Presentation Writing

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Presentation Writing : Research and Rough Drafts

Giving a presentation can require much research to get a point across.  Depending on the kind of presentation you are giving, will also determine how much writing you really need to do for it.  If it is to a group at a formal dinner, note cards will be utilized for key points.  But an office setting can use a program such as MS PowerPoint, where you will only need to know your material and follow along with the screens as they come up.

If you are doing a presentation with the use of a presentation program, not much writing will actually need to be done.  Initially you will do the research for what you want the presentation to be about.  Taking notes will insure that nothing is missed and you will even have too much information to use.  But this is good.  Then a written presentation should be done to get the points you want across. 

This is the rough draft of how to set up the program so that you are not stumbling along and putting things out of order or in a sequence that doesn’t get the point across.  Then highlight the points you really want to make with a highlighter.  These will be the bullet points in the program.  Then go to the program and start creating the presentation.  First think of the group you will be giving this presentation too. 

This will determine if you can make it fun or be serious.  Set up your pages accordingly and use the highlighted points on the written presentation to emphasis those points.  Make sure that you run the presentation through with a trial person who can critique it for things that don’t make sense since the way you set it up or phrases you wrote you understand.

For a group presentation without a computer program, it is similar.  The research and note taking still need to be done.  A written rough draft should be done as well as the highlighting strong points.  Note cards with these points should be made.  Although here there will be no props to help get the point across, just your voice and what you have written.  Run the presentation by someone not related to the project for their opinion.  Something you wrote down during your research may need more explanation to someone vaguely familiar with it.

And then there is a written presentation where someone will get your proposal in words only.  This is the most critical form of presentation and your writing must be very good.  If you don’t think you can do it well enough, hire a professional to write for you.  Do the research and take notes so they can put it down correctly for you. 

If you do hire someone to write for you, make sure you read it before sending it to the receiving party.  That way no mistakes are sent on.  If you write it yourself, have someone read it to insure you did not skip something important that you knew but in writing forgot to include.

Presentation writing is not very difficult, but it does take research and rewriting.  Someone else should always look at the work to make sure it is coherent to those not involved in the research.  Drafts are essential to being able to cut down to what is unusable and what is just filler.  Know the difference between the two and if you’re not sure ask if it will make the presentation confusing if left out.  It really is like writing a paper for school just with a tougher audience. 

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