Developing a clear structure
A good presentation is easy to follow because it has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- Consider starting with an opening hook
: a startling fact, a well-chosen quotation, or a brief but vivid story. Alternately, you might ask a question and get people to raise their hands to indicate agreement. Or you might share a personal story that your audience can relate to.
- Tell your listeners what you hope to accomplish and what you hope they will take away from your talk.
- Preview the structure of your presentation so the audience can anticipate where you are going and can follow you along the way. Let the audience know your lines of argument or your major points.
There are many ways to organize material; the structure should fit your topic and your overall goals. You might use a problem/
For an informative speech, organize the speech in a way that helps your audience remember key points of information. For a persuasive speech, organize in a way that builds enthusiasm for your position—consider saving your strongest argument or point for last.