Presenting Arguments Page 466-489

1. Presenting ArgumentsPage 466-489 By: Chong & Nick

2. Brief Overview • Presenting is an important aspect to many professional settings. • There are four different ways to present information • Print • Oral and Multimedia • Website • Blogs • Structure of a presentation to fit with the audience. • Strategies to prepare and present a presentation.

3. Print Presentations • Print texts are the best medium of delivery. • They’re inexpensive, easy to produce, and offer a precise way to express abstract ideas or set down complicated chains of reasoning • Things to consider when making a print presentation • Consider the overall tone you want to send to your audience • Consider the best type of format that will get your message across most effectively • Consider the font and color which will draw attention and make your arguments most readable. Page 467

4. Oral and Multimedia Presentations • Throughout your college careers, you’ll be frequently asked to make oral presentations in your classes • Some crucial elements are: • Have a thorough knowledge of your subject/topic • Pay attention to the values, ideas, and needs of your listeners • Use structures and styles that make your arguments easy to follow • Make your presentations interactive with your audience • Practice, practice, and more practice! Practice makes perfect! Page 468

5. Oral Arguments in Discussions • Most of the oral arguments that you’ll make in college will occur in ordinary conversations. • You are arguing all the time, whether it’s against a textbook’s interpretation, defining the meaning of a poem, or simply your opinion on a topic • You can improve your performance by observing effective speakers or joining conversations whenever you can. • The more you participate in lively conversations, the more comfortable you’ll be with speaking your mind Page 468-470

6. Tips to Improve Your Oral Arguments • Do the required readings so you know what you’re talking about • Listen with a purpose and jot down important points • Ask questions about issues that matter to you • Respond to questions or comments by others in specific rather than vague terms • Try to learn the names of people in the discussions • When you are already part of a discussion, invite others to join in Page 470

7. Formal Oral & Multimedia Presentations • Consider the context carefully when you are trying to make a formal presentation in class or on the job • Consider using visual aids, handouts, or other materials that might make your presentation more successful • Consider the equipment provided to you • Consider the setting of your presentation, whether it’s on a stage, in a classroom, or out in public Pages 470-471

8. Strong Introductions and Conclusions • Like readers, listeners will best remember beginnings and endings • If you can refer to the interests or experiences of your listeners in the introduction or conclusion, then do so! • Avoid long, complicated sentences as much as possible! Use straight forward syntax (subject-verb-object) • Listeners/Readers can hold onto concrete verbs and nouns more easily than they can grasp a steady stream of abstractions Page472

9. Tips for Introductions/Conclusions • Things to you want to do • Spark interest of your readers/audience (a hook) • Move your readers/audience gracefully toward your point (thesis) • Things to avoid: • Avoid overly vague and general statements or broad generalizations • Avoid beginning with a direct statement of what you, the writer/presenter, are doing • Avoid long introductions, introductions are generally not long

10. Clear Structures and Signposts • For spoken arguments, you want your structure to be organized so it is clear • Offer an overview of your main points toward the beginning of the presentation • Remember to pause in between major points • To keep listeners on track and paying attention, you can repeat key words and concepts Page 473

11. Repetition, Parallelism, and Climactic Order • Whether they’re used alone or in combination, repetition, parallelism, and climactic order are especially appropriate for spoken arguments • Repetition • The return of a word, phrase, stanza form, or effect in any form of literature to prove emphasis. • Parallelism • The use of phrases, clauses, or sentences that are similar or complementary in structure or in meaning • Climactic Order • refers to the organization of ideas from one extreme to another-for example, from least important to most important, from most destructive to least destructive, or from least promising to most promising. Page 475

12. Some Oral & Multimedia Presentation Strategies • It is completely natural to feel anxiety before a live presentation • Have confidence in your own knowledge so it’ll make you a confident speaker • Tips! • Practice your presentation multiple times, work with your equipment, familiarize yourself with your facts • Time your presentation to make sure you stay within the required time frame • Tape yourself so you can listen to your tone of voice and see your body language • Think about the way you dress for your presentation • Have eye contact! • Get plenty of rest and relax! Consider doing deep-breathing exercises Page 484

13. Web-Based Presentations • Websites • Pay attention to the purpose of your website, its intended audience, and the overall impression that you want to make • Observe other websites and find what you find is effective and suits your interests • Additional tips that help you design your site • Make your homepage eye-catching, exciting, and inviting while also being informative • Think carefully about two parts of every page, the navigation area and the content areas • Think about your readers/viewers, make your website easily accessible Page 486-489

14. Web-Based Presentations • Blogs • Blogs take the idea of personal web page and give it the interactivity of a listserv, allowing readers to make comments and respond both the blogger and to one another. • Blogs offer an alternative to traditional newspaper, TV networks, and periodicals • Downsides to blogs • They’re idiosyncratic (self-indulgent and egoistic) • Can distort issues by spreading misinformation very quickly Pages 488-489

15. The End