Delivering a Lecture

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A lecture is an informational speech for an audience of student learners. Standard lectures range from thirty minutes to one hour in length; a mini-lecture presentation, designed to give students an opportunity to synthesize information in a shorter form, generally lasts about fifteen to twenty minutes. Typically, lectures include the following:

  1. A clear introduction of the topic (see Chapter 15)
  2. Statement of the central idea of the lecture
  3. Statement of the connection to previous topics covered
  4. Discussion of the main points
  5. Summary of the lecture and preview of the next assigned topic
  6. Question-and-answer period

Be an Active Lecturer

Good lecturers actively engage students in the learning process, pausing to pose questions about the topic, allowing time for discussion, and incorporating short activities into the mix.1 Rather than delivering a monologue, focus on engaging student participation.