Graduation Project

Portfolio

Paper

Product

Presentation

Schedule

Forms

Overview

Students will demonstrate the information that they research through a presentation. Through specific details, the student should answer the essential question by using the paper and the research found for his/her topic. Most students use a PowerPoint presentation to enhance the oral presentation. A student has no limits except that the presentation should last at least 10 to 12 minutes. At the end of the presentation, the judges will have a chance to ask questions about the student's topic and product. The question-and-answer period allows the student a chance to reveal his/her expert knowledge on the topic of research. In presenting and in answering questions, the student must use proper communication skills through poise and gestures to stress points throughout the presentation. The student needs to know these skills for college and the business world. The panel consists of two people from school and one person from the community. The panel of judges, who will grade the student's presentation and product, will listen to the student's presentation. Once the panel completes the questioning, they will complete a rubric set for all presentations and products. The student must be prepared and be on time for their presentation.

The research paper is written. The presentation is oral. The presentation is an oral version of the written paper.

General Advice

1. Be organized well in advance; few things are more anxiety-producing than not being well organized. Practicing your presentation will help it to flow smoothly and will ensure that you meet the time requirements (10-12 minutes).
2. Dress to impress! Wear professional clothes and shoes.
3. Have your portfolio compiled and in a clean folder (the one provided to you) to present to the head judge.
4. Welcome and thank your judges for their time and consideration. Graciousness is a virtue (and a skill) that everyone appreciates.
5. Be a teacher! Your job is to educate your audience/evaluators about your particular topic. You have just spent several months researching and preparing for this time--consider yourself a mini-expert in your field. Engage your students and help them to discover new things from your ten to twelve minute lesson.
6. Remember that this presentation is your show--be in control of the situation. Your audience/evaluators will feel at ease and will have confidence that you will lead them well.

Public Speaking Tips

1. Make eye contact with your audience (even if you are terrified--it will help hide that fact).
2. Talk to them. Use key words/phrases on notecards to prompt you to discuss points extemporaneously.
3. Do not just read from the slides, your paper, or your notes.
4. Practice your presentation several times, most preferably in front of an audience (even if itīs just your own mirror!). Practice will help improve the flow, the continuity, the timing, and your confidence.

PowerPoint Advice

1. Your presentation should be on a disk, CD, or a USB drive. You should not need to log onto the network. (Though every effort is made to have the SRMHS network fully functional on the day of the presentations, nothing is guaranteed. Be prepared!)
2. Begin with a welcome slide/title page that includes your name and topic/essential question.
3. Use topic format for each point or subpoint--avoid complete sentences. Remember that your goal is to teach, not to read to them!
4. Make sure points are parallel on each slide.
5. Spellcheck and then PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD!
6. Include images that enhance the content of the slides throughout the presentation. Be sure to keep the images at a relatively small file size, or you will have trouble fitting the presentation on a disk, unless you do not have memory issues. Some presentations do not lend themselves to images; choose wisely.
7. Make your penultimate (next-to-last) slide a list of Works Cited. Always give credit where credit is due!
8. Be sure to answer your essential question. Most students devote at least one slide to the specific answer to their question.
9. Make your last slide either a "Thank You" slide or an invitation to answer questions.