Week 10 Readings

'The Three Commandments of Presenting and how to obey them. Consulting to Management.' By S. Wyeth

'Oral Presentations' In the Student Skills Guide by S. Drew

'Speaking as Part of a Group' In Presentation Skills for Students by J. Van Emden and L. Becker

I believe the key messages from this week's readings were;
The key messages of these readings were how to create and enact the most effective presentation possible, as well as some common errors to avoid. The most important parts of an effective presentation are the use of visual aids, speakers notes, time limits, identifying the aim and the audience. The 'commandments' of what not do are; not to be arrogant,boring or confusing. These readings show that many people find presentations difficult and that there are many things to consider before to ensure that the audience is engaged. With group presentations it important to divide the work load evenly and utilise individual strengths.

The key points in the readings could be applied to my group's work;
for our presentation. There were some very interesting points raised particularly in regard to the use of PowerPoint. However I think that PowerPoint if used to its best effect can work well, enhancing the speech rather than detracting. As raised in the 'Oral Presentations' reading, visual aids give the audience something else to look at, and aid understanding. The most important part of the presentation is to ensure that the audience is engaged and not bored by the presentation.

The readings made me think more about public relations practice;
A major part of public relations is presentations and public speaking, so obviously it is important to get this down to an art, so that your message is communicated clearly and concisely. Public relations practitioners need to be able to communicate verbally, as well as they can in the written form. The references to group work was also significant. Having the skills to work with others is to vital to the workplace, and developing these skills will make make it easier and be more impressive to a employer.

The readings related to the other readings I've done in previous weeks;
The readings I have done in other weeks on group work, fit in with these, explaining how to best work as a group. These readings also emphasis how to utilise your skills, and utilise the strengths of your group.