Presentations don’t have to be perfect — but certain mistakes can make your message hard to follow. The good news? These mistakes are very common and easy to fix.
Here are the top five issues I see in student presentations — and simple ways to improve.
❌ Mistake 1: Reading from slides
Fix: Use slides to support your talk — not to replace it. Try having a few keywords or one image per slide to guide you.
❌ Mistake 2: No clear structure
Fix: Use a basic outline:
- Introduction: What is the talk about?
- Main points (2–3 only)
- Conclusion: What should the audience remember?
Signal transitions:
“Let’s move on to the second point…”
“To sum up…”
❌ Mistake 3: Speaking too fast
Fix: Slow down by adding pauses. Record yourself — you’re probably faster than you think. If you’re nervous, pausing helps calm you too.
❌ Mistake 4: Flat delivery
Fix: Use emphasis and emotion. Change your pitch and speed to match the message. Practice saying one sentence with different emotions.
❌ Mistake 5: Not practising out loud
Fix: Say it aloud at least twice. Better: practise with a friend or record yourself. Rehearsing silently is not the same!
You don’t need to be a “natural speaker” — just a prepared one.