Professional Communication Module III

MODULE III

Oral Presentation: Voice modulation, tone, describing a process, Presentation Skills:

Oral presentation and public speaking skills, business presentations, Preparation:

organizing the material, self-Introduction, introducing the topic, answering questions,

individual presentation practice, presenting visuals effectively.

Debate and Group Discussions: introduction to Group Discussion (GD), differences

between GD and debate; participating GD, understanding GD, brainstorming the topic,

questioning and clarifying, GD strategies, activities to improve GD skills

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Professional Communication Module III

ORAL PRESENTATION
Oral presentation is a short talk or speech on a given topic by the student or candidate before
the audience. He/she presents it on the basis of his /her readings or research. The presentation
may be given as an individual or as part of a group. Oral presentations usually have a time limit
and the students must have a clear idea about the topic to be covered. You need to plan carefully
and focus on essential points when giving your talk.

Depending on your course, giving an oral presentation can involve:

• reading background material

• preparing and delivering a talk

• leading a group discussion

• preparing handouts and visual aids

• preparing relevant and thought-provoking questions

• submitting a written assignment based on the presentation topic

Voice modulation

Voice modulation means controlling or adjusting your voice louder or softer, faster or
slower, dramatic or emotional. Basically, voice modulation means using your voice and tone
to communicate your message more effectively. Voice modulation is one of the most powerful
weapons that you can have while delivering a speech. It shows your confidence and also helps
in convincing your ideas. Voice modulation helps you to understand the meaning of a word
and to express it correctly while speaking. Pace, pitch, pause, volume, etc. are some of the
components of voice modulation.

7 Vital Tips on Voice Modulation

1. Be Loud and Clear

Being loud doesn’t mean that you have to shout. There is a difference. Make sure that your
voice doesn't creak while being loud. This can irritate/annoy the audience and make them lose
interest.

2. Practice Variation

You can look up for some steps that you can practice in order to develop the desired voice.

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Professional Communication Module III

Practice speaking with variations in your speech. Let's go back to the time when we used to
sing rhymes, or when our teacher used to tell us stories. Remember, only the variation in your
tone can convey your expressions. Make your speech sound interesting to the people listening
to it.

3. Stress on Powerful Words

Words don't create an impact, unless they are rightly delivered. You can take effective pauses,
stress on a certain set of words, which will help your speech sound more interactive.

4. Create a Crowd-Pleasing Speech

Connect with the audience. Speakers should use tools like humour, story and experiences to
attract the crowd. The audience should be able to connect with you, right when you start your
speech. You can even appreciate them for being a good audience, or ask them a few questions
so that it gets you closer to them. Entertain your audience with a story that they can relate with.
However, you need to keep in mind that the story should convey a message/moral to them.
Narrating irrelevant stories will only distract them.

5. Effective Pauses

Pauses are very important. They build curiosity in the minds of the people listening to you.
You have to ensure that you don't take very long pauses, boring the audience instead. Have a
clear idea of what you're about to speak. This will help you build a roadmap in your own mind
regarding the speech and hence you will not forget your content

There are 2 effective pauses I would like to share with you:

1. A pause right after your introduction, while moving to emphasize on a certain idea will be
really effective.

2. A pause while moving from one topic to another.

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Professional Communication Module III

6. Avoid Ahs and Uhms

This can really irritate the audience while listening to the speaker, if he tends to keep on adding
fillers like ahs and uhms over and over again. To avoid such fillers, you need to practice
speaking a lot.

7. Sound Enthusiastic and Confident

The audience is seeking a hero in you, when you are speaking. DO not sound lousy,
monotonous or use the same variation of tone in your speech. Display enthusiasm in your
words.

Tone

Tone means accent or inflection which expresses a mood or emotion. It is a quality in the voice
that expresses the speaker's feelings or thoughts, often towards the person being spoken [Link] is
also used to express differences in meaning.

Presentation skills

Most popular form is oral presentation. Speaker is aided by notes, slides, charts, etc. Other
forms are posters, brochures, installations etc.

Types of presentations

1. Informative-to present specific time and information (date, time, cause, effect etc.)
2. Instructional-to teach a topic or method, longer than informative
3. Arousing- to arouse emotion or enthusiasm in audience
4. Persuasive-to grab the attention of the audience and bring them to a specific view point
5. Decision making-to arrive at a decision or agreement to go on with a decision

Elements of a successful presentation

-preparation (should be well prepared)

-mode of presentation (based on the topic the mode should be decided, like oral or online)

-audience (should know about the taste and standard of the audience)

-language and delivery (should be based on the subject and the standard of the audience)

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Professional Communication Module III

-non-verbal communication (gestures, postures, tone, pitch etc can be used)

-feedback (should get the feedback for improvements in future)

Tips for public speaking

-know your strengths and weaknesses

-learn the subject thoroughly, listen other presentations

-practise it in front of a mirror or camera

-dress properly

-give necessary pause

-be enthusiastic

-be confident, but not arrogant

-know your audience, bring positivity

-defend by being polite

-admit if you don’t know the answer of a question

-be aware of your surroundings

-end the presentation with a summing up

Business presentation

Business presentation means a formal introduction and information about the business products
or practices. It is usually presented by means of audio and video using statistical data, charts,
projectors, slides etc. It is used as a way to sell an idea or product for motivating the audience
or training purposes. The presenter should be very confident and prepare a lot before the
presentation. The presentation should be connecting, informative, inspiring, and appealing. The
audience should feel that there is something in the presentation. Presentation aids can be varied
from the simple blackboard to most modern devices. Some tips for a business presentation are,

-speak naturally

-use simple language

-know your stuff

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Professional Communication Module III

-don’t put everything on slides

-use daily life situations as examples

-ask thought provoking questions

-be prepared to answer questions

Organising the material

Regardless of the subject, the presentation should always be a clear, well-structured one. You
should know what you want to say and how you are going to say it. Clarity of ideas and good
organisation will help a lively, logical and compelling message, delivered in a confident and
professional way.

Organizing the presentation material may include:

-the ideas
-main points
-what all to be illustrated
-introduction and conclusion (introduction should give a preview of what you are going to say
and should get the attention of the audience with a statement of purpose whereas the conclusion
should repeat the main points)
To be more specific,
-by stating key elements, tell the audience in the introduction about your subject and how you
have organised the presentation
-expand the key elements
-summarise the key points

Self-introduction
Self-introduction is the most important part of your presentation. It is the first impression you’ll
make on your audience. It’s your first opportunity to get their attention, to make them trust you
and to receive their attention from the beginning.

Use this general outline for your next presentation.

[Link] your audience and introduce yourself (your introduction should include your name,
company’s name, your team members, your job position and proof that you are an expert on
your topic)
[Link] their attention (for this you can use interesting or shocking facts and statements)

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Professional Communication Module III

[Link] your number one goal or topic of presentation (be specific and clear)
[Link] a quick outline of your presentation
[Link] simple and clear language
[Link] them feel free to ask questions
Introducing the topic
The key point to keep in mind here is that if you don’t grab your group’s attention up front,
you may not have it for the rest of your presentation. So, grasp the attention of the audience
first.
-quote someone else which is related to your topic
-tell a joke or a story
-make a bold statement
-make the audience to participate

-give interesting examples

-ask a rhetorical question

- point out important facts

-use humour effectively

Answering questions

At the start of your presentation, make it clear when you would prefer to deal with questions -
as you go along or at the end of the presentation. Some speakers prefer questions to be raised
as they arise during the presentation. The advantage of this approach is that any
misunderstandings can be dealt with immediately. However, there is also a danger that the
question will disrupt or distract the speaker, or that questions are raised that would have been
covered later in the presentation. If you leave questions until the end, plan to leave enough time
for questions so that the audience doesn’t feel rushed. These are the tips for question answer
session.
-listen to the whole question
-understand the context
-be calm and cool
-involve the whole audience
-respond briefly and comprehensively
-allow follow-up questions

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Professional Communication Module III

If you have an apt answer, give the answer immediately. Ask the question back or tell the
person that you will talk later if you need time to clarify. If an idea or the point from the
audience is a good one, acknowledge and appreciate it. Before answering a difficult question,
repeat it and ask for clarification, if necessary. If you don’t know the answer, don’t hesitate to
admit it.
Presenting the visuals effectively
Visual aids can be a very powerful tool to enhance the impact of your presentations. Words
and images presented in different formats can appeal directly to your audience's imagination,
adding power to your spoken words. Keep the following in your mind.
-ensure that the visual aids can be seen by everyone in the audience
-face the audience most of the time rather than the image
-avoid reading from the visual aid
-as soon as you show the visual aid the audience's attention will be drawn to it and so you must
immediately explain it
-if possible, give copies to the audience
-slides, pictures and charts should be clear
-avoid messing up things
-while using audios and videos make sure that unnecessary sounds are removed
Do’s in a Presentation
• Plan the presentation
• Ensure the clarity and visibility of slides
• Align the text to the left.
• Present the content in a structured manner
• Use a consistent theme without too much graphics
• Use dark text on a light background.
• Use good fonts
• Use slide numbers
• Before presentation, ensure that the slides work properly.
Don’ts in a Presentation
• Don’t use slides as substitute for saying.
• Don’t paste entire paragraph of the reference text to the slides.
• Don’t put full sentences on the slide, only the key points are needed.
• Don’t use too much animation.
• Don’t add sound effects unless they are necessary.

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Professional Communication Module III

Tips for Public Speaking

1. Nervousness Is Normal. Practice and Prepare!
All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not
associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself.
Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert
and ready to give your best performance.
The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time
to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material,
practice—a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.
2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.
Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as
much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level
of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.
3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.
Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose,
central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.
4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.
Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible.
Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the
most devoted listeners.
5. Let Your Personality Come Through.
Be yourself, don’t become a talking head—in any type of communication. You will establish
better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have
to say if they can see you as a real person.
6. Use Humour, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.
Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s
attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.
7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.
Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye
contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline
can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.
8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.
Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention
to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

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Professional Communication Module III

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most
people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation.
Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to
remember.
10. Use Audio-visual Aids Wisely.
Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should
enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting
in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to
shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

GROUP DISCUSSION
Discussions can be within persons both formally and informally. Informal discussions can be
seen in restaurants, college canteen and bus stops. Formal discussions can be seen in an office
setup, official meetings and in interview sessions.

Discussion is actually a group talk to club various viewpoints. GROUP DISCUSSION is a

communicative situation that allows its participants to express views and opinions to other
speakers. It is a systematic and purposeful interactive oral process. Ideas, views and opinions
are exchanging with each other in this.
The abilities of the participants are checked thoroughly in a GD. A job seeker may have to
participate in a selection GD to get a job. The importance of GD has increased nowadays. It
helps the recruiter to understand
a) Problem solving skills
b) Decision making skills
c) Personality assessment
d) Negotiation skills
e) Cooperative mentality
f) Team work and team mentality etc.
By checking all these factors an interviewer can select the best candidates from the group. It
may be a better understanding level of one’s personality.

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Professional Communication Module III

GD assesses
▪ Communication Skills
▪ Team Building Capabilities
▪ Analytical ability
▪ Reasoning skills
▪ Assertiveness, Articulation and Inter personal skills
▪ Creativity, Initiative and Thinking ability
Differences between Debate and GD
• Debate is a formal method of argument in which the speakers take a particular stand
and remain in it till the end while GD aims at reaching a consensus.

• The aim of debate is to win while that of GD is exchange of ideas.

• Defending and attacking are the norms in debate while listening, reasoning and opinion
sharing are the practices in GD.

• Debates are conducted to judge the communication skills while GD is conducted to

judge the personality.
• Debate is an argument while group discussion is communication of ideas.
• Group discussion is constructive and cooperative while debate can be destructive too.
What Skills Are Judged In GD?
▪ How good you are while communicating with others?
▪ How you behave and interact with a group?
▪ How open-minded are you?
▪ Your listening skill.
▪ How you put forward your views?
▪ Your leadership and decision-making skills.
▪ Your analysis skill and subject knowledge.
▪ Your problem solving and critical thinking skill.
▪ Your attitude and confidence.
Prerequisites of a Group Discussion
✓ Planning and preparation
✓ Knowledge with self-confidence
✓ Communication skills/ Presentation
✓ Extensive knowledge base related to state, country and globe.
✓ Analyze the social, economic issues logistically

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Professional Communication Module III

✓ Listening skills
✓ Body Language
✓ Being calm and cool
How to Prepare for GD
GD preparation involves three basic aspects:
▪ Group Speaking Preparation
▪ Content Preparation
▪ Listening preparation
Group Speaking Preparation:
▪ Enhance your vocabulary to enhance your fluency, practice tone modulation,
and try to speak in front of mirror on some topic.
Content Preparation:
▪ Choose the current affair topic from different perspectives like personal, social,
political, cultural, academics, etc.
Listening preparation:
▪ Participate in some discussions as an active observer and try to evolve one’s
thought process by adding different perspectives.
Participating in a GD
Do’s of Participating in a GD
▪ Listen to the subject carefully
▪ Put down your thoughts on a paper
▪ Initiate the discussion if you know the subject well
▪ Listen to others if you don’t know the subject
▪ Support you point with some facts and figures
▪ Make short contribution of 25-30 seconds 3-4 times
▪ Give others a chance to speak
▪ Speak politely and pleasantly. Respect contribution from other members.
▪ Disagree politely and agree with what is right.
▪ Summarize the discussion if the group has not reached a conclusion.
Don’ts of Participating in a GD
▪ Initiate the discussion if you do not have sufficient knowledge about the given topic.
▪ Over speak, intervene and snatch other’s chance to speak.
▪ Argue and shout during the GD
▪ Look at the evaluators or a particular group member

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Professional Communication Module III

▪ Talk irrelevant things and distract the discussion

▪ Pose negative body gestures like touching the nose, leaning back on the chair, knocking
the table with a pen etc.
▪ Mention erratic statistics.
▪ Display low self-confidence with shaky voice and trembling hands.
▪ Try to dominate the discussion
▪ Put others in an embarrassing situation by asking them to speak if they don’t want.
Understanding GD
▪ Better understanding of the subject
▪ Solve problems
▪ Improve listening skills and confidence
▪ Enhance communication and interpersonal skills
▪ Team building exercise

Brainstorming
▪ An effective idea generation technique
▪ Group activity based on the principle of suspending judgement – ie, idea generation
and evaluation phases are separate
▪ No idea is rejected as impossible or unsuitable in this phase.
The four rules of brainstorming
▪ Criticism is not allowed – Judging ideas negatively should be avoided.
▪ Wild ideas are allowed and encouraged.
▪ Generation of large number of ideas – quantity is the focus
▪ Participants are free to build on other ideas.
Steps in brainstorming
▪ The questioner states the problem with necessary explanations and clarifications.
▪ The problem is re-worded (redefined) with inputs from the team members as well and
stated as a series of questions.
▪ The questioner chooses the redefinition(s) that seem most relevant to him.
▪ Ideas are generated keeping these redefinitions in view.

Questioning and clarifying

▪ Clarification is the skill we use to ensure that we have understood the message of the
speaker in an interpersonal exchange.

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Professional Communication Module III

▪ When using clarification follow these guidelines to help aid communication and
understanding.
▪ Admit if you are unsure about what the speaker means.
▪ Ask for repetition.
▪ State what the speaker has said as you understand it, and check whether
this is what they really said.
▪ Ask for specific examples.
▪ Use open, non-directive questions - if appropriate.
▪ Ask if you have got it right and be prepared to be corrected.
Purpose of clarification
▪ Ensure that the listener's understanding of what the speaker has said is correct, reducing
misunderstanding.
▪ Reassure the speaker that the listener is genuinely interested in them and is attempting
to understand what they are saying.

Some examples of non-directive clarification-seeking questions are:

▪ “I'm not quite sure I understand what you are saying.”
▪ “I don't feel clear about the main issue here.”
▪ “When you said ........ what did you mean?”
▪ “Could you repeat ...?”

Ensuring Success in GD
• Maintain comfortable sitting posture which displays confidence.

• Be respectful to others’ opinions.

• If possible, be the one to start the discussion.

• Bring the discussion back on track if the discussion deviates.

• Be mindful of body language and eye contact.

• Speak loud and clear.

• Have valid points when you speak.

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Professional Communication Module III

Roles and functions

▪ Gatekeeper
▪ Often the group leader who leads the discussion
▪ Establish the focus of the group
▪ Keeps discussion on track
▪ Facilitator
▪ Enables everyone to participate
▪ Encourages reticent members
▪ Routes the discussion subtly to get diverse viewpoints or consensus
▪ Keeps the flow of the discussion
▪ Mediator
▪ Manages conflict within the group
▪ Identifies differences and works to resolve them
▪ Timekeeper
▪ Keeps track of the time
▪ Ensures each point that comes up is allowed adequate time
▪ Prompts for closure / conclusion at the right time
▪ Recorder
▪ Keeps track of ideas / opinions / points
▪ Uses writing / blackboard where relevant
▪ Has to be careful about editing the words of the participants when putting it in
writing
▪ Reporter
▪ Draws conclusions
▪ Presents conclusions to the entire class
GD strategies
▪ Read voraciously
▪ Initiate the discussion
▪ Speak politely and pleasantly
▪ Be precise
▪ Acquire and apply knowledge

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Professional Communication Module III

▪ Agree with the right

▪ Speak confidently
▪ Moderate
▪ Use positive body language
▪ Be a team player
Activities to improve GD skills
▪ Be an active listener and don't let your attention drift. ...
▪ Identify the main ideas being discussed.
▪ Evaluate what is being said. ...
▪ Listen with an open mind and be receptive to new ideas and points of view. ...
▪ Test your understanding. ...
▪ Ask yourself questions as you listen.

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