War and Our World; Spring 2009

Professors. K.G. Aiken, G. Machlis, and G. Williams; Mentor Mitchell Odom
CRN 32765/32766, Core 127/177                                                                       
Mon/Wed, 3:30 pm - 4:45 pm, TLC 023/041 

Research Paper Assignment: Oral Presentation

 Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to gain experience in orally presenting information from a research project. 

Format

Each of you will develop a 5-7 minute oral presentation based on your research paper. You will deliver your report on either Wednesday, April 30, or Monday, May 4, to a small group of other students and one of the course leaders (Aiken, Machlis, Odom, Williams).  Each of you will also help evaluate the reports in two ways:  1) by asking questions following each presentation, and 2) by completing a brief evaluation form for each presenter. 

Structure of the Report 

1. Provide a brief historical context, enough so that people unfamiliar with your project will be able to understand its focus.

2. Announce your research question.

3. Briefly describe three primary resources you used in your effort to answer the question, and explain how each of them helped you.

4. Present at least one compelling (very interesting to you) fact you learned from your research.

5. Describe your conclusions.

6. Explain what further research you would propose.

7. Ask for questions. 

Suggestions

Use note cards to help you remember your primary points, but don’t write out the entire report on the cards.  Remember that you are speaking to an audience, not reading a report.  (We will not use PowerPoint for these presentations.) 

Practice beforehand.  Time yourself.  (It is important that you not speak for more than seven minutes; we will let you know when you have one minute left.) 

Evaluation

Each person listening will evaluate your presentation according to the following criteria: 

            Clarity of information presented
            Preparedness
            Poise of delivery
            Ability to answer questions following presentation 

Grading

The outline, draft and final research paper and presentation are together worth 25% of your final grade.
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WHEN WILL I GIVE MY REPORT?
(Note that you are the audience in the room to which you're assigned on the day when you don't give a report.)