San Jos� State University - URBP 213
Professor Asha W. Agrawal - Fall 2008

Presentation 2 Assignment

Overview and purpose

For this assignment, you will give a 10-minute presentation that incorporates PowerPoint slides, and the presentation will be taped.  Afterwards, you will watch the presentation on videotape and use your own observations, plus your classmates� feedback, to write a reflective memo about what you learned from the experience of developing, revising, practicing, presenting, and observing your talk on tape.

The assignment is designed to give you practice in public speaking, with a special focus on (1) delivery skills and (2) creating and using PowerPoint slides as visual aids. In addition, this is an opportunity for you to keep developing your skills at clearly communicating your message to listeners and at giving/receiving feedback.

Due Dates

• Friday, October 17: Draft outline and PowerPoint slides due by email to Asha and your peer feedback group members
• October 29/30 and November 5/6: Presentations will be given in class, and you must email your revised outline and PowerPoint slides to Asha before class begins
• November 12/13: Reflective memo must be emailed to Asha before class begins, and bring a paper copy with you to class

Tasks

1. Choose a topic for a persuasive presentation.

I recommend that you use the same topic you used for Presentation 1, but you may choose a different topic, if you wish. If you switch topics, follow the directions for choosing topics explained in the Presentation 1 directions:

2. Prepare the outline and visual aids for the presentation.

Develop a detailed outline for the presentation, following the instructions for creating the Presentation 1 outline. If you prepare an outline on the same topic you used for Presentation 1, take time to really revise the outline. For example, think through ways to refine your purpose, write a better core idea, and reorganize the material to make it clearer, as well as how to add new information that will strengthen the presentation.

Once you have developed the outline of your talk, prepare a set of PowerPoint slides to complement your message. You must use at least six slides, and at least two must include an image other than just text.  If any slide includes material that needs a source citation (i.e., an image you took from a website or book, statistical data, a quotation, or someone else's ideas), put the citation information into the "notes" section of the appropriate slide.

Email this outline and the PowerPoint slides to Asha and your peer feedback group members by Friday, October 17. In the subject line of the email, write "URBP 213 Presentation 2: Your-last-name draft outline and slides," putting your last name in the appropriate place.  Keep in mind that if your presentation contains a lot of images, the file size may be too large to email easily. If that happens, you will need to find a different way to transfer the file to me and your group members, such as by posting the file somewhere on the web and telling us how to download it.

Groups will discuss the outlines in class on October 22/23, so be sure to bring a copy of your outline and slides to class with you that day.

Special note: Sometimes the images you embed in a PowerPoint presentation do not show up when you run the presentation on different computers.  This is particularly a problem for Mac users who want to show their slides on a PC.  I will bring my (PC) laptop to class on October 22/23, and anyone who wishes to test the slides on my computer may do so during the break.  FYI, one possible cause of such a problem is explained at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/278556/en-us. Although this site discusses movie clips, not images, the same problem may occur with images.

3. Revise your outline and slides, rehearse, and present!

You will give the presentation during either the October 29/30 or November 5/6 class periods.  After each 10-minute presentation, the class will discuss it for a few minutes.

Your presentation will be recorded on videotape. I don't yet know what equipment we will use, but you will need to bring either a VHS tape or a digital videotape ("DVC")  to class that day. I will let you know what format tape to bring closer to the time.  It's fine to reuse the same tapes you used for Presentation 1.

Email Asha the final full-content outline of your presentation and PowerPoint slides by noon of the day you present.  In the subject line of the email, write "URBP 213 Presentation 2: Your-last-name final outline and slides," putting your last name in the appropriate place.  (Alternatively, you may transfer this material to Asha on a flash drive before class beings.  If you choose this option, come to class at least 20 minutes early.)

Special note: If you are a Mac user, I strongly suggest you email me your slides at least 48 hours in advance so that I can let you know if all images show up correctly.  I will do my best to respond within one business day.

4. Review the videotape of your speech and the written feedback you received from the class.

First, take the following steps to review the tape of your speech:

• Find a time when you have at least an hour and will not be disturbed.  The first time you watch the videotape, try not to think too much about what you do or don�t like about the speech�just observe yourself in as non-judgmental a way as possible.  After the talk is over, free-write or brainstorm for five or ten minutes about your impressions.
   
• Review the written feedback from your class members.  You also may wish to review your PowerPoint slides at this point.
   
• Watch your presentation at least one more time. This time, pay more careful attention to what aspects of your delivery and content you do and don�t like, and take careful notes. You might want to periodically stop the tape, if that helps you to take notes.

If you don�t have off-campus access to equipment to watch your tape, you can make a reservation at SJSU Media Services to watch your presentation. To make a reservation, call Media Services at 408-924-2888. I suggest you reserve the equipment for an hour.  Media Services is located in the IRC building on the 1st Floor. Their hours during the semester are: Monday � Thursday, 7:00 am - 9:45 pm, and Fridays 7:00 am - 4:45 pm.

5. Write a reflective follow-up memo.

Write a short memo of about one page reflecting on what you learned from the experience of preparing, revising, practicing, presenting, and watching your speech, as well as from the feedback you received. The memo should cover these following topics:

• Strengths: Describe the key strengths of the talk, taking into account both your own observations and the feedback you received from Asha and your classmates during the class period.
   
• Areas for improvement: Describe the key aspects of the talk that could have been improved, taking into account both your own observations and the feedback you received from Asha and your classmates.
   
• Strategies for improvement: For each area of improvement you identified, explain specific strategies you will use to improve this aspect of your future presentations, whether the presentation is on this or some other topic.

You may write the memo in either paragraph or bullet form, but make sure that it is clearly written, well-organized, and without grammatical errors or typos.

Before class on November 12/13, email the memo to Asha.  In the subject line of the email, write "URBP 213 Presentation 2: Your-last-name reflective memo," putting your last name in the appropriate place.

We will discuss the memos in class on November 12/13, so bring a paper copy with you.

Grading

This assignment will be graded on the basis of the presentation you give, as well as on the quality of the final outline, PowerPoint slides, and reflective memo.  The accompanying "Presentation 2 Assessment Form" lays out the specific criteria used to assess the work.  Your grade will be lowered if you do not complete all elements of the assignment.

Page last modified on 25 August 2008