Medical warning
If your public speaking anxiety causes severe physical symptoms please speak with a doctor first. For severe cases, a physician may recommend medication for immediate situational relief. For those who have to give infrequent presentations, this can be life-changing. Even if your doctor recommends medication, you may still wish to complete this programme for an even greater beneficial effect as well as a longer-term sustained solution.
Programme commitments
Over the course of this programme, you will write, memorise, and practice delivering a simple 3-minute presentation (or something that you may have already prepared/is more suitable for your needs). For the best results, we recommend that you commit to performing your presentation at an in-person event at the end of the programme. Your school/university/organisation may be able to facilitate this. This could even be to a small group of friends or family. If you are unable to do this, you can record your presentation at the end of the programme and send it to us. We will be happy to provide feedback.
This is a self-led, self-guided programme, accordingly, you can take as long as you need. However, we recommend four weeks: 1 week to write, 1 week to memorise, and 2 weeks to train. As a result, if you follow our recommendation, you should plan for your in-person presentation event to take place in over four weeks time. The programme is designed to be manageable alongside other commitments, we suggest you dedicate around 20 minutes a day.
Your assignment
Your first task is to write a great '3MT' script (an easy presentation format where you have 3-minutes to discuss a concept to a general audience) OR edit/write something that you are planning to present (e.g., a work presentation, a best man speech, etc).
By the end of week one, you should have written/improved your script, and, if you wish to use a supporting presentation slide, you should have created one.
If you are writing a 3MT presentation, you should be able to comfortably and slowly read through your script under 3-minutes (allowing time for pauses). Please make sure your presentation is simple and follows a logical flow.
Before writing or editing anything, be sure to look through our supporting materials below. Even if you are not writing a 3MT presentation, we recommend looking through the materials below.
What does a great 3MT look like?
The goal is to condense complex ideas into a short timeframe and make your presentation accessible and interesting to listeners who may not be familiar with your topic.
In addition to the strict 3-minute time limit, participants are only permitted to use a single static presentation slide; slide transitions and animations are not allowed. No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted. No props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted. Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps, or songs).
To see what good looks like, you can watch a winning 3MT below:
How do I write a great presentation?
The prospect of crafting a captivating presentation can stir up a cocktail of emotions: excitement, anticipation, and maybe even a dash of dread. Whether you're a seasoned speaker or a presentation newbie, the desire to deliver a compelling and impactful message remains constant. But how do you cut through the information overload and convey your ideas in a way that resonates with your audience? Fear not, the W.I.S.E framework is here to help transform your next presentation into a resounding success.
The W.I.S.E framework
1. Why
What is obvious to the speaker may not be to the audience and so a great presentation clarifies the 'whys': Why is the topic being discussed? Why does it matter for the audience?
For example, supposing a scientist doesn't provide any context and jumps straight into presenting their research and they start talking about how they are measuring air pollution. By contrast, suppose they began by clarifying the 'whys': "Air pollution kills over 6 million people every year. And while we may assume that that statistic will not include any of us, the reality is, over 90% of us breathe polluted air".
If you start with a clear why, the audience will be invested in your story and they will understand why you are presenting, and more importantly, why they should listen.
2. Interaction
To maintain audience attention, a common tactic is to ask questions early on. This is believed to encourage listeners to pay closer attention in case they are asked a follow-up question. However, many audience members won't want to participate verbally and, depending on the scenario, it may not be appropriate to start seeking answers. So, what other methods could you use to encourage more interaction?
You could ask for a show of hands. Simpler still, you could pose deeper rhetorical questions — a common technique used in TED Talks. Using the earlier example of air pollution, the speaker could begin by asking, “What kills more people than guns?” This simple technique helps your audience feel less like passive listeners and more like participants in a thought-provoking conversation.
3. Simplify
A common criticism of a bad presentation is that it is too complicated. As a general rule of thumb, try to imagine that you are talking to an intelligent 12-year old. Ultimately, there needs to a balance between not being patronising but also being aware that not everyone will be familiar with your subject.
More broadly, presentations can become overly complicated because they are trying to include too much: too many words, too many syllables, too much subject-specific jargon, too many concepts, facts, figures, etc. Therefore, a great place to start is to take out redundant information and only include that which is most pertinent to your story. In other words, you have a limited time on stage, so you need to prioritise.
If you are writing a presentation that includes multiple accompanying slides, aim for one key point or theme per slide - and minimal, if any, text per slide.
Another great way to simplify your message is by translating complicated information. For instance, if an astronomer were talking about how far away the sun is and states, "It is 93.91 million miles away", it will be hard to digest and contemplate. However, it is much easier to comprehend when translated to, "if you were to drive towards the sun at 100mph, you'd want to take snacks because it would take you over 100 years to get there." You could then follow-up with a rounded number, "It is over 90 million miles away".
4. Entertain
So far, we have discussed tools and techniques to help your audience understand the message and stay with you. Beyond that, to create a truly memorable experience, you'll want to entertain them.
There are technical ways to achieve this, such as delivering it in an engaging manner (e.g., speaking with dynamic range, showing interesting visuals, etc.). Likewise, adding some humour is a great way to make your presentation more entertaining — as can incorporating emotional, surreal, or shocking moments.
But perhaps best of all is to tell a powerful story — either a personal story or a case study. Even better if your presentation follows a broader story arc (you started here, you overcame obstacles, and now you're somewhere new — or, you are here, you need to overcome these obstacles, and you want to end up somewhere new).
As an added benefit, if you start with a clear “why,” simplify your message, and plot it along a clear storyline, it will be significantly easier to recall — and significantly easier and more enjoyable to practice and present.
Now, put your knowledge into action. Choose your next presentation topic, identify your "Why," and start crafting your story. Remember, your message has the power to inform, inspire, and even change the world.
Removing is improving
Remember that some of the most common mistakes involve including too much. Don't write lots of words and complicated points. Craft a simple story. Don't see removing as bad, see it as giving the good stuff more time to shine. The more complexity you remove, the easier the memorisation stage and practice sessions will be. We have helped 1000s of people around the world with their presentations and it is very common that someone will be worried about forgetting something, and when we read their scripts, they are far too complicated, after removing and simplifying, they feel a lot better about the upcoming presentation. Often a transform occurs when one realises that short and simple is not stupid, it is impactful and memorable. Consider the following quote from Pascal Blaise, "I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter" (Letter 16, 1657, The Provincial Letters). A short and simple presentation with a clear point, slowly delivered, will be a breath of fresh air to the audience.
AI assistance (optional)
We have built a custom AI Presentation Writing Assistant to help you improve your presentations. It is freely available below. No logins required. Free to all.
Remember that the AI Assistant is here only to provide suggestions. You are responsible for deciding whether to use them and how to apply them. Your scripts should be tailored to your target audience and reflect your own unique voice.
Ready for Part 2?
If you are happy with your script, and can answer yes to the following questions, please proceed to part 2.
- Can you slowly read your presentation under the time limit?
- Is there space to pause and breathe?
- Is the presentation simple and easy to follow?
- Does it follow a logical structure?