--- Specific Guidelines For Individual Presentations Given In This Class ---

 - Due 24 hours before class sent via email

  --------------
  Grading Rubric
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  Materials   (6 pt)
  Performance (2 pt)
  Questions   (2 pt)

The presentation is very much like the 1 page papers but in 
graphical format. It should answer a question for your audience, 
convince them the answer, the conclusion,  is correct. Each slide 
title should make a supporting statement of your argument with 
the contents showing supporting data, graphical is best.

- A good rule of thumb to measure presentation material quality is to ask
  if can this be presented by someone else without your help given only the 
  material.

- Plan on having 10 minutes of class time, 
  2 of which should be reserved for discussion.

- You should assume the class has completed the assigned reading.
  There is no reason to cover this material in your presentation.
  If you do include such material I can only assume you did not do the reading.
  
- Name file "FirstnameLastname-Topic.pptx"

- Slides should be in Microsoft PowerPoint pptx format.
  Using alternatives generally ruins the formatting.
  WPI provides free copies of MS Office to students and remote Windows
  machines.

- Use the presentation template available in the Assignments section of this
  site.

- Put your name on each slide as indicated on template.

- Do not change the formatting.

- Do not use title slide layout.

- Provide a transcript of what you intend to say in the speaker notes section 
  of each slide. Not only will this help me give you meaningful feedback, 
  it will give me an idea of where to place your slides relative to other 
  student presentations. It will also prepare you well to give the talk and
  serve as a reminder while you are speaking.

- Slides should be used to provide illustrations, diagrams, charts and/or 
  as a memory queue for the points you want to cover. 

- Given the short time available for individual presentations it is advisable 
  to forego an outline or agenda slide.

- Regardless of your presentation materials and the form they take you need
  to provide references to support your statements. 

- URL references should always include the date you accessed them.
  Things on the web change frequently.
  
- Do NOT include any classified material. Just because you found it online 
  does not mean it is legal to view or distribute.

--- Presentation Rules Of Thumb ---

- Number your slides

- Organize according to Overview-Body-Summary
   - Overview to tell them what you are going to tell them
   - Body to tell them
   - Summary to tell them what you told them

- Keep presentation in scope
   - 2 minutes per slide
   - Packing too much in hurts comprehension
   - Having too little content conveys you have nothing to say

- Organize slides hierarchically
   - Key statement as title
   - Logical statements that support title as big bullets
   - Supporting facts as sub bullets
   - Stick with 2x3 or 3x2 (big bullets x sub bullets)
   - 3x3 OK with no figure, avoid sub-sub bullets

- Figures should support title statement
   - Avoid figures that don't make a point
   - Figures should support the big bullets
   - Caption should state the point of the figure, not what the figure is

- If your audience can't read it it should not be there
   - Title	    : 26 point font size
   - Big bullets    : 20 point font size
   - Sub bullets : 18 point font size
   - Nothing smaller than 16 point, even in figures
   - Block fonts are easiest to read: e.g. Arial, Helvetica
   - Light colors are difficult to read

- Keep things concise
   - Single line is best
   - Two lines is OK but not easy to read, better have good reason for it
   - Three lines or more you are writing a paragraph, stop

- Use color to make points, not make it pretty
   - Example: Green good, Yellow OK, Red bad
   - Use color to group items together
   - Always provide legend

- Figures are not useful if no one can understand them
   - Don't pack too much in
   - Label axes with names and units
   - Keep lines bold so they can be seen when projected

- The presentation is not complete without you
   - Do not read slides to your audience, they can do that themselves
   - Keep your audience's attention by augmenting the material in slides
   - Slides are a visual aid to your presentation, not a stand alone 
     product

- Use speaker notes
   - Writing them will help you organize what you will say
   - Presentation will be understandable by reader without cramming 
     the slides
   - Provide reference materials here or on slides for completeness

- Your audience matters
   - Look at them, not your slides or just the instructor
   - Adjust speed if they looked bored or confused
   - Point at the projected image (not the computer screen) to draw 
     attention where you want it

- Your voice matters
   - Speak clearly and loudly enough for people in the back to hear you
   - Modulate tone and cadence to emphasize importance
   - Avoid filler words like "um", "OK", "aah", silence is better
   - Pause before and/or after stating important points

- Practice makes better
   - Become familiar with the presentation
   - Improve delivery by cutting out tangents
   - Experienced speakers perform dry runs before presentation

- Do not go over planned time
   - Shows poor planning or not being able to control your audience
   - Not respectful of others in line to present
   - If running out of time do not talk faster
   - If running out of time skip details, i.e. sub bullets, to make sure 
     your major points are still covered