ENGL 3070: First Oral Presentation (Schedule)
Your first oral presentation this semester makes up 10% of your grade. Following or adapting one of the prompts below, create a presentation of 5-7 minutes. Because time is of the essence in this assignment, those running either shorter than five minutes or longer than seven will receive point deductions. For smoothness, continuity, clarity and appropriate time usage, presentations should be rehearsed outside class—preferably in front of some audience of friends or family. Consider the need for a clear introduction, a body of explication or exposition and a clear conclusion. Be aware of extraneous noises—saying "uh" or "um" or making nonverbal noises. Be aware of posture, eye contact across the room, hand gestures and fidgeting. Annunciate clearly without sound mechanical. Use note cards if you choose, but use them subtly. Please see the handout from the Writing & Communication Center for more ideas and suggestions.
Below are some prompts that you can use as the basis for this presentation. You can follow one specifically, or you can adapt it to your particular interests.
· You may base your presentation on your first paper, but you can't simply read the paper. The only portion that can be read is a quoted passage from a piece of poetry or prose.
· Find a tribal creation story or trickster tale, prepare it and present it to the class. Imagine yourself into the role of a storyteller, not a presenter in class. Sound effects—a drum or rattle—are acceptable, as long as they don't overpower your voice and the presentation itself. You might introduce the story—its tribal origins and such—and then tell it. At the end, if time allows, you might interpret.
· By the time presentations are to be made, we will have begun reading some fiction and poetry. You might explicate a poem or story or analyze similar images in a couple of works. You might discuss the way a certain author tends to use imagery or tone. Use clear examples to show what you mean. In this type of presentation, consider reading a short poem in its entirety (2 mins.). Follow this with a clear statement of your main ideas about the text, and then support your ideas with both evidence and explanation, making the best of the time allotted. Round out your presentation with a clear summary of your "take" on your subject.
Make the most of your time and work by offering a prepared and articulate presentation, by demonstrating personal poise and confidence, and by displaying a mastery of the material (to the extent that such is possible). Finally, be prepared to lead any discussion of the poem and/or your explication that might follow your presentation.
Each of you as audience members will also be required to evaluate a certain number of classmate presentations. More on this later.
Oral Presentations begin 27 September and run through 11 October