What's the best way to format and present your work?

1 Choose the right format

The first step is to choose the right format for your work, depending on your purpose, audience, and context. For example, if you want to inform or persuade a large group of people, a slide deck or a video might be more engaging and memorable than a long report. If you want to provide detailed information or data, a report or a poster might be more suitable and credible than a slide deck or a video. Think about what you want to achieve, who you want to reach, and where and how you want to present your work.

2 Use consistent and clear design

The next step is to use consistent and clear design elements to enhance the readability and attractiveness of your work. This includes choosing a font, a color scheme, a layout, and a style that match your topic, tone, and brand. Avoid using too many fonts, colors, or graphics that might distract or confuse your audience. Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and white space to organize your content and highlight the main points. Use charts, tables, images, and videos to illustrate your data and arguments, but make sure they are relevant, accurate, and well-labeled.

3 Follow the basic structure

The third step is to follow the basic structure of any presentation: introduction, body, and conclusion. In the introduction, you should capture your audience's attention, state your main goal or thesis, and provide an overview of your work. In the body, you should develop your main points, support them with evidence and examples, and address any counterarguments or questions. In the conclusion, you should summarize your main points, restate your goal or thesis, and provide a call to action or a recommendation.

4 Practice and rehearse

The fourth step is to practice and rehearse your presentation before you deliver it. This will help you improve your confidence, timing, delivery, and feedback. You should practice your presentation several times, preferably in front of a mirror, a recorder, or a friend. You should also rehearse your presentation in the same or similar setting and equipment that you will use in the actual presentation. You should check your work for any errors, typos, or glitches, and make sure it is compatible with the format and platform you will use.

5 Engage your audience

The fifth step is to engage your audience during your presentation. This will help you create rapport, interest, and interaction with your audience. You can engage your audience by using eye contact, gestures, voice modulation, and humor. You can also use questions, polls, quizzes, stories, or anecdotes to involve your audience and elicit their opinions and feedback. You should also be prepared to answer any questions or comments from your audience, and thank them for their attention and participation.

6 Evaluate and improve

The sixth and final step is to evaluate and improve your presentation after you deliver it. This will help you learn from your experience, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and improve your skills for future presentations. You can evaluate your presentation by asking for feedback from your audience, your peers, your mentors, or yourself. You can also review your work, your notes, or your recording, and reflect on what went well and what can be improved. You should also celebrate your achievements and appreciate your efforts.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?