6 steps to a successful presentation

If you feel nervous at the thought of having to stand up in front of your peers and deliver a presentation, you're not alone. However you're unlikely to get through university without having to do it. Follow these six steps to ensure success

Prepare carefully

Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare, as a last-minute rush will leave you flustered when it comes to delivering your presentation.

To make sure you stay on track, ask yourself what you're hoping to achieve. 'Put yourself in the shoes of the audience: What do they want or need to know? What messages do you want them to take away?' says Nicky Norminton, head of career consultancy at the University of Reading.

It's important to plan out the structure and format of your presentation and organise it into three key sections:

• introduction - capture attention with a strong opening and clearly state your objective.
• body - present your key points logically and support them with evidence, examples, or visuals.
• conclusion - summarise your main points and end with a memorable takeaway or call to action.

You can make detailed notes as part of your planning, but don't rely on these on the day, as reading from a prepared text sounds unnatural. If you want to take prompts with you, use small index cards.

If you have to give a group presentation, discover three tips for successful group work.

Use visuals wisely

Visual aids, such as slides, charts, and images, can enhance your message and keep your audience engaged. To use them effectively:

• design for clarity - use simple layouts with minimal text
• focus on key takeaways - avoid clutter and emphasise your main points
• maintain consistency - use a readable font and a consistent color scheme
• prioritise quality - incorporate high-quality images and graphics.

Remember, all visuals should complement your presentation, not replace you. While slides can summarise key points or illustrate concepts, you are always the main focus. A visually appealing presentation lacking substance will not resonate with your audience.

When creating your slides and visuals:

• avoid clutter by focusing on a single concept per slide and using short sentences
• keep charts and graphs straightforward and avoid overly complex visuals
• if you use videos, ensure they are captioned for accessibility and clarity
• minimise the number of slides, use high contrast colors, and choose a large, clear font.

Consider your audience

It's essential that you keep your audience in mind at every stage - from the preparation of your presentation right through to the delivery. 'Think about the style of the session - how have others presented and how was this style received?' says Nicky.

To show that you have thought about the audience, consider how much background information they will need. Do they already have some knowledge of the topic you're presenting?

'Start strong and positively. Focus on your audience rather than yourself - remembering that they are there to listen and are willing you to succeed,' recommends Nicky.

Spending the first half of your presentation telling an audience what they already know will be frustrating for them. Equally, if you go straight into the detail, they may get lost. It's vital you get the balance right.

Interaction keeps your audience interested and makes your presentation more memorable.

Consider using:

• questions or polls to encourage participation
• stories, humor, or anecdotes to make your content relatable.

The tone of your presentation will also depend on your audience - if its purpose is to demonstrate to your seminar group that you've understood a certain topic, you could strike a light-hearted tone. If it's an assessed piece of work on the other hand, you'll need to be more serious.

Plan for questions in advance

For many, this is the most daunting part of presenting. But with the right preparation, you can use this opportunity to connect with your audience and solidify your message.

'Read through your presentation and think about possible questions and prepare answers to them. Ask someone to read the presentation and tell you what questions they would be likely to ask,' Nicky recommends.

Before your presentation, think of potential questions your audience might ask. Consider the:

• obvious - what are the core topics you covered? What are the common questions people ask about this subject matter?
• challenging - are there any controversial aspects to your presentation? What are the weaknesses or limitations of your research or arguments? Prepare thoughtful responses to potential criticisms.
• curious - what might your audience be genuinely interested in learning more about? What are the practical applications of your work?
• specific - if you're presenting to a specialised audience, think about the specific jargon or concepts they might ask about.

Avoid rambling or overly technical responses. It's okay to admit you don't know the answer to a question. Nicky advises 'rather than making something up on the spot thank them for the question, admit that you do not have the answer but will come back to them with the information.'

Even if you're feeling nervous, try to project confidence and enthusiasm. Maintain eye contact with the questioner, speak clearly and confidently, and smile. Your body language can have a big impact on how your answers are perceived.

Thank the audience for their questions and reiterate your key message. This will ensure that your presentation ends on a strong and memorable note.

Practice with a friend

'The more you can practice, the easier presenting will become,' explains Nicky. Before the main event, you should run through your presentation in full more than once. Rehearsing your presentation helps build confidence and ensures a smooth delivery. Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself, or present to a friend or colleague for feedback.

'Student union clubs and societies may have meetings where you can stand up and present your thoughts and ideas, or when you have been asked to discuss a topic in a seminar and someone is asked to informally present back the ideas of the group this would also be a good opportunity,' advises Nicky.

Pay attention to:

• your tone and pace
• your body language and gestures
• smooth transitions between topics.

Ask your practice audience to sit at a distance to check that everyone attending can hear you speaking and that they can see the slides. If possible, try to do this practice run in the room you'll be giving your presentation in. 

This level of preparation will enable you to work out whether your presentation is the right length when spoken aloud and give you the chance to get used to expressing yourself in front of others.

While you practice make sure that you:

• Speak slowly - nerves can make you rush but try and moderate your speech. Take a breath at the end of every sentence or point you make.
• Face the audience - to give a confident impression regularly make eye contact with your audience. If using a screen stand at a 45-degree angle so you have a good view of both your audience and your slides. Don't turn your back on your audience.
• Leave time for questions - factor this into your overall time limit and be prepared to field any questions that come your way. 

'Think about recording your presentation, especially if you deliver the actual presentation remotely. Play it back to look for ways to improve delivery.' Nicky suggests.

Ask yourself if it's clear, concise, and if it makes sense. Pay particular attention to less obvious factors such as your facial expressions and mannerisms. Do you come across well? Are you talking too fast or waffling? Are you smiling and personable?

If you're feeling anxious, acknowledge your nervousness, but don't let negative thoughts win.

'Often, we worry about the bits we have missed or that fact that we have gone off script - the audience, unless they have seen it before, will not know what you were planning to cover, so try not to worry,' explains Nicky. Instead of thinking about all the things that could go wrong, visualise a positive outcome and focus on what you can do to ensure it runs smoothly.

Don't rely on technology

We've all cringed at the sight of a presenter wrestling with a USB stick that won't read, struggling to connect to the internet, or failing to get the projector to cooperate. But with a little planning, you can reduce the risk of technology derailing your presentation.

Whenever possible, test your presentation in advance using the same equipment you'll be working with during the actual event. If that's not possible, arrive early and do a trial run. 

Familiarise yourself with connecting your laptop to the projector, and if your presentation includes web links or video clips, double-check that they work correctly. Keep backup copies of your files handy and print out a few copies of your slides as a contingency plan.

Even with meticulous preparation, technology can still fail. If it does - don't panic. Technical difficulties are a common occurrence. By demonstrating preparedness and handling the situation calmly, you can actually impress your audience, perhaps even more so than if everything had gone flawlessly.

Find out more

• Learn more about university life.
• Discover how to manage student stress.
• Find out how to get the most out of lectures and seminars.