Lectures:

This is a class about presentation style, or more properly the content of the course is presentation style and style only. The course aims to give students various models, structures and techniques to develop their skills at presenting their ideas in a variety of situations. It will cover the basics of public speaking, the structure of academic presentations, effective preparations, making visual images, using rhetoric, answering questions, and engaging with an audience.

Week 1: Introduction & the Basics
Week 2: Self-introductions & knowing thyself 
Week 3: Structures & Modalities & Preparations
Week 4: Before you go on & the Opening moves
Week 5: Paradoxical intention, the peak-end rule & mood control 
Week 6: Visual aids, powerpoint & technology
Week 7: Mid-semester Presentations: Speech about a Speech
Week 8: Mid-semester Presentations: Speech about a Speech
Week 9: Being Boring 
Week 10: Questions & Answers & the hostile audience
Week 11: Video rehearsals & peer review critiques
Week 12: Showcase Presentations
Week 13: Showcase Presentations

Being critical:

This course is a chance to improve a skill that you will need through-out your entire life no matter what field you enter into. This class will involve critical peer review in order that we can learn what our strengths are in order to capitalise upon them and what weaknesses we need to improve . 

Group discussions:

We will examine famous presentations, and discuss their merits and failings. 

Assessment:

There will be three presentations: a self-introduction, a mid-semester speech about a speech and a final showcase presentation. Classroom participation in discussion, critical peer-review and other activities will also be important. 

Grading:     
    
25% Class participation             
25% Mid-semester presentation        
50% Showcase presentation

Resources: