CS Field Session

Summary

* Presentation time does not include Q&A, which will follow each presentation (2-3 minutes).

Rubric

You will be evaluated both as a team and individually. Presentation time should be roughly proportional for each team member.

Appropriate Dress

For the first two presentations, we ask you to dress "business casual", while the final presentation is "business professional". These are somewhat fluid terms, so here are some recommendations on dress for CS Field Session presentations:

Business casual

• Acceptable
  • Dress/skirt/slacks/blouse
  • Collared shirt (polo or button-down) and slacks or jeans
  • Dress or casual shoes, sneakers in good condition
• Avoid
  • Shorts, sweats, gym apparel
  • Baseball caps
  • Clothes with rips/tears (e.g., distressed jeans)
  • Flip-flops or slides
  • Very low-cut top or short hemline, very high heels

Business professional

• Acceptable
  • Dress/skirt/slacks/blouse
  • Button-down shirt and slacks
  • Dress or casual shoes
• Avoid
  • Shorts, sweats, gym apparel
  • Baseball caps
  • Jeans
  • Sneakers, flip-flops or slides
  • Very low-cut top or short hemline, very high heels

Presenting Tips

Some good suggestions for all presentations:

1. Use no font smaller than 18 pts. We cannot listen when we are trying to decode a small font.
2. Spell check!
3. Don't apologize for a bad slide. Make sure it is good. Test it on the projector if you need to.
4. Do not try to put too many words on a slide. The audience will try to read what you have written and not listen to you. It also tends to annoy the audience since they are there to be informed and entertained. For wordy slides, it is better to let the audience read it and then discuss it afterwards.
5. Background color should be unobtrusive. Don't embed your humor into a "cutesy" background. The information needs to be legible. Use special effects sparingly.
6. Interact with your visuals. Use a laser pointer or the mouse pointer to keep you "in touch" with the material on your slides. Practice with the pointers as the laser pointer can betray your nervousness. Sometimes gestures can be as effective. Practice. Get feedback from other group members.
7. Speak loudly and confidently. Make sure audience members in the back of the room can hear you.
8. Speak slowly and clearly. People often have a tendency to speak fast when they are nervous. Assume that your audience really wants to hear and understand everything that you have to say. Don't mumble or let your voice drop at the end of sentences.
9. Stand in an area that enables your projection. There are better places to stand in front that will work for you.
10. Be sure that you are not blocking anyone's view.
11. Move and interact with the audience. Be sure to make eye contact.
12. Dress appropriately. Dress for the presentations should be business casual (i.e., no cut-offs, t-shirts, etc.). Suits and dresses are fine (for the final presentation), but not required.
13. Be sure to define and/or explain any terms which might not be familiar to some audience members.
14. For longer presentations, it is generally good to include an outline of the talk. You may also need to summarize or reiterate points.
15. Using "fun facts" or telling stories can often make the talk more interesting for the audience.