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HOWEVER…
• Once you are happy with your text, start practicing WITHOUT IT!
• Go through your slides and give the talk to yourself. At first, you can do it silently,
in your head. Ideally, towards the end, you give it out loud
• You repeat the process over and over. In between rounds of practice, you can go
back to your text and read sections you had trouble with
• Again, do not try learning your text by heart, even just sections of it. It will show
• As you practice, time yourself, making sure you respect the time limits (minimum and maximum). Analyze sections where you think you are dwelling too
long or keep forgetting to mention key elements. Rework your written text
as needed
Writing down your text is just a suggestion. If you feel relatively comfortable
about your topic, just start practicing right away. But always time yourself.
As you keep practicing, you will realize that quickly enough, you will remember
what you want to say for all your slides. When you reach that stage, it is even possible to practice your talk without having your presentation in front of you. That will
allow you to be able to practice in your shower, on the bus, while driving, etc.
11 Practice