how to avoid presentations in college

It feels ILLEGAL to know this trick to get out of a presentation

TABLE OF CONTENTS (jump ahead)

How to get out of giving a class presentation

You may be able to get out of a school presentation if you have a documented disability that is protected by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the presentation is not an integral part of the course. Schools and colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodations to students with recognized disabilities, and you might qualify. However, there might be some circumstances where you can’t avoid a presentation, even with an accommodation.

I’m scared of doing a class presentation

So, you start wonder how you’ll avoid this presentation.

Can you switch classes?

In my own college classes, where students have presented, I have seen people get extremely anxious. One time a student thought she was going to pass out and had to be helped back to her desk in the middle of her presentation.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your professor about your mental health because it can impact your college coursework. It’s not something you should take lightly.

I don’t want to do a class presentation

You aren’t alone. It seems completely normal to have presentation anxiety.

Some psychologists have agreed that the fear of public speaking might be instinctual. Humans used to live in tribes and being rejected from our peers sometimes meant death.  You needed your tribe to survive oftentimes. You can equate this to a survival skill because they did not want to be vulnerable to rejection and get cast out.

There is more to it than that, but I am trying to explain how you aren’t different than most people. And because you are scared to present doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you.

How to get out of a college presentation

And if you haven’t been diagnosed, you should seek assistance from someone who can assess you.

But for people who have a medical diagnosis, accommodations are going to be your best bet. The federal government has something called Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Now, you might not be able to completely avoid the presentation, but if you have accommodations through your school’s services , at least it is documented that you have a psychiatric illness and maybe your teachers are more likely to work with you.

Can a professor force me to do a presentation?

I reached out to an accredited college and talked with them about their accommodations around presentations and this is what they said.

If someone has a psychiatric illness that gives them social anxiety, and they have accommodations surrounding this disorder, then they may avoid presentations in certain classes. For example, if you are taking a sociology course and presentations are required and aren’t an integral part of the course, then your professor should try and modify it.

But the college said that sometimes it might not be possible. For example, if it were a speech class, and it’s an integral part of the course, it might not be avoidable.  This would depend more on your professor.

Tips to talk to your professor about getting out of a presentation

3.)  Give them a solution – Don’t just say, I have anxiety and cannot present, but give them some solutions. You might say something like, can you consider an alternative assignment? Is there a way I could present in a classroom with only you present, or could I record my presentation?

Understand that getting accommodations may not mean that your professor must do anything at all. This entirely depends on the circumstances. If you do have accommodations, you will want to speak with your college’s disability services’ office to ask about this possibility.

Should I just skip a class for a presentation?

In your job, you’ll need these oral presentation skills and you are missing an opportunity to build these skills when you skip a presentation. Finally you want to support your other classmates too.

I taught college students for about 15 years. I have experience teaching online and in-person. I have a graduate degree. I have a passion for education. But I’ve also worked in the professional world (outside of education) too. And with my teaching and educational experience, I want to help students answer their most pressing questions. I want to give my wealth of knowledge to college students to help make their life easier.

Why I got a 43" T.V. for my dorm and you should too

Your guide to asking your professor for help.

9 Clever Ways to get out of a Presentation

Hrideep barot.

• Body Language & Delivery , Presentation , Public Speaking , Workplace Communication

Ever attended a boring presentation and thought to yourself why am I even here; or worse thought you were going to give a boring presentation and had the same thought as mentioned above? Having to wait before your turn in presentation is the scariest feeling of all; contrastingly, going through with it and delivering a successful presentation puts you on cloud nine. 

A presentation is the procedure of presenting an idea, topic or thought to an audience using creative and effective tools. Presentations have many purposes, that is to inform, persuade, entertain, instruct etc. It may be addressed to a single entity, to a group or to a crowd. It is also being used in all types of fields be it education, work, sales; or even casual like giving a presentation to your friend about how your favorite movie actor is the best.  

Why are presentations necessary?  

Presentations are important to polish your skills and get you ready to face and interact with the real world. Some of the reasons highlighting the necessity of a presentation include engaging your audience. Engagement with your audience is important especially if your presentation is persuasive; it pushes you to face the audience and put your voice out there to grab the attention of the audience. Additionally, it helps you to see whether the audience is bored or interested. Also, if they are bored you could always use diversion to steam off the boredom. 

Moreover, there is much flexibility when it comes to presentations. You can easily modify points or change the topic in the presentation when and if needed to go in line with your client’s needs. Although it is not possible in the case of a printed. Subsequently, presentations make you do extra research and reference slides; in turn increasing your knowledge of your topic making it easier to even refer in future 

The main of the presentation is to deliver an important message or explain a topic in a brief or concise manner so that the audience don’t lose much of their time and use much of their brain power. 

Why do people avoid giving presentations?  

There are many reasons for people to duck down when given the opportunity to give a presentation. Being lazy, not taking up extra work, not good at making a presentation or having the presentation skills etc. However, the most common reasons for avoiding presentations are getting that uncomfortable feeling before presentation, fear of public speaking or the fear of boring out the audience or messing up. 

Infact, according to the website verywellmind.com around 77% of the population have glossophobia or the fear of public speaking (fear of giving presentations in front of people). This problem also arises because of people thinking that they are being constantly judged by their audience or people around them for every move they make. 

How to get out of Presentations?  

1) confrontation .

Confront your teacher or superior, talk to them and explain in detail how uncomfortable you are to present in front of everyone else and ask if there is an alternative solution or work you could do to earn the credits or ask for permission to give one on one presentation. Chances are that they might agree to your requests. 

2) Video presentation  

Ask the person in charge if you could have a video presentation instead of a live one, this way they could have you perform it in the form of a presentation and you would also be comfortable doing it in the absence of a live audience. 

3) Sick Trip  

One clever but unethical way to get out of a presentation is to call in sick or plan a trip for 2-3 days around that time. In the workplace this might spare you from presenting, as the presentation might continue without you. However, in school or college this may just simply postpone your chance to present or if you are lucky enough it will get you to present only in front of the teacher. 

3) Family Emergency  

Another unethical excuse to get out of a presentation is fake a family emergency call and get out of a presentation, same as before if you wish you to postpone your presentation, this might be of help. 

4) Less talk, more work  

If it’s a group project, with the permission of the authority, you can volunteer to do more research, technical and background work and in turn less speaking or none at all during your group presentation. 

5) Deleted Presentation

A reason specifically used so that you could postpone your presentation for some time is using this excuse that your presentation got deleted by mistake and that you did not take a back up. However, this could not be used in a group presentation and could be a little less plausible, because it is a very common excuse people used to get out of a presentation.

6) Home Emergency

home emergencies like pipe burst, water flooding, gas leak can occur anytime, hence becoming a very plausible and perfect way to reach late and miss the presentation. In addition no would ask you to show a photo of your house in a mess. So it is pretty much fool proof. (This could only work if you mention that you live alone)

7) Overslept

One of the commonly used yet barely doubtful justification for missing the presentation. You could say that you stayed up late practicing and preparing for the presentation and then you overslept and could not even hear your alarm as you by mistake put your phone on silent.

8) Untimely Death of a Close Relative

You wouldn’t want to wish or use this unless it’s badly needed. Almost everyone might believe this excuse and more so may give you a full day’s break (although your reason should be full planned like what happened, how did it happen etc.) 

9) Personal Reasons

Here, you can simply say that you couldn’t complete the presentation on time due to personal reasons that you would not be comfortable sharing. The authorities might not ask you if you say that you’re uncomfortable sharing. Just in case they do be prepared with an excuse that sounds personal (example – you started menstruating and stained your clothes).

Can a teacher force me to give a presentation?  

Technically, a teacher cannot force you to present in front of the class; although they can strongly insist you to do so with the intention to improve your public speaking skills and decrease your stage fright. However, if you refuse to give a presentation, they could give a bad grade unless you show them an IEP (Individualized Education Plan – a legal document generally used for children with learning disabilities for personalized learning goals and needs). 

But this needs you to undergo an evaluation and is a lengthy process, on top of which it’s not applicable to get out of presentations at the workplace. So how can you successfully get out of a presentation without so many medical formalities? 

How do I tell the teacher/superior that I can’t perform a presentation?  

First and the most important of all inform them in advance. Don’t come up to them at the end moment, refusing to present. They wouldn’t be able to make changes or find an alternative to give to you this late. Besides, they will think that you are saying this only because you haven’t done your work or haven’t prepared for it and want to get away with it.  

Furthermore, be honest with them, tell them the whole truth and explain to them in detail why you can’t do the presentation. The more genuine you are, the more chance there is that they will understand your situation and help you out. 

Below is a template of the letter to write to the concerned authority/teacher and request them to allow you to not perform the presentation:

Pre-presentation jitters! What to do?  

Admit it or not, almost all of us have once had that feeling of nervousness running through our bodies before giving a presentation, thinking to ourselves “just get done with it already” or “I don’t want to do present anymore. What if I mess up? Somebody please get me out of this to be disaster!” So, how do I overcome that phase? There are quite a few ways to get rid of these jitters which include  

relaxing your whole body internally and externally to decrease the secretion of stress hormones, in turn slowing down the rate resulting in decreased anxiety making you calm and composed and ready to face the crowd. 

Listen to some music

it could help you calm down or distract you from terrifying thoughts (make sure your music has soft melody rather than it being anxiety increasing, bad thought inducing. 

Content familiarization

be fully familiarized with your content, learn about everything you need to know – questions, doubts, theory, statistics etc. This may make you become more confident on stage. 

Practice thoroughly

Try to practice thoroughly before in front of your friends or family and have them ask questions to create a mock environment which will help you get more comfortable in the real one. 

Talk to a close one

Have a conversation with a person who is close to you, this might help calm your nerves and gain you some confidence. Talk to them, tell them how you feel, they might have a solution or might give a pep talk to encourage you or simply their mere auditory presence could make you feel a lot better. 

Bioenergetics

So this is basically a way to loosen up your body a bit from all involuntary bracing that you are doing due to stress. Bioenergetics is a technique of stretching your body in weird ways and along with making weird sounds. This tends to open up your voice and make you more relaxed.

Some Tips to Give your First Presentation:

Here are some tips you can keep in mind when preparing your first presentation:

Pseudo eye contact

If you are nervous to look people in the eye while presenting, make a pseudo eye contact with them which means that look at empty spaces between the audience. Look at every empty space and it will appear like you are maintaining eye contact with them. However with the less amount of audience you could focus on anything on their face but their eyes.

Talk Slowly

Being nervous while on stage, one tends to unintentionally talk very quickly, this may make it difficult for the audience to perceive them and they might instantly lose the attention of the audience. Instead, what you could do is talk slowly than usual, this way you would be more conscious of your speech, seem more comprehensive and less nervous.

Presentation: Start and End   

The start is the most crucial point in the whole presentation. How you start will determine whether you will have your audience’s attention throughout or not. If your audience experiences a boring beginning, they will judge the whole presentation on the basis of the start and not focus on your presentation. Some interesting ways to start your presentation are using stories, weird facts, jokes, questions, games, or anecdotes. Starting in an unconventional way would give you an edge over others. 

For example, to give a presentation on your firm being the best tours and travels company, provides your audience with paper and pen to write their best and worst most hilarious travel memories and put them in a bowl to create a humorous and light environment at the start. 

Similarly, your ending must also be as impactful as the start. Make a strong statement at the end to make an impact on the audience or give them something to think about at end using rhetoric device like “Was your latest travelling experience as good as how we ensure ours to be?” forcing them to weigh the pros and cons of both the deals and thinking about your presentation for a longer time. 

For more effective opening slides, check out our article – 10 Of The Best Things To Say In Opening Remarks ; and our video:

Handing over the presentation to the next presenter, how?  

Now Peter is going to present about ‘xyz’ topic. Sounds a bit monotonous right? Because this is always the scene in almost every group presentation. Your team could try something different instead, like making a connection between your speech and the successor’s speech; similar to how you connect two paragraphs in an essay saying “now we know the importance of tea, but how to make one? My partner tom would now explain on how to make a tea.” and add in some more information on it. 

When to pause during a presentation?  

Whenever you give presentations remember that pauses are important, it helps give yourself and the audience some break and time to ponder upon. This is essential especially when you are having a solo presentation.  

Firstly, time them in your speaking after questions that could be answered (but not necessarily need to be, like rhetorical devices. Such as stand-up comedians ask a rhetorical question or crack an intellectual joke and wait for the audience to react, rather than directly jumping to the next joke or conversation. This makes their connection with the audience seem genuine and also makes the audience feel included. 

Secondly at the beginning of your presentation make eye contact with the audience for 3-5 seconds before you start. This somehow acquaints you with the audience and helps you to gain their focus. 

Lastly, take a pause after you make or convey a significant point. Take a pause for half a minute or so and let the information sink in and enter their long-term memory. You can use this technique even after explaining a complex point. 

Presentation gone wrong?  

We don’t give ourselves enough credit when a presentation is successful but we are the first ones to regret and crib for a long time when messing up a bit in presentation.

Lots of people make mistakes during their presentation possibly due to anxiety, some technical glitch or some kind of innocent mistake. However only some people learn from their mistakes and move ahead, the rest become embarrassed and develop presentation anxiety or stage fright and dread giving presentation for the rest of their lives. 

So how do we handle presentation mishaps in that moment?

1) First, when you realize your mistake, stop on the spot, take a deep breath, calm yourself down, find people around who understood your mistake but still gave you supporting smiles.

2) Next, explain your mistake and correct it, the audience will understand that you are just as human as everyone else in the room and can make mistakes.

3) Lastly take control of the situation and continue. 

4) Another way you could admit your mistake is to laugh at yourself, that is cope with humor. The environment would already be tensed when people have sensed your mistake and because they don’t know how to react to your mess up and that has made them uncomfortable enough. Therefore, to blow off the steam make a joke or laugh on yourself. 

How to make presentations fun?  

Nobody likes those boring presentations with the same clichéd slides, with all the information crowded inside and no visual imagery. One could use different presentation tools to make your presentation more visually appealing. Some sites even have games to add on the slides to make it interesting. 

Additionally, you could add videos, visual imagery, audios, social experiments, good examples, and animations etc. to captivate the audience’s attention. 

To know more about different tools of presentation visit our article : 5 Presentations Tools To Use With Multimedia Presentations

Conclusion  

Presentation skills must be developed since childhood since they are used in every field. However, if you are anxious to present and cannot face a crowd, it is important that you work on your public speaking skills to make it easier for you in the future. Additionally, you need to ask for help from your supervisors or teachers to improve your skills and make you a better communicator. One also needs to learn that their presentations wouldn’t always turn out as expected and that is okay, what is important is to show up, it is fine if you mess up; as explained in the show Brooklyn 99 that “two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward”. One should always keep moving forward, learning from all their mistakes and experiences. 

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Distress in social situations, causing impaired functioning in daily life. Triggered by perceived or actual scrutiny from others. Physical symptoms may include: blushing, excess sweating, trembling, palpitations, and nausea, stammering, along, rapid speech, panic attacks.. Introversion and shyness (personality characteristics) are not social anxiety (mental distress). Socially anxious people may be shy/introverted, but shy/introverted people do not necessarily have social anxiety

Dropped a class to avoid 3 presentations.

Hi everyone. I don't know that I have social anxiety, but I do consider myself an introvert (although, the two are not interchangeable). Additionally, I really hate talking in front of a large group of people.

I don't like being called in on class, it makes me extremely nervous (sweaty, heart beating quickly, etc). I don't like giving presentations either. In high school, I had to give a presentation once every year for English class. I sort of did well with one of them, the main reason being that I prepared very well for it and it was a topic that was rather interesting to me.

However, the other ones were very messy. I didn't prepare much because I was nervous and procrastinated working on it due to the fact that even the thought of even working on it/doing it made me nervous. I recently signed up for an English class this semester that apparently has 3 presentations, as well as a group presentation (I usually don't talk much during these and just stand there). I dropped the class after learning this (as well as meeting the professor and not really liking her or the way she is teaching it) and signed up for my first online class.

I know this is a common phobia, but I seriously cannot see myself getting over it. I've made it to my Freshman year of college without having to raise my hand much in class or give more than one presentation a year. I know I am going to have to get over this because I am planning on going to grad school, but even the thought of being called on/talking in class or giving presentations makes me feel sick. I know avoiding it will make it worse in the long run, but I seriously can't deal with the stress it gives me.

EDIT: I ended up taking the wrong class which is online. Had to switch back to the original one. Guess I will have to learn soon enough.

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Do You Have To Do Presentations in College?

Through school, you may have had to do several presentations in front of your class. If you’re preparing for college, you may wonder whether you’ll have to continue doing them. Do you have to do presentations in college? 

You may have to do presentations in college if you are taking subjects like law or business. You will also have to do presentations if your teacher prefers presentations as an assessment. But, you might avoid presentations by choosing specific subjects or looking for alternative assessments.

This article considers when and why you may have to do presentations in college. It also has some tips about how to avoid presentations. 

When May You Have To Do Presentations in College?

You may have to do presentations if you take subjects where you need to develop your oral speaking skills. These include subjects like communications, law, business, and education. You may also have to do presentations if your professors use them as a form of assessment. 

If You Are Taking Subjects Like Law, Business or Education

Some subjects prepare you for career pathways that you may need public speaking skills for. If you take these subjects, you will need to do presentations to improve your oral speaking skills. 

Source: Classroom

If Your Professor Uses Presentations As Assessments

Some professors design assessments that require you to present information. These presentations may be in front of your whole class, individually to your professor, or recorded. Presentations will require you to tap into your oral speaking skills but also your digital and organization skills. 

In addition, presentations by students can help make the classroom more engaging as students can learn from their peers’ presentations. 

How To Avoid Presentations in College?

You can avoid presentations by choosing subjects that don’t require presentations. You can also ask your professor for alternative assessment arrangements. If presentations cause you anxiety or stress, you may be able to get a medical exemption from doing them. 

Choose the Right Subjects

Some courses and subjects will not need you to do presentations. This is because they call upon other skills like writing or designing. 

Before deciding what subject to study, you should review the subject’s unit guide. This will give you a better understanding of what kind of assessments and requirements the course you are considering will have. 

This way, you can choose courses that do not have oral speaking or presentation requirements. 

Look for Alternative Assessments

Many college courses have different options for assessments. For instance, a professor may give students the option between a presentation and a paper. If your professor hasn’t given you an option, talk to them to see an alternative to an oral presentation. 

Get a Doctor or Psychologist’s Report

If presentations are causing you extreme anxiety or stress, you may be able to get a doctor or psychologist’s letter which states you can’t do a presentation. The letter should state that you cannot do a presentation as it would adversely affect you psychologically or medically. 

Source: The Guardian

How Can You Improve Your Presentation Skills?

You can build on your presentation skills by practicing your content and ensuring you have a deep knowledge of it. You can also improve by identifying your areas of weakness, or you can look for alternatives to traditional presentations. 

Know and Practice Your Content

Practice makes perfect in all areas, and presentations are no exception. Make sure that you research your content well and organize it into a structure you are comfortable with. Practice your presentation several times. If possible, try to practice it in front of family or friends. 

Identify Your Areas of Weakness

Once you identify your weak areas, you can focus on improving them. 

Source: Forbes

Look for alternatives to traditional presentations. Instead of a traditional presentation where you speak in front of a class, you can suggest alternative presentations. 

Conclusion 

You may have to do some presentations in college depending on what subjects you’re taking. You may also need to present if your teacher is using presentations for assessments. However, you can avoid presentations by looking for alternative assessments or choosing not presentation-heavy subjects. 

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How to not be nervous for a presentation — 13 tips that work (really!)

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Why do I get nervous before presenting?

How not to be nervous when presenting, 5 techniques to control your nerves, quotes for inspiration, speak with confidence.

If you feel nervous or scared about talking to someone new, giving a speech, or being on stage, rest assured: you’re not alone. 

Experiencing symptoms of performance anxiety like an increased heart rate, trembling hands, or excessive sweating is perfectly normal. In fact, people often fear public speaking . But the more you’re immersed in these types of situations, the more comfortable you’ll become . 

We’ll explore how to not be nervous for a presentation and offer inspirational quotes to help you step out of your comfort zone.

Based on data from the National Social Anxiety Center, fear of public speaking is the most common phobia . The official term for this fear is glossophobia, colloquially termed stage fright.

Stage fright typically arises from the perception that when you're in front of a group of people, they'll judge you. The brain’s frontal lobe aids in memory, and when we’re stressed, increased stress hormones temporarily shut that region down . This is what causes us to freeze up and stop talking. 

There’s nothing wrong with being nervous. We all have different social comfort zones, communication styles, and presentation skills. But we can expand and improve our skills if we’re cognitively flexible .

Cognitive flexibility plays a big role in our behavior and attitudes and impacts our performance. You can use your fears as a catalyst for growth and learning — including giving a great presentation.

The following techniques will help you shift your thinking from reactive to proactive to combat nerves throughout the presentation experience:

Before the presentation:

1. Know your topic

Don’t wing it when it comes to presenting any topic. The better you understand your subject matter, the more confident you’ll feel. You can answer questions right away and won’t have to rely on your notes.

If there are a few points or any information you think might arise during the presentation or Q&A, research it and become comfortable speaking to the subject.

Here are a few ways to study: 

• Break down concepts onto notecards
• Practice answering questions  (especially the hard ones you hope no one asks)
• Explain complex information to peers and colleagues

2. Be organized

Take time to thoroughly plan each aspect of the presentation. Often, that means designing PowerPoint slides or other visual aids like videos. Clarify with the organizer what format and technology you’ll be using.

If it’ll be virtual, get your background and room organized, too. This ensures the presentation will go smoothly, in turn reducing stress.  Consider the following preparations:

• Invite your support network to the event
• Arrive early to set up tech and get comfortable in the space
• Practice timing your presentation with the time tracker you’ll use day-of
• Bring a water bottle and a snack
• Contact your manager or venue staff to discuss any accessibility or tech concerns

3. Practice, practice, practice

Whether you’re rehearsing in front of a mirror, family member, or pet, you can never practice enough. Ask for feedback about your body language , eye contact , and how loudly you project your voice.

If you’ll be giving the presentation on a video conference, record it on the platform to see how you look and sound.

4. Visualize your success

Thinking through possible outcomes is a great way to prepare — but it can also backfire on you. If you obsess over negative what-ifs, this failing mentality might become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

The more often you fill your mind with positive thoughts and visualize your success, the more automatic they’ll be. Positive self-talk can make a big difference to your confidence. Run through the presentation — successfully — in your head.

During the presentation:

5. Focus on your material, not the audience

Your audience is there for your presentation — not to assess you. They’ll be looking at your colorful slides and listening to what you’re saying. Don’t let your mind fill with insecurities . 

6 . Don't fear silence

If your mind suddenly goes blank, that’s okay. It may seem like an eternity to you as you try to figure out what to say next, but it’s only a few seconds at most. 

Pausing isn’t a bad thing, anyway. You can use dramatic breaks advantageously to draw attention before the most important bits. 

7 . Speak slowly

Presentation anxiety often causes nervous energy, so we speak faster than normal. This might make you fumble your words or forget important details.

Slow down. Audience members will be thankful since they can understand you , and drawing out your speech will give you time to calm down, ground yourself , and stay organized.

8 . Take deep breaths and drink water

Breathing delivers oxygen to your brain, allowing you to think more clearly. Drinking water ups your energy, and also gives you a moment to pause. 

Smiling is a simple yet effective way to soothe your nerves. Doing so releases endorphins, helping you physically feel more confident. And a friendly face will make the audience more open to what you’re saying. 

10 . Remember the three "audience truths"

These include: 1) for the duration of the presentation, the audience believes you’re the expert, 2) they’re on your side, and 3) they don’t know when you make a mistake. 

After the presentation:

11. Recognize your success

Giving a presentation is something worth being proud of — celebrate it! In addition to family, friends, and coworkers, you deserve a high five from yourself, too.

1 2. Collect feedback

Feedback is a wonderful gift if you use it as a tool to help you do even better next time. Ask some of your audience members what they liked and what they didn’t. Remember, you can learn a lot from your mistakes . 

1 3. Don't beat yourself up

You did the best you could, and that’s all anyone — including you — can ask for. 

Nervousness is perfectly normal, but sometimes our symptoms hold us back from doing — and enjoying — scarier tasks. Here are five tips for overcoming nerves:

1. Practice impression management

Impression management requires projecting an image that contradicts how you actually feel. It’s essentially a “fake it ‘til you make it” strategy.  Let’s say you’re about to make a corporate-wide presentation and feel worried you’ll forget important information. You’ll counteract this worry by imagining yourself remembering every detail and delivering it entertainingly.

Learn from this practice by noting the information chosen in your hypothetical and how you expressed it effectively. 

2. Talk to someone

Emotions are contagious. We absorb others’ positive vibes . Chatting with people who are excited about and confident in our presentation abilities rubs off on us. 

Before a presentation, call a cheerleader in your life — someone who’s on your side and understands your nerves. Be specific, discussing which parts of presenting are nerve-wracking and what you need from them.

3. Do breathing exercises

Mindful breathing is when you pay attention to the sensation of inhaling and exhaling while controlling and deepening breath length. Breathwork has several health benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety and improving memory, attention, and focus. 

Before the presentation, find a quiet and solitary space. Breathe deeply for at least a minute, focusing on sensation and depth. This practice brings you into your body and out of your mind (away from nerve-wracking thoughts).

4. Practice reframing 

Reframing is a technique used in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to improve negative automatic thought patterns over time. One such pattern is viewing certain emotions as bad, and others as good. Nervousness feels the same in the body as excitement. Instead of panicking even more when realizing you’re nervous, reframe your impression of nerves as excitement for what you’re about to do.

This excitement will propel you forward with confidence and pride for stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something scary.

Here are seven inspirational quotes to help you feel confident and excited when doing something you’re nervous about:

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” John Ford

“ When speaking in public, your message — no matter how important — will not be effective or memorable if you don't have a clear structure. ” Patricia Fripp

“The most precious things in speech are the pauses.”  Sir Ralph Richardson

“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.” Lady Bird Johnson

“It’s what you practice in private that you will be rewarded for in public.” Tony Robbins

“The worst speech you’ll ever give will be far better than the one you never give.” Fred Miller

Like any other skill, learning how to not be nervous for a presentation takes time and practice. Acknowledging this hurdle is the first step to making a change in the right direction.  Facing your fears will empower you to take on scarier — and more fulfilling — goals and enjoy the experience along the way. You don’t have to start with a TED Talk. Tackle small challenges like presenting an idea to your manager or practicing a short speech with a friend.  We won’t sugarcoat it — it’s hard to change our minds and habits. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll be rewarded with increased confidence and new experiences.

Elevate your communication skills

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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College classroom presentations and public speaking: 10 dos and don’ts.

BY KATE LARSON

Public speaking is a skill that’s valued by employers the world over, which is why many courses at university include presentations as part of their assessment criteria.

While some might assume presenting in front of your classmates is easier than a room of strangers, in many cases, it’s not. To make sure you’ve got the confidence to put your best foot forward, we’ve compiled a list of ten essential presentations dos and don’ts.

Even the most confident of public speakers should never wing a presentation. Rehearsing will make you feel more comfortable with what you’re presenting, which will, in turn, stop you from freezing in front of your classmates.

Use Imagery

Human brains process images 60,000 times faster than text. Therefore, you should always try to present your findings in an aesthetically-pleasing presentation that visualizes numerical data into charts. If design isn’t your thing, try using a free online presentation maker such as Flipsnack. Presentation tools such as these allow you to add sound, images, video, and other media to slides using a simple click and drop format.

  Reduce the Word Count

Each slide you create should focus on communicating one point. The written content on that slide should support what you’re about to expand on orally. Although there isn’t a limit on how many words you should use per slide, a good rule of thumb is that it shouldn’t take longer than ten seconds to read. Keeping to this rule will allow your classmates the time to take in the information before you begin talking. It will also give you a brief moment to compose yourself between slides.

Get Your Classmates Involved

One easy way to capture the attention of your classmates (and teacher) is to ask them questions during your presentation. These questions can be broken down into two main categories: rhetorical and interactive.

Rhetorical questions aren’t designed to elicit a verbal response from a listener but will keep them engaged in what you’re telling them. Some examples include:

“How many times have you thought about…?”

“How many of you have gone…?”

Interactive questions, one the other hand, encourage verbal participation from an audience. They should, however, be close-ended. Otherwise, you may find yourself listening to an array of responses, or, worst of all, none at all. Some examples include:

“Out of these options, which is your favorite?”

“By a show of hands, how many of you agree with this opinion?

Keep Eye Contact

Eye contact is what connects you to your listeners. It creates the impression that you’re confident in what you’re presenting. If you’re not looking at your audience, they’re not looking at you. When that happens, it’s easy for their concentration to drift.

Speak Too Quickly

Nerves have a profound effect on the speed in which we talk. Professor Raymond H. Hull explained in his 2017 book, The Art of Presenting: Your Competitive Edge, how fast talkers can reach speeds that exceed the brain’s natural ability to understand what is being said without concerted effort. Although there isn’t an overnight cure to speaking too quickly, recording yourself and listening back is a good way of comprehending just how easy it’s for listeners to take in what you’re saying.

Forget Your Personality

Don’t worry if you’re not naturally confident or charismatic. These aren’t necessarily prerequisites for a good presentation. What you do need to be, however, is relatable and honest. Your audience needs to feel a human element in your presentation so that they feel a connection with you, and consequently, your presentation.

Read Your Slides Aloud

This follows on from the last point. Simply reading aloud what is written on your slides points to a lack of preparation. Worst yet, it’s boring. Using physical cue cards to jot down the important pieces of information to convey for each slide is the easiest way to overcome this problem. Write small hints that will help to jog your memory when presenting. Remember, you shouldn’t just repeat what is already on your slide; you need to expand on it.

  Try to Be Funny

Humor that reads well on paper doesn’t always translate well to speech. Unfortunately, a joke that lands flat on its face could see your confidence plummet and affect the rest of your presentation. For those reasons alone, it’s best to leave humor out of your presentations until you become more confident in public speaking.

Forget to Prepare for Questions

Q&A sessions are common at the end of a presentation. If your lecturer has asked you to prepare for this, try to envisage the types of questions you may be asked and prepare some appropriate responses.

Kate Larson is a college student and aspiring blogger, who has a strong interest in the environment and personal well-being. She enjoys travelling and reading, as well as writing novels.

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Ever felt so anxious that you’d rather be hit by lightning than talk in front of a crowd? 😰 Do you think it’s impossible to calm your nerves before a class presentation because of your extreme stage fright? 

You’re not alone! Many Americans , including college students, have a fear of speaking in public (known as glossophobia ) because they’re scared of being scrutinized, embarrassed, or rejected. 

But it’s virtually impossible to dodge public speaking in college. So, try our presentation tips for students below to nail your class presentation. 💪

READ MORE: 12 Best Ways to Manage Stress: A College Student’s 101 Guide

1. Know Your Topic Inside and Out

2. build a solid framework , 3. write and memorize a killer opening, 4. practice, but set realistic expectations , 5. normalize pauses and silences , 6. know your audience, 7. steer clear of stimulants, 8. shed nervous energy through exercise, 9. arrive to class early, 10. talk to people before the presentation, 11. practice positive self-talk , 12. concentrate on friendly faces.

How can you speak with authority if you aren’t an expert on the topic? 🧐 A fear of public speaking often stems from a lack of preparation . 

If you don’t want the pressure of delivering a good presentation to get the best of you, simply know everything there is to know about your subject or pitch .

Confidence naturally oozes out of a speaker who clearly knows what they are talking about, making the audience more inclined to listen.

Plus, being prepared means you’re ready to crush the Q&A portion of your presentation (if there is one).

TIP: The best thing you can do to prepare for questions is to anticipate them. Look through your presentation and check what questions could pop up. Think through the correct responses, and don’t forget to practice your answers!  

Are you nervous because there’s just too much information that you don’t know what to include or where to start? 

Crafting a structured outline can make it easier for you to know exactly what to talk about in your presentation.

Give yourself time to organize your ideas, go through research notes, and write down possible talking points . Doing this can help you to find the best flow for your presentation, including good transitions, adlibs, and pauses.

Knowing where to pick up after you suddenly lose track of your thoughts can help you present better. This is why you should think about creating and preparing cue cards! 

A simple bulleted guide or a stack of index cards containing crucial information and transitions is the way to go .

A good introduction sets the tone for the rest of your presentation . Think of a catchy hook, like a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or an interesting fact, and follow it through with a short, strong summary of what’s to come.

Memorize your intro so you can deliver it without looking! This can help you get a high, powerful start which can soothe your nerves.

If things go right, your opening will create a solid first impression, establish your credibility, and give the audience a chance to ease into the talk. 💪🏼 

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! You’ll get the best results if you’ve run through your performance over and over again.

Practicing out loud can show you both the weak and strong parts of your presentation .

Perhaps you need to add more hand movements or you’re using too many filler words — going over your presentation out loud is the best chance to figure out what is missing.

We recommend that you muster up the courage to rehearse in front of friends or classmates to help you become more comfortable speaking in front of people without the pressure of the real presentation. Plus, a little constructive feedback won’t hurt. 😉

But it’s important to always set reasonable expectations because mistakes are part of the experience. Everyone has slip-ups, and having a couple of them in your speech won’t be the end of the world.

TIP: No one around? Film yourself delivering your presentation instead and watch it back. 

Let’s be clear: taking some time to get to the next point in your presentation is normal . 

Your jitters make you believe that a mental block — and the dead silence that follows — will be the worst thing that can happen.

But a pause can serve as a break for your audience to consider what you just said. 

All you have to do is take a few deep breaths, mentally shake off the lapse, and jump back in to your presentation with confidence. 😮‍💨

This way, you can even add emphasis to a particular point in your presentation and use pauses to your advantage. 

If you know what type of people are watching you during your presentation, creating a connection with them is a breeze. 

Building a good atmosphere with the crowd will help calm your nerves because it makes things seem more like a conversation rather than a rigid and nerve-wracking presentation.

Figure out what language, tone, and style match your audience so that they’re inspired to engage.

Add humor when it’s going to be appreciated, or choose good anecdotes and illustrations if the class is serious. 🎭

Repeat after us: no caffeine! 🙅🏻‍♂️

While you may think that a nice cup of joe will amp you up for your presentation, in fact, coffee, sodas, or energy drinks can make you a nervous wreck . 

Symptoms can include sweating, an increased heart rate, and trembling hands. 

All this does is make you look unprepared and all over the place, even if you’re not. So if you want to be cool, calm, and collected during the big day, it’s better to stick to water. 

The same goes for alcohol. While this might be a good companion for game nights in your dorm or to unwind after a hectic midterms season, we recommend avoiding it before a presentation. 

Alcoholic drinks increase your chances of forgetting things (like that killer intro you’ve been practicing) and slurring or mumbling your words. 

Instead, have a beverage of your choice to celebrate after you’ve nailed your presentation! 🍻

You’ll probably be the most anxious on the morning of your big presentation. You can expel some of that nervous energy with a brisk walk around campus or even your dorm hallways. 

If you’re up for something more strenuous, try aerobics or a fun dance routine to get loose and shake your nerves off . 🕺🏽

READ MORE: 12 Top Tips for Busy College Students to Stay Fit

Taking slow, deep breaths also works to remove all that extra tension and stress . Inhale through the nose and quietly exhale at your own pace and you’ll find yourself more relaxed and your mind clearer.

Show up early at the place where the presentation will be held to get a feel of the room if you aren’t already familiar with it. This is one way for you to be more comfortable when you actually give your speech later on. 

Arrive 15 to 20 minutes earlier to act out your presentation in the spot where you’ll stand. 

Visualize your classmates and professor in the room as you rehearse your lines. 🙍🏼‍♀️ This can calm your nerves while gauging your readiness in speaking to a room. 

When people start pouring into the room, you should try to connect with some of your peers who are also slated to speak in front of the class. 

Initiate some small talk . There’s nothing wrong with sharing some of your fears when it comes to the presentation. Why? Because having someone to talk to can be liberating and can put you in a good mood .

Talking to your audience gives them a chance to get to know you a little bit. When you step up on the stage, that could get you more support .

Remember, your audience is filled with classmates who are also lined up to give a presentation. They know what you’re going through and they might also need a little pick-me-up because it’s likely that you’re all nervous.

If public speaking is not your forte, it’s easy to think of the worst possible scenarios . 😵 Your nerves can convince you that stuttering or forgetting crucial talking points will definitely happen. 

But try to replace pessimistic thoughts with affirmations . 

To do this, take some time to declare positive statements , such as “I can present with confidence and eloquence” or “I will not be afraid to get up on stage.”

You can also listen to your favorite music or upbeat songs that get the blood pumping! These songs can energize you to bring your A-game.

These practices are great ways to overcome self-sabotage and put you in the right mood to nail your performance.

For some, it’s the blank, bored faces in the crowd that can double their anxiety. 😖

When you feel like people aren’t impressed, it makes you retreat further back into your shell and negative thoughts can soon take over.

To keep your spirits up, locate people in the audience that seem to enjoy or pay attention to your presentation . 

A good technique to overcome stage fright is to focus on these people and deliver your speech just to them . This narrows down the number of people you need to be worried about when performing. 

And if you think your day ends after you’re done presenting, think again! It’s also good to be a friendly face in the audience for your classmates. Actively listen to them while they’re speaking and crack a few smiles here and there. 😊

There’s no escaping public speaking in college and while the thought might seem terrifying to you, delivering a confident, passionate presentation is definitely within reach!

Is the date for your presentation nearing? With these tips, staying calm and getting that A is easy. Good luck! 💪🏼

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7 Best Tips to Ace Presentations in College

Are you nervous about presentations in college ? Maybe you have a huge presentation coming up and you’re worried about your presentation skills. 

First, just know, you’ll be fine and you’re gonna do great!   You want to know why?? 

Because this post gives you 7 of my best tips to ace your next college presentation , from someone who hated giving presentations in college but aced them every time!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our  full disclosure  for further information.

Presentations are a huge part of your college courses! No matter what major or field you’re studying, you’ll always have to deliver some sort of presentation.

And crazy enough, presentations aren’t just busy work in college. Once you enter your career, you’ll still be expected to give presentations in some way or another.

That’s why it’s so important for you to work on your presentation skills while in college! Honestly, it should be one of the first skills you work on during your freshman year . 

Here’s A Gem: If you want to really up your presentation skills game, take a public speaking or debate class ! That was how I was really able to utilize each one of these tips to become a better presenter.

Related: 77 Insanely Funny Debate Topics for College Students

Ready to ace your next presentation?

Read on for seven tips to ace presentations in college!

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Do You Have To Do Presentations In College?

Yes, you have to do presentations in college . I know that’s not what you want to hear, but truthfully there’s no way around it. Every major has some sort of presentation as a part of your college classes. 

Even though all majors have presentations, some majors have far less than others. If you’re majoring in something like math or the sciences, you probably won’t spend too much time doing presentations.

But if you’re getting a degree in the College of Arts, or majoring in an area like communication, history, or psychology, then buckle up my friend! You will spend a lot of time creating and delivering presentations in college. 

( and probably doing papers too! I love this writing tool for helping me write the best papers in my classes)

The upside is that this is great preparation for your future career! For example, if you’re majoring in something like marketing, presentations in college are a great way to practice for your future career, where you’ll probably have to do public presentations to a group of people in your office, department, or industry.

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How Often Do You Do Presentations In College?

How often you do presentations in college depends on a few different factors like your college, major, class curriculum, professor, and more. Generally speaking, if you’re in a major that requires excellent communication skills, like communication, business, finance, etc. then you’ll probably have at least 1 presentation assignment per class. 

Let’s do the math real quick.

If you are a full-time student taking 5 classes per semester and each class has 1 presentation assignment, that roughly equals 5 presentations per semester or 10 presentations per academic year. 

But again this is all dependent on a ton of different factors, so you may do less or more presentations based on your specific circumstances.

Pro Tip: If you hate public speaking or are really bad at it, you’ll want to choose your major carefully! If you choose a major with lots of presentation expectations you’ll either need to use these tips to get better or go with another major that doesn’t require so many presentations. 

My major was in communications, so I did more presentations than 1 per class.

(I usually had to do 1 small presentation that wasn’t a huge deal and 1 big presentation for finals with most of my major classes)

Tip 1: You’re the Expert

Delivering a good presentation is much easier if you know exactly what you’re talking about! Before you assume your position before the audience, you must become an expert on the topic. 

To reach that level, follow these two steps:

Preparation is the KEY to a successful and effective presentation (and a good grade!)

You will need to research and prepare your topic and presentation structure well. The goal is for you to know exactly what to say within each section of your presentation.

Here’s some areas you’ll need to think about:

• Make sure you are comfortable with whatever platform you are using to deliver your presentation slides. (Most students use either PowerPoint, Canva , or Google Slides)
• Prepare well for the Q&A section. Write down some possible questions your audience could ask and have some answers to you won’t be caught off guard.

Remember, do not wait until the last minute to start preparing!

Confidence in your presentation skills comes from practice!

Yes, practicing might be boring, but more practice means better performance. For solo presentations, try practicing in front of a mirror. Better yet, practice in front of family or friends to foresee the reaction of your audience. That way, you can assess your intonation and body language.

(I used to practice in my car or sometimes even recorded myself and listened to it on the campus bus)

If you’re doing group presentations, schedule practice sessions a few days before the actual presentation day so you all can work out the kinks and feel ready as a team!

Tip 2: Manage Your Time

College presentations usually have a time limit (can range from anywhere to 5-45 mins) .

Give yourself plenty of time to get through the material and have time left for questions at the end. Make sure you don’t go beyond your allocated time. You might risk losing your audience or it could negatively affect your grade.

Here are some excellent guidelines to help you manage your time during a presentation:

• Wear a watch during the presentation to keep check of your time.
• Dedicate 2-3 minutes to each slide.
• Don’t use “transitions” between slides.
• Write a notes script for yourself with key points that you have to touch on for each slide.

Using these tips will help you limit rambling and keep good watch of your timing during the presentation.

Tip 3: One Image Is Worth a Thousand Words

Use  graphics  instead of wordy slides!

Images can express ideas and capture attention a lot faster than words. Besides, they totally make your presentation more interesting and engaging.

Let the audience see only images that you explain. That makes you seem like someone who doesn’t need help to remember the subject matter. You can even add video clips for more interaction or memes if they relate to your topic and audience.

Another important thing here is not to read the information off the slides. If you use bulky slides, you fall into trouble. 

For starters, you’ll find yourself reading automatically, which makes you seem unprepared. In addition, your audience will also read the slides. You’ll end up losing their attention since they’ll be reading and not listening to you. 

The big point here is to avoid putting lots of words on your slides.

If you need help remembering the content, create a cheat sheet for yourself with bullet points to remind you of the content.

Here’s A Gem: For online presentations, use a split screen! Have one screen for your notes, and another to see the slides and audience. 

Tip 4: Make It Interactive

The key to giving a great presentation is to captivate your audience, so you must try to get the audience members involved!

If you keep the people busy, they’ll listen to you and learn something new, and you won’t end up with sleepy faces all around. (you know the one where people are staring at you but you know they’re not listening)

Luckily, there are several ways to captivate your audience. For instance:

• Maintain eye contact
• Ask questions
• Tell anecdotes and add specific situations to tell a story if you can
• Personalize the information you provide
• Don’t pack your presentation with big words or fancy jargon- keep it clear and simple

Tip 5: Feel Free to Improvise

You don’t have to memorize everything!

(Wooo, are you feeling better after hearing that?!)

No one knows what you’re planning to say. So if you forget something… improvise.

Skip parts, add sentences, or change the order of your lines. That’s totally okay! What you want to avoid is stuttering or having long silences within your speech. Those can make you look unprepared and unconfident.

I love to add some improvisation because it makes your presentation interesting and unexpected. That little nuances really help you capture your audience and gain their attention.

Tip 6:Use Strong Body Language

Body language is super important for your presentations especially if you’re doing in-class presentations vs. a virtual presentation.

If this is your first time doing a presentation in college, it can totally be nerve-racking being at the front of the class with all eyes on you, especially if you have stage fright. Look I get it, presentations get you out of your comfort zone.

That’s why it’s so important to practice, practice, practice!

Practicing your body language is an easy way for you to instantly feel more comfortable. It adds a lot to your work by showcasing your confidence, knowledge, and style. The most important thing you want to make sure of is that you’re comfortable and confident in your knowledge. 

• Start strong with the right posture. Don’t droop your shoulders or lower your head. 
• Maintain good eye contact with your audience. Find a focal point and use that when you’re speaking (like a wall clock!)
• Use your hands to give dramatic effects when you speak. Don’t keep your hands in your pockets. It can make you look nervous.

Nervous Habits

Avoid nervous habits like nail biting or rocking back and forth. These can be distracting for your audience.

To  overcome nervousness , try these steps:

• Take a deep breath and scan your audience.
• Look for a friendly face with a warm smile to make it your focal point.
• Smile to your audience and show confidence.
• Joke about your nervousness.

Your voice plays a crucial role in the presentation. You want to sound natural and confident. A lot of mistakes college students make is trying to sound like someone they are not during a presentation.

Don’t put on this “fake voice” to sound confident! Use professional language and be yourself!

Tip 7: Employ the Rule of Three

In his book Rhetoric, Aristotle states that people tend to remember three things only out of every speech. Do you know how to use the  rule of three  for your benefit? Here’s a few key points:

Three Takeaways

Know the three most important takeaways in your presentation!

Make a short list of these three main points of information that you want your audience to remember. Repeat them in every section of your presentation naturally as it fits the flow of your content.

Three Sections

Divide your presentation into three main sections: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. 

Your  introduction  is by far the most important part of your presentation. A killer opening can captivate your audience longer than you’d expect!

Use a catchy introduction to hook your audience. For example, you can begin with:

•  A joke

Before You Go

Now that you got all the secret sauce to rock your presentations in college, here’s another set of tips you need!

Did you know I have 7 secrets for how to survive your 8am classes in college?

Well now you do! Check out this post for all the GEMs I’m spilling for surviving your dreaded 8am’s!

Click here to read 7 Secrets to Survive 8am Classes in College !

This post was about presentations in college .

Check Out More College Tips:

• 77 Insanely Funny Debate Topics For College Students
• How to Poop In College: Student’s Guide to Peaceful Pooping On Campus
• How to Get Free College Shirts (5 Easy Ways)

Jordan is the creator behind The College Gems, bringing a wealth of experience from her background in student affairs throughout the higher education space. Dedicated to helping students thrive, she combines her academic expertise and personal journey to offer advice that help college students and parents thrive throughout their college journey.

Center for Teaching

Making better powerpoint presentations.

Print Version

Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory.

Research about student preferences for powerpoint, resources for making better powerpoint presentations, bibliography.

We have all experienced the pain of a bad PowerPoint presentation. And even though we promise ourselves never to make the same mistakes, we can still fall prey to common design pitfalls.  The good news is that your PowerPoint presentation doesn’t have to be ordinary. By keeping in mind a few guidelines, your classroom presentations can stand above the crowd!

“It is easy to dismiss design – to relegate it to mere ornament, the prettifying of places and objects to disguise their banality. But that is a serious misunderstanding of what design is and why it matters.” Daniel Pink

One framework that can be useful when making design decisions about your PowerPoint slide design is Baddeley and Hitch’s model of working memory .

As illustrated in the diagram above, the Central Executive coordinates the work of three systems by organizing the information we hear, see, and store into working memory.

The Phonological Loop deals with any auditory information. Students in a classroom are potentially listening to a variety of things: the instructor, questions from their peers, sound effects or audio from the PowerPoint presentation, and their own “inner voice.”

The Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad deals with information we see. This involves such aspects as form, color, size, space between objects, and their movement. For students this would include: the size and color of fonts, the relationship between images and text on the screen, the motion path of text animation and slide transitions, as well as any hand gestures, facial expressions, or classroom demonstrations made by the instructor.

The Episodic Buffer integrates the information across these sensory domains and communicates with long-term memory. All of these elements are being deposited into a holding tank called the “episodic buffer.” This buffer has a limited capacity and can become “overloaded” thereby, setting limits on how much information students can take in at once.

Laura Edelman and Kathleen Harring from Muhlenberg College , Allentown, Pennsylvania have developed an approach to PowerPoint design using Baddeley and Hitch’s model. During the course of their work, they conducted a survey of students at the college asking what they liked and didn’t like about their professor’s PowerPoint presentations. They discovered the following:

Characteristics students don’t like about professors’ PowerPoint slides

• Too many words on a slide
• Movement (slide transitions or word animations)
• Templates with too many colors

Characteristics students like like about professors’ PowerPoint slides

• Graphs increase understanding of content
• Bulleted lists help them organize ideas
• PowerPoint can help to structure lectures
• Verbal explanations of pictures/graphs help more than written clarifications

According to Edelman and Harring, some conclusions from the research at Muhlenberg are that students learn more when:

• material is presented in short phrases rather than full paragraphs.
• the professor talks about the information on the slide rather than having students read it on their own.
• relevant pictures are used. Irrelevant pictures decrease learning compared to PowerPoint slides with no picture
• they take notes (if the professor is not talking). But if the professor is lecturing, note-taking and listening decreased learning.
• they are given the PowerPoint slides before the class.

Advice from Edelman and Harring on leveraging the working memory with PowerPoint:

• Leverage the working memory by dividing the information between the visual and auditory modality.  Doing this reduces the likelihood of one system becoming overloaded. For instance, spoken words with pictures are better than pictures with text, as integrating an image and narration takes less cognitive effort than integrating an image and text.
• Minimize the opportunity for distraction by removing any irrelevant material such as music, sound effects, animations, and background images.
• Use simple cues to direct learners to important points or content. Using text size, bolding, italics, or placing content in a highlighted or shaded text box is all that is required to convey the significance of key ideas in your presentation.
• Don’t put every word you intend to speak on your PowerPoint slide. Instead, keep information displayed in short chunks that are easily read and comprehended.
• One of the mostly widely accessed websites about PowerPoint design is Garr Reynolds’ blog, Presentation Zen . In his blog entry:  “ What is Good PowerPoint Design? ” Reynolds explains how to keep the slide design simple, yet not simplistic, and includes a few slide examples that he has ‘made-over’ to demonstrate how to improve its readability and effectiveness. He also includes sample slides from his own presentation about PowerPoint slide design.
• Another presentation guru, David Paradi, author of “ The Visual Slide Revolution: Transforming Overloaded Text Slides into Persuasive Presentations ” maintains a video podcast series called “ Think Outside the Slide ” where he also demonstrates PowerPoint slide makeovers. Examples on this site are typically from the corporate perspective, but the process by which content decisions are made is still relevant for higher education. Paradi has also developed a five step method, called KWICK , that can be used as a simple guide when designing PowerPoint presentations.
• In the video clip below, Comedian Don McMillan talks about some of the common misuses of PowerPoint in his routine called “Life After Death by PowerPoint.”

• This article from The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights a blog moderated by Microsoft’s Doug Thomas that compiles practical PowerPoint advice gathered from presentation masters like Seth Godin , Guy Kawasaki , and Garr Reynolds .

Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story , by Jerry Weissman, Prentice Hall, 2006

Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery , by Garr Reynolds, New Riders Press, 2008

Solving the PowerPoint Predicament: using digital media for effective communication , by Tom Bunzel , Que, 2006

The Cognitive Style of Power Point , by Edward R. Tufte, Graphics Pr, 2003

The Visual Slide Revolution: Transforming Overloaded Text Slides into Persuasive Presentations , by Dave Paradi, Communications Skills Press, 2000

Why Most PowerPoint Presentations Suck: And How You Can Make Them Better , by Rick Altman, Harvest Books, 2007

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