Preparation (Matter And Method Or Putting It Together)

1. Choose a topic that you think will give you the scope to produce something interesting and original.
2. Start generating some ideas about the subject.
3. Once you have thought about the topic, decide what your purpose is going to be, i.e, try to express in a single sentence what your ‘take home’ message for the audience is going to be : what you want them to know and how you want them to feel at the end of your six or eight minutes. “The purpose of this communication is ..........”
4. Start to gather material and develop ideas -- from reading, talking to family, friends and teachers -- which will support this purpose. They may be examples, explanations, illustrations, anecdotes, statistics. Make sure that these ideas maintain and reinforce your theme or purpose. Try also to introduce some human interest -- some flesh and blood -- and some humour.
5. Prepare your conclusion first, and in such a way that it leaves the audience with a message which will achieve the purpose.
6. Devise an opening that will grasp the attention of the audience and engage their interest. In the first minute give the adjudicators a hint of what your purpose is going to be.
7. Revise and integrate the material. Edit it so that it supports the purpose (if it doesn’t, reject it) and so that it is going to be easy to follow and interesting to the audience.
8. Write the key words on palm cards. While there will be examples of expressive language which you will not want to forget, the ideas are more important than the words.
9. One final thing. Your speech on the platform will usually take longer than your rehearsal.

Presentation (Manner Or Putting It Across)

1. Take full resposibility for what you can control, e.g. prepare thoroughly and practise speaking the speech aloud (perhaps record it and play it back); practise meaningful gesture and have the opening and closing ‘off pat’. Be subject-conscious, not self-conscious. All of this will help you keep your nerves in check.
2. Try to visualise what you want to happen : walking to the rostrum; where & how you are going to stand; pausing before you speak; smile; the effect you intend to create.
3. Use your eyes to maintain contact with the audience, and your hands to good effect.
4. Use of Voice - ‘start slow and speak low’; project your voice; vary the rate, pitch and volume to reflect the mood; take care with the pronunciation of vowels and the articulation of consonants; use the power of the pause to let ideas sink in.
5. Communicate your purpose enthusiastically and sincerely to the audience.
6. Deliver a memorable closing. It may be all that some of the audience remembers.