CHAPTER 30
Presentations Assigned across the Curriculum
CHAPTER CONTENT OUTLINE
I. Presentations assigned across the curriculum
A. Oral presentations are a significant aspect of academic life, both in major classes and in
B. Presentational speaking is less formal than public speaking.
II. Journal article review
A journal article review is a commonly assigned classroom speaking task and includes the
following steps:
2. Explain the methods by which the author arrived at his or her conclusions.
4. Identify the author’s methods and, if applicable, theoretical perspective.
6. Describe the author’s sources, and evaluate their credibility.
7. Show how the findings advance knowledge in the field.
III. The service learning presentation
A. Students learn about and help address a community need or problem in a service-learning
presentation.
B. Service-learning presentations include:
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2. Description of what the service task taught you about those you served
4. Application of what was learned to future understanding and practice
IV. The poster presentation
A. A poster presentation includes information about a study, issue, or concept that is
B. Poster presentations include an abstract, introduction, description of methods, results
section, conclusion, and references.
C. Good poster presentations consider the audience’s needs and present information in
visually appealing, concise, and organized ways.
1. Select a concise and informative title and make it 84-point type or larger.
3. Include an abstract.
5. Edit text to a minimum and use clear graphics.
7. Enlarge the font so that it can easily be read from 3 feet away.
9. Be prepared to provide brief descriptions of the poster and to answer questions.
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V. The debate
A. In an academic debate, two individuals or groups consider or argue the point or issue in
question from opposing viewpoints.
B. Take a side.
1. Debates can be in an individual debate format, in which one person takes a side
against another person.
3. The affirmative side supports the topic with a resolution; the negative side tries to
1. Strong evidence, warrants, backing, qualifiers, and rebuttals are key to arguments in a
debate.
a. Backing is evidence that shows why the particular type of warrant supports the
claim.
VI. The case study
A. A case study documents a real (or realistic) situation, relating to business, law,
medicine, science, or another discipline, which poses difficult problems requiring
solution.
B. Students are expected to consider the case carefully and report on:
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3. Identification of any relevant alternatives to the case
5. Recommendations for implementing the solutions, along with acknowledgment of
any impediments
VII. Presenting to different audiences.
A. Types of audiences you may address on the job include expert (insider) audiences who
have intimate knowledge of the topic or idea.
B. Colleagues within the field are people who share the speaker’s knowledge of the general
field but may not be familiar with the specific topic.
KEY TERMS
journal article review type of oral presentation in which the speaker reports on one or more
articles or studies published in an academic journal
service learning presentation presentation based on experience and knowledge gained by
students actively participating in addressing a need or problem in a community or organization
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debate an oral presentation in which two individuals or groups argue from opposing viewpoints
case study a detailed illustration of a real (or realistic) situation, relating to business, law, or other
disciplines, which poses dilemmas or problems requiring solutions
expert or insider audience audience of people with an intimate knowledge of the topic, issue,
product, or idea being discussed
CHAPTER STUDY GUIDE
I. SUMMARY QUESTIONS
What are some typical oral presentations used in college courses?
Oral presentations are a common part of a variety of college courses. Typical presentation
formats include team presentations, debates, reviews of academic articles, and poster sessions.
What are some typical audiences for these types of presentations?
Typical audiences for presentations include expert or insider audiences, colleagues within the
field, lay audiences, and mixed audiences. Expert or insider audiences consist of a group of
people who possess an intimate knowledge of the topic, issue, product, or idea being discussed.
CONTENT PRESENTATION IDEAS
I. STUDENT ACTIVITY
1. Students often have personal experience giving presentations in other college courses. Conduct
a panel discussion to explore experienced students’ thoughts on their own presentations.
Organize a panel of students who have a variety of experiences from their own classes.
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III. ADDITIONAL QUESTION AND ACTIVITY
QUESTION
The following question may be used by instructors to help illustrate important points in the chapter
and to facilitate students’ learning of this material. This question can be used as:
• Homework
• Quiz
• In-class work (individually or in groups)
• Topic to generate discussion
• Question-and-answer session between instructor and students
1. What are the key components to winning a debate?
Speakers should always present the most credible and convincing evidence. Especially
when participating in a debate, you should first describe your position to listeners and tell them
ACTIVITY
Professor Interview
Purpose: To learn what professors in other college courses expect from presentations in their
classes.
Instructions: Each student should visit a professor in his or her major department to conduct a
brief interview. Students should ask about the typical presentation in the professor’s class and
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