Our team did not present during the midterm presentations. We have done our best to give examples of what we learned from watching the other teams present. 

 

1. Seven minutes may seem long when preparing to present, but the time passes very quickly. Some teams struggled with pacing their presentations. When we go on to present, we need to work hard to properly pace our presentation over the seven minute window. Efficiency when using time can separate a good presentation from a bad presentation. We have learned that we cannot include everything we want to, but we should include what is necessary.
2. Looking through peoples’ feedback through the presentations, a lot of them noticed when presentations included strong introductions. We should make sure to dedicate an efficient amount of time to a strong introduction when planning our future presentations. A strong introduction will increase interest in our presentation and improve our credibility. This also gives us an opportunity to address the next point.
3. A big criticism of presentations was a lack of enthusiasm while speaking or talking like reading from a script. Although it is very difficult to show passion while presenting over zoom, we should actively think about these potential criticisms while prepping for our next presentation. We should remind ourselves of the goals of our project to bring out enthusiasm. 
4. Some presentations did not have visuals that contributed heavily to their presentation. Other presentations had strong visuals that actually enhanced what was being said. We’ve learned that large amounts of text should be avoided while making slides, so the images become even more important. Although we have some strong diagrams and images from past presentations, we should try to make more. Especially as we get closer to fieldwork, diagrams and images that illustrate what we will be doing in Sierra Leone will be very important. 
5. When responding to referees questions, it is important to make sure that you are answering what they are asking instead of straying from the question. It can be stressful when being confronted with a question about your project that you might be unprepared for, but it’s also important to remember that you won’t always have the answer to every question and it is okay to admit that you need to do further research instead of rambling and losing clarity and the audience. 

 

Five techniques that teams did particularly well:

1. It was very obvious which teams had rehearsed their presentations and knew what to say confidently and seamlessly. For our final presentation, we should rehearse our presentation at least a few times so that we are fully prepared and know our content inside and out. 
2. Another technique that teams did particularly well follows the last point, but certain teams were much more prepared at answering questions than others. These teams most likely discussed which team member would take which type of question/which member would have expertise in certain areas. We can use this type of strategy to plan how we will delegate questions. 
3. Team members made sure to dress appropriately and professionally, as well as to have an appropriate background and an environment that was quiet. This ensures that the presentation will be clear with no interruptions, and ensures that the presentation is professional. It’s often easy to lose “professional” etiquette when on zoom, but we can use this strategy to make sure our project presentation is taken seriously and our goals understood. 
4. One strategy I felt could also help our presentation was using a timeline visual during the presentation, especially regarding current and future plans. Although our project is currently not active, we can use this strategy to emphasize what we will be doing when conducting fieldwork and beyond. 
5. Finally, a technique we can use to make our final presentation the best it can be, is to make sure we describe both the macro and micro problems that we are addressing through our venture. It is important to showcase how the project will directly affect the communities we are working with. Especially in the case of our project, where we are trying to help shift public perception of autism, it is essential that we hold those we will be trying to help to a high standard. Using this strategy during our presentation will make sure our true motivations will come across and add to the integrity of our venture.