Group Presentations

Lacy Hodges, Ph.D.

If your assignment involves a group presentation, you’ll not only need to follow the steps to create an effective presentation, but you’ll also need to incorporate some steps that will help take advantage of the dynamics of your group and the strengths of individual group members.

  1. Schedule a group meeting
    • A group presentation assignment is not only about presenting material, it is also about collaboration
    • Work closely with your fellow group members to ensure your presentation is cohesive and coherent
    • This means that the group should meet in person to discuss how they plan to approach the materials
  2. Assign tasks to group members
    • At your group meeting—or shortly following it—decide who in your group will handle which tasks
    • Check in with all group members to ensure that everyone understands and is comfortable with their assigned role
    • Ensure that everyone is doing their fair share.
  3. Communicate throughout the project
    • In addition to your group meetings, consider creating a GroupMe so that all members of the group stay in constant communication
    • If a member of your group stops communicating or participating in the group, talk to your team leader or course instructor before the assignment is due
  4. Practice your presentation together
    • Even if you split up the work of the presentation content, remember that you will be presenting as a group
    • It is important to practice your presentation together so that you can transition smoothly from person-to-person
    • Practicing together will also allow you to see any gaps that might be missing in your presentation and/or remove any redundancies
  5. Give feedback
    • Often in group presentations, your group members will be earning one final grade. This means that other people’s presentation skills will affect your final grade.
    • Give feedback to your group members. Point out both strengths and areas of improvement. Be constructive in your feedback—make sure you point to specific elements of their presentation skills and offer suggestions on how to improve.
  6. Have a back-up plan in place
    • Occasionally, technology fails or a group member is sick, so always have a back-up plan in place for your presentation
    • Be prepared to cover any other member’s section if they’re not in class

All materials in this section are licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0.