Frequently asked questions - presentation assessment

Hello all,

I thought I would jot down a few FAQs for the first assessment, which is the 5 minute oral presentation. If there are any further questions you have, please note them in the comments section below and I will respond to them directly, in order that everybody can see any q and a badinage. 

The trick with this assessment two is on clear structure, and preparation. As ever, time management and attention to detail should be at the forefront of your thinking here.

Q. How important is time when you come to assess this?

A. Time is really important and is a discipline that you can control. Given you have between 5 and 8 minutes to deliver your talk on what you have researched, there should be no issue. It is strongly recommended that you have a timepiece in front of you, and remember to start it. My stopwatch starts when you open the presentation up and stops when you ask for questions.

Q. I see you use a remote clicker when you present in our lectures. Will that be available on the day for us and is it easy to use?

A. Yes it will be available and it is really easy to use. One button (right) moves the slides forward and the other (left) moves it back. You may wish to use the spacebar or mouse instead though. My remote clicker arguably gives you a little more physical freedom. My advice is do not use the infrared button for a pointer, as it can often be distracting to the audience. Use positive body language and hand gestures to naturally signpost key issues.

Q. Is there a minimum amount of references that I should have used for this presentation?

A. Yes, you should have at least four references, and this will not include Wikipedia.

Q. How many questions are we likely to get and is it just Mark who can ask them?

A. How long is a piece of string? No definitive answer to that, other than ‘until I am satisfied I have sufficient information’ and yes, members of the audience can also pose some questions, which I encourage. 

Q. If I miss my assessment, is it OK just to do it the following week?

A. No it is not OK. This is a crucial question though. If you miss your presentation slot you will be marked as a no show and you will be reassessed when I am able. Depending on the circumstances for any absences, it could be a first attempt (with legitimate reasons sent to Mark in good time), as per College and SQA regulations. Any resits / first attempt deliveries are likely to happen in December as I must move on with the next assessment after this, which is formal report writing. 

Q. Is it permissible to use cue cards?

A. Yes it is, but not a script. If you are using cue cards, you should number them. Experience tells me that if a learner drops their cards and they are not numbered, it can cause mild panic, to put it mildly…I keep your cue cards in a file, just for evidence, so it does not matter how neat or not they are. That said, YOU need to make sense of them!

Q. I need to go to work on the day of my presentation, so might need to leave early, is that OK with the assessor?

A. No, it isn't. You should change your shift if this is the case. The assessment times were announced on 2/10/23 and you should ensure you are available on the date you have been allocated. This is effectively an examination, so please treat it as such. You are authorised for the two sessions where you are not presenting.

Q. Can I change the assessment date at all?

A. Sadly not. All assessment dates are now fixed. Please see above. 

Q. Is it good practice to print off the slides for myself, you and the audience?

A. This would indeed be good practice, but not mandatory. An assessor often likes to see slides for numerous reasons, such as assessing how well prepared you have been, to check spelling, make notes on the hard copy and crucially, to help make an informed assessment decision. Black and white copies are absolutely fine and it is welcomed if you print them off using the three to a page option, with room for Mark to make notes. It is also good to have the slides in case of any data projector, technical issues (which are unlikely, but possible). 

Q. What is the dress code for the assessed presentation?

A. I would say smart casual, but please, no hats, shorts or sunglasses. It is still a professional piece of communication. There is no expectation that you are “suited and booted” as the phrase goes, but if you do wish to be in formal attire, please do, it isn’t mandatory though. 

Q. Will the presentations be recorded?

A. No, on this occasion they won't be. If you did want to be recorded for your own learning, you should arrange that with a member of the class beforehand to video on a mobile ‘phone. That is good practice for you to analyse your own performance, but that’s not for everybody, I do understand that! I will be taking lots of notes my end though. 

Q. With Mark and a third of the class in the room for my talk, who should I divert my eye contact to on the day?

A. Do not present to the wall at the back, that’s the first thing to note. I believe that all members of any audience are equally important, so it is wise to present to everybody in the room. That said, DO include me too in that! It wouldn’t be professional to avoid contact with me completely. It has happened in the past which always surprises me, in a bad way!

Q. Can you remind me when my presentation assessment is, please?

A. Of course, the link to the three assessment dates are found here (you only attend one session though remember): SWAP Nurses 2023-24: Presentation assessment times - please read! (swapnurses2324.blogspot.com)

I hope these ‘FAQs’ help you and if you have any further questions, please note them in the comment section below, not forgetting to use Google Chrome to do so. You can also e mail Mark by proxy if you’re having difficulty. 

All the best and bonne chance in the assessment. This is a great opportunity for you to talk up the research you have done and also to demonstrate how far you have developed since the start of this unit. I will respond to every question should any be asked.

Good luck to you all; many of you have really engaged with this unit so far and that’s been very reassuring from a lecturer / assessor perspective.

Mark