Presentation

Topic: Choose a topic you are passionate about, related to your Personal Statement and/or Leadership Philosophy, and teach us about it. You should include relevant factual information, but go beyond reporting and describing. Think critically and creatively and offer your own important insights and leadership perspectives on your themes, issues and trends. Write a working thesis statement that expresses the central idea or conclusion of your presentation. Use storytelling, infographics, images, and other techniques of presentation. What are your leadership recommendations for individuals and/or organizations? Perhaps you have recommendations for stakeholders, such as for government regulators or international diplomats. Perhaps you have recommendations for society at large. Student presentations offer us an expansive opportunity for shared learning.

Submission: Upload the final version of your powerpoint slide deck here, following your presentation. (The Writing Center offers reviews of presentations, and prior to your presentation you can also see me for a final proofread.)

Guidelines: The goal is to bring alive the research, critical thinking, and creative writing that you've done on your research topic. Take an investigative journalism approach to research the who, what, when, where, how, and why of your topic. Teach your peers about what you have learned, and engage them in conversation on your topic. This is an opportunity to build public speaking and facilitation skills in a friendly, supportive environment, and to share in the exchange of meaningful information and ideas.

Assignment specifics: 

Present for five minutes. Use a power point deck of 5-10 slides; slides can be based on excerpts, quotations, info-graphics, and images. Be sure to site sources (on the slide itself or in the "notes."

Introduce three questions for the audience to discuss. List the three questions on your last powerpoint slide.

Lead a five-minute discussion of your topic. Facilitate open, inclusive classroom discussion of these questions.

Presentation date: Once you have confirmed your presentation time, it is your responsibility to be prepared for that day. If a schedule change is absolutely necessary due to illness or emergency, please notify the instructor immediately.

 

The grading rubric asks the following questions (3 points each):

1. Is the topic explained clearly and cogently, in an engaging way? (Presenter establishes credibility; states thesis; covers the topic thoroughly.)

2. Does the presenter build persuasive, evidence-based arguments? (Conveys logical persuasion, critical thinking and analysis based on solid research effort.)

3. Does the presenter take a strong and energized stance on the issues? (Expresses personal interest; displays original and innovative thinking.)

4. Is the slide deck a good visual aid to the presentation?

5. Has the presenter prepared three thought-provoking questions that bring up interesting topics for further discussion and demonstrated active facilitation skills?