Rhetoric 3257-003: Scientific and Technical Presentations
Dr. Bernadette Longo
Spring 2004: TTh 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., VoTech R380

Assignment Descriptions

Due Dates Syllabus WebCT Course Home
Assignment
Due Date
Description

PowerPoint issue presentation
(groups of 3)

100 points

5 minutes
no questions

1/27

Prepare a presentation on an issue regarding PowerPoint that is important for classmates to consider. Your presentation will be graded on the following criteria:

  • Your topic is relevant to classmates' needs.
  • You explain your topic in enough detail for your audience to understand your information.
  • You use PowerPoint effectively.
  • You speak clearly.
  • You make eye contact with audience.

Presentation 1: Informative Presentation (individual)

Analysis of audience and purpose (50 pts.)

 

T 2/17

You can refer to p. 57 and 64 in your textbook for other versions of these analysis questions.

Answer the following questions to analyze your audience and purpose:

  1. What type of audience will you be speaking to? How will your audience affect the way you design and deliver your presentation?
  2. What are some demographic and other features about your audience? How will demographics, etc. affect the way you design and deliver your presentation?
  3. What are issues about your audience as a group that are important for you to know? How will these issues affect the way you design and deliver your presentation?
  4. What is the primary purpose of your presentation?
  5. What are the secondary purposes of your presentation?
  6. What are some features central to the context or situation of your presentation?
  7. What other information would be useful to you as you prepare your presentation?

 

Presentation 1:
Annotated bibliography (50 pts.)

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Th 2/19

Include the following information in your annotated bibliography:

  1. Full citation of source in MLA or other standard citation style.
  2. Brief summary of information on source in approximately 100 words.
  3. Brief explanation of how this source will be useful to you in your presentation.

Annotate 3 sources that you will use to prepare your presentation.

Presentation 1:
Oral presentation ( 50 pts.)

5 minutes

no questions

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T 2/24

Th 2/26

Your oral presentation will be graded on the following criteria:

  • Begins with a strong introduction.
  • States your viewpoint up front.
  • Explains your topic clearly.
  • Provides effective visuals.
  • Has clear organization.
  • Ends with strong conclusion.
  • Is appropriate for audience and purpose.
  • Uses PowerPoint in a professional manner.
  • Uses clear speaking style.
  • Maintains good eye contact.
  • Stays within 5-minute limit.

Presentation 2: How-to Presentation (groups of 2)

Analysis of audience and purpose (50 pts.)

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Th 3/4

Make your presentation explain how to use a feature of some software that is useful for giving oral presentations.

Answer the following questions to analyze your audience and purpose:

  1. What is your presentation topic? What's technical about your topic?
  2. Why is this an appropriate topic for your audience?
  3. What does your audience already know about your topic?
  4. What does your audience need to learn about your topic that they don't already know? How will this affect the way you design and deliver your presentation?
  5. What are the primary and secondary purposes for choosing your particular topic for this presentation? How will you accomplish your purposes through your presentation?
  6. What's significant about this topic for your audience? How would you answer the "So what?" question?
  7. What are some features that are important for you to consider in situation surrounding your presentation? How will you work with or compensate for those features?
  8. What other information will be useful to you to consider as you prepare your presentation?

Presentation 2:
Oral presentation (150 pts.)

10 minutes

Q&A

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T 3/9

Th 3/11

On the day you present, turn in copies of your handouts, and post in WebCT an annotated bibliography of the research you used.

Your oral presentation will be graded on the following criteria:

  • Begins with a strong introduction.
  • Analyzes task that audience is to perform.
  • Explains with the correct level of instruction.
  • Provides effective visuals.
  • Has clear organization.
  • Ends with strong conclusion.
  • Is appropriate for audience and purpose.
  • Uses PowerPoint in a professional manner.
  • Uses clear speaking style.
  • Maintains good eye contact.
  • Stays within 10-minute limit.

Presentation 3: Strategy or Action Presentation (individual)

Analysis of audience and purpose (50 pts.)

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T 3/30

Answer the following questions to analyze your audience and purpose:

  1. What problem will you address in this presentation? What's technical about this problem?
  2. Why is this problem significant for your audience?
  3. What solution will you offer for this problem?
  4. Why will this solution be persuasive to your audience? What will you do in your presentation to make your point convincingly?
  5. How will you build credibility for yourself in this presentation? Why should your audience believe you and accept your solution?
  6. What are the primary and secondary purposes for choosing your particular topic for this presentation? How will you accomplish your purposes through your presentation?
  7. What are some features that are important for you to consider in situation surrounding your presentation? How will you work with or compensate for those features?
  8. What other information would be useful to you as you prepare your presentation?

Presentation 3:
Oral presentation (150 pts.)

10 minutes

Q&A

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Th 4/1

T 4/6

Th 4/8

T 4/13

On the day you present, turn in copies of your handouts, and post in WebCT an annotated bibliography of the research you used.

Your oral presentation will be graded on the following criteria:

  • Begins with a strong introduction.
  • Presents problem and solution.
  • Addresses reasons why other solutions won't work.
  • Provides effective visuals.
  • Has clear organization.
  • Ends with strong conclusion.
  • Is appropriate for audience and purpose.
  • Uses PowerPoint in a professional manner.
  • Uses clear speaking style.
  • Maintains good eye contact.
  • Stays within 10-minute limit.

Presentation 4:
Oral presentation (200 pts.)

12 minutes

Q&A

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T 4/27

Th 4/29

T 5/4

 

 

Your oral presentation will be graded on the following criteria:
  • Presents technical topic that is relevant and interesting to audience members.
  • Begins with a strong introduction.
  • Has clear organization.
  • Ends with strong conclusion.
  • Foregrounds content.
  • Provides opportunities for comparisons and/or analysis of information.
  • Does not use PowerPoint bullets, except for possibly advanced organizer slide.
  • Uses media in a creative way to engage audience members and interact with them.
  • Is appropriate in style and tone for audience and purpose.
  • Is presented in a professional manner to encourage interaction with audience (speaking style and eye contact).
  • Stays within 12-minute limit.
  • Answers questions thoroughly.

 


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