does not have any clear path into Phases 5 & 6, until the announcement of Doctor Strange 3 .

Give the people what they want, more Wong!

Howard The Duck

An early favorite for Special Presentations is a character that has already appeared in 4 MCU projects across the Infinity and Multiverse Sagas . Howard The Duck, voiced by Seth Green, is a comic darling that would surely provide an entertaining otherworld look into the MCU. 

Heroes For Hire

While the faces of the Marvel Netflix franchise, Daredevil & Kingpin , have already made their impact on the wider MCU in Phase 4, the rest of the Netflix roster is still up in the air. 

If the plan is to bring back Krysten Ritter , Mike Colter , Finn Jones , and Jon Bernthal as Jessica Jones , Luke Cage , Iron Fist , and Punisher, respectively, a Special Presentation might be the most effective way to put them on the board. 

Okoye/Midnight Angels

An early Disney+ rumor was a series dedicated to Black Panther standout Okoye with Ryan Coogler reported to be leading multiple Wakanda-themed streaming projects. After her demotion/promotion to Midnight Angel in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , a Special Presentation is a great way to fill the gaps in that plotline. 

He's here, he's there, he's every f'nwhere! HERCULES!

Brett Goldstein made his MCU debut in the post-credit scene of Thor: Love and Thunder as the son of Zeus. He is seemingly on a mission to hunt down Thor , but a Special Presentation could take a step back and discover the origin of one of the most iconic figures in all of literature. 

Black Knight

Dane Whitman was introduced in Eternals , and much like Hercules and Xu Xialing, his future was teased in the post-credit scene. Blade arrives and is seemingly recruiting him to some sort of Midnight Sons faction while delivering a warning regarding the Ebony Blade.

With Werewolf By Night in the books, the supernatural branches of the MCU could live in Special Presentations that flesh out characters before some sort of team-up movie.

Another post-credit candidate for a Special Presentation is Harry Style's Starfox. Also introduced in Eternals , this is a chance to explore the brother of Thanos in the MCU and what his presence means for the cosmic corner. This is where budget comes into play as the One Direction veteran cannot be cheap, but if there is an opportunity to make Harry Styles a prominent player on the roster, Marvel Studios is likely to take it. 

Guardians Holiday Special 2

Finally, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special post-credit scene teased a potential sequel to the festive special. All is on hold until we learn the fate of The Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The core cast is expected to say goodbye to some degree, but whichever Guardians remain might be in line for another Special Presentation in the future. 

There is limitless opportunity for world-building, character development, and creative freedom in Marvel Studios Special Presentations. While the series will remain a key piece of the MCU puzzle, expect more and more of these one-off stories to be told. 

The trick will be deciding which characters and which stories are best fit for this mini-movie treatment. 

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Special Education PowerPoint Presentations

Special education powerpoint presentions (sample).

The following Power Point Presentations are representative of Lectures on the topic titles. Site Visitors are encouraged to view the available sample (active link in color) 

To play the presentation, simply left click on the topic title. To download the presentation, right click and choose "Save Target As" and place the file on your computer in a convenient location for future viewing.

Sample Presentation

Title: Roles and Responsibilities of the Special Education Teacher Total Number of Slides:   11 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation provides nine different examples of the various roles that a special education teacher can have both in and outside of the school.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION CATEGORIES

Assessment in special education.

Title: Calculating the Age of a Student for Assessment Purposes Total Number of Slides: 28 PowerPoint Description: Step-by-step explanation of how to calculate a child’s age for special education assessment. Slides offer model examples and practice problems.

Title: Eligibility Evaluation Total Number of Slides: 12 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation is a 12-silde review of the eligibility procedures and process for students going through the assessment process for a suspected disability.

Title: Identification of High Risk Students Total Number of Slides: 35 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation focuses on the differences between symptoms versus problems, characteristics of high risk students, avoidance behavior patterns associated with high risk students, and “energy drain” and its effect on learning.

Title: Non-Discriminatory Evaluations under IDEA Total Number of Slides: 9 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation addresses the 6 criteria necessary for an evaluation to be considered “nondiscriminatory” under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 

Title: Overview of Assessment in Special Education Total Number of Slides: 49 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation gives a comprehensive overview of the basic points of assessment in special education.  Topics covered include: definition of assessment, multidisciplinary teams, comprehensive assessment batteries, methods of assessment, observations, portfolios, and types of tests used in assessment (norm-referenced and criterion referenced).

Title: Scoring Terminology Used in Assessment Total Number of Slides: 18 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation describes scoring terminology common to evaluations and reports in special education.  These include such terms as: basal, ceiling, raw scores, standard scores, percentiles, stanines, age equivalents, and grade equivalents.

Title: Statistics Used in the Assessment of Children for Special Education Total Number of Slides: 18 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation explains statistics often used in the assessment of children for a suspected disability.  Topics covered include: definition of statistics, mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, normal curve.  Practice problems and many examples are offered.

Title: Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Comprehensive Report in Special Education Total Number of Slides: 66 Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides a detailed description of how to write an educational report in special education.  Each section of a report is discussed, along with model examples given.  After all sections are covered, a model report is explained in a step-by-step fashion.

Title: Wechsler Individualized Achievement Test-2 - An Overview (WIAT-2) Total Number of Slides: 43 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation explains the various components of the WIAT-2.  The WIAT-2 is one of the most frequently used academic achievement tests used in schools today.  The 43 slides cover the format of the test, key points regarding administration, and all subtests.

Title:   Autism - An Overview Total Number of Slides:   50 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation covers a basic overview of autism.  Categories include: definition of autism, autism, as defined under DSM-IV, causes of autism, general characteristics of children with autism, and the various types of autism (Aspergers, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Retts Syndrome).

Title: Teaching Students with Autism-Step-by-Step Total Number of Slides: 124 PowerPoint Description: This 124 slide PowerPoint presentation gives an in-depth view of the various methods, styles, and effective teaching techniques when educating children with autism.  The presentation takes a step-by-step approach to help the reader with practical tools for the classroom.

Classroom Management

Title:   Effective Classroom Strategies Total Number of Slides: 20 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  It covers effective classroom management strategies for social and academic behavior.

Early Childhood

Title:  Child Find Total Number of Slides: 10 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  It is a brief overview of childfind, what “Find” means, how we find children at risk, and educational implications.  

Title: IFSP—The Individualized Family Service Plan Total Number of Slides: 43 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation covers the basic principles of an IFSP.  Topics covered include: How the IFSP differs from the IEP, definition of IFSP, writing effective IFSPs, intervention strategies, and components of an IFSP as required by federal law.

EMOTIONAL and BEHAVIORIAL DISORDERS

Title: Emotional Disturbance - An Overview Total Number of Slides: 62 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation focuses on students with emotional and behavioral disorders.  Topics covered include:

• IDEA definition of ED
• characteristics
• academic symptoms
• classroom management
• types of behavioral disorders seen in students classified as students with an emotional disturbance.

Title:  Emotional Disturbance and the Least Restrictive Environment Total Number of Slides: 14 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation focuses on the various types of educational placements where students with emotional and behavioral disorders are educated.  These placements include the general education classroom, resource room, self-contained classroom, separate schools/alternative schools, residential facilities, and hospitals.  Each placement is explained along with the associated prevalence rates

Title: Emotional Disturbance and Prevalence Rates Total Number of Slides: 14 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation addresses just how common emotional and behavioral disorders are in students throughout the United States.  It discusses why ED is considered one of the “Big 4”, as well as gender discrepancies, the differemce between internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and age discrepancies.

Title: Emotional Disturbance - Understanding the Definition under IDEA Total Number of Slides: 23 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation focuses exclusively on the federal law’s definition of emotional disturbance.  Under IDEA, the definition of emotional disturbance is very detailed.  It is also highly controversial.  These slides will address each part of the definition, as well as address the controversy surrounding who is a child with an emotional disturbance and who is not.

GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS

Title: Teaching Gifted and Talented Students Total Number of Slides: 31 Powerpoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation gives a broad overview of what constitutes the gifted child.  Topics covered include:  definition of giftedness, prevalence rates of gifted students, the difference between bright children and gifted children, characteristics of gifted children, and effective teaching strategies when educating gifted children in the classroom.

Title: Understanding the Major Principles under IDEA Total Number of Slides: 32 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation focuses on the 7 major principles of IDEA.  These principles are covered under the following topic categories: informed consent, zero reject, free appropriate public school education, nondiscriminatory evaluation, least restrictive environment, IEP development, and due process.

Title: Parent Involvement under IDEA Total Number of Slides: 23 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  It addresses the following areas: definition of a “parent”, local education agency’s responsibilities to parents, notice of meetings, parental consent, signatures, and parent roles and responsibilities.

Title:  Components of an IEP Total Number of Slides:   7 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation gives a brief overview of the requirements of an IEP under IDEA.  Each slide explains one or more of the components that must be in a student’s IEP under IDEA.

Title: Understanding IEPs Total Number of Slides: 18 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation covers the mandated sections of an IEP, as defined under federal law (IDEA).  IEP development is essential in the special education process, as it is a legal requirement that all children in special education have an IEP.  The sections of an IEP need to be understood.  These slides cover the mandated section (many of which are “model” examples).

Title: The IEP Process Total Number of Slides: 11 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  It is a short synopsis of the IEP process.

Title: Recognizing Measurable Objectives Total Number of Slides: 8 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  Upon completion, the reader should be able to identify the three parts of a measurable goal and label goals that are and are not measurable.

Title:  Effective Co-Teaching Communication Skills Total Number of Slides: 39 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation focuses on what it takes for teachers to collaborate effectively when co-teaching in the classroom.  It addresses:

• Characteristics of Effective Interpersonal Feedback in Inclusion Classrooms
• Co-Teaching Communication Conflicts
• Personality Styles that Create Conflict between Co-Teachers.

Title: Step-by-Step to Understanding Inclusion Total Number of Slides: 28 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation takes a step-by-step approach to understanding the necessary components on setting up and teaching in an inclusion classroom.  It covers practical topics, especially regarding communication among various professionals and parents in order to make inclusion work.

LEARNING DISABILITIES

Title: Eligibility for Specific Learning Disabilities Total Number of Slides: 22 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  It focuses on the proposed regulations for the definition of a learning disability

Title: Specific Learning Disabilities - An Overview Total Number of Slides: 61 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides a comprehensive overview of students with learning disabilities.  It addresses: the definition of LD, characteristics of students with learning disabilities, and educational implications of students with learning disabilities.

Title: Teaching Children with Learning Disabilities Total Number of Slides: 38 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation presents a detailed description of learning disabilities. Topics covered include: Introduction and Definition under IDEA, Prevalence, Characteristics of Students with LD, and Teaching Strategies for Students with LD.

LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIROMENT

Title: What is the Least Restrictive Environment Total Number of Slides: 10 PowerPoint Description: This brief PowerPoint presentation explains the concept of the least restrictive environment, as defined by federal law (IDEA).  The majority of slides focus on possible LRE educational placements.  These placements include the general education classroom, resource room, self-contained classroom, separate schools/alternative schools, residential facilities, and hospitals. 

Title: Emotional Disturbance and the Least Restrictive Environment Total Number of Slides: 14 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation focuses on the various types of educational placements where students with emotional and behavioral disorders are educated.  These placements include the general education classroom, resource room, self-contained classroom, separate schools/alternative schools, residential facilities, and hospitals.  Each placement is explained along with the associated prevalence rates

Title:  Step-by-Step to Understanding Inclusion Total Number of Slides: 28 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation takes a step-by-step approach to understanding the necessary components on setting up and teaching in an inclusion classroom.  It covers practical topics, especially regarding communication among various professionals and parents in order to make inclusion work.

Title: Resource Rooms Total Number of Slides: 38 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation takes a step-by-step approach to understanding the necessary steps to setting up and understanding basic principles of teaching in a resource room.  It covers practical topics including teaching, assessment, measuring objectives, and measuring progress.

MENTAL RETARDATION

Title: Teaching Individuals with Mental Retardation Total Number of Slides: 40 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides a general overview of individuals with mental retardation.  Topic areas covered include:

• Definition Prevalence Levels of Intensities and Supports
• Degrees of MR Causes of MR Classroom Management Strategies

PARENTING ISSUES

Title: Parent Involvement in Special Education Total Number of Slides: 23 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation presents an overview of related services in special education.  When children are identified for special education, various related services are available to them to help meet their needs.  These slides focus on the different types of related services and who is eligible to receive them.

RELATED SERVICES

Title: Overview of Related Services Total Number of Slides: 23 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation presents an overview of related services in special education.  When children are identified for special education, various related services are available to them to help meet their needs.  These slides focus on the different types of related services and who is eligible to receive them.

SPECIAL EDUCATION - AN INTRODUCTION

Title:  Definition of Special Education Total Number of Slides:   11 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation starts with an explanation of the definition of special education under IDEA.  Then, the categories of IDEA are listed for the reader to get an overview of students with disabilities.

Title:  History of Special Education Total Number of Slides: 20 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation covers the history of special education from 1948 to the present.  It starts with a look at how schools denied children with disabilities many rights to an education.  Slides take the reader from Brown v. the Board of Education, the 1960s and civil rights cases, and into the 1970s for our first federal law for children in special education, The Education for All handicapped children’s Act, P.L. 94-142 (later reauthorized in 1990 to IDEA).

Title: Prevalence of Students in Special Education Total Number of Slides: 8 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides a brief synopsis of the prevalence of students in special education.  It examines the “big 4” disabilities under IDEA, as well as looks at prevalence rates of all disability categories.

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCESS

Title: Eligibility Evaluation Total Number of Slides: 12 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation is a 12-silde review of the eligibility procedures and process for students going through the assessment process for a suspected disability

Title: The IEP Process Total Number of Slides: 11 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  It is a synopsis of the IEP process.

Title: Prior Written Notice for Meetings Total Number of Slides: 13 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation was created by the State of Utah.  It is a synopsis of the two distinct types of notice, notice of meetings and prior written notice.  The contents of each and its significance is addressed.

  Title: Roles and Responsibilities of the Special Education Teacher Total Number of Slides:   11 PowerPoint Description:   This PowerPoint presentation provides nine different examples of the various roles that a special education teacher can have both in and outside of the school.

  Title: Special Education Process—Part I Total Number of Slides: 11 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides an overview of the first part of the special education process.  It focuses on the identification of a suspected disability, with an emphasis on child study teams and pre-referral strategies.

Title: Special Education Process—Part II Total Number of Slides: 66 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides a very detailed description of the steps involved in the special education process.  Once a child is referred for assessment for a suspected disability, there are many steps that are required to take place, as defined by federal law (IDEA).  This presentation takes the reader through the steps of evaluation, diagnosis, committee meetings, and classification of a child for special education services.

TRANSITION SERVICES

Title: Transition Services - From School to Post-School Activities Total Number of Slides: 35 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint was created by the State of Utah.  It describes what constitutes transition services, the different options for students when transitioning from school to post-school activities, and the different types of diplomas students in special education can receive upon being graduated from high school.

  Title: Overview of Transition Services Total Number of Slides: 27 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides an overview of transition services for students upon graduating high school.  Vocational skills, legal rights, recreational options, post secondary schooling, medical issues and other issues related to transition services are addressed.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Title:  Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States Total Number of Slides:   19 Description:   This PowerPoint presentation was created by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2005.  Topics covered include: emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths from various types of traumatic brain injuries.

  Title: Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury Total Number of Slides: 25 PowerPoint Description: This PowerPoint presentation provides an overview of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  Topics covered include:  definition of TBI under IDEA, areas affected by TBI, prevalence of TBI, signs and symptoms of TBI, characteristics of students with TBI, and educational implications of TBI.

©2024 National Association of Special Education Teachers. All rights reserved

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Exclusive: Marvel’s Nova to Be a Special Presentation on Disney+

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In March of this year, the trades revealed Marvel Studios officially gave the go-ahead on the heavily rumored debut of Nova. Fans were ecstatic to learn that one of Marvel’s most popular cosmic heroes was finally debuting in the MCU. Sabir Pirzada is currently writing the project.  Pirzada’s previous work with Marvel Studios includes Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel .

To date, there are no additional details regarding the project. There’s no director publicly assigned, as well as no set release date. Fans don’t even know which version of Nova will be the one to take up the title for the MCU. The most popular iterations to take up the mantle are Richard Rider (the Original Nova) and Sam Alexander (New Generation).

We offered some insight into what Marvel intended to do with the character by introducing Rider and Alexander in the project. Still, details about how Marvel would tackle this project have been relatively scarce. But now, we have a couple of new tidbits that could clear up the mystery of The Man Called Nova.

The Disney+ question

One of the first questions fans asked was whether Nova  would premiere as a theatrical film or a project on Disney+. The trades at the time could not confirm either possibility. The consensus was  Nova would be more plausible as a Disney+ premiere instead of a theatrically released film.

From what we are being told by trusted sources, it appears that the speculative consensus will pan out. The Nova project will premiere on Disney+. Now, exactly when can we expect this project to premiere? It could be a while before we get official confirmation on a release date. After all, this is still in the writing phase, and what makes it all the more challenging to predict could be due to the format Marvel plans to present it.

Nova: A Marvel Studios Special Presentation

Earlier this month, we revealed that Marvel Studios was planning on developing more Marvel Studios Special Presentations following Werewolf by Night . This report discussed the different scenarios in which Marvel planned to utilize the Special Presentation format. One way was to develop projects that have already been previously announced to be in development as Disney+ projects, while the other was to introduce new characters to the MCU that don’t necessarily have that many if at all, connections to the MCU.

The reasoning is that these spin-off projects are better in the long run for both audiences and productions alike. In that report, we mentioned some examples of projects that could be candidates for the Special Presentation format. Some examples include the untitled Okoye Show, the rumored Ten Rings spin-off that focuses on Xialing , or projects that have already been announced, like Nova and Wonder Man.

We have received information from our trusted sources that Nova will be a Marvel Studios Special Presentation. This presentation will premiere on Disney+ at an unrevealed date at this time. And while details are scarce regarding the show’s plot, predictions can be made regarding the upcoming special.

What story could be told in a Nova Special

Having Nova  as a special presentation means that the story that will be told will more likely than not be an origin story of sorts. While we have not heard anything new regarding the story of the special, we will base ourselves on the premise that the story will still feature both Richard Rider and Sam Alexander. In that case, we could see this special taking the route of introducing Sam Alexander and loosely basing itself on his origin story from the 2013 Nova Run.

The story could have Sam searching for his father, Jesse Alexander, a member of the Nova Corp who has gone missing. On the way, he encounters another decorated member of the Nova Corp, Richard Rider, who was also searching for his father, along with his Nova helmet. As Sam finds it, the special can develop into a mentor-trainee story where Richard teaches Sam how to use the helmet, just in time to fight against an incoming alien threat.

Following the climactic battle, the special can end with Richard letting Sam keep the helmet so he can uphold his father’s legacy. This would allow Sam to remain on Earth with his newly found cosmic powers and have Richard promptly return to the cosmos until Marvel Studios needs them again. This special would also fast-track Marvel’s theme of introducing the next generation of heroes already established within the MCU while still keeping both heroes active for the time being.

How the special presentation format benefits Nova

Earlier, we discussed how this special presentation format benefits audiences and productions. For audiences, they won’t have to wait for 6-9 weeks to know the whole story Marvel wants to tell with the character. Additionally, the specials will have longer runtimes than most Disney+ episodes. This allows more story and development to take place within a longer runtime in one special than what can be covered in 3-4 episodes.

For productions, the quality can improve given the less work they have to cover on a tight schedule. This also enhances the factor of casting and filming schedules. Marvel Studios could employ the “foot-in-the-door” technique when it comes to these projects.

When looking to cast actors for these productions, getting big-name actors to be a part of a project is easier if the shooting schedule is 2-3 weeks compared to several months of filming. Also, if we get actors to participate in smaller projects, they will likely return for larger-scale projects in the future.

Another benefit of this format is gauging audiences’ reactions to the character Marvel presents. If the audience’s reception is mainly positive, then the character could show up more frequently in the future in other projects. Much like how Werewolf By Night, Elsa Bloodstone, and Man-Thing will play a more significant role in the future of the MCU, either in a team like the Midnight Sons or somewhere else. 

But what do you think? Are you excited to see Nova in the MCU? Let us know on Twitter @mycosmiccircus!

Be sure to also check out Marvel’s Plans for future Special Presentations here!

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A new Escape from Tarkov special edition finally offers offline PvE, for just $250

Fans are calling the new bundle ‘pay to win’

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Share All sharing options for: A new Escape from Tarkov special edition finally offers offline PvE, for just $250

If you want to play Escape from Tarkov offline with friends, it looks like it’s going to cost you. Developer Battlestate Games announced a new special edition of the game, called The Unheard Edition, on Thursday that comes with a lot of exclusive features and content, including an offline, co-op PvE mode, for $250.

Many players have bought other editions that have granted them special features, like access to the early test server, more equipment, and a larger stash, so The Unheard Edition’s existence isn’t anything new. However, a previous edition, called Edge of Darkness, was discontinued in January, and promised that buyers would have access to all future DLC through a season pass. So the assumption among players was that the PvE mode would be considered DLC.

Lead community manager Daniel Mavlyuberdinov, who goes by the handle “appl3z0r,“ explained in the official Discord that the DLC season pass did not apply to the new PvE mode or any other features in The Unheard Edition. “DLC means additional downloadable content. PvE is a feature and a gamemode. Just because you all want it to become a DLC it wouldnt mean it is one. It’s featured game mode for the new edition of the game,” he wrote.

As to whether the PvE mode will be available for other players, Mavlyuberdinov continued that it’ll be a “unique feature” for Unheard Edition buyers, although the company will keep Edge of Darkness owners updated on new features. The message was also reiterated on X. Edge of Darkness players, who already paid $150 for their version of the game, can save some money if they want access to the PvE mode — to the tune of $100.

PvE mode is a unique feature which is available only for the owners of The Unheard Edition. We will keep you updated on new features exclusive for EOD owners #EscapefromTarkov — Escape from Tarkov (@tarkov) April 25, 2024

In addition, Tarkov players have noted The Unheard Edition will feature unique weapons and more flea market slots. Characters will also not lose progression and will have an increased starting level after a server wipe. Longtime players will remember a time without server wipes , wherein players who could collect the most loot during a run (which got added to their permanent collection) would destroy newer players. The server wipe resets everybody to the same level, so players that pay for the new bundle will have a big advantage.

The news has not been met well by the community. Fans have taken to calling the edition pay to win . Discord members have taken to copy and pasting a note that reads in part, “For 8 years, we’ve been recommending this game to friends, bringing more and more players into the community. And what was the developers’ response? They’ve blown us off, refuse to comment, and only encourage those who have lost all respect for themselves and continue to pour money in [...] This cannot be tolerated.”

We’ve reached out to Battlestate Games for comment and we’ll update this story when we hear back.

Update (April 26): In response to players’ complaints concerning The Unheard Edition, Battlestate Games announced on Reddit that Edge of Darkness owners will receive some features. Beyond gameplay perks like the ability to skip daily quests for free, unique clothing and armbands, and the faster return on insured items, the developers promise owners will get access to the new offline PvE mode for six months, along with high-priority matching for the same length of time.

While this expands the scope of who will be able to play the new mode, it hasn’t quelled the ire from the community. Not only is it a temporary measure, but players who didn’t buy any special editions are now concerned they’ll be waiting in queues for longer. Edge of Darkness owners are still calling for Battlestate to honor its promise to provide access to all DLC.

Members of the Discord are still posting the aforementioned note and are also passing around a document that has instructions for reporting the U.K.-registered studio to the country for false advertising .

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What the New Overtime Rule Means for Workers

One of the basic principles of the American workplace is that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. Simply put, every worker’s time has value. A cornerstone of that promise is the  Fair Labor Standards Act ’s (FLSA) requirement that when most workers work more than 40 hours in a week, they get paid more. The  Department of Labor ’s new overtime regulation is restoring and extending this promise for millions more lower-paid salaried workers in the U.S.

Overtime protections have been a critical part of the FLSA since 1938 and were established to protect workers from exploitation and to benefit workers, their families and our communities. Strong overtime protections help build America’s middle class and ensure that workers are not overworked and underpaid.

Some workers are specifically exempt from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime protections, including bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees. This exemption, typically referred to as the “EAP” exemption, applies when: 

1. An employee is paid a salary,  

2. The salary is not less than a minimum salary threshold amount, and 

3. The employee primarily performs executive, administrative or professional duties.

While the department increased the minimum salary required for the EAP exemption from overtime pay every 5 to 9 years between 1938 and 1975, long periods between increases to the salary requirement after 1975 have caused an erosion of the real value of the salary threshold, lessening its effectiveness in helping to identify exempt EAP employees.

The department’s new overtime rule was developed based on almost 30 listening sessions across the country and the final rule was issued after reviewing over 33,000 written comments. We heard from a wide variety of members of the public who shared valuable insights to help us develop this Administration’s overtime rule, including from workers who told us: “I would love the opportunity to...be compensated for time worked beyond 40 hours, or alternately be given a raise,” and “I make around $40,000 a year and most week[s] work well over 40 hours (likely in the 45-50 range). This rule change would benefit me greatly and ensure that my time is paid for!” and “Please, I would love to be paid for the extra hours I work!”

The department’s final rule, which will go into effect on July 1, 2024, will increase the standard salary level that helps define and delimit which salaried workers are entitled to overtime pay protections under the FLSA. 

Starting July 1, most salaried workers who earn less than $844 per week will become eligible for overtime pay under the final rule. And on Jan. 1, 2025, most salaried workers who make less than $1,128 per week will become eligible for overtime pay. As these changes occur, job duties will continue to determine overtime exemption status for most salaried employees.

The rule will also increase the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (who are not entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA if certain requirements are met) from $107,432 per year to $132,964 per year on July 1, 2024, and then set it equal to $151,164 per year on Jan. 1, 2025.

Starting July 1, 2027, these earnings thresholds will be updated every three years so they keep pace with changes in worker salaries, ensuring that employers can adapt more easily because they’ll know when salary updates will happen and how they’ll be calculated.

The final rule will restore and extend the right to overtime pay to many salaried workers, including workers who historically were entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA because of their lower pay or the type of work they performed. 

We urge workers and employers to visit  our website to learn more about the final rule.

Jessica Looman is the administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. Follow the Wage and Hour Division on Twitter at  @WHD_DOL  and  LinkedIn .  Editor's note: This blog was edited to correct a typo (changing "administrator" to "administrative.")

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• Fair Labor Standards Act
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The following outline provides a high-level overview of the FTC’s proposed final rule :

• Specifically, the final rule provides that it is an unfair method of competition—and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act—for employers to enter into noncompetes with workers after the effective date.
• Fewer than 1% of workers are estimated to be senior executives under the final rule.
• Specifically, the final rule defines the term “senior executive” to refer to workers earning more than $151,164 annually who are in a “policy-making position.”
• Reduced health care costs: $74-$194 billion in reduced spending on physician services over the next decade.
• New business formation: 2.7% increase in the rate of new firm formation, resulting in over 8,500 additional new businesses created each year.
• This reflects an estimated increase of about 3,000 to 5,000 new patents in the first year noncompetes are banned, rising to about 30,000-53,000 in the tenth year.
• This represents an estimated increase of 11-19% annually over a ten-year period.
• The average worker’s earnings will rise an estimated extra $524 per year. 

The Federal Trade Commission develops policy initiatives on issues that affect competition, consumers, and the U.S. economy. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Follow the  FTC on social media , read  consumer alerts  and the  business blog , and  sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts .

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Lowering U.S. and NC Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Four Law Enforcement Officers Killed in Charlotte Beginning immediately until sunset May 3, 2024

Governor Roy Cooper ordered all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities to half-staff beginning immediately until sunset on Friday, May 3 in honor of the four officers killed in the line of duty Monday in Charlotte. The officers were members of a collaborative U.S. Marshals task force of local, state and federal law enforcement officers.

Samuel "Sam" Poloche and William "Alden" Elliott were both 14-year veterans of the NC Department of Adult Correction who served in the Special Operations and Intelligence Unit. Poloche joined the unit in 2013, Elliott in 2016 after each served several years as probation/parole officers.

Officer Joshua Eyer was a six year veteran of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. A Deputy U.S. Marshal, who has not yet been publicly named, was the fourth officer killed.

Statement from Governor Cooper "Yesterday, North Carolina and our country lost four heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty working to protect our communities. Our prayers are with their friends and families as they navigate this difficult time and we remember and honor the lives of these law enforcement officers."

Join us Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are also encouraged to fly flags at half-staff for the duration of time indicated.

Background North Carolina flag announcements are issued in accordance to regulations outlined in the  U.S. Flag Code . Click for the  NC State Government Flag Guide .  Sign up for the  North Carolina Flag Alert  list.

Related Topics:

• Flag Alerts