How to Ace Your Final Presentation in Professor Rick's Course

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HOW TO ACE YOUR FINAL PRESENTATION IN PROFESSOR RICK’S COURSE Fall 2025

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REQUIREMENTS

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original research

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The Professional Writing Program requires you to do research that’s original. What does “original” mean? It means that you created the document at hand; it did not exist before.

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Read an article Watch a movie Listen to a podcast Conduct an interview Conduct a survey

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sourcing

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You’ll want to identify the source of your research. Otherwise, your peers may treat your findings with skepticism.

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if then example The info is well- known Do nothing The population of America The source is not critical to your point, but some people might wonder about it Show your source on the slide How many people lack access to a clean, working toilet Your source is critical to your point Verbalize your source The number of Apple executives who Steve Jobs fired

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counter- arguments

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You must address objections from people who disagree with you. Do not focus on the easy objections (“straw men” arguments). Instead, wrestle with the hardest ones (“steel-men” arguments).

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powerpoint

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You must use PowerPoint. Alternatives like Google Slides, Prezi, and Keynote are useful. Yet they remain inferior to PowerPoint in both functionality and ubiquity. The latter point is particularly important. Put simply, PowerPoint is the de facto tool of business communication.

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LOGISTICS

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time

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Please arrive at least 15 minutes early, so that both the class and your own presentation can start on time. We’re on a tight schedule, and we need to get going at 6:30. Even then, we’ll likely end after 9:10.

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computer

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Whoever arrives first in the classroom should log onto the classroom computer using his own user name. This first person to log on should not log out of Windows. Instead, everyone should use this person’s “desktop” for their deck. Specifically: Please download your deck to the desktop. You must use the classroom computer. Don’t leave your deck in your inbox or on a thumb drive. Remember: Tech difficulties are your responsibility. Don’t be the person who gets on stage, then has difficulty opening or playing their presentation.

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your .ppt file

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A tip: In naming your .PPT file, don’t use your headline (for example, “10 Reasons Macs Are Better Than PCs.ppt”) or the name of the assignment (“Final Presentation.ppt”). Instead, use your own name (“Steve Jobs.ppt”), so you can find your file quickly.

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order of speakers

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We’ll proceed alphabetically.

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grace period

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Your talk should last between 4 minutes and 30 seconds and 5 minutes. No shorter, no longer. After 5 minutes, I’ll provide a 15-second grace period. After that, I’ll need to cut you off. No exceptions.

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your first words

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Don’t start by saying, “I’m Steve.” We know who you are. 1. I just called you by name. 2. Your peers see your name on a sheet they’re writing on. 3. And your name is on the title slide.

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lighting

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Control of the lights is up to you. Decide if you want them on or off — and design your deck accordingly. If the room is dark, use light colors and avoid all-black backgrounds. If the room is light, use dark colors and avoid all-white backgrounds.

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clicker

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You’ll have use of my clicker, so there’s no need to stand in front of the computer. Though, as you’ll recall from my own troubles, you won’t want to wander far.

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notecards

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No notecards.

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q&a

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After you finish your talk, you’ll take a question or two from the audience. The Q&A does not count toward your allotted time.

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peer reviews

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Peer Review #1 You’re required to rehearse your presentation with a partner from class. (I’ll assign partners.) To this end, please download the document, “Presentation Peer Review #1,” from ELMS. This document is due, on ELMS, by 6:30 P.M. on our last day of class.

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Peer Review #2 You’re also required to review your peers’ presentations in real time. You can download “Presentation Peer Review #2” from ELMS.. This document is due, on ELMS, by 10 P.M. on our last day of class.

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YOUR SLIDES

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title slide

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You need a title slide — along with a catchy title.

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end slide

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Your end slide (or last slide) is what people see when you’re taking questions. (The Q&A does not count toward your time.) So make your slide memorable. Don’t just list your contact info or show a word like “questions” or “thanks.” Make this slide something that leaves an impression.

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one big takeaway

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Make sure to explicitly identify your one big takeaway. For example: “If there’s one point I can leave you with today, it’s that Apple values your privacy over our profits.”

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thesis

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Near the beginning of your presentation, you must state your thesis in one sentence. Make it perfectly clear, upfront, what your purpose is.

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agenda

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Please explicitly preview your topics — both on the screen and by articulating them.

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OTHER STUFF

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clothing

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If your clothing is relevant to your topic, don’t assume that people will make the connection; make it for them. You’re not required to dress up, but if you’re so inclined, I’d encourage you to do so.