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TIP: Signpost your Presentation

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TIP: Signpost your presentation...

Signposting means you give your listeners signposts or hints so they can follow your explanation. Imagine explaining to someone how to get to Kobe University Hospital from Kansai International Airport. You tell them the final destination but when they get on the expressway there are no signposts. They can't check they are on the right road and they can't be sure when they are getting near to the exit, although may often see names and items that sound familiar!
 
An oral presentation is like this. You give your listeners a kind of map (your overheads) but you also need to remind them where they are in your presentation and what is coming next, so they dont get lost.
 
Here are some examples:
 
  • Today, Im going to talk about...
  • OK, Ill start with...
  • Moving onto...
  • Lets look at...
 
Now try to add signpost expressions to introduce the sentences below. Download the signpost expressions list to help you:
 

Presentation Signpost Phrases

At the start of the materials and methods section: Our study involved 10 men and 17 women, with mean age of 24.5 years.
 
Talking about results (there is a figure that listeners can look at): We compared the measured values of the operated knee with the same values for the non-operated knee.
 
The relative hamstring strength of the operated knee was 45.2% compared with the non-operated knee. A significant functional deficit was revealed.
 
At the end of the talk: To solve this controversial issue we need a correlation analysis between the morphological and functional recovery of the hamstring based on  a detailed imaging evealuation of the whole muscle-tendon unit.
 
 
Now compare your answers with the suggested answers. Remember, these answers are sample suggestions only. Many different answers are possible.