How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Sectioning

Techniques > Public speaking > Preparing the Presentation > Sectioning

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Divide your speech or presentation into distinct sections, like chapters of a book. For each section, have an introduction, body and close, effectively making it a 'mini-speech'.

If the structure is not clear to you, then one way to discover it is to write things to cover on post-it notes or slips of paper and then group them according to what may be talked about together. You can also create sub-groups to identify smaller sub-sections.

Example

I am doing a presentation on the history of railways. I divide it up by technology into early days, steam, diesel and electric. Within each section I introduce it with a few words about the technology, have a body about how this affected the spread and use and close each on the benefits to society.

Discussion

When you give one long speech it can be very difficult for the audience to remember it or connect one part to another. Our memory is such that we learn thing better if they are chunked into distinct pieces that we can treat as a single item.

Having separate sections also allows you to include separate question time for each, thereby gaining closure for the audience on any unanswered points.