Hello! I’m Shireen, a final year student on the BA Social Sciences course.
Group presentations can be challenging, but with the right preparation, you can deliver an outstanding presentation. Below, I give you some tips to prepare and ace any group presentation or oral assessment.
Contact your group and understand your task
Whether you’ve met the people in your group before or not, it’s important to exchange email and phone numbers so that you can stay in contact. A group chat is an easy way to give updates, schedule meetings and share documents. I use either WhatsApp or Microsoft Teams as you can call or send a message through both platforms.
Before you start any work, review the module’s guidelines, marking criteria and any specific readings. I find that it helps to get a clear idea of what’s expected and how to achieve a good grade, plus it saves time during group meetings. If you’ve got any questions, don’t hesitate to ask your module tutor as they’re more than happy to help you.
Check out the article How can I prepare for a presentation at King’s? on Student Services Online (SSO) as it’ll help you to approach your presentation with confidence.
Meet with your group and make your plan
This is an opportunity for you to get to know your group members better and establish expectations. Everyone should understand what the presentation requires and what their role is, which could include who will:
- research the topic
- present
- make a slideshow
- write the script
- record the video.
Once roles are assigned, establish a timeline for tasks so that everyone knows what they need to do and by when.
Have another group meeting before your presentation
Schedule some time to meet your group again before you give your presentation.
You could use this time to do a practice run of your presentation. I think that if you’re giving an in-person group presentation, then you should do in-person practice runs. They will help you to identify any major or minor issues before the actual presentation, as well as build your confidence when you can see that your team members are as ready and prepared as you. You can book a room on campus for your in-person meeting using the Resource Booker.
If you have to do a video for your presentation, this time could be your recording session – lights, cameras, action! You could schedule extra group meetings after this one if needed.
Present with confidence
Make sure that you’ve practiced enough so that you don’t need to read every word from your phone or flashcards. You should aim to speak clearly to your audience and make eye contact with them – remember, the information you have is interesting which is why you’re sharing it.
I tend to be slightly nervous beforehand, but I tackle this by breathing deeply and slowing my heart rate, checking-in with my group members and making sure that everything is ready to go. If you’re feeling a bit anxious before your presentation, read the SSO article What can I do to help manage anxious feelings? for advice.
Take time to reflect
Your module tutor will probably ask you to submit a personal reflection. Use this opportunity to reflect on what went well and what could have been better in terms of content, teamwork, presenting and cohesion. I suggest using the marking criteria to evaluate your presentation as it’ll help you produce a tailored reflection for your tutor. I’ve found that reflection helps me learn how I work best in a team and individually, and also how to improve for future presentations.
Group presentations and oral assessments can be difficult, but they’re also an opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge. Use these tips to prepare, ask for help if you need it and believe that you’re capable of presenting with confidence and excellence.