Presentation Q&A

adapted from "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

1. Presentation Q&A American Pragmatics and Culture Spring 2012 Ms. Candice Quiñones "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

2. A Few Tips for Q & A Prepare Don’t Preface Answers Clarify Amplify Maintain Your Style Be Honest Involve the Whole Audience Follow the 25%-75% Rule Keep to the Point "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

3. Prepare for Questions Do your best to anticipate what types of questions you may be asked. Practice answering them. Some speakers prepare backup visual aids to use when answering anticipated questions. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel Presentation

4. Don’t Preface Your Answer Try to avoid saying “That’s a very good question; I’m glad you asked it.” It can seem like a sign that you aren’t sure of the answer. At the end of your session, just say “Thank you for all of your excellent questions” "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

5. Clarify IF the question is long or complicated, try restating it to clarify. Use phrases such as: So your question was…? This can help you and remind the audience of the question as well. You can also do this to soften any possible hostile language used. It can buy you time when you are considering your response. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

6. Amplify Repeat the question so that everyone can hear it. Sometimes the person who asks doesn’t speak loud enough. This also allows time for you to think. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

7. Maintain Your Style Try to maintain the same level of composure that you had throughout your presentation. If you were calm and collected during your presentation, try to stay that way. Try not to sound nervous. If you change your composure, the audience might feel you lack confidence in your position or the information you presented. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

8. Be Honest IF you don’t know the answer, say so. Just say, “ I don’t know the answer, but I will find out and get back to you .” Or, if you know someone else in the room who might know the answer, you might ask them for help. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

9. Involve the Whole Audience in Your Answer Don’t be the speaker who gets involved with only the person who asked the question and ignores everyone else. Make sure that you answer the question for the whole audience and not just one person. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

10. Follow the 25%-75% Rule Direct 25% of your eye contact to the person who asked the question. Direct 75% of your eye contact to the rest of the audience. Don’t ignore anyone. This keeps you in command of the situation. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

11. Keep Answers to the Point Don’t stay on an issue too long. Speaking too long can bore the audience. Say just enough to answer the question and address the issue but not enough to bore people. "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel

12. Any Questions? "Presentation Skills" by Steve Mandel