What I took from each Group's Chapter Presentation

By: Ariana Lemus

Looking at everyone's presentation, I was very impressed inspired. Each group had their own style and sense of teamwork, and each individual had their own unique way of presenting each chapter, and yet I was able to understand each one fully! Everyone put in so much effort and knew the chapter they were explaining. Some groups were very energetic, others explained their ideas calmly and clearly, and some used examples that made the topics easy to understand. What I liked most was that each group made the chapter feel easy to understand by paraphrasing what they learned instead of worrying about sounding professional to where they sound like they are reading out of a textbook. 

Before it was my turn to present, I was so nervous! I thought about speaking as a dual enrollment student to college students twice my age, and the personal pressure rose, for I felt I had such high standards to prove! I wanted to sound professional, but laid back and mature, and I was afraid that one stutter or mess up would mess it all up! But as me and my group collaborated to create our PowerPoint, I learned that a good presentation isn’t something you just do in the moment, it’s something you prepare and build, because if you know what you're going to say and learn your topic, you will sound knowledgeable naturally! Personally, watching my peers present helped me realize this, as I paid attention to how they spoke, and how they elaborated and used examples instead if reading directly from the slides, it showed how much they truly knew about what they learned while sounding knowledgeable.

The chapters were like little snippets of advice on how to conduct a good presentation as well!  I felt like chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5 were sort of like the "beginner steps". Chapter 1 taught me that public speaking isn't just some natural gift that only some people have, but a skill that improves with practice and preparation. Chapter 2 was the chapter that helped me the most with my presentation, which stated that confidence comes from practice, not from being naturally outgoing. Chapter 3 helped me think about "listening" in a different way, because sometimes it isn't just an automatic human function, but a skill. Chapter 5 I found to be very interesting, because it highlighted to me how important it is to think about the audience you are speaking to, so at times, it is necessary to alter the topic you are presenting depending on your target audience.

Chapters 4, 6, 7, and 8 focused on preparing for the presentation. Chapter 4 gave me the helpful advice on picking a topic based on what I want the audience to learn instead of just "picking an interesting topic". Chapter 6 showed me that when researching about the topic I'm presenting, research is about choosing the right information, not overwhelming people with random facts, so I made sure to choose the main facts that will state the main idea. Chapter 7 helped me see how examples and evidence make ideas stronger which inspired me to plan a script of examples for each slide. Chapter 8 showed that good organization is key, because if there is no organization in my writing, that even the most knowledgeable ideas can sound confusing without structure.

Chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12 gave the final words of advice into creating a strong presentation. Chapter 9 taught me that openings and closings are important because they are what people mostly remember, so I made sure to remember that my introduction grabbed my audience’s attention, and that my conclusion left them in the right state of mind. Chapter 10 reminded me to use clear and simple language, which sounds like obvious silly advice, but it’s necessary because if the grammar isn’t in your presentation, and your language isn’t clear, then what you are sitting at your audience doesn’t make any sense. Chapter 11 warned me how visuals should support what you say, not replace it, so I made sure to use images that enhanced the information I put on my slides, but didn’t serv as a shortcut to say what I wanted. Chapter 12 was what tied everything together by focusing on delivery, like stating things with a confident voice, avoiding pacing, make eye contact, and to speak with pride.

The last chapters also showed that there are many types of presentations; like informative, persuasive, or special occasion speeches. Each one has a different goal, which makes presenting feel more flexible and creative. I also learned that slides work best when they are simple. Too much text makes people read instead of listening. I also noticed that when my peers looked up when presenting, they connected with the audience and held attention better, even if they made small mistakes.

Transitions and voice tome were also big lessons for me. Smooth transitions helped ideas flow better, and using pauses made speakers seem more confident. These presentations helped me feel more confident too. Besides all the effort to be knowledgeable and confident, I learned that being nervous is normal, and that small mistakes don’t ruin a presentation. Staying calm and continuing is what matters most.

If I had to present again, I would practice out loud more, plan my opening and closing carefully, keep my slides simple, and work on my pacing. For I personally feel that I could have worked on delivery and confidence more. I’d also be sure to remind myself that the goal isn’t to impress people, it’s to communicate clearly.

Overall, presenting my first presentation with my group in a college class was a very positive experience. Watching my classmates helped me learn and showed me that presenting is a skill you can improve with practice. The biggest lesson I learned is that a great presentation isn’t about talent, it’s about preparation and consistency. Because of this experience, I feel more confident and capable, and that’s something I’ll carry into my future classes when my college journey starts next semester.