Composing the Written Part of the Oral Presentation
Many instructors assign oral presentations as part of the assigned work for various subjects. The instructor wants to see how well a student can take an idea and put it into a presentation. The planning part of an oral presentation is similar to writing an essay. An oral presentation includes choosing a topic, researching, writing parts of the presentation, and then giving the oral presentation. This essay looks at writing the written part of the presentation.
First, create a good introduction to the topic. Use an anecdote or quote a statistic. On the other hand, use a thought-provoking question or share an appropriate quotation. Any of these are hooks or attention getting devices and should be used to begin the introductory paragraph.
Next, state the thesis. What is the purpose of the oral presentation? What are the main points? Create a thesis that summarizes what you plan to do during the presentation. Why is the topic important? Why have you chosen this subject for a presentation? The thesis should be similar to a road map in that it states the purpose of the presentation, the importance of the topic, and the main points.
Now, organize and support the main points in the body section of the written presentation. Explain or describe each part of the topic so that the audience understands what is being said and why it is important. Any of these methods can be used: order of importance, chronological order, compare/contrast/cause and effect, or problem/solution. How do you plan to present the information during the oral presentation? Use a similar format for the written presentation.
Finally, the conclusion of the written part of the presentation should briefly summarize the main points and then give a take-away value or something for the readers to think about after reading the written part of the presentation. This can be done through making a bold persuasive statement or asking a question. A good conclusion helps the audience to understand what they have read, why it is important, and what they should do with the information.
The written part of the presentation sums up what is planned in the oral presentation. Some people use the written part of the presentation as a guideline for the oral presentation. It helps them to organize their main points and guides them throughout the presentation.
In writing the written part of the presentation remember it is like a roadmap that will guide the person in creating the oral presentation. Ask yourself whether you have gained the reader's attention in the introductory paragraph? If not, create another hook that will get the reader's attention. What there are interesting statistics? What funny experiences have happened that might be used for introducing the topic? Use something that will grab the reader's attention. Have you used main topic sentences for each paragraph? Have you supported these with evidence? What type of order have you used in writing the presentation? What are the main ideas that you want to get across to the audience? Be sure to put these as a focal main point and support these as needed. Have you created an interesting conclusion that leaves the reader thinking about the presentation? If not, rewrite the conclusion. Does the written presentation represent the oral presentation? Do you have a written presentation that will show the importance of the oral presentation? Have you left out any main point? If this is a persuasive presentation, does the written part of the presentation affectively present why you chose this point of view?
Always proofread and rewrite any written assignment. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.