Michelle de Deus - Chapter Presentation Reflection #1

Chapter Presentation Review 

Michelle de Deus
SPC2608 9:50am
Professor Sinkoff

Group #1- Chapters 1-3,5

I think Group #1 did a great job with the information of their chapters. I thought the presentation was very well organized and nice to look at. In their presentation, I learned how to adapt to an audience. The group's speakers were able to keep my attention and speak cohesively. A few things I would have personally done differently, I would have shortened the information on the slides. I found them to be a bit too wordy as well as almost distracting. Reading off the slides is what most people are typically used to so it's not all that bad, but that is something else I would mention that needs to be improved. Having confidence while presenting is also an important factor, it’s easy and normal to get nervous. Swaying and speaking low are signs of this, completely normal. Continuing to present will help this anxiety, as well as developing methods to realize it's not that big of a deal! With the information on the slides though, I would recommend only writing the key words and memorizing their definitions or the information that surrounds the topic. The images they used were good. The video they used however, the TEDx Talks video, was a bit too long in my opinion. I can agree it is a good informational video, however I would choose a short form video as another group had done. All in all, I think this group did a great job and deserves a great score for their hard work.

  Group #2- Chapters 4,6-8

Group #2 I found to be very good as well, certain presenters I do believe did better than others. There were certain presenters ( I don't remember who, sorry) who had memorized everything they were presenting and used great analogies and metaphors to improve their presentation. Those were wonderful examples of how to present a project following the given rubric. There also were some presenters who read off their slides and didn't speak with as much confidence. Which is totally okay for the first presentation! Getting nervous is normal and being a little underprepared is too. The pictures they used in their PowerPoint were also great, I think they fit the information on screen very well. The speakers dressed appropriately, and seemingly casual. We didn't have any dress code for this presentation, but this group still dressed appropriately. Certain slides are done perfectly, minimal words and lots of speaking. Those slides have the topic and its key words. The speakers of those slides and defined them verbally and used a great metaphor and/or analogy to better explain to the audience. Other slides however, gave the key words or key topics and fully defined them making the slide look a bit difficult to grasp. This group’s speakers/ presenters had great examples when they were using them to get the audience's attention and help them understand what they're talking about. I learned more about specifics on topics I already generally knew. Overall, I do believe that this group did a great job and gave it their best effort.

Group #3- Chapters 9-12

Group #3 had a great presentation, the speakers were very clear and precise. They dressed  appropriately and came prepared. Their presentation was very thought out. It was a very long presentation with many slides, more than the other groups. However, that doesn't take away how good the presentation was. The images used in the presentation were absolutely great! I think they were perfect for the slides they used on each information topic. The information on the slides had both the key words and their definitions which is not the best for the point of memorizing and verbally speaking about the key words. Only a few key points are needed on each slide. Reading off the slide and turning your back to the audience can be a bit distracting and might come off in a negative way to the audience. Getting nervous, speaking low, and being jittery are all normal parts of experiencing anxiety while presenting. Getting over presentation anxiety starts within yourself. In this presentation I learned cool facts about language and how important it really is. In this presentation they also reviewed body language in public speaking which is incredibly important. Presenting in front of an audience, there are eyes on you and you must satisfy your audience. I think Group #3 worked really well together, I could tell the group were friends and had great chemistry. Having supporters while presenting is also very important. In conclusion, I think this group’s presentation was phenomenal and deserves appreciation for their efforts.

Group #4- Chapters 13-17

Group #4 was my group! We worked very well together and really enjoyed working together. Deciding who took each chapter was an easy decision. During the process of creating the project, we checked up on each other and offered help. We had a few people working on the longer chapters together and their conjoined efforts came out great. We had planned to come dressed wearing the same outfit, a black shirt and denim jeans. This was coordinated by our group leader. Learning about my chapter, 14, was simple. It was a lengthy chapter but I was able to understand it completely. I learned about the different kinds of audiences and what they're called. I also learned the ethics of persuasion such as avoiding manipulation and coercion. I practiced what I was going to say in my presentation and also brought a paper to read off a few key words if I needed a reminder. Other people in my group did a great job at completely remembering a script, bringing nothing with them and just speaking as if they had invented the topic. We used pictures and videos in our presentation keeping viewers' attention but not bombarding them with pictures. Our video was meant to be a clip and we just clipped it whilst showing it. A few of us dealt with anxiety with presenting, myself included, which was overcome after the presentation came to an end. Overall, working with my group was a wonderful experience and I hope to keep improving with them.