Presentations made easy: A guide to public speaking for students, graduates and others

Learn how to perfect your presentation and speaking skills with this easy-to-read guide full of practical tips and printable templates.

What is it about public speaking that strikes fear in so many people? Not knowing what to say, your mind going blank, people staring at you, feeling you have nothing to say people would want to hear, being scared you’re boring people…

In the 21st century, most people will be expected to present at some point, whether to a physical audience or, increasingly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to a virtual audience watching from screens in their own home. The good news is that public speaking skills are not something some people are born with and others are not. Through learning a few basic strategies even the most nervous of speakers can learn how to give a confident, informative and inspiring speech.

Whether you’re giving a presentation for the first time, or you’re looking to develop and improve your skills, this book contains everything you need to learn how to produce a perfect presentation.

You’ll learn what makes an effective presentation and what you’ll need to consider in advance. You’ll evaluate your current skills and highlight specific areas to develop. You’ll discover how to plan both the structure and content of your presentation in order to create a well-structured, engaging and easy-to-follow talk, as well as learn how to create visuals and other materials which complement rather than distract from your message. You’ll find out how to use effective body language, positioning, gesture, expression, voice projection and intonation as well as discovering how to cope with common problems and difficult audiences.

This guide is suitable whatever your presentation needs. Perhaps you’re a student wanting to present research findings or to course mates, a graduate wanting to ace that online job interview, a professional expected to present to colleagues, or simply somebody needing to give a speech at a family occasion. With 14 printable templates, this is also a great resource for those teaching presentation skills to students or colleagues.

Written by an experienced teacher, presenter and communication specialist, the guide demystifies the public speaking process and equips the reader with easy-to-implement strategies.