Course Work

Prepare the following on your chosen topic: 

·         a technical report of at least 2000 words,·         a poster presentation for A1 paper,·         a four-minute oral presentation.

Course Work

Overall marking scheme:

Technical report                                60

Poster presentation                           10

Oral presentation                              15

Other continuous assessment, attendance etc.          15

Course Work

Please remember:

-Your report, poster and presentation comprise the University examination for this module.

-You should treat their preparation with appropriate care and attention.

-In particular, they should be YOUR OWN WORK. Any evidence of copying, plagiarism or other cheating will be dealt with by the examination board in a similar fashion to as if detected in an examination hall.

Course WorkTechnical report: (to be submitted before 12 noon

Friday 22nd April 2005)

The report should be prepared using MS Word or a similar tool. The file must be in .doc or .pdf format,

however.

You have to submit one printed copy, permanently bound in a Department of Computer Science cover.

(Facilities and materials for binding available in Students Union, Arts Block and Post Office). Also,

submit an electronic copy on floppy disc stuck inside the back cover.

Reports will not be returned. Make a second copy for yourself!

Course Work 

You will be marked on:

         Overall Structure & Clarity          Introduction         Critical Validity of conclusions         Format, layout etc.         Use of English         Use of illustrations, diagrams etc.

Course WorkIn order to pass, the technical report will have the

following characteristics:

         A clear concise introduction using the situation-complication-solution structure described in lectures.

         A well-written middle section describing the technical detail within the topic.

         A conclusion summing up and critically appraising the topic and suggesting other solutions, related topics etc.

         An abstract that concisely summarises the content of the report.

Course Work

         References, indicated in the text and listed at the end in the prescribed format, showing the sources used for the material presented.

         A title page in the prescribed format.

         No mistakes in spelling or grammar (use the MS Word tools)

Main text to be 12 pt Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing.

Pages numbering in footer.A template for the report will be available from my

web-page.

Formal Report

         I will accept drafts – better a bit at a time!

ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU CAN.

         “In this report, I will show…” – AN ABSOLUTE NO!!

Formal writing means this should become “The aim of this report is to show…”

In general, if you have to use a “person”, use “we”, and wherever possible, past tense –

especially for experimental work.

Oral Presentation

NOT A LECTURE.

Oral Presentation

4 minutes, with 1 minute of questions

Timetable to be decided on Wednesday 13th April

Staff members?!?

Everyone *must* do one, or extreme weakness applies…

Oral Presentation

It is not simply being able to talk, but rather, being able to transmit the exact message desired in a

way that will be received and understood.

Being able to communicate via “presentation” has become a widely sought after skill.

From an oral presentation, how much of each should you have?

Verbal vs. Visual vs. Vocal?

Oral Presentation - Preparing

1. Objective

Do you want to inform your audience, persuade them, train them, or entertain them? What messages do you want your audience to take away with them?

Oral Presentation - Preparing

2. AudienceWho is your audience? How many people will be attending? What do they need to know? What do they already know? What do they expect? Will they be receptive to your message?

3. ContentsBrainstorm your ideas, then decide what is most relevant and appropriate. Make sure that you take enough time to do any research that you need. Be selective – do not try to present too much in your message.

Oral Presentation - Preparing4. Structure

Any presentation should consist of an introduction, a body and a conclusion. There should be examples, figures, stories, etc. The use of humour that is in good taste and relevant is also welcome.

Again, remember not to try to put in too many figures or too many details. Too much humour is also out of the question. Everything must be balanced since you are planning to deliver a presentation and not give a show of any kind. Your audience should not lose the main idea of your talk.

Oral Presentation - Preparing4. Structure Cont.

The structure of your message should be simple, words and sentences short. It is also good to use concrete words because they are easier to understand.

No jargon!

A high recommendation is to give the audience clear signals as to the direction your presentation is taking.

As to visual aids, you should use them only as a support or illustration of what you are delivering.

Some visual aids to put across certain points that cannot be explained in words. They are also good

to add emphasis to a talk, but they must be simple to understand.

Oral Presentation - Preparing5. Rehearsal

Take time to practice your presentation!

This will give you a chance to identify any weak points or gaps. You will also be able to make sure that you can pronounce any figures and proper names correctly and confidently. It will also allow you to fine-tune the timing.

Oral Presentation - Presenting1. Nervousness

Prepare your talk well. You will be less nervous and more confident than if you have not. Yet, you want to be a bit nervous so that you will remain “on your toes.”

Balance!

Do not fall into the trap of speaking too quickly because you are nervous. In fact, speak slower during the first few moments of a talk.

Oral Presentation - Presenting2. Rapport

Rapport is the relationship between you and your audience or the connection, if you wish.

• Be friendly and make eye contact with everyone in your audience. If by any chance you are unable to make eye contact, do not look over the tops of everyone’s head. The audience knows you are not looking at them and they do not like to be fooled.

• Also, it is critical that you are able to observe their reactions to your message and make any adjustment in your talk.

Oral Presentation - Presenting3. Body language

Remember that the majority of the message is communicated by what the audience can see.

Consequently how you convey your ideas is critically important. Avoid any distracting mannerisms like pacing, rocking back and forth on your feet, etc. Use open-handed natural gestures as open handedness conveys sincerity.

Oral Presentation - Presenting4. Vocal quality

The sound of your voice carries the remainder of the message.

It means you should consider the volume, tone, timbre and tempo of your presentation.

You must be loud enough to be heard by everyone.

The tone of your voice must be consistent with the message. An interesting public speaker or presenter will vary the volume, tone and tempo of the talk to make themselves heard.

Oral Presentation - Presenting5. It’s not what you say…

Whatever happens, never resort to just reading what is on the slide!!!!

A lecture is different from a presentation; you are expected to show the beginning of research/industry expertise – anybody can read, so what you do has to be different.

Oral Presentation - Presenting6. Question Time

Do not be afraid of questions from the audience.

It is civilized practice to ask them. If you have delivered your presentation well, the audience should want more information.

Pay attention to the speaker when he/she is asking the question. That sounds simple, but many presenters look away when someone is asking a question. It is better to listen carefully, perhaps nodding in approval sometimes paraphrasing the question for clarification. Answer the questions shortly and simply.

If you do not know the answer it is better to say so.

Oral Presentation - Slides

Your first slide should contain the title of the presentation, your name, and who you're representing (if anyone).

Remember that it's good form to include the name of the organization that is paying for your trip, even if they're not who you're representing.

Oral Presentation - Slides

Your second slide should contain the agenda for the remainder of the presentation.

This serves two purposes - it not only tells the audience what to expect, but serves as an outline for you as you create the slides.

Oral Presentation - Slides

Your third (or fourth, depending on how big the agenda is) should contain some information about you. This sets your credibility with the audience as to your expertise with the subject matter.

This slide is only really applicable to further presentations, not so much for this one…

Oral Presentation - Slides

After that, it is up to you to start creating your slides. However, here's a few hints to keep in mind as you go along:

• Make the text of the slides big, and the amount of text small. You want everyone to be able to read what is on the slide.

• There is no real need to write in full sentences. You will want to make short points, since your talking will fill in the details.

Oral Presentation - Slides

3. If you use backgrounds in your slides, make them of light colours. Dark colours will contrast the text when they are printed out as handouts for attendees.

4. Stick to one topic per slide. You can have multiple slides per topic, just title them "Topic", "Topic (cont'd)", or number them.