Giving a Talk


Chapter 7


 1. Tost-harvest losses 4. Effects
 nationalscale early harvesting/leaving
 individual farmers maize in shamba
 treatedgrain/untreated
 2. Consequences efficient storage/traditions
 (oss filustre (ned epmps)
 (o o} c a sh f
 5. Possible queries
 3. Pwject objectives queies
 r commend s: costs, labour, theft, etc.
 harvesting d& storage management 6. Review of benefits



By adopting this method of planning, you will overcome one of the
main problems in preparation: how to select both what you want
to say and how you will say it. If you do as many people do-try to
sketch an outline plan of your talk before first noting what ideas
you have on the subject-then you are likely to get stuck. You may
construct draft after draft, fill a wastepaper basket with crumpled
bits of paper-and still not have the basis for your short talk!

Emphasis in Presentation
A talk can include only relevant points; it can be coherently
structured-and it can be very dull. This brings us to the third
principle of emphasis. How can we make a talk come alive? How
can we ensure that it has impact on our audience?

A lot will depend on how you use your voice and your body in
delivery. These points will be taken up later in the chapter. But in
the planning stage you will need to consider whether it would be a
good idea to include any pictures or models in your presentation.
Because emphasis is often achieved through illustrations and
concrete examples. Imagine trying to describe a bicycle to a child
who has never seen one. How many words would it take to do the
job? And would the child have a clear picture in his head when you
finished? How much more effective to show him one-to have a
bicycle you could jump on and ride before his eyes! And if not an
actual bicycle, then a picture of one.
The key factor is that the more concrete your presentation, the
greater the clarity and impact. So if you are talking about the
difference between new and traditional storage structures, then
show it. If you are trying to establish the advantages of preserving