what is presentation discussion

• PRESENTATION SKILLS

What is a Presentation?

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Presentation Skills:

• A - Z List of Presentation Skills
• Top Tips for Effective Presentations
• General Presentation Skills
• Preparing for a Presentation
• Organising the Material
• Writing Your Presentation
• Deciding the Presentation Method
• Managing your Presentation Notes
• Working with Visual Aids
• Presenting Data
• Managing the Event
• Coping with Presentation Nerves
• Dealing with Questions
• How to Build Presentations Like a Consultant
• 7 Qualities of Good Speakers That Can Help You Be More Successful
• Self-Presentation in Presentations
• Specific Presentation Events
• Remote Meetings and Presentations
• Giving a Speech
• Presentations in Interviews
• Presenting to Large Groups and Conferences
• Giving Lectures and Seminars
• Managing a Press Conference
• Attending Public Consultation Meetings
• Managing a Public Consultation Meeting
• Crisis Communications
• Elsewhere on Skills You Need:
• Communication Skills
• Facilitation Skills
• Teams, Groups and Meetings
• Effective Speaking
• Question Types

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and start improving your life in just 5 minutes a day.

You'll get our 5 free 'One Minute Life Skills' and our weekly newsletter.

We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

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).

Partner Center

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

• Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

• Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

• Google Tag Manager
• Infographics
• Daily Infographics
• Graphic Design
• Graphs and Charts
• Data Visualization
• Human Resources
• Training and Development
• Beginner Guides

Blog Beginner Guides

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!

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

5 – Academic Discussions and Presentations

Picture this: you sit down on the first day of the semester listening to your professor talk about the required assignments on the syllabus. Your ears perk up suddenly when the professor mentions that not only is there a final paper but also a group presentation required in front of the class during the last week of the term. You hate public speaking and dread the moment when you will have to nervously stand at the front of the classroom giving a detailed account of your research. What will you say? How will you stay calm and collected up at the front of the room?

The above-mentioned scenario is very common. Inevitably, almost all writers have to participate in some form of class discussion or presentation during the course of their time in college. You may be one of the many students looking for advice on how to prepare for that end-of-term presentation. Fear not – read on for further advice about how to participate or lead in a class discussion or presentation.

Self-Reflection: Discussions and Presentations

Becoming a strong discussion leader or presenter requires practice. Complete the following self-reflection to see where your strengths and weaknesses may be in terms of public speaking. It is okay if you have limited experience in this area or are extremely terrified at first. The purpose of this chapter is to give readers like yourself the tools needed to be effective communicators!

• Have you ever presented or led a discussion in front of a class?
• If you responded yes to the previous question, what were your past experiences like? Did you feel confident in your presentation skills? What went well and what would you like to improve? Why?
• Think of one public speaker or presenter you know that inspires you. This could be a teacher, actor, social media influencer, or friend of yours. What do they do well when presenting? What would you like to emulate about them in your own presentations?
• What strengths do you have that friends, family members, or teachers have mentioned in the past? Think of one or two strengths. How could you incorporate these strengths into a presentation or public speaking skills?

Part 1: Presentation Preparation & Techniques

Any good presenter comes prepared to lead a presentation. It is important to know what you will say and how you will say it. Just like drafting a term paper, a speaker should also practice before giving the final presentation. Below are some simple steps taken from Zachary Shore’s Grad School Essentials: A Crash Course in Scholarly Skills to prepare students for academic presentations.

Outlining the Process

1. Main Point or Thesis

Before creating any outline or notes, be clear about what your main point or thesis will be. Are you presenting research conclusions? Your opinions? Comparing two items or ideas? Your main point is the central idea that the rest of the presentation should focus on. This could also be thought of as your central argument depending on the type of presentation. The main point should be able to be stated clearly and concisely. Use a single, meaningful sentence to convey this idea to the listeners.

2. Writing It Out

Once the main idea is clear, create an outline of any content you will include in the presentation. Think about any introduction, main points, and conclusion you may have during the presentation. Remember that you likely have a time limit to present. Keep this in mind when writing an outline. It is okay if you have too much content for now as you will practice your presentation next.

3. Practice by Yourself

Next, practice what you have written in your outline. The first time practicing is your opportunity to see if there is too much content or too little. When practicing, never read the outline word-for-word. This will make the presentation sound robotic and scripted. The audience will be able to tell if you are reciting from memory; scripted presentations are more often than not boring and do not sound authentic. An outline is meant to keep the presenter on track with the presentation and allow for unscripted natural interaction with the audience. Do practice saying the presentation out loud. It may be helpful to record yourself so that you can listen back to it later and make changes.

4. Practice with Others

After practicing on your own and making any necessary changes to the presentation, get some friends or mentors to listen to it. Ask the audience to take a few notes while presenting; this will allow them to give better feedback at the end. Areas you may ask them to think about are presentation skills and understanding of the content. For presentation skills, think about the volume of the speaker, clarity of speech, any non-verbal communication or gesturing, eye contact, and any audience interaction. If the listeners are familiar with the content or subject area of the presentation, they may also be able to give feedback on specific ideas or concepts you present.

5. Review Feedback & Repeat Process

Finally, review the verbal and written feedback from your sample audience. Before you do, though, take a deep breath and get ready for both positive feedback and constructive criticism. Critiques can be hard to take for anyone. Keep in mind that your audience of friends, peers, or instructors is only trying to help you grow as a presenter. The goal is to clearly and easily communicate your ideas to the intended audience. Think about how this can be done based on the feedback. Make any necessary revisions and repeat these five steps as needed.

Activity #1: Mini Presentation

Create a 5-minute presentation on a topic of your choosing; this may be a paper you wrote before or something of interest to you. Remember that 5 minutes is a short time. Give the audience the relevant information and follow the tips above. 

Presentation Techniques

No matter what sort of discussion or presentation you have in a course, the goal is to engage your audience and keep their attention. Think about any great teacher or presenter you have heard of before. How did they engage the audience with their words and actions? They probably followed some of the below advice.

Create an Engaging Hook 

Think about any good commercial or YouTube video. What do they do well? They are all good at grabbing the watcher’s attention within the first several seconds of the video. These videos do this by having a carefully crafted hook. You are a fisherman trying to reel in a fish. By having an appealing hook, the audience will bite the hook and want to hear more information. A poor hook will mean few if any bites by the fish (or in your case the audience!)

There are several ways to create an engaging hook. One is by using an impactful quote from someone respected, famous, or an expert on the topic. The audience will be familiar with this person or, if not, at least may understand that this is someone who knows something about the topic. Second, a story or analogy may make a great hook. This could be personal to you or a story about someone else that relates closely to the presentation. Keep it concise though. Another technique commonly used is to ask a question or series of a few questions to stimulate audience interest. Well-crafted or interesting questions will create a desire in the audience to find the answers. Another technique is to use shocking or strongly worded facts to draw interest. Something like, “9 out of 10 Americans admit they don’t floss their teeth every day, according to Dental Weekly,” may catch the listeners by surprise. Think about which hook approach is best suited for your topic. Be creative!

Engage the Audience

Allowing the audience to respond in some way during the presentation creates a more welcoming and lively presentation. Presenters who simply “lecture” through the material will find that they may start to lose the audience’s attention at a certain point, especially during longer presentations. A good presenter allows interaction at times by asking questions, providing audience members space to give answers or feedback, and even sometimes allowing audience members to participate in mini-group discussions or small activities when applicable.

This will vary according to your own comfort level, but humor creates interest and draws attention. Throwing in a joke or two during the presentation can make the difference between a presentation that seems boring and one that is lively and interesting. Feel free to make fun of yourself a little if you feel comfortable doing so. Sharing a short story can help to create humor as well. Just keep the humor relevant to the presentation topic and relatable to your target audience. Remember that it should also be appropriate for an academic audience! Humor can make a presentation more memorable and even fun for your audience members.

Activity #2: Presentation Introduction

Using the above tips, prepare a one-minute presentation introduction on a topic of your choosing. Use one of the techniques in the “Create an Engaging Hook” section to draw audience interest. Feel free to add audience interaction or use humor if you feel comfortable. Practice this with a partner or small group. 

Here is a video that you might find helpful:  https://youtu.be/vMSaFUrk-FA

Part 2: class discussions.

Purpose of Discussions

In most modern American university classrooms, discussion has become a key way in which instructors have students learn content and express opinions about the material. It is important to familiarize yourself with how a discussion works and its purpose. Participating in classroom discussions is essential in many courses. Be brave. Be bold. Be okay with making mistakes or being unsure how to answer. It is okay if you do not fully know how to express yourself or know the “right” answer. Hint: Often there isn’t just one right answer or way of responding in a discussion!

Activity #3: Small Group Discussion

Your instructor has told your small group of 3-4 students to discuss the appropriate tone for writing a persuasive essay you will write later in class. Respond to the following questions. Remember that any and all contributions count!

What is “tone” in writing? How might the tone of an academic persuasive essay be different from a fictional short story or a scientific research paper? How should facts and opinions be expressed in a persuasive essay? Are there any ways of writing that should be avoided?

Post Activity Check-in:

• Were students in your group (including yourself) able to easily respond to the questions or not? If not, what would help stimulate discussion in the future?
• What kinds of responses did group members give? Their own opinions? Questions? Responses in agreement or disagreement with others? Other types of responses?

One mistake students often make when thinking about discussions is that they must supply their own opinions or the “right” answer to the instructor. Most of the time this could not be further from the truth. Discussions are also a chance for students to express ideas, questions, and voice any doubts. Below are some ways to contribute to a discussion. It can be a lot easier than you might think.

• Ask a question: Are you uncertain about the material covered in a class? Do you have a question to clarify some of the content?
• Voice support or disagreement: Let the class know you agree or disagree with the previous speaker. Remember to state why and be polite.
• Add detail to a previous comment: Perhaps another student mentioned something that seemed important or you have more to share. Add on to this previous idea.
• Summarize a previous comment: Is there something you did not fully understand about the last speaker’s comment? Or maybe you want to make sure you fully understand. Phrase the comment in your own words to see if it makes sense.
• Contribute your own ideas and opinions: Was there something about the content covered in class that struck you? Is there an idea you want to emphasize or an opinion to share?

Activity #4: Small Group Discussion Leader

Now that you have experienced participating in a discussion, it is time to be the leader! Leading a discussion is different in some ways than only participating. You are not lecturing or teaching content like a teacher either. A good discussion leader is a facilitator. Remember that you are simply steering the discussion like the driver of a car. The discussion participants should be talking most of the time rather than the discussion leader.

There is a class debate. Have a group of 3-4 students discuss the following:

How should students use technology like mobile phones or laptops in a university classroom? Should instructors be strict with technology use or more relaxed? Why? What are the pros and cons of unrestricted technology use during class? How about the inverse?

Post-Activity Check-in:

• How was your experience being the discussion leader? What went well and what could be improved?
• Did students stay on topic? If not, how could you steer the discussion in the right direction?
• How much did you talk and how much did group members talk? Did anyone dominate the discussion? The key to a good discussion is giving everyone opportunities to contribute.

———————————————–

Shore, Z. (2016). Grad school essentials: A crash course in scholarly skills,  (pp. 78-96). University of California Press.

Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking Copyright © 2022 by Zhenjie Weng, Josh Burlile, Karen Macbeth is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Presentation & Discussion Guidelines

The format of presentations will follow that of a professional academic conference. Please read the guidelines carefully.

Each participant will:

• Present a paper;
• Serve as the discussant for another participant’s paper; and
• Participate actively in open-floor discussions.

Presentation: 20 minutes

• It is extremely important for the presenter to follow the given time guidelines. Beginner presenters consistently make the mistake of taking too much time. Plan your presentation to be 25 minutes or less. Practice your presentation while timing yourself. If you go over time, the chair of the session may cut you off regardless of where you are in your presentation.
• Because of the time limit, a conference presenter typically begins with the introduction presenting the motivation/significance of the research question and then immediately states key results thereafter. This tells the audience what to look for. After you have stated the results, you may then fill the “in-between” with questions, a survey of literature, and additional results. You will not be able to present everything in your paper. Focus on the most important highlights.
• Let the last part of the planned presentation be topics such as applications of the main results or future research agenda. These can be cut out if you run out of time when presenting.
• Seek advice from your thesis advisor on how to present your paper in 25 minutes or less.
• Provide some form of visual aid. PowerPoint presentations, overhead projection, and/or handouts have all been used in advance.

Discussion Led by Discussant: 5 minutes

A discussant is responsible for generating discussion about the paper. A discussion typically contains the following.

• Overview: Summarize the main points of the paper. Highlight what the paper contributes to the literature.
• Extensions: Suggest possible extensions to the author’s work. What else could have been done? What are areas for further research?
• Questions: Pose a couple of discussion-worthy questions to the room.
• The presenter then responds to the issues and questions raised by the discussant.

The presenter typically takes notes during the discussion so that the response can be narrowly focussed.

• The discussant may communicate with the presenter while preparing prior to the presentation.
• As a discussant, ensure not to take too much time. Leave time for the presenter to respond.
• The discussant, cognizant of the short amount of time, may choose to convey some of their comments to the presenter after the presentation session (say, over lunch or dinner).
• Seek advice from your thesis advisor as to the best way to discuss a paper.

Open Floor Discussion (Q&A): 5 minutes

The general audience and the session chair pose questions and make comments to the presenter. Generally, this is moderated by the session chair. All are welcome to participate.

Presentation Structures: Everything You Need to Organize Your Talk

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking , Speech Writing

A presentation structure includes an introduction, context, main body, conclusion, and scope for questions. Depending on the type of presentation you’re doing, this format can change. The article discusses various considerations for each section of a presentation structure.

For presentations to be understood and create a good impression, they can’t be haphazard. It has to have some sort of pre-planned presentation structure that is both logical and simple enough. Depending on the type of presentation you’re doing, there are likely some basic frameworks available that people tend to follow. Before we delve into the format, let’s consider key points to consider when planning a presentation.

How do you structure and plan a presentation?

We plan a presentation by considering the type of presentation, who our audience is, ideating the purpose, and formulating subtopics through research.

Consider the type of presentation

This leads to understanding the ideal flow to convey your content best. For instance, for persuasive presentations, you could use creative ways to convey what is best about a product, such as starting with a story about how it has helped many people achieve something.

On the other hand, for a progress presentation at your workplace, you might have conventions about what is expected, which must be followed precisely.

A few other types of presentations include:

• Informative presentations
• Instructive presentations
• Motivational presentations
• Analytical presentations

You might also want to consider if you want audience interaction and put that into the structure accordingly. While some allow questions mid-presentation for smaller audiences, it is typically left towards the end.

Consider your audience’s knowledge level and interests

This will determine if you can assume a particular knowledge base and not include it in your presentation structure or if you have to start off with basics and build up on that.

For instance, if you’re teaching 1st-year students about something, you might start with basics. But for graduates, a similar format would be unnecessary as they might have already learned about it.

Similarly, if your purpose is to deliver something entertaining, knowing about the interests and values of your audience helps a ton.

The most simple way is demographics. It’s typically quite easy to find out the expected age group, gender, etc of the audience. This information can help you have a basic idea of the sort of experiences they go through, which helps formulate an understanding.

Consider the purpose of your presentation

While this may seem obvious, many of us lose track of the main purpose and spend too much time on remotely related content. This diverts attention from the topic and might even cause boredom.

For example, if you’re advocating for some social action, it would be beneficial to stay on the topic itself, like the pros, cons, what can be done practically, etc. Instead, if the presenters spend more time criticizing others, the presentation will fall short of its purpose.

Few other examples of different purposes your presentation could have:

• Entertainment
• Providing information
• Telling your story
• Proposing ideas
• Discussing future plans for the company

Research your topic and start noting down the subtopics

Skip this if you already know exactly what needs to be a part of your presentation, and plan to include just that. While looking up your topic, you’ll discover the various sub-topics within that field. After you start noting them down, you can organize later what comes under which to build a structure.

Here is a guide on short presentations that you might be interested in.

So with these three considerations and subtopics in mind, we’re good to go over to decide our final structure.

What is the best presentation form?

The best presentation format is one that includes the introduction, context, main body, conclusion, and questions.

Here, we will discuss a template or structure for a typical presentation.

Introduction

• Greet the audience and introduce yourself, e.g., what you do and why you’re here
• The purpose of your presentation
• The flow or outline gives a sense of what they can expect
• Depending on the topic and audience, you might have to provide more or less context about your topic
• This could include a brief history, terminologies, the current market status, the current status of the field, etc.
• Includes the full depth of the primary purpose of the presentation
• All major chunks of data, including examples, evidence like research studies, etc, are included here
• Care needs to be taken at times to ensure that your introduction and context are not taking up so much time that the main body isn’t receiving enough attention. Ever wonder if a presentation can be too short? Check out this article .
• Bring emphasis to the main takeaways
• Thank your audience if they have been a good one
• Take questions and encourage healthy discussion
• End with sharing ways they can address their questions later

To make sure that the structure works out, it is important that you practice your presentation. This will also tell you if you’re falling within the time constraints. Here is a guide on how you can go about practicing your presentation.

5 Ways to Structure Your Presentation

The five ways include ordered, problem-solution, comparative, storytelling, and demonstrating structures.

1. Ordered Structure

The presentation follows a logical sequence starting with an introduction, main points, and then conclusions. This is what this article has focused on, as it’s the most straightforward method and tends to be very clear for the audience. However, for presentations that do not follow a clear progression, this may not be useful.

2. Problem-Solution Structure

This is useful when persuading the audience. You explain the problem (+ its importance and impact) and then provide a solution that motivates the audience to take it. This could be in the form of a product, a particular method of communication, some technical thing, etc. There should be a decent amount of time spent on the benefits of the solution as well as the exact “How?” to implement it to make the audience convinced. It helps to address any questions or barriers you expect them to have during the speech itself.

3. Comparative Method

This is useful when you want to highlight the benefits of something over alternatives . It is ideal to first fully address the alternatives by talking about their benefits and limitations. Then you lastly talk about the solution that you possess that effectively addresses the other limitations or is in some way a better choice than others, based on your arguments.

Alternatively, if you do not want to highlight the benefits of something particular and just form a comparison that demonstrates the pros and cons of different subjects in an unbiased manner, this technique is still used. For instance, how the main benefit of a product is practically useful for the consumer in comparison to the main benefit of another product can be discussed.

4. Storytelling Structure

This is useful when your goal is just to tell a story. This could be to explain the context or history of a company. It could also serve to talk about yourself and how you got there. A story will typically have an introduction, a complicating factor that introduces some challenges, and then an ending that highlights the importance of some action or belief. 

You may also go in a timewise order when explaining a story. This might take away from the thrill but is useful nonetheless when it is required for the audience to properly understand what is being conveyed. Storytelling can be done in various ways, so feel free to find your own structure.

5. Demonstration Structure

This is useful when demonstrating products or services . The benefits of the product/service are highlighted and it is demonstrated showing those capabilities. The goal should be on persuading the audience that it is useful to them for their needs.

How to structure a scientific presentation?

Structuring a scientific presentation typically includes an introduction, methods, results, and discussion.

This typically follows the below format, but depending on the university/conference guidelines, you’ll have to adjust accordingly. The rest of the sub-topics revolves around these sections.

• Introduction/Background 
• Literature review (if applicable)
• Acknowledgments (often optional)

After this, time is given to take questions.

How do you structure a presentation script?

The presentation never includes the full extent of the information. It’s just a concise version of what you’re speaking that adds as a visual aid at times while also highlighting major points. 

The script is where the major content lies. The structure remains the same, but the content is greater in depth .

Sample Presentation Script

To make it easier for you to understand how you can structure your presentation script, here is a sample script for a presentation on the topic: Importance of Public Speaking.

This follows the same flow introduced earlier- introduction, context, main body, conclusion, and questions.

Title: Importance of Public Speaking

Slide 1: Why is Public Speaking Important?

Greetings, ladies, and gentlemen. Today, I will be exploring the importance of public speaking. My name is John, and I’m thrilled to discuss with you how improving our public speaking abilities may make a significant difference in our quality of life in the personal, social, and professional domains.

Slide 2: Introduction

Public speaking involves persuading an audience with a well-organized message. It is an essential part of our daily lives. We use it when we make conversation in social groups as well as when we address enormous crowds at social gatherings. It is a highly multifaceted and effective tool.

I will start off by giving some information about the context, moving on to its benefits, which is the main crux of our presentation, and then we will spend some time concluding.

Slide 3: Context

Effective communication is essential in our globally interconnected society. Speaking in front of an audience enables us to express our views and thoughts clearly and firmly. It facilitates the development of solid bonds and influences others, and acts as a catalyst for constructive change. Public speaking may open doors of opportunity and propel achievement for anyone, whether they are a student, professional, or member of the community.

Slide 4: Personal Development

Public speaking increases self-esteem and confidence, which are quite rudimentary to our self-efficacy. Effective communication skills help us to be more assertive and feel more in control of our lives. Research suggests that having an internal locus of control (i.e., feeling in control) leads to better outcomes in our personal lives as well as greater mental health.  As we organize our ideas and arguments through public speaking, it improves critical thinking and organizational abilities. Furthermore, as we interact with others during talks and Q&A sessions, public speaking also enhances our listening abilities.

Slide 5: Professional Advancement

The ability to speak in front of an audience effectively is highly essential in most workplaces.

You ask Why? Well, it is because we are better able to communicate our qualifications and worth to potential employers, which enhances our performance in job interviews. Secondly, our influence within organizations grows when we can make a strong case for our points in meetings and conferences.

Next, for leadership positions, where success depends on inspiring and motivating others, public speaking is critical. And in general, you’ll need public speaking in any meeting or any talk you would typically deliver in front of a bunch of people. 

Slide 6: Conclusion

Public speaking is a sought-after, multifaceted, and handy skill across many settings. It gives us the ability to inspire others, tell our stories, and make a lasting impression. Strong public speaking abilities help us communicate clearly and lead with influence in many facets of our lives.

Slide 7: Questions

I appreciate everyone here for being a great audience and cooperating wonderfully throughout the presentation. Now I will be taking any questions you all have. Feel free to discuss this now or reach out to me after the session is over.

Slide 8: Thank you

I want to thank you all for being here today.

I hope that the presentation did well to emphasize the importance of public speaking and perhaps motivated at least some of you to work on improving your abilities. We will end here.

[End of presentation]

Here are some tips for delivering an effective presentation.

We considered a few key points for presentation structure and the typical format that can be followed. We also covered five ways you can structure your presentation and the format for a scientific presentation. Lastly, we covered a sample script for presentations.

Public speaking coaching is a great way to increase your skills and get better at presentations as well.

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

Interrupted while Speaking: 8 Ways to Prevent and Manage Interruptions

Speak English Like a Pro at the Workplace

Talk Smart: Strategies for Efficient and Impactful Communication

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

• Search entire site
• Search for a course
• Browse study areas

Analytics and Data Science

• Data Science and Innovation
• Postgraduate Research Courses
• Business Research Programs
• Undergraduate Business Programs
• Entrepreneurship
• MBA Programs
• Postgraduate Business Programs

Communication

• Animation Production
• Business Consulting and Technology Implementation
• Digital and Social Media
• Media Arts and Production
• Media Business
• Media Practice and Industry
• Music and Sound Design
• Social and Political Sciences
• Strategic Communication
• Writing and Publishing
• Postgraduate Communication Research Degrees

Design, Architecture and Building

• Architecture
• Built Environment
• DAB Research
• Public Policy and Governance
• Secondary Education
• Education (Learning and Leadership)
• Learning Design
• Postgraduate Education Research Degrees
• Primary Education

Engineering

• Civil and Environmental
• Computer Systems and Software
• Engineering Management
• Mechanical and Mechatronic
• Systems and Operations
• Telecommunications
• Postgraduate Engineering courses
• Undergraduate Engineering courses
• Sport and Exercise
• Palliative Care
• Public Health
• Nursing (Undergraduate)
• Nursing (Postgraduate)
• Health (Postgraduate)
• Research and Honours
• Health Services Management
• Child and Family Health
• Women's and Children's Health

Health (GEM)

• Coursework Degrees
• Clinical Psychology
• Genetic Counselling
• Good Manufacturing Practice
• Physiotherapy
• Speech Pathology
• Research Degrees

Information Technology

• Business Analysis and Information Systems
• Computer Science, Data Analytics/Mining
• Games, Graphics and Multimedia
• IT Management and Leadership
• Networking and Security
• Software Development and Programming
• Systems Design and Analysis
• Web and Cloud Computing
• Postgraduate IT courses
• Postgraduate IT online courses
• Undergraduate Information Technology courses
• International Studies
• Criminology
• International Relations
• Postgraduate International Studies Research Degrees
• Sustainability and Environment
• Practical Legal Training
• Commercial and Business Law
• Juris Doctor
• Legal Studies
• Master of Laws
• Intellectual Property
• Migration Law and Practice
• Overseas Qualified Lawyers
• Postgraduate Law Programs
• Postgraduate Law Research
• Undergraduate Law Programs
• Life Sciences
• Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• Postgraduate Science Programs
• Science Research Programs
• Undergraduate Science Programs

Transdisciplinary Innovation

• Creative Intelligence and Innovation
• Diploma in Innovation
• Transdisciplinary Learning
• Postgraduate Research Degree

Structure of a presentation

Supporting Study 

Your go-to for support options, study resources, fun stuff and general help with being a student at UTS.

Get uni sorted now

A presentation:

• has an introduction, body and conclusion
• may include visual aids
• is usually followed by questions and discussions
• may also have a handout for the audience to take away.

Introduction

• The introduction should orient the audience to your subject and purpose. To capture interest and set up rapport, it should tell the audience what to expect.
• Be sure to carefully define the central point (or thesis) that is the basis of your talk and ensure that your supporting argument or information relates closely to it.
• If you are not proceeding from an already written assignment, it might help to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped, with the content coming out of the funnel. See the diagram below:

Useful language for presentations

Staging the introduction.

The body of the presentation should meet the promises of purpose and information made in the introduction.

The structure of the presentation is crucial.

Whether you organise:

• chronologically,
• by priority,

the body of your talk must proceed logically. The main points should be brought out one by one, with concise and relevant supportive evidence, statistics or examples and verbal ‘signposting’ of your progress through your argument or report.

You could present each important idea or point several times in different ways, because a listening audience needs several opportunities to fully absorb meaning.

You need to state clearly the links between your ideas and always signal when the next point is coming. If you think something is particularly important, say so and why.

If you don’t have a written assignment, it will help to think of your main points as paragraph topic sentences, each of which needs to be followed by supporting sentences and a conclusion.

Staging the body of your talk

Group presentations.

It may be that you are making a presentation as part of a group. Essentially the same information applies to group presentations as individual ones. It is important that they are logical and well structured as well as professional and meaningful. It is also doubly important that the group rehearse and practise together several times to ensure the presentation runs smoothly on the day.

Handing over to a co-presenter

Your talk may involve several speakers in your group presentation. You need to manage the handover smoothly and professionally, for example:

“I would like to conclude my discussion/report at this point and hand over to my partner/colleague XYZ who will examine/discuss/report the area/topic/perspective of…”

Similar to a written assignment, the conclusion again states your main points and what has been learned or shown but you also may raise implications inherent in the findings and offer creative recommendations.

Staging the conclusion

Back to top

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.

How To Write A Presentation 101: A Step-by-Step Guide with Best Examples

Jane Ng • 02 Nov 2023 • 8 min read

Is it difficult to start of presentation? You’re standing before a room full of eager listeners, ready to share your knowledge and captivate their attention. But where do you begin? How do you structure your ideas and convey them effectively?

Take a deep breath, and fear not! In this article, we’ll provide a road map on how to write a presentation covering everything from crafting a script to creating an engaging introduction.

So, let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

What is a presentation , what should be in a powerful presentation.

• How To Write A Presentation Script
• How to Write A Presentation Introduction 

Key Takeaways

Tips for better presentation.

• How to start a presentation
• How to introduce yourself

Start in seconds.

Get free templates for your next interactive presentation. Sign up for free and take what you want from the template library!

Presentations are all about connecting with your audience. 

Presenting is a fantastic way to share information, ideas, or arguments with your audience. Think of it as a structured approach to effectively convey your message. And you’ve got options such as slideshows, speeches, demos, videos, and even multimedia presentations!

The purpose of a presentation can vary depending on the situation and what the presenter wants to achieve. 

• In the business world, presentations are commonly used to pitch proposals, share reports, or make sales pitches. 
• In educational settings, presentations are a go-to for teaching or delivering engaging lectures. 
• For conferences, seminars, and public events—presentations are perfect for dishing out information, inspiring folks, or even persuading the audience.

That sounds brilliant. But, how to write a presentation?

How To Write A Presentation? What should be in a powerful presentation? A great presentation encompasses several key elements to captivate your audience and effectively convey your message. Here’s what you should consider including in a winning presentation:

• Clear and Engaging Introduction: Start your presentation with a bang! Hook your audience’s attention right from the beginning by using a captivating story, a surprising fact, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful quote. Clearly state the purpose of your presentation and establish a connection with your listeners.
• Well-Structured Content: Organize your content logically and coherently. Divide your presentation into sections or main points and provide smooth transitions between them. Each section should flow seamlessly into the next, creating a cohesive narrative. Use clear headings and subheadings to guide your audience through the presentation.
• Compelling Visuals: Incorporate visual aids, such as images, graphs, or videos, to enhance your presentation. Make sure your visuals are visually appealing, relevant, and easy to understand. Use a clean and uncluttered design with legible fonts and appropriate color schemes. 
• Engaging Delivery: Pay attention to your delivery style and body language. You should maintain eye contact with your audience, use gestures to emphasize key points, and vary your tone of voice to keep the presentation dynamic. 
• Clear and Memorable Conclusion: Leave your audience with a lasting impression by providing a strong closing statement, a call to action, or a thought-provoking question. Make sure your conclusion ties back to your introduction and reinforces the core message of your presentation.

How To Write A Presentation Script (With Examples)

To successfully convey your message to your audience, you must carefully craft and organize your presentation script. Here are steps on how to write a presentation script: 

1/ Understand Your Purpose and Audience:

• Clarify the purpose of your presentation. Are you informing, persuading, or entertaining?
• Identify your target audience and their knowledge level, interests, and expectations.
• Define what presentation format you want to use

2/ Outline the Structure of Your Presentation:

Strong opening: .

Start with an engaging opening that grabs the audience’s attention and introduces your topic. Some types of openings you can use are: 

• Start with a Thought-Provoking Question: “Have you ever…?”
• Begin with a Surprising Fact or Statistic: “Did you know that….?”
• Use a Powerful Quote: “As Maya Angelou once said,….”
• Tell a Compelling Story : “Picture this: You’re standing at….”
• Start with a Bold Statement: “In the fast-paced digital age….”

Main Points: 

Clearly state your main points or key ideas that you will discuss throughout the presentation.

• Clearly State the Purpose and Main Points: Example: “In this presentation, we will delve into three key areas. First,… Next,… Finally,…. we’ll discuss….”
• Provide Background and Context: Example: “Before we dive into the details, let’s understand the basics of…..”
• Present Supporting Information and Examples: Example: “To illustrate…., let’s look at an example. In,…..”
• Address Counterarguments or Potential Concerns: Example: “While…, we must also consider… .”
• Recap Key Points and Transition to the Next Section: Example: “To summarize, we’ve… Now, let’s shift our focus to…”

Remember to organize your content logically and coherently, ensuring smooth transitions between sections.

Ending: 

You can conclude with a strong closing statement summarizing your main points and leaving a lasting impression. Example: “As we conclude our presentation, it’s clear that… By…., we can….”

3/ Craft Clear and Concise Sentences:

Once you’ve outlined your presentation, you need to edit your sentences. Use clear and straightforward language to ensure your message is easily understood.

Alternatively, you can break down complex ideas into simpler concepts and provide clear explanations or examples to aid comprehension.

4/ Use Visual Aids and Supporting Materials:

Use supporting materials such as statistics, research findings, or real-life examples to back up your points and make them more compelling. 

• Example: “As you can see from this graph,… This demonstrates….”

5/ Include Engagement Techniques:

Incorporate interactive elements to engage your audience, such as Q&A sessions , conducting live polls , or encouraging participation.

6/ Rehearse and Revise:

• Practice delivering your presentation script to familiarize yourself with the content and improve your delivery.
• Revise and edit your script as needed, removing any unnecessary information or repetitions.

7/ Seek Feedback:

You can share your script or deliver a practice presentation to a trusted friend, colleague, or mentor to gather feedback on your script and make adjustments accordingly.

More on Script Presentation

How to Write A Presentation Introduction with Examples

How to write presentations that are engaging and visually appealing? Looking for introduction ideas for the presentation? As mentioned earlier, once you have completed your script, it’s crucial to focus on editing and refining the most critical element—the opening of your presentation – the section that determines whether you can captivate and retain your audience’s attention right from the start. 

Here is a guide on how to craft an opening that grabs your audience’s attention from the very first minute: 

1/ Start with a Hook

To begin, you can choose from five different openings mentioned in the script based on your desired purpose and content. Alternatively, you can opt for the approach that resonates with you the most, and instills your confidence. Remember, the key is to choose a starting point that aligns with your objectives and allows you to deliver your message effectively.

2/ Establish Relevance and Context:

Then you should establish the topic of your presentation and explain why it is important or relevant to your audience. Connect the topic to their interests, challenges, or aspirations to create a sense of relevance.

3/ State the Purpose

Clearly articulate the purpose or goal of your presentation. Let the audience know what they can expect to gain or achieve by listening to your presentation.

4/ Preview Your Main Points

Give a brief overview of the main points or sections you will cover in your presentation. It helps the audience understand the structure and flow of your presentation and creates anticipation.

5/ Establish Credibility

Share your expertise or credentials related to the topic to build trust with the audience, such as a brief personal story, relevant experience, or mentioning your professional background.

6/ Engage Emotionally

Connect emotional levels with your audience by appealing to their aspirations, fears, desires, or values. They help create a deeper connection and engagement from the very beginning.

Make sure your introduction is concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details or lengthy explanations. Aim for clarity and brevity to maintain the audience’s attention.

For example, Topic: Work-life balance

“Good morning, everyone! Can you imagine waking up each day feeling energized and ready to conquer both your personal and professional pursuits? Well, that’s exactly what we’ll explore today – the wonderful world of work-life balance. In a fast-paced society where work seems to consume every waking hour, it’s vital to find that spot where our careers and personal lives harmoniously coexist. Throughout this presentation, we’ll dive into practical strategies that help us achieve that coveted balance, boost productivity, and nurture our overall well-being. 

But before we dive in, let me share a bit about my journey. As a working professional and a passionate advocate for work-life balance, I have spent years researching and implementing strategies that have transformed my own life. I am excited to share my knowledge and experiences with all of you today, with the hope of inspiring positive change and creating a more fulfilling work-life balance for everyone in this room. So, let’s get started!”

Check out: How to Start a Presentation?

Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or new to the stage, understanding how to write a presentation that conveys your message effectively is a valuable skill. By following the steps in this guide, you can become a captivating presenter and make your mark in every presentation you deliver.

Additionally, AhaSlides can significantly enhance your presentation’s impact. With AhaSlides, you can use live polls, quizzes, and word cloud to turn your presentation into an engaging and interactive experience. Let’s take a moment to explore our vast template library !

Frequently Asked Questions

1/ how to write a presentation step by step .

You can refer to our step-by-step guide on How To Write A Presentation Script:

• Understand Your Purpose and Audience
• Outline the Structure of Your Presentation
• Craft Clear and Concise Sentences
• Use Visual Aids and Supporting Material
• Include Engagement Techniques
• Rehearse and Revise
• Seek Feedback

2/ How do you start a presentation? 

You can start with an engaging opening that grabs the audience’s attention and introduces your topic. Consider using one of the following approaches:

3/ What are the five parts of a presentation?

When it comes to presentation writing, a typical presentation consists of the following five parts:

• Introduction: Capturing the audience’s attention, introducing yourself, stating the purpose, and providing an overview.
• Main Body: Presenting main points, evidence, examples, and arguments.
• Visual Aids: Using visuals to enhance understanding and engage the audience.
• Conclusion: Summarizing main points, restating key message, and leaving a memorable takeaway or call to action.
• Q&A or Discussion: Optional part for addressing questions and encouraging audience participation.

A writer who wants to create practical and valuable content for the audience

More from AhaSlides

Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

How to Make a Successful Research Presentation

Turning a research paper into a visual presentation is difficult; there are pitfalls, and navigating the path to a brief, informative presentation takes time and practice. As a TA for  GEO/WRI 201: Methods in Data Analysis & Scientific Writing this past fall, I saw how this process works from an instructor’s standpoint. I’ve presented my own research before, but helping others present theirs taught me a bit more about the process. Here are some tips I learned that may help you with your next research presentation:

More is more

In general, your presentation will always benefit from more practice, more feedback, and more revision. By practicing in front of friends, you can get comfortable with presenting your work while receiving feedback. It is hard to know how to revise your presentation if you never practice. If you are presenting to a general audience, getting feedback from someone outside of your discipline is crucial. Terms and ideas that seem intuitive to you may be completely foreign to someone else, and your well-crafted presentation could fall flat.

Less is more

Limit the scope of your presentation, the number of slides, and the text on each slide. In my experience, text works well for organizing slides, orienting the audience to key terms, and annotating important figures–not for explaining complex ideas. Having fewer slides is usually better as well. In general, about one slide per minute of presentation is an appropriate budget. Too many slides is usually a sign that your topic is too broad.

Limit the scope of your presentation

Don’t present your paper. Presentations are usually around 10 min long. You will not have time to explain all of the research you did in a semester (or a year!) in such a short span of time. Instead, focus on the highlight(s). Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

You will not have time to explain all of the research you did. Instead, focus on the highlights. Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

Craft a compelling research narrative

After identifying the focused research question, walk your audience through your research as if it were a story. Presentations with strong narrative arcs are clear, captivating, and compelling.

• Introduction (exposition — rising action)

Orient the audience and draw them in by demonstrating the relevance and importance of your research story with strong global motive. Provide them with the necessary vocabulary and background knowledge to understand the plot of your story. Introduce the key studies (characters) relevant in your story and build tension and conflict with scholarly and data motive. By the end of your introduction, your audience should clearly understand your research question and be dying to know how you resolve the tension built through motive.

• Methods (rising action)

The methods section should transition smoothly and logically from the introduction. Beware of presenting your methods in a boring, arc-killing, ‘this is what I did.’ Focus on the details that set your story apart from the stories other people have already told. Keep the audience interested by clearly motivating your decisions based on your original research question or the tension built in your introduction.

• Results (climax)

Less is usually more here. Only present results which are clearly related to the focused research question you are presenting. Make sure you explain the results clearly so that your audience understands what your research found. This is the peak of tension in your narrative arc, so don’t undercut it by quickly clicking through to your discussion.

• Discussion (falling action)

By now your audience should be dying for a satisfying resolution. Here is where you contextualize your results and begin resolving the tension between past research. Be thorough. If you have too many conflicts left unresolved, or you don’t have enough time to present all of the resolutions, you probably need to further narrow the scope of your presentation.

• Conclusion (denouement)

Return back to your initial research question and motive, resolving any final conflicts and tying up loose ends. Leave the audience with a clear resolution of your focus research question, and use unresolved tension to set up potential sequels (i.e. further research).

Use your medium to enhance the narrative

Visual presentations should be dominated by clear, intentional graphics. Subtle animation in key moments (usually during the results or discussion) can add drama to the narrative arc and make conflict resolutions more satisfying. You are narrating a story written in images, videos, cartoons, and graphs. While your paper is mostly text, with graphics to highlight crucial points, your slides should be the opposite. Adapting to the new medium may require you to create or acquire far more graphics than you included in your paper, but it is necessary to create an engaging presentation.

The most important thing you can do for your presentation is to practice and revise. Bother your friends, your roommates, TAs–anybody who will sit down and listen to your work. Beyond that, think about presentations you have found compelling and try to incorporate some of those elements into your own. Remember you want your work to be comprehensible; you aren’t creating experts in 10 minutes. Above all, try to stay passionate about what you did and why. You put the time in, so show your audience that it’s worth it.

For more insight into research presentations, check out these past PCUR posts written by Emma and Ellie .

— Alec Getraer, Natural Sciences Correspondent

Share this:

• Share on Tumblr

What is a Panel Discussion? And How to Run One Like a Pro

Written by Molly Hocutt

Read this Ebook with 50 icebreakers for your next virtual conference.

You’re getting ready to host an unforgettable panel discussion. But what if your audience loses interest or the conversation stalls? Don't panic; we've got you covered!

All you need is the right mix of knowledgeable panelists, a skilled moderator to keep the conversation flowing, and an interactive video platform.

In this article, we'll cover all of these elements and a few tricks to help you prepare and deliver a panel discussion that will leave your audience entertained.

50 Icebreakers for Virtual Meetings

Livestorm helps teams collaborate and deliver memorable live or on-demand video experiences.

What is a panel discussion?

A panel discussion is an event where a group of expert guest speakers (the panel) comes together to discuss a specific topic. It typically lasts up to an hour.

The aim of a panel discussion is to present different perspectives, bounce ideas off each other, and come up with some ah-ha moments. A moderator helps guide the discussion, and the audience is often invited to ask questions at the end.

Synonyms for panel discussion

You might have heard a few different terms used to describe a panel discussion. Let’s look at some of them here:

1. What’s the difference between a panel discussion and a roundtable?

A roundtable is an informal, free-flowing discussion where everyone at the table is encouraged to chime in and share their thoughts. It has a more relaxed, conversational vibe than a panel discussion, where each panelist is usually assigned a set list of questions.

2. What’s the difference between a panel discussion and a symposium?

A symposium is an in-depth academic conference that brings subject matter experts to share research, findings, and insights, and engage in interdisciplinary discussions. Symposiums usually last for several days and feature multiple panel discussions, keynote speeches, and other presentation formats.

3. What’s the difference between a panel discussion and an open forum?

An open forum is an informal gathering designed to incorporate as much audience participation as possible. There may not be a set agenda or structure, and the discussion is usually more free-flowing and less formal, encouraging lots of audience interaction.

4. What’s the difference between a panel discussion and a seminar?

A seminar is a way of presenting a topic for educational purposes. Traditionally held in an auditorium, it’s designed to impart knowledge and may be structured as a lecture, with the speaker presenting information and the audience taking notes. There may be fewer opportunities for audience engagement and discussion.

What are the different types of panel discussions?

Panel discussions can be structured in a few different ways depending on the topic and goal of the event. We’ll talk more about those formats later on. For now, here are three main types of panel discussions:

• In-person panel discussions
• Hybrid panel discussions
• Virtual panel discussions

1. In-person panel discussion

In-person panel discussions are typically held in a large venue, such as an auditorium or conference room. The panelists are seated at a table or on a stage and engage in a structured conversation led by a facilitator. The facilitator helps guide the discussion and allows audience members to ask questions, making it a dynamic and interactive form of learning.

2. Hybrid panel discussions

A hybrid panel discussion combines both an in-person and virtual audience. This is an increasingly popular format, as audiences prefer more flexible attendance options and the demand for video conferencing for entertainment increases. Audience questions, comments, and ideas can be shared in real-time through these platforms, making the event more interactive.

3. Virtual panel discussions

Virtual panel discussions are held online, typically through video conferencing platforms like Livestorm, Zoom, and Google Meet. Most video conferencing platforms have features like whiteboards, polling, and a Q&A tab to make your event highly interactive. And if you're using a browser-based platform like Livestorm, your audience can join from any device without downloading any software.

What are good examples of topics for a panel discussion?

If you’re stuck for ideas for suitable panel discussion topics, take a look at these suggestions for some inspiration:

Topical panel discussion topics

• Solutions for the environmental crisis
• The future of crypto
• Socio-economic challenges facing the West

Evergreen panel discussion topics

• On health and wellbeing
• Communication in the workplace
• What to know about cash flow forecasting

B2B panel discussion topics

• How to automate your business workflows
• B2B marketing strategies
• Using data analytics to empower your teams

5 Panel discussion formats

Here’s a round-up of some of the most popular formats for your panel discussion, all of which work well for real-life, virtual, and hybrid events:

• Mainstage panel
• Q&A forum
• Fireside chat

1. Mainstage panel

The Mainstage panel is a traditional structure where the guest panel is mic’d up and on stage, normally for a paying audience. The discussion can be thought-provoking, educational, humorous, hard-hitting, or any combination of those—but ultimately it has to be informative and entertaining.

For successful virtual mainstage panel discussions, you need a video conferencing platform like Livestorm that can take care of everything from event creation and promotion to engaging in-event communication and post-event analytics and marketing.

2. Q&A forum

With a Q&A format, there’s usually an introductory discussion between panelists, followed by a series of questions posed by the moderator, and then further questions from the audience, which may or may not be vetted pre-event. A Q&A session translates well to the virtual event format, particularly if you use Livestorm’s Q&A engagement features like the Q&A tab, which uses upvoting to help you prioritize audience questions.

Analyze your data

Analyze all of your data with Livestorm's powerful reporting features.

Debates allow for more opinionated discussions between the panelists. Traditionally, debates start with each guest sharing their point of view before asking questions designed to expose holes in the other’s argument, followed by further questions from the moderator and audience. Finally, each guest makes a round-up speech before the audience votes for the winner.

Pro tip: For virtual debates, use Livestorm’s live polls to engage your audience, understand their points of view, and get feedback on your event.

4. Talk show

A talk show panel is based on the typical TV talk show setup, with two or three guests chatting informally about the questions and topics the host gives them. The key to a successful talk show panel discussion is a charismatic host who has experience building rapport with guests and facilitating an entertaining experience for the audience.

5. Fireside chat

Somewhere between a talk show and Q&A sessions, the fireside chat brings together a small group of people for an informal interview. Guests are usually seated together on a couch. Or, in virtual fireside chats, participants are encouraged to be in their living room or a cafe.

The focus is on creating a sense of intimacy to help bring about a candid conversation. For that reason, it’s a great panel discussion format for less polemic topics - like personal stories of success in the face of adversity.

How to conduct a panel discussion?

There’s no single way to conduct a successful panel discussion but this checklist is a good place to start:

• Choose a topic that resonates
• Find an experienced moderator
• Assemble your team of panelists
• Create an event registration page
• Automate email workflows
• Introduce panel members
• Explain the format and introduce the first topic of discussion
• Keep the conversation moving
• Present visuals and slideshows
• Ask the right questions
• Keep the vibes in check
• Summarize the discussion
• Give panelists an opportunity to add closing statements
• Send thank-you notes and event recordings
• Review event analytics and feedback

How to prepare for a panel discussion?

Here's how to prepare for a panel discussion:

1. Choose a topic that resonates

The best way to choose your topic is to first think about your audience. Who would you like to watch your panel discussion? And why? If your target audience is within a specific industry — let’s say tech hardware — brainstorm topics that could interest that group. But don’t do it alone. Invite a small group of people within that target audience to give you unique insights into what catches their attention most.

2. Find an experienced moderator

A fantastic host can make or break your event, so choose someone with experience in moderating panel discussions (or similar types of events) who has some connections with your chosen topics and target audience. A skillful, knowledgeable moderator will bring out the best in your panelists, understand how to engage and include the audience in the discussion, and make original contributions.

3. Assemble your team of panelists

The best panelists are made up of diverse groups with expertise, authority, and charisma. Three to five guests is normally the perfect number, so everyone can make a meaningful contribution without the conversation ever drying up. Avoid dominant characters who might drown out other guests, and invite people with some experience speaking in front of audiences.

4. Create an event landing page

Your event landing page should communicate the topic, the panelists, and the time and date of the event. This is also where you can share a registration link and start capturing leads. With Livestorm, you can create customized event registration pages and add form fields to collect more information about each guest. You can also add social media buttons so visitors can start building hype directly from the event page.

5. Automate email workflows

Set up email nurturing campaigns that include invitations, reminders, and confirmation. Livestorm integrates with email automation tools like Mailchimp and Mailjet , so you create customized workflows easily. Plus, Livestorm's Google Calendar and Outlook integrations automatically add events to your guests’ calendars.

Put emails on auto-pilot

Send unlimited customized reminders and follow-up emails.

How to start a panel discussion?

You can start a panel dicsussion by introducing the panel members and explaining the main topics.

6. Introduce the panel members

Your moderator should give a brief introduction of each of the panelists that draws attention to their qualifications and accomplishments. Now’s also a great time to include funny anecdotes or stories about each person to help establish a connection with the audience.

A video engagement platform like Livestorm, which is designed for virtual interaction, can help you bring together a group of individuals in a cohesive way. You’ll be able to use features like emoji reactions, live chat, and polls. Get this right, and you’ll create a great atmosphere for an engaging panel discussion. Check out our Webinar Guide .

7. Explain the format and introduce the first topic of discussion

Choosing the right format for your panel discussion is essential. Will it be more of a talk show style, with the moderator asking one question after another to each guest? Or do you want to give participants time to discuss and debate points among themselves?

Here are some key factors that should come into play when deciding which format to choose:

• Will you be able to bring your guests and audience together for a real-life event or will a virtual panel discussion be more practical to organize?
• How much audience participation is appropriate?
• Do your main topics lend themselves to formal discussion (like a mainstage or debate panel) or intimate, candid reflection (like a fireside chat or talk show)?

Once you have established the format, explain clearly how it will work and what topics will be discussed. Then, pick the first topic and let the discussion unfold naturally.

How to moderate a panel discussion?

Moderating a panel discussion involves keeping the conversation flowing and presenting slides or other visuals.

8. Keep the conversation moving

Your moderator should be a master at keeping the discussion moving and allowing enough room for panelists to express their ideas and opinions.

The moderator’s job is to act as a facilitator and intervene if necessary. That could mean summarizing ideas that have already been discussed, flagging any topics that need further attention, or guiding the conversation if it’s going off-topic.

9. Present visuals and slideshows

Your audience will engage with the discussions if they have something to look at. That could be visuals or slideshows that can help support panelists’ points and bring different topics to life creatively.

Design tools like Visme can help you create interactive infographics, videos, documents, and presentations with their ready-to-use templates. And if you're using Livestorm, you can directly share your presentations during the event with the Visme plugin .

10. Ask the right questions

The moderator should have prepared a list of thought-provoking and engaging questions tailored to the topic and audience. These can be open-ended questions or specific ones targeted at individual panelists, depending on your format.

Questions should be concise, clear, and relevant to both the panelists and the audience. Avoid any loaded questions that may be offensive or even make them feel uncomfortable.

11. Keep the vibes in check

How should your audience participate without interrupting the flow of conversation? Virtual event features like live polling, the chat tab, and emoji reactions can help you do just that. For example, with Livestorm, your audience members can react with emojis to show their agreement or disagreement with a particular point of view. This helps prevent disruptions and gives the speakers an idea of how the audience is feeling. Plus, it adds a bit of fun to the event.

How to end a panel discussion?

Ending a panel discussion revolves around wrapping up the dicsussion and having a solid follow-up in place.

11. Summarize the discussion

The moderator should wrap up the discussion by summarizing key points and ideas raised during the session. This will help to ensure that everyone has a good understanding of what was discussed, and it also allows for a sense of closure. You can also use Livestorm’s Handouts plugin to share any supporting materials the audience might want to download for later.

12. Give panelists an opportunity to add closing statements

If time permits, it’s also a good idea to give each panelist an opportunity to offer their own unique takeaways from the discussion. This will give your speakers more satisfaction, as they’ll have the opportunity to say everything they wanted to say, and end the event on a highlight.

13. Send thank-you notes and event recordings

Remember to thank your panelists for their time and participation. You can send them replay links or recordings of the event so they can use clips as post-event promotion on their social profiles or websites.

Pro tip: You can set Livestorm to automatically record your events. Then, repurpose them as on-demand videos or social media content or use them to build up a library of educational resources.

14. Review event analytics and feedback

After your panel discussion, review the event metrics and audience feedback. This will help you to identify what worked well and what didn’t. If you're using Livestorm to host your event, you can directly track figures like:

• Registrants
• Average retention time

Deliver the panel discussion your audience deserves

Hosting a successful panel discussion requires careful preparation and an experienced moderator. To get the most out of your marketing event , start by:

• Selecting the right format and topics
• Engaging with your audience
• Asking thought-provoking questions
• Giving panelists an opportunity to add closing remarks
• Reviewing post-event analytics

When hosting virtual events , anticipate technical issues and make a contingency plan for how to handle them. That means having a video conferencing platform that’s reliable and easy to use. For example, Livestorm is an easy-to-access, all-in-one tool that’s packed with engagement features to help you host an impressive virtual panel discussion. And if you're not ready to commit just yet, you can try the free plan first!

Drive engagement

Host better panel discussions with Livestorm and drive engagement

Frequently asked questions about panel discussions

Does a panel discussion need a moderator.

A panel discussion typically requires a moderator to keep the discussion on track, manage the flow of conversation, and ensure that all panelists have an opportunity to speak. In virtual events, the moderator should also encourage speakers and audience members to make the most of the platform’s engagement features, such as live polling or question upvoting.

Can you script a panel discussion?

You can script a panel discussion by creating an outline that covers the introduction, moderator, and panelist introductions, discussion topics, and any specific questions that need to be addressed. This outline is a guide to keeping the discussion focused and on track while allowing for a flexible and dynamic exchange of ideas among the panelists.

What is the main purpose of a panel discussion?

The main purpose of a panel discussion is to provide a platform for experts in a particular field or on a specific topic to express their opinions, challenge each other, and explore topics of discussion that provide value, insight, and entertainment for the watching audience.

How do you prepare for a panel discussion?

You should prepare for a panel discussion by following these steps:

• Identify your target audience and choose topics that will interest them
• Find an experienced moderator who can add value to your event
• Select a diverse panel of experts who will interact well with each other
• Allow everyone to meet and build a rapport before the discussion
• Choose a format that’s suitable for your kind of discussion and realistic to organize

Is a panel discussion a debate?

A panel discussion is not a debate. While a panel discussion can include some level of disagreement or differing viewpoints, its primary focus is not on winning or losing an argument but rather on exploring the topic in-depth and hearing different perspectives.

What are the rules of a panel discussion?

The rules of a panel discussion can vary depending on the event, but some common ones include:

• Each panelist is given a set amount of time to speak
• The discussion is moderated by a facilitator responsible for keeping the conversation on track
• Panelists are encouraged to engage in respectful and constructive dialogue, avoiding personal attacks or inflammatory language.
• Audience participation is encouraged through Q&A sessions, live polls or chat.
• The moderator is responsible for managing audience engagement and ensuring that questions are relevant and respectful.

Unlock 50 ice breakers

Bring your team closer with these 50 original ice breakers.

About the author

Molly Hocutt - Content Manager

Molly joined Livestorm in 2019 as a Content Manager and manages written content production. Her work focuses on lead generation and organic website traffic.

Related articles

Symposium vs. Conference: What's the Difference & How to Plan One

7 min. read

How to Moderate Panel Discussions? Step-by-Step Guide

9 min. read

15 Virtual Conference Best Practices for Marketers to Shake up Your Event

10 min. read

The Complete Guide to Hosting Virtual and Hybrid Panel Discussions

8 min. read

How to Organize Online Conferences that Engage Your Audience

5 min. read

20 Virtual Conference Engagement Ideas to Impress your Audience

11 min. read

Keep in touch with Livestorm news and updates

What is Conversational Presenting and Why You Should Give It a Try

Presentations are far from being dead.

With 30 million PowerPoint presentations delivered every single day, they’re doing better than ever.

But the fact is that many of these presentations are broken. They just don’t work.

Many blame it on “Death by PowerPoint”, but it’s not about the tool.

It’s about the way we deliver information.

We are stuck in a century-old, passive style of one-way information broadcast. And that format simply doesn’t comply with the 21st century.

The numbers speak for themselves: According to Prezi’s recent research, only 4% of people said that they find linear, one-way presentations engaging and memorable.

Alarming number. Yet, presenters around the world still follow the status quo because there seem to be no immediate consequences for not changing it.

But what about the $37 billion wasted yearly on ineffective meetings, largely due to ineffective presentations? Or, the 58% of content forgotten, in just 20 minutes into the presentation?

The stats have it that poor presentations do translate into real consequences.

Now let’s take a look at how to fix them.

What is Conversational Presenting?

Here comes the only definition in this article.

Conversational presenting is about delivering a presentation that gives your audience multiple opportunities for structured interaction.

This is what it means in reality.

Let’s think about a traditional presentation for a moment. What words come to your mind?

We asked this question to people during dozens of our presentations.

And this is what we got. Each time.

Then we asked our audience what word comes to their minds when they think of an impactful presentation?

The responses flowed in and this was the result:

Conversational presenting is ultimately about making your presentations everything that’s on the second word cloud .

Interactive, engaging, fun. But above all, impactful.

How is Conversational Presenting different?

At its core, Conversational Presenting does not differ much from a presentation format that you know – you still deliver your content.

But unlike traditional presentations, Conversational Presenting brings another element into the equation: Interaction .

Adding interactive activities and facilitation techniques into your flow will help you break the one-way content stream into bite-size pieces.

In practice, it’s about creating a short break for structured interaction after each chunk of content and allowing your participants to think about and respond to your talk.

There are various tech-based and non-tech-based interactive activities and facilitation techniques you can leverage, but more on that later.

Let’s take a closer look at how conversational presentation differs from a traditional presentation format.

Traditional presentation

• Speaker talks one-way with minimal breaks
• Participants are locked in to listen passively
• Speaker questions are rhetorical and don’t invite participation
• When participants’ attention shifts, it is rarely regained
• Participant-to-participant discussions are not created

Conversational presentation

• Speaker talks with frequent breaks to receive feedback from the audience
• Participants are encouraged to participate and share their views
• Speaker questions are responded to by show of hands or voting on live polls
• As attention drops, the speaker uses an interactive activity to regain it
• Speaker creates a space for people to have a discussion

Who is Conversational Presenting for?

You can make use of Conversational Presenting in various different situations.

You may be an educator, looking to maintain your students’ attention. Or, you may be a professional speaker, whose goal is to connect with your audience and make your speech more powerful.

Let’s break down the four main use cases and see to what end you can leverage Conversational Presenting strategies.

1. Company meetings & Team meetings

If you’re a manager or a leader who runs meetings on a regular basis, you’ve surely contemplated ways to make sure your gatherings don’t make the infamous stats of ineffective meetings. See what Conversational Presenting can do for you:

• Increase meeting efficiency
• Make sure the team get the message
• Communicate more transparently with the team
• Give a safe space for your team to give feedback
• Re-engage the team during a lengthy meeting

Conversational Presenting in real life: During Slido’s monthly all-hands meetings, our CEO, Peter Komornik, likes to re-engage our teammates by sparking discussions in the room. For example, he asks our colleagues to turn to their partner and discuss the biggest highlights of the last month. He then encourages us to submit our highlights into Slido to see what others have picked. He often asks several people in the audience to share the reason why this particular thing means a lot to them.

2. Conferences

You may only have a few speaking gigs spaced out during the year, but why not make the most of the opportunity and give a speech that your audience will remember. Employ Conversational Presenting methods to:

• Make your presentations stand out
• Engage your audience
• Open conversations with your attendees
• Bring an entertaining element to your talks

Conversational Presenting in real life: Mark Cooper, CEO of IACC, used a series of five live polls to make the delivery of the report on ‘Meeting Room of the Future’ more engaging. He spaced out polls every 10 minutes to hear audience feedback on the findings and to look at where the industry is going. Midway through, he also created a roundtable discussion on the topic ‘What do you think a venue focused on meetings will look like in 5 years?’, to get people to connect and share ideas.

3. Lectures & classes

If you’re in the EDU sector, you probably know best how hard it is to make every presentation interesting and inspiring. Conversational Presenting can arm you with a toolkit to:

• Maintain your students’ attention
• Maximize the learning during your class
• Check for student understanding
• Create a safe space for discussions
• Receive your students’ instant feedback
• Add some fun into your classes

Conversational Presenting in real life: Brian McFee, Assistant Professor at NYU, uses Slido to run a problem-solving exercise every 10-15 minutes of his lecture. First, he lets each student work on it individually and submit the answers into Slido. Then, he poses the same question, but this time, he asks students to work on the problem in pairs. Seeing the real-time answers from students allows him to see if students understand the content he’s presenting, and uncover any weak spots.

Related read: Free Ebook: How to Improve Conversation in Your Classroom

4. Training sessions & workshops

Being a trainer, you’ve probably never stopped looking for ideas to make your training as valuable as possible for your participants. Conversational Presenting can offer you a helping hand there to:

• Make your training more participatory
• Maximize the value of the time spent together
• Encourage people to take learning into their own hands
• Create space for people to put theory into practice

Conversational Presenting in real life: During the 2-day leadership workshop, Lukas Bakos, managing director at Maxman Consultants, split the group into pairs and ask everyone to write their TOP 10 on a certain topic for each round (topics ranged from the 10 most visited sites according to Lonely Planet, to the 10 best-selling cars in history). He spaced out the rounds after breaks throughout the day, so the group had an incentive to get back to the room on time.

How do you give a Conversational Presentation?

Now, to the fun part. How do you actually make your next presentation engaging and conversational? 

Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science. With the right toolkit and some skill in facilitation, you can start giving presentations that your audience will love as quick as lightning.

Learn the basics of Conversational Presenting in the article below.

Start with Conversational Presenting

Get just a single email per month with our best articles.

What Is an All-Hands Meeting and How to Host a Great One

Organizations that want to make sure their teams align know that regular all-hands meetings are important for creating a positive company...

Presentations

5 ways to use slido in google slides.

In this article, you’ll find examples of poll questions and quizzes that you can create with Slido and use in...

7 Interactive Poll Ideas for Your Next PowerPoint Presentation

Looking for new ways to make your PowerPoint presentation more interactive? Try live polls. With polls, you can collect non-verbal...

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Business Jargons

A Business Encyclopedia

Presentation

Definition : A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group, addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.

It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:

• Use of non-verbal cues.
• Facilitates instant feedback.

Business Presentations are a tool to influence people toward an intended thought or action.

Parts of Presentation

• Introduction : It is meant to make the listeners ready to receive the message and draw their interest. For that, the speaker can narrate some story or a humorous piece of joke, an interesting fact, a question, stating a problem, and so forth. They can also use some surprising statistics.
• Body : It is the essence of the presentation. It requires the sequencing of facts in a logical order. This is the part where the speaker explains the topic and relevant information. It has to be critically arranged, as the audience must be able to grasp what the speaker presents.
• Conclusion : It needs to be short and precise. It should sum up or outline the key points that you have presented. It could also contain what the audience should have gained out of the presentation.

Purpose of Presentation

• To inform : Organizations can use presentations to inform the audience about new schemes, products or proposals. The aim is to inform the new entrant about the policies and procedures of the organization.
• To persuade : Presentations are also given to persuade the audience to take the intended action.
• To build goodwill : They can also help in building a good reputation

Factors Affecting Presentation

Audience Analysis

Communication environment, personal appearance, use of visuals, opening and closing presentation, organization of presentation, language and words, voice quality, body language, answering questions, a word from business jargons.

Presentation is a mode of conveying information to a selected group of people live. An ideal presentation is one that identifies and matches the needs, interests and understanding level of the audience. It also represents the facts, and figures in the form of tables, charts, and graphs and uses multiple colours.

Related terms:

• Verbal Communication
• Visual Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Communication
• 7 C’s of Communication

Reader Interactions

Abbas khan says

October 2, 2022 at 11:33 pm

Thank you so much for providing us with brief info related to the presentation.

Farhan says

February 23, 2023 at 9:45 am

yusra shah says

July 3, 2023 at 2:04 am

it was helpful👍

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What is a Panel Discussion?

What are the different types of panel discussions, what are the most common formats of panel discussions, virtual panel discussion, how to prepare for a panel discussion , pin down the purpose of the panel discussion (why are you planning this), tech support, when to include time for discussions and questions with the audience, how to host a panel discussion, how to choose the right panellists, how to choose the right moderator, how to engage with the audience, how to spice up a panel discussion.

A Complete Guide to Panel Discussions

In this article we'll be providing you with a complete guide to panel discussions. It will look at different panel discussion formats, as well as tips on preparing and hosting a discussion. The guide will also explore how to choose the right panellists and moderators, and how to keep the audience engaged.

So let's delve in and first look at what a panel discussion is.

Panel discussions are essential to any conference, and we could go as far as saying they’re the pinnacle of all events.

They are perhaps the most interactive of all the sessions, yet can be the most boring if not curated correctly.

Essentially a panel discussion includes:

• A moderator or presenter and a panel of experts from within the specified field.
• Discussing and dissecting the questions with one another.
• Experts sharing their opinions, experience and expertise from various perspectives, in response to questions from the moderator.

Its main purpose? To ignite a discussion or even a debate.

When you think of a panel discussion, you envision a host and four or so people sitting in a row answering questions and deliberating what the host has asked them. Most of the time, they include an audience who often asks questions too.

These events can either be be provocative, inspiring, debate-led or dull and boring.

The main difference is whether they are insightful and engaging, or dull, with a few experts sharing their opinions without substance. It's the latter that can make the audience easily clock watch.

In terms of style, we mentioned above the typical “look and feel” of a panel, but they can take on any style the event organiser wants. 

Although the number of panellists shouldn’t be too large, after all, you don’t want the event to go on for hours to enable everyone to have their say.

Generally, panels usually have between 3-5 experts, with one host .

Regarding the structure of the panel discussion, there are a few ways it can be hosted.

Structured Format

Providing a presentation style to a panel discussion will help each expert on the panel with undisturbed time to express their research/views. 

This style can follow with an audience Q&A session once the presentation has finished.

Open style panel

For more of a discussion panel format, an open-style panel can facilitate the presenter/moderator to discuss with the panellists; and encourage audience engagement throughout the entire panel.

This style can be more inclusive for all at the discussion, with minimal segregation between presenter/panel/audience. 

Bear in mind the presenter will have to be able to encourage the movement of the discussion, so all areas can be covered adequately, and have good time-management skills.

Q&A style

More of a popular style of panel discussion, a Q&A style panel will have the host open the discussion with a brief introduction of themselves, the panellists and the topics that will be covered. 

The moderator will then ask questions they’ve already planned for, including questions from the audience. For the finale, there will be a closing summary of the topics discussed and a final word from the panel.

Initial Remarks Panel

Similar to the above Q&A style, the initial remarks panel style will have the panellist introducing themselves and providing their viewpoint on the topic in question.

This is followed by the host’s chosen questions and a Q&A session from the audience, which will fit better into an event that is more limited on time.

To round it off, the host will close the discussion with a summary of what has been discussed.

These are the typical panel styles for in-person panel discussions, but what happens when you go virtual?

Although virtual panel discussions may seem more notorious now than before, this doesn’t mean you have to shy away from the pre-conceptive ideas of how a panel should be formatted.

Ultimately, these events can be organised in any way, shape or form. Those watching as attendees can still ask questions (depending on the software you use for the event). The attendee can virtually raise their hand, letting the moderator know there is a question from the audience.

If anything, the moderator can have perhaps more control over the time frame for each panellist’s answer and minimise the chance of panellists talking over one another.

From this point of view, a virtual panel discussion could naturally fall into a well-structured event , basing its format on an Initial Remarks Panel or a Structured Panel Discussion.

The only downside to a virtual panel discussion is that you can’t read your audience. 

Are they getting into this, are the cogs turning, and are they hungry for more ? 

It is also far too easy for an attendee of a virtual discussion to become bored, fatigued, or simply log out of the event.

So it’s imperative to keep the discussion going with the audience in mind - keep them engaged and encourage questions from them.

Later in the blog, we’ll take you through some ideas on how to spice up your event.

After all, online virtual events are notorious for so-called “ Zoom Fatigue ”, making it easy for attendees to either be distracted with something else or facilitate that glazed look of sleepiness. 

Problems you wouldn’t face so much with an in-person event.

As this can be the pinnacle of any conference, meticulous planning of a panel discussion is crucial.

From choosing the right moderator, the suitable variety of panellists, the correct topic of discussion, preparing the right questions, and everything in between; there is a lot to plan for the perfect execution of a fantastic panel discussion. 

But where should preparation start?

You’ll want the panel discussion to focus on a specific topic so it can be truly explored and dissected. 

Therefore, work out why you want to host the discussion ; what value is it that you’re trying to add?

Is it to gain a new perspective/discuss the latest findings on your topic of choice? Or are you wanting to bring attention to the latest industry updates and trends from experts in the field?

The key to determining the purpose is, of course, knowing your audience . What do they want to know, what are their thoughts on specific topics within your industry, and what challenges are they facing and needing help with?

You probably already know how to find out what your audience wants, but if not, you can always send out a quick form with a few questions asking for their thoughts and opinions. 

It is a great way to gain insight into what topics can be covered for the panel discussion , helping you reiterate your event’s purpose, and making the attendees feel more included. It is also an excellent way to get them more interested in the event.

No matter if your discussion is an in-person event or virtual, both will need technology to help it run, so making sure you have the right tech support is crucial.

From microphones to computers and slide shows, event management software such as Zoom, and ticket sales software, a lot of “tech” goes into a panel discussion. 

If using a computer at an in-person event, ensure you have all the cables you need, i.e. laptop charger, cable to link up to a projector, and of course, ensure you have a backup of the presentation if you’re using one.

Do a dummy run a couple of days before the event to ensure all microphones and speakers work and will be charged. The computer/laptop can link up to a projector and work. That all lighting is working, you don’t want a panellist or an audience area sitting in darkness.

If the presenter uses a clicker to enable slide changes, ensure it is linked to the computer and works. It is worthwhile also checking the questions the moderator will ask during the test run for due diligence and reducing the chances of any unnecessary surprises on the day. 

These may seem like little things, but don’t assume everything will work on the day.  

Performing a dummy run will help provide peace of mind and show up anywhere that needs fixing before the event so that everything will work smoothly on the day (hopefully).

If your discussion is virtual , research to find the right platform to host your event and understand how it works from an admin perspective, a panellist, moderator and audience perspective. 

Each will have slightly different ways to access and use the software, so you need to understand each element in case there is a problem; you or a colleague may be able to shed some light on fixing the issue.

If you’re using software to host your event, there should be some tech support for you, so if the event does run into difficulty, you can contact the company’s support team. 

The company should also demonstrate how to use the software, so you can feel confident in running it leading up to and during the event.

This question depends on the style of panel discussion you want to organise.

Traditionally panel discussion would include Q&As at the end of the discussion. However, we now see many including Q&As throughout the presentation via software such as Slido . 

These can be at the end of each question put to the panellists. 

Or asked throughout the answers the panellists are providing. However, the latter is preferred for a more informal panel discussion.

Of course, in our age of technology, questions don’t have to be asked on the day during the event.

Nowadays, it is preferred for panellists (for a research conference) to provide an outline of their papers/work before the event, so the audience has time to prepare their queries and can send in questions before the event (via email and social media).

This can result in a collective and more rounded Q&A session that the panellist and moderator can be prepared for.

When hosting a panel discussion, there are many things to consider to ensure you get the right atmosphere and results.

From finding the right panellists and presenter to helping the audience get a great discussion, there is a lot that goes into planning and hosting the discussion. 

Getting the right panel is crucial to the whole event, so careful planning is needed to get the engaging and stimulating conversation you want from your panel.

You do not want to end up with your discussants in a heated debate that could turn into academic warfare!

Think about what each panellist you have in mind can bring to the table and how their opinions and perspectives could affect the discussion and the other panellists’ personalities and views.

You want to create a good mix of experience levels within your panel; for example, you could include half professors and half researchers within the field. 

This can be an excellent way to help researchers develop within their field, as well as be able to discuss their opinions with those experts. 

It’ll help get a broad range of opinions and perspectives discussed from different areas within a specific field.

Be mindful to ensure the researchers get their chance to speak and are not left behind. Sometimes the focus can gravitate toward the experts only. (Something for the moderator to bear in mind).

Involving guests from various backgrounds, countries, and professions is a fantastic way to get that broad range of perspectives into the discussion, allowing the attendees to gain insight from multiple sources. 

Another crucial factor in the panel discussion is to get the right moderator; some would say the key to a successful panel discussion is the moderator.

Ideally, you want someone who understands the topic but carries a neutral opinion , so there is no natural sway to speak to panellists with the same or similar opinion. They MUST have excellent time management skills too.

After all, they will be in charge of running the event , ensuring everyone has the time to share their expertise, that the audience gets time to ask their questions and leave enough time for the panel to respond. 

Plus, they need to keep the discussion flowing , take care not to linger too long on a particular question, and to definitely not talk about themselves and their experience, which is an easy trap to fall into.

The presenter will need to be able to calm any debate that could escalate yet keep the discussion interesting to the audience.

So it really isn’t as simple as asking questions!

A moderator must be confident enough to interrupt speakers politely to move the conversation on and help the panellists become creative with their answers through unorthodox questioning.

They need to:

• To be in a position where they can see all sides of the discussion.
• To know when an answer is going off-topic and to draw the panellist back to the question at hand,
• Potentially re-word questions if necessary.

It’s recommended that moderators have cue cards and even prompts on the day, which is a great way to help the moderator with presenting. 

Will the event be invitation-only? Will it be a smaller, intimate scenario, or can hundreds of people attend?

The size of the attendee list will naturally change the way the engagement with the audience is handled.

If there is a big audience , it might be worth asking attendees to submit their questions to the event admins before the session to answer as many questions as possible. Plus, it means less of an inconvenience on the day by getting the audience members to access a microphone to ask their questions.

The same can be said if hosting a virtual panel discussion too. 

A bigger attendance could mean the chat channel is flooded with questions, and if too small, audience members may feel unable to ask questions.

Keeping the conversation exciting, moving and the audience engaged is tricky. 

Many factors can contribute to the audience being engaged, including:

• The time of day the panel is being hosted
• The duration of the panel discussion
• Is it in-person or virtual
• Is the audience enjoying what the panel is saying?

So how do you keep them engaged?

Make sure the session flows , and include the audience within the discussion . Whether that’s a Q&A during or after the panellists have finished speaking, make sure the topic of the discussion is audience-focused. Provide them with the information they are looking for.

Ensuring an organised and well-run discussion is only the first step toward a successful panel. How can it be improved to ensure your event is a fantastic discussion?

Use the technology readily available to everyone - smartphones and social media.

Encourage your audience to engage through social media , run polls on Twitter in real-time to see if the audience agrees with what the panel are saying, and get the moderator to feed this into the discussion.

Create a hashtag so attendees can post and tag the discussion on their social media accounts. This allows their followers to see they are attending your panel discussion and encourage other attendees to interact with them.

This will help encourage the discussion to continue after the event and could provide valuable feedback for you to take on board for your subsequent discussion.

Create an online pop-up quiz that attendees can do online via their phone/tablet, or laptop. There are many quiz sites you can use - this will of course need some pre-discussion preparation.

Creative and thought-provoking questions will help pique interest from both the panel and the audience and, hopefully, keep this discussion flowing and memorable.

Hosting a panel discussion is highly recommended for any conference or as a stand-alone event. It is a fantastic way to hear from those in the know from a particular field.

So remember, if handled correctly, all who leave the event will hopefully feel inspired, more knowledgeable and encouraged to take away the information they have received and apply it to their work. Plus, they’ll want to attend your next one, which is always a bonus!

Content Manager

Kristy is the Content Manager mastermind at Oxford Abstracts. She is the lady of words and lives for writing content that truly makes a difference. She also enjoys Halloween far more than the average person should at her age!

Ready to learn more? Book a free demo today

A Complete Guide to Panel Discussions

If you’re ready to have a great discussion with industry panelists to gain quality insights and opinions about a specific topic, a panel discussion is the perfect addition to your event! In this blog, we’ll guide you through how to host one for yourself as well as inspiration for your next panel discussion.

What Is A Panel Discussion? 

 A panel discussion is a type of format where a certain topic is discussed amongst panelists and audience members. It’s a space where valuable insights can be gathered and expert opinions can be shared by important figures in the industry at hand. Typically, there are 4-5 panelists on a stage who answer audience questions, usually lasting around 45 minutes to one hour. A panel moderator will host the segment and ensure the discussion stays on topic between the panelists and audience. 

A Panel Discussion Is NOT: 

A one-on-one interview.

A panel moderator shouldn’t just ask questions, but should add some meaning to the discussions as the dialog develops between panelists and audience members. They are responsible for livening up the event and getting audience members engaged with the discussion at hand. 

Answering questions live from the audience

While it’s important to ask panelists questions from the audience as a way to incorporate them into the discussion, it shouldn’t be audience questions entirely. The moderator should have some questions ready to be asked as a way to gain new perspectives from panelists.

A continuous set of presentations

A best practice for panel discussion is to have a slide or two ready to present that introduces the topic at hand and the panelists that will be speaking. The rest should be prioritizing audience and panel engagement without much reliance on any sort of presentation. 

What Are the Different Types of Panel Discussions? 

1. in- person panel discussion.

In this type of panel discussion, the event takes place fully in person , with the panelists sitting or standing towards the front of the room with an audience sitting in front of them.

2. Hybrid Panel Discussion

With a hybrid panel, the audience has the opportunity to join virtually. The panelists still meet in-person, but the event is live streamed and allows audience members to join virtually and ask questions through the stream. 

3. Virtual Panel Discussion 

With a virtual panel discussion, everything happens online through a video hosting platform like Hubilo . Audience members can engage through live chats and other engagement features so the panelists and moderator can provide the best insights and ideas. 

How to Host A Successful Panel Discussion

Let’s go through the best practices to host a successful panel discussion of your own! 

1. Choose An Interesting Topic 

People will be more inclined to attend your panel discussion if you have a topic that’s interesting or buzz-worthy. Work with your team to narrow down different topic ideas that could generate the right audience for your discussion. 

Read and Learn: How to Add Energy, Impact, and Results at Every Stage of Your Webinar

2. Know Your Purpose 

FIguring out the purpose of your panel discussion is an important step that is crucial before you start in-depth planning. Think of the value you wish to provide audiences members with on the intended topic - do you wish that they gain a new perspective, or update them on the latest innovations in your industry? These are all important questions to figure out the exact purpose of your panel discussion. 

3. Prepare a List of Questions Ahead of Time 

To ensure your panel members give you and your audience their best insights and knowledge on the topic at hand, send them the questions you’ll be asking ahead of time. By sending them 2-3 questions you’re planning on asking before the discussion, they can prepare their answers to the best of their ability. 

4. Choose the Right Panelists 

To provide the most insightful experience for your discussion audience, you’ll want to gather quality panelists to join the discussion. Once you find the topic you’ll want to discuss, do some research on who you believe would be a great fit to speak on said subject. It’s a good idea to mix in panelists with a range of experience levels to get all sorts of perspectives as well. Check out what other panels your potential speakers have spoken on to see if they would qualify for yours. 

5. Give Time for Panelists to Prepare 

Other than the panel questions, additional information should be sent out to your panel guests to prepare them. Information on what your intended audience is like could be a great piece of insight for your panelists so they can prepare their answers beforehand. Your event will be even better when your panelists can prepare their answers, ensuring that they provide answers to the best of their abilities. 

6. A Strong Moderator Should Lead

A moderator who’s an expert at their craft will know that moderating takes a certain level of leadership. As the leader of the panel, a moderator is in charge of keeping the audience engaged with the material and making it fun for guests. It’s important that the moderator uses language that the audience understands and manages the pane; time in an effective manner. 

7. Introduce the Moderator to the Panelists

Make the panel environment more comfortable by introducing everyone involved. Host a small gathering, either virtual or in person, where the moderator and panelists can meet and get to know one another before the event. This will make the panel discussion better for everyone involved, as interacting with people you’ve met is better than with strangers. 

8. Prepare the Questions and Prompts 

One of the best practices for running a successful panel discussion is to come prepared for the event. This not only includes introducing the moderator and panelists, but also preparing questions and answers ahead of time. Have your moderator ask open ended questions so panelists can elaborate and have a chance to show their expertise. Your panelists’ background can also come into play with questions; asking them questions that relates to their professional background can give them a chance to open up on their professional experiences on the matter. 

Download Hubilo's Webinar Success Blueprint to get our Essential Planning Checklist for Winning Events

9. Keep Your Questions Short and Relevant 

No one wants to sit through a panel question that takes an entire hour to answer, especially when there’s so many more thoughts to share. The moderator of your panel discussion should keep the questions they ask to a moderate length to ensure there’s plenty of time to cover enough questions. Keeping the questions short but impactful is what makes a great panel discussion! 

10. Make the Best Room for Attendees

Where you host your panel discussion should be chosen carefully, as the space will play an important role in how it is run. A few factors to consider are: 

Narrow down what kind of atmosphere you’d like your event to have, and base the space off of that. For example, if you’re hosting a panel discussion off something in the medical field, hosting it in a gymnasium might not be the right atmosphere. 

Hosting your panel discussion in a space where participants can focus and listen closely is ideal. Holding it in the middle of a busy area will be distracting and not give everyone the chance to retain as much information as you’d like. 

Depending on the size you wish to make your discussion, choosing a space that meets the event size is key. You don’t want to fit a small audience into a room that is oversized, and vice versa. 

11. Practice Good Time Management 

One of the most important qualities you should have as a panel discussion moderator is time management . As you plan out a discussion agenda, make sure to include appropriate time for your event introduction as well as panelist introductions and a 10 minute Q & A segment. You’re in charge of making sure the discussion remains in your allotted time schedule, so it would be valuable to figure out how much time each question and answer will take. 

12. Prepare Your “Cutoff Phrases” Ahead of Time

Going along with the skill of time management, it’ll be helpful to have any phrases or things to say in case something goes over time or off topic. For example, if one panelist is giving an answer that’s longer than expected, say something along the lines of “Thank you for that insightful information, Sam! Let’s jump to John to see what he has to offer about this subject.” It can be beneficial to ask your panelists if they have any preferred cutoff phrases to ensure they’re comfortable and understand what is going on. 

13. Engage the Audience

Make the panel discussion fun for audience members, too! Have your event planner put together a live poll or include a Q & A session. Holding an online poll will benefit your discussion because you can gauge what your audience wants to learn about and base your questions off of their answers. Adding gamification like live polls to your event can also be fun for attendees to keep them engaged ! 

14. Have Microphones in the Audience for the Q & A Session

When you hold your audience Q & A segment, have microphones placed in different areas of the event to make it easy for yourself and audience members. This way you won’t have to pass along just one mic and your audience won’t have to travel to receive one!  It’s also crucial to establish rules as your audience asks questions and reinforce that everyone behaves with respect. 

Most Commonly Used Panel Discussion Formats to Build Up Creativity

1. structured panel discussion formats .

• Presentation Style

For this style, you would introduce the panelists and topics that will be discussed, and after each one of the panelists can go into their topics and insights followed by the audience Q &A. 

• Initial Remarks Style 

This style is where panelists introduce themselves individually then go on to share their insights on a topic. The Q&A session would then be followed and guided by moderator questions. 

• Mainstage Style

This is a shorter style format with no Q&A session, but rather an impactful one with panel members as the main speakers including the keynote speaker, main stage presenters, and panelists. 

• Q&A Style

With this style, the time spent on panelist speakers will be short and will be more focused around questions; this includes moderator questions and audience questions. 

2. Get Inspiration from a Popular Movie or Show 

There are so many great TV shows and movies that you can model your panel discussion after! You can choose from hot seat formats that model classic shows like American Idol or The Voice, or talk show formats like “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Where the tv hosts and guests talk about a number of topics. 

3. Audience Driven Panel Discussion Formats 

WIth audience driven panel discussion formats, you can allow them to lead the conversation. These can be:

•  Crowdsourced question format 

With this format, you can have guests submit their questions in one place before the event through an app or survey. You can use those results to collect questions that seem to be the most popular for your panel. 

• Capture the Question format

In small groups, have each one think of questions they’d like to ask and have each group select one to ask the next question. 

• Screened Question Format

With this kind of format, the audience submits any questions they have through social media like Twitter, meeting cards, or an event app. 

4. Room Set Panel Discussion Formats 

Not only is the room where you hold a panel discussion very important, but also the way the room is set up. There are a few setup options that you can use for your panel discussion, including an empty chair format, musical chair format, or fishbowl format. Depending on what you’d like to talk about or how you want to discuss the topics, you can use different formats!

5. Event Theme Panel Discussion Formats 

 There are different types of event theme formats that you can choose from for your panel discussion. They can be a theme based on your location, a theme based on the topics being discussed, or a theme based on the panel format. 

Best Technology to Use for Virtual Panel Discussions

If you decide to host a panel discussion virtually, there are a variety of hosting platforms to choose from. Each platform is different and you can choose one that fits the goals of your discussion. With a platform like Hubilo, you can include a number of engagement features that will have your audience excited to attend. You can include gamification, live chats, and polls and surveys. Analytics is another element Hubilo offers that allows you to track how your event went and how your audience interacted with the discussion. 

‍ 1. Why Should B2B Tech Companies Consider Hosting Panel Discussions?

Answer: Panel discussions offer a unique platform for thought leadership. They provide an opportunity to delve deep into industry-specific topics, foster meaningful conversations, and showcase the expertise of panel members, which can help position the hosting company as a leader in the field.

2. How Do I Choose the Right Topic for a B2B Tech Panel Discussion?

Answer: The topic should resonate with your target audience and be relevant to current industry trends. Conduct some market research to understand your audience's pain points and interests, and choose a topic that addresses those needs while also aligning with your company's expertise.

3. What Makes a Good Panelist for a B2B Tech Discussion?

Answer: A good panelist should have subject matter expertise, a proven track record in the industry, and good communication skills. A diverse panel that brings in different perspectives can make the discussion more engaging and insightful.

4. How Do I Promote a Panel Discussion Effectively?

Answer: Use a multi-channel approach that includes social media, email newsletters, and partnerships with other organizations. Consider creating teaser content like blog posts or social media snippets to generate interest. Don’t forget to leverage the networks of your panelists for promotion as well.

5. How Can I Engage the Audience During the Panel Discussion?

Answer: Utilize interactive elements like real-time polls, Q&A sessions, and social media hashtags to keep the audience involved. In a virtual setting, features like chat boxes can also be used for audience interaction.

6. What Technical Aspects Should I Consider for a Virtual Panel Discussion?

Answer: Ensure that you have a reliable internet connection, high-quality audio and video equipment, and a backup plan in case of technical glitches. It’s also advisable to have a technical moderator to manage the virtual platform during the discussion.

7. How Do I Make the Panel Discussion More Accessible?

Answer: For virtual panel discussions, providing captions can make the event more accessible. If hosting an in-person panel, consider things like wheelchair accessibility and sign language interpreters.

8. What Should Be the Duration of a Panel Discussion?

Answer: A typical panel discussion for a B2B tech audience can last between 45 to 90 minutes, including time for audience Q&A. However, the duration can vary depending on the topic's complexity and the audience's engagement level.

9. How Can I Repurpose the Content from a Panel Discussion?

Answer: The discussion can be broken down into shorter video clips, blog posts, or even infographics highlighting key points. You can also convert the panel discussion into a podcast episode or create a whitepaper summarizing the insights gained.

10. How Do I Measure the Success of a Panel Discussion?

Answer: Metrics such as attendance rate, audience engagement (e.g., questions asked, polls participated in), and post-event survey feedback can help gauge the success of the panel discussion. Monitoring social media mentions and the reach of repurposed content can also provide valuable insights.

Conclusion 

Panel discussions are one of the best ways to spread expert information and insights on any topic at hand. With the help of this guide, you’re on your way to hosting one of the best panel discussions yet! For extra assistance in hosting a virtual panel discussion, reach out to the experts at Hubilo !

Related posts

Hubilo is the webinar platform built for marketers that helps you 2X your pipeline. Founded in 2015, Hubilo's powerful engagement features, dedicated client experience team, and custom branding tools have helped create over 12K virtual events & webinars, creating hundreds of millions of minutes of high-engagement experiences and counting. Headquartered in Bengaluru and San Francisco, Hubilo's 200+ employees are dedicated to enabling webinars & virtual events that convert.

Stay connected with us.

Discover how Hubilo's Webinar+ can help you 2X your pipeline

Who are you

160 Questions to Ask After a Presentation

Asking questions after a presentation is not just about seeking clarity on what was discussed. It’s a golden opportunity to delve deeper, engage with the speaker, and enhance your understanding of the subject matter. But knowing which questions to ask isn’t always straightforward.

In this piece, we’re about to break down the art of crafting impactful questions post-presentation that will not only benefit you but also add value to the entire audience’s experience.

Table of Contents

Questions to Ask After a Presentation for Feedback

Questions to ask after a presentation interview, questions to ask students after a presentation, questions to ask after a research presentation, questions to ask after a business presentation, questions to ask after a marketing presentation, questions to ask after a book presentation, reflection questions to ask after a presentation, frequently asked questions, final thoughts.

• Can you summarize the key points of the presentation?
• What aspect of the presentation did you find most engaging?
• Were there any areas that were unclear or confusing? If so, what were they?
• How would you rate the overall organization and flow of the presentation?
• Did the visual aids (such as slides or charts) enhance your understanding of the topic? Why or why not?
• Did the presenter maintain good eye contact and use body language effectively?
• Was the presenter’s tone and pace suitable for the content and audience?
• Were there any statistics or facts presented that stood out to you? Why?
• Did the presenter address potential counter-arguments or opposing views adequately?
• Were the objectives of the presentation clearly stated and met?
• How well did the presenter handle questions or interruptions during the presentation?
• Was there anything in the presentation that seemed unnecessary or redundant?
• What would you suggest to improve the presentation for future audiences?
• How did the presentation change or influence your thinking about the subject?
• Did the presentation feel tailored to the audience’s knowledge and interest level?
• Was there a clear and compelling call to action or concluding statement?
• Did the presentation feel too short, too long, or just the right length?
• What was your overall impression of the presenter’s credibility and expertise on the subject?
• How would you rate the relevance and importance of the topic to the audience?
• Can you identify any biases or assumptions in the presentation that may have influenced the message?
• How did you determine what content to include in your presentation?
• Can you explain the rationale behind the structure and flow of your presentation?
• What challenges did you face while preparing this presentation, and how did you overcome them?
• Were there any points in the presentation where you felt you could have elaborated more or less? Why?
• How did you decide on the visual elements and design of your presentation?
• Can you describe your intended audience and how you tailored the content to engage them?
• How did you ensure that the information presented was accurate and up-to-date?
• Were there any counter-arguments or opposing views on this topic that you considered including?
• How would you adapt this presentation for a different audience or context?
• How do you handle unexpected questions or interruptions during a presentation?
• Can you give an example of how you’ve handled negative feedback on a presentation in the past?
• How do you measure the success of a presentation? What metrics or feedback do you seek?
• What techniques do you use to engage an audience that may not be familiar with the topic?
• How do you balance the need to entertain and inform in a presentation?
• How do you prioritize information when you have a limited time to present?
• What strategies do you employ to ensure that your main points are memorable?
• How do you deal with nerves or anxiety before or during a presentation?
• Can you describe a situation where a presentation did not go as planned and how you handled it?
• How do you keep up with the latest trends and best practices in presenting?
• Is there anything you would change about this presentation if you were to do it again?
• How did you feel about the presentation? Were you confident or nervous, and why?
• What was the main message or goal of your presentation, and do you think you achieved it?
• How did you decide on the structure of your presentation?
• What research methods did you use to gather information for this presentation?
• Were there any challenges you encountered while preparing or presenting, and how did you address them?
• How did you ensure that your visual aids or multimedia elements supported your key points?
• What part of the presentation are you most proud of, and why?
• Were there any areas where you felt uncertain or that you would like to improve upon for next time?
• How did you tailor your presentation to fit the knowledge level and interest of your audience?
• What techniques did you use to engage the audience, and how do you think they worked?
• How did you practice your presentation, and what adjustments did you make as a result?
• Did you feel the time allotted for your presentation was sufficient? Why or why not?
• How did you decide what to emphasize or de-emphasize in your presentation?
• What feedback did you receive from peers during the preparation, and how did you incorporate it?
• Did you have a clear conclusion or call to action, and why did you choose it?
• How do you think your presentation style affects the way your audience receives your message?
• What would you do differently if you were to present this topic again?
• Can you reflect on a piece of feedback or a question from the audience that made you think?
• How has this presentation helped you better understand the subject matter?
• How will the skills and insights gained from this presentation experience benefit you in the future?
• Can you elaborate on the research question and what prompted you to investigate this topic?
• How did you choose the methodology for this research, and why was it the most suitable approach?
• Can you discuss any limitations or constraints within your research design and how they might have affected the results?
• How do your findings align or contrast with existing literature or previous research in this field?
• Were there any unexpected findings, and if so, how do you interpret them?
• How did you ensure the reliability and validity of your data?
• Can you discuss the ethical considerations involved in your research, and how were they addressed?
• What are the practical implications of your findings for practitioners in the field?
• How might your research contribute to theoretical development within this discipline?
• What recommendations do you have for future research based on your findings?
• Can you provide more details about your sample size and selection process?
• How did you handle missing or inconsistent data within your research?
• Were there any biases that could have influenced the results, and how were they mitigated?
• How do you plan to disseminate these findings within the academic community or to the broader public?
• Can you discuss the significance of your research within a broader social, economic, or cultural context?
• What feedback have you received from peers or advisors on this research, and how has it shaped your work?
• How does your research fit into your long-term academic or professional goals?
• Were there any particular challenges in conveying complex research findings to a general audience, and how did you address them?
• How does this research presentation fit into the larger project or research agenda, if applicable?
• Can you provide more insight into the interdisciplinary aspects of your research, if any, and how they contributed to the depth or breadth of understanding?
• Can you elaborate on the primary objectives and expected outcomes of this business initiative?
• How does this strategy align with the overall mission and vision of the company?
• What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that you’ll be monitoring to gauge success?
• Can you discuss the risks associated with this plan, and how have you prepared to mitigate them?
• How does this proposal fit within the current market landscape, and what sets it apart from competitors?
• What are the potential financial implications of this plan, including both investments and projected returns?
• Can you provide more detail about the timeline and milestones for implementation?
• What internal and external resources will be required, and how have you planned to allocate them?
• How did you gather and analyze the data presented, and how does it support your conclusions?
• How does this proposal take into account regulatory compliance and ethical considerations?
• What are the potential challenges or roadblocks, and what strategies are in place to overcome them?
• Can you explain how this initiative aligns with or affects other ongoing projects or departments within the company?
• How will this plan impact stakeholders, and how have their interests and concerns been addressed?
• What contingency plans are in place if the initial strategy doesn’t achieve the desired results?
• How will success be communicated and celebrated within the organization?
• What opportunities for collaboration or partnership with other organizations exist within this plan?
• How does this proposal consider sustainability and the potential long-term impact on the environment and community?
• How have you incorporated feedback or lessons learned from previous similar initiatives?
• What are the key takeaways you’d like us to remember from this presentation?
• How can we get involved or support this initiative moving forward?
• Can you elaborate on the target audience for this marketing campaign, and how were they identified?
• What are the main objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) for this campaign?
• How does this marketing strategy align with the overall brand values and business goals?
• What channels will be utilized, and why were they chosen for this particular campaign?
• Can you discuss the expected return on investment (ROI) and how it will be measured?
• What are the creative concepts driving this campaign, and how do they resonate with the target audience?
• How does this campaign consider the competitive landscape, and what sets it apart from competitors’ efforts?
• What are the potential risks or challenges with this marketing plan, and how will they be mitigated?
• Can you provide more details about the budget allocation across different marketing channels and activities?
• How have customer insights or feedback been integrated into the campaign strategy?
• What contingency plans are in place if certain elements of the campaign do not perform as expected?
• How will this marketing initiative be integrated with other departments or business functions, such as sales or customer service?
• How does this campaign consider sustainability or social responsibility, if at all?
• What tools or technologies will be used to execute and monitor this campaign?
• Can you discuss the timeline and key milestones for the launch and ongoing management of the campaign?
• How will the success of this campaign be communicated both internally and externally?
• How does this marketing strategy consider potential regulatory or compliance issues?
• How will the campaign be adapted or customized for different markets or segments, if applicable?
• What lessons from previous campaigns were applied in the development of this strategy?
• How can we, as a team or as individuals, support the successful implementation of this marketing plan?
• What inspired the main theme or concept of the book?
• Can you describe the intended audience for this book, and why they would find it appealing?
• How did the characters’ development contribute to the overall message of the book?
• What research was conducted (if any) to ensure the authenticity of the setting, characters, or events?
• Were there any challenges or ethical considerations in writing or presenting this book?
• How does this book fit into the current literary landscape or genre? What sets it apart?
• What do you believe readers will find most engaging or thought-provoking about this book?
• Can you discuss any symbolic elements or literary devices used in the book and their significance?
• How does the book’s structure (e.g., point of view, chronological order) contribute to its impact?
• What were the emotional highs and lows during the writing or reading of this book, and how do they reflect in the story?
• How does the book address or reflect contemporary social, cultural, or political issues?
• Were there any parts of the book that were particularly difficult or rewarding to write or read?
• How does this book relate to the author’s previous works or the evolution of their writing style?
• What feedback or responses have been received from readers, critics, or peers, and how have they influenced the presentation?
• What are the main takeaways or lessons you hope readers will gain from this book?
• How might this book be used in educational settings, and what age group or courses would it be suitable for?
• Can you discuss the process of editing, publishing, or marketing the book, if applicable?
• How does the book’s cover art or design reflect its content or attract its target readership?
• Are there plans for a sequel, adaptation, or related works in the future?
• How can readers stay engaged with the author or the book’s community, such as through social media, book clubs, or events?
• How do you feel the presentation went overall, and why?
• What part of the presentation are you most proud of, and what made it successful?
• Were there any moments where you felt challenged or uncertain? How did you handle those moments?
• How did you perceive the audience’s engagement and reaction? Were there any surprises?
• What feedback have you received from others, and how does it align with your self-assessment?
• Were there any technical difficulties or unexpected obstacles, and how were they addressed?
• How well did you manage your time during the presentation? Were there areas that needed more or less focus?
• How did you feel before the presentation, and how did those feelings change throughout?
• What strategies did you use to connect with the audience, and how effective were they?
• Were there any points that you felt were misunderstood or could have been communicated more clearly?
• How did the preparation process contribute to the overall success or challenges of the presentation?
• What did you learn about yourself as a communicator or presenter through this experience?
• Were there any ethical considerations in the content or delivery of the presentation, and how were they handled?
• How does this presentation align with your long-term goals or professional development?
• How would you approach this presentation differently if you had to do it again?
• How has this presentation affected your confidence or skills in public speaking or presenting?
• What resources or support would have enhanced your preparation or performance?
• How will you apply what you’ve learned from this presentation to future projects or presentations?
• How did your understanding of the topic change or deepen through the process of preparing and presenting?
• What steps will you take to continue improving or building on the skills demonstrated in this presentation?

What if I disagree with a point made during the presentation?

It’s important to frame disagreement in a constructive and respectful way. You might say, “ I found your point on X intriguing. From a different perspective, could Y also be considered…? ” This opens up a dialogue without dismissing the presenter’s viewpoint.

How can I formulate my questions to encourage a more detailed answer?

Use open-ended questions that start with “ how ,” “ why, ” or “ could you explain… ” as these require more than a yes or no answer and encourage the presenter to provide depth. For example, “ Could you explain the process behind your research findings in more detail? “

By asking insightful questions, you’re not only cementing your understanding of the material presented but also opening doors to further knowledge and collaboration. Remember, the quality of your questions reflects the depth of your engagement and willingness to learn.

So, the next time you find yourself in the audience, seize the opportunity to ask meaningful questions and watch as simple presentations transform into dialogues that inspire and illuminate.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

As you found this post useful...

Share it on social media!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Bea Mariel Saulo

Bea is an editor and writer with a passion for literature and self-improvement. Her ability to combine these two interests enables her to write informative and thought-provoking articles that positively impact society. She enjoys reading stories and listening to music in her spare time.

What is Good Friday? What the holy day means for Christians around the world

Christians around the world observe Good Friday two days before Easter, but what is it, and why do they commemorate the holy day?

The holiday is part of Holy Week, which leads up to Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday kicks off the series of Christian holy days that commemorate the Crucifixion and celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection.

"Good Friday has been, for centuries now, the heart of the Christian message because it is through the death of Jesus Christ that Christians believe that we have been forgiven of our sins," Daniel Alvarez, an associate teaching professor of religious studies at Florida International University, told USA TODAY.

What is Holy Saturday? What the day before Easter means for Christians around the world

When is Good Friday?

Good Friday is always the Friday before Easter. It's the second-to-last day of Holy Week.

In 2024, Good Friday will fall on March 29.

What is Good Friday?

Good Friday is the day Christ was sacrificed on the cross. According to Britannica , it is a day for "sorrow, penance, and fasting."

"Good Friday is part of something else," Gabriel Radle, an assistant professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, previously told USA TODAY. "It's its own thing, but it's also part of something bigger."

Are Good Friday and Passover related?

Alvarez says that Good Friday is directly related to the Jewish holiday, Passover.

Passover , or Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt.

"The whole Christian idea of atoning for sin, that Jesus is our atonement, is strictly derived from the Jewish Passover tradition," said Alvarez.

How is that possible?

According to the professor, Passover celebrates the day the "Angel of Death" passed over the homes of Israelites who were enslaved by the Egyptians. He said that the Bible states when the exodus happened, families were told to paint their doors with lamb's blood so that God would spare the lives of their firstborn sons.

Alvarez says this is why Christians call Jesus the "lamb of God." He adds that the symbolism of the "blood of the lamb" ties the two stories together and is why Christians believe God sacrificed his firstborn son. Because, through his blood, humanity is protected from the "wrath of a righteous God that cannot tolerate sin."

He adds that the stories of the exodus and the Crucifixion not only further tie the stories together but also emphasize just how powerful the sacrifice of the firstborn and the shedding of blood are in religion.

"Jesus is the firstborn, so the whole idea of the death of the firstborn is crucial," said Alvarez.

He adds that the sacrifice of the firstborn, specifically a firstborn son, comes from an ancient and "primitive" idea that the sacrifice unleashes "tremendous power that is able to fend off any kind of force, including the wrath of God."

Why Is Good Friday so somber?

Alavarez says people might think this holiday is more depressing or sad than others because of how Catholics commemorate the Crucifixion.

"I think [it's] to a level that some people might think is morbid," said Alvarez.

He said Catholics not only meditate on Jesus' death, but primarily focus on the suffering he faced in the events that led up to his Crucifixion. That's what makes it such a mournful day for people.

But, the professor says that Jesus' suffering in crucial to Christianity as a whole.

"The suffering of Christ is central to the four Gospels," said Alvarez. "Everything else is incidental."

According to the professor, statues that use blood to emphasize the way Jesus and Catholic saints suffered is very common in Spanish and Hispanic Countries, but not as prevalent in American churches.

Do you fast on Good Friday?

Father Dustin Dought, the executive director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, previously told USA TODAY that Good Friday and Ash Wednesday are the two days in the year that Roman Catholics are obliged to fast.

"This practice is a way of emptying ourselves so that we can be filled with God," said Dought.

What do you eat on Good Friday?

Many Catholics do not eat meat on any Friday during Lent. Anything with flesh is off-limits. Dought says this practice is to honor the way Jesus sacrificed his flesh on Good Friday.

Meat that is off limits includes:

Instead, many Catholics will eat fish. According to the Marine Stewardship Council , this is allowed because fish is considered to be a different type of flesh.

Contributing: Jordan Mendoza ; USA TODAY

The presentation of content

Not to be l whiny or something but I really believe this is something that the company can work on to improving and that would help the new stuff they are working on for us be received more positively.

It feels like they say they hear that we don’t feel there is communication and they wanna improve that, and then they sort of stop all communication even to the point of sharing what new stuff they are working on. Lol

Like a whole opposite direction of “we hear you”.

And I’m not saying that they aren’t doing a good job of listening because they obviously are making some great improvements to the game and I enjoy dragonflight a lot.

But the whole “don’t you have phones” feeling is making a come back with their weird releases of surprises. Like people get excited for new world of Warcraft content and when it doesn’t deliver maybe as they hoped it did at first… honestly it feels like they turn around and say we are the ones that don’t get it and are always unhappy or whatever. At least as somebody who plays wow and listens to others that stream about wow… it’s sort of how it feels.

It’s weird to me I guess. You’re hyping things up a lot without really even saying a thing about it and then mad if people don’t just hop on board with it.

Just adding a comment to increase my post counts.

“Tacos are nice.”

So the outrage with the diablo team vs diablo fans was deserved for what they pulled. I wouldn’t necessarily compare that to the wow team as we’ve gotten the most content the fastest out of any xpack in recent history. Wow, players believe they deserve something that progresses their individual play style every single patch and when that doesn’t happen people on the forums and the twitter drones buzz. IMO wow over communicates to the point where any patch they do is solved 1 or 2 months before it ever releases.

The fact they held plunder close to the chest, and it stayed a secret, was cool. Not knowing exactly what’s coming is alright every now and then. Bliz could have told us exactly what was in this patch months ago and people would still be upset, the madge, sadge posts would have just happened back then instead of now. thats really the only change.

Yeah maybe. I guess if they said that plunderstorm was something new coming out alongside the patch tho… it probably wouldn’t have been as bad as it was lol.

I mean I don’t think I DESERVE something that progresses my character rofl but I actually did assume it would be in the actual world of Warcraft with my character. It’s a truly new concept they came up with and it’s good. But the way it was received wasn’t really uncalled for either imo.

Like I completely assume that the new pve surprise content will be able to be done in wow with my character too.

I think its an idea of how pvp can be done in wow and get people invovled without the need to understand every class and every spell in that class. I think its only not in regular wow as a test if it does well i could see it easily being added into the main game.

Yeah im not calling you out, just some of these people are never going to be happy. You can look at what they post on the forums and they contradict themselves every other thing they type.

Who knows, maybe it’s another game mode this time just in a pve format. In interested in anything they throw at us though!

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is Big, Goofy Fun (Spoiler Discussion‪)‬ /Film Daily

• Film Reviews

On the March 29, 2024 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor Ben Pearson is joined by /Film editor Brad Oman to have a spoiler-filled conversation about Adam Wingard’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. In Our Feature Presentation: Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire Review: Big, Silly, And Undeniably Entertaining What the movie did wellWhat it did not do so wellFavorite moments/scenesHow does this film stack up against the other MonsterVerse movies? Godzilla X Kong's Villain Posed An Interesting Problem For The Filmmakers Godzilla X Kong Just Set A MonsterVerse Record At The Box Office All the other stuff you need to know: You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today’s show at slashfilm.com, and linked inside the show notes./Film Daily is published every weekday, bringing you the most exciting news from the world of movies and TV as well as deeper dives into the great features from slashfilm.com. You can subscribe to /Film Daily on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.Send your feedback, questions, comments, concerns, and mailbag topics to us at [email protected]. Please leave your name and general geographic location in case we mention your e-mail on the air.Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - that helps us out a lot. And tell your friends about the show! Thanks to Sam Hume for our logo. Our Sponsors: * Check out Marvel Strike Force by following this link and use code MAXPOOL: https://t.ly/uPSOT Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

• More Episodes
• Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.