Module Overview for Week of April 13: Presentation, Part 1

This is Week 12 of the course.

Overview

Presentations use a blend of visuals and text to communicate information to their audience. To be effective, presentations must do the following:

• The text included must be sharply and carefully summarized.
• Images included must be accurately sized and complement the textual content.
• The overall design must be eye-catching and easily navigable.

At the end of this module, you will have begun work on your presentation project, expanded your knowledge of how visuals can complement the written word, and practiced your design skills to create a slideshow presentation that meets usability standards.

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Objectives for this Module

After completing this module, you will be able to

• Describe and understand the persuasive nature of a research poster. (CLO 4)
• Adapt and present in a visual manner the traditional workplace genre of the research report.  (CLO 4)
• Analyze the rhetorical situation and determine how to adapt a lengthy written presentation into a cohesive, clear document for viewers. (CLO 1)
• Apply principles of effective visual design, including hierarchical, chronological, and spatial arrangements. (CLO 6)

Note that you can find the full text of the Course Learning Objectives on the Syllabus.

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Readings for the Week of April 13

1. Presentation: Assignment
2. Markel & Selber, Chapter 20: Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions
3. Markel & Selber, Chapter 21: “Making Oral Presentations”
4. General Guidelines for Powerpoint Presentations, from Virginia Tech’s Building Construction Department
5. Daily Discussion Posts (DDPs)
   • #WeekendWatch: Why Your Poster Should Tell a Story 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/11)
   • #TuesdayTutorial: Effective Presentations 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/14)
   • #WednesdayWrite: What Makes a Good Presentation? 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/15)
   • #ThursdayThought: Tips for Designing Better Presentations 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/16)
   • #FridayFact: An Effective Presentation Is Readable 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/17)

 

Activities for the Week of April 13

Daily Discussion Posts Activities
(85 minutes—5 posts @ ~15 minutes each plus self-assessment @ ~10 minutes)

• Contribute to any or all of the following Daily Discussion Posts (DDPs) in Canvas)
  • #WeekendWatch: Why Your Poster Should Tell a Story 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/11)
  • #TuesdayTutorial: Effective Presentations 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/14)
  • #WednesdayWrite: What Makes a Good Presentation? 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/15)
  • #ThursdayThought: Tips for Designing Better Presentations 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/16)
  • #FridayFact: An Effective Presentation Is Readable 1️⃣2️⃣ (opens 04/17)
• Complete the DDP Self-Assessment for Week 12 to report the work you did and record your score (100 points). Be sure to read the self-assessment at the beginning of the week so that you understand the expectations.

Writing Activities
(~6 hours, including time to research and write)

• Complete the any or all of the following Major Writing Project activities (275 points total, plus 25 possible extra credit points).
  • These activities contribute to the Research Poster:
    • Presentation Topic Survey (up to 25 points extra credit)
    • Presentation: Complete an Audience Profile Sheet (100 points)
    • Presentation: Outline Your Poster (75 points)
    • Presentation: Designing a Presentation, from LinkedIn Learning (100 points)

• Ask any questions about the course in the General Q and A Discussion (0 points) in Canvas.
  • Check the General Q and A Discussion for answers before posting.
  • Asking a question is not required. Use the Inbox tool in Canvas for questions about grades or personal information that should not be shared with the class.

Reading Quiz

• Complete the Readings Quiz.
  
  • These quizzes cover the reading shown above and are designed to assess your familiarity with concepts you will need to know to produce your presentation. The quizzes are the following:
    • 20 Markel, Writing Definitions, Descriptions, and Instructions (100 points)
    • 21 Markel, Making Oral Presentations (100 points)

 

 

Photo credit: 136/366 - Death by Powerpoint by Paul Hudson on Flickr Links to an external site., used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.