Module 8: The Art and Science of Effective Lecturing

Use Effective Lecturing Techniques

• Immediacy—Most interesting and exciting lectures seem spontaneous and immediate. Speak to the audience, not at them
• Variety—Vary lectures with material that is related to the topic. The audience will most likely remember a story or anecdote related to the information being presented.
• Organization—Design the lecture so the audience can follow your reasoning process. Information is most likely retained when it is in a context. The organization of your material should be obvious to the audience.
• Preview and Review—Set the stage with a short explanation of what you will cover, how you will proceed and why it is important. As you bring the presentation to a close, re-cap what you have covered and why it is important. Identify the “take home” information.
• Connectors and Intermittent Summaries—Separate points should be connected so the audience can see the progress of your logic.

Summaries at key intervals will allow the audience to check their understanding of the key points.

• Enumeration—Assign numbers to lists or points you want to emphasize
• Handouts—Complex or lengthy material, diagrams, charts, data sets or drawings can be put in a handout. This allows the audience to focus on what you are saying rather than drawing diagrams or trying to “get it all down.”
• Visuals—Using a chalkboard, whiteboard, transparencies helps the audience to follow key points you are making. Be aware of room lighting, sight lines, legibility and organization.
• Media—Overhead projectors allow you to keep the room lighted. Slides provide a broader variety of visual materials. Digital projects give you the opportunity to combine slides, an outline, video and illustrations.