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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

  • Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
  • How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
  • How much interaction you want from the audience
  • Any time constraints there are for your talk
  • What setting you are in
  • Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

  • What is your presentation’s aim?
  • Who are the audience?
  • What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

Good presentation structure is important for a presentation

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

  • Introduce your general topic
  • Explain your topic area
  • State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
  • State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
  • Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
  • Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

  • The length of the talk.
  • Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
  • If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

  • Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
  • Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
  • Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
  • Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

  • Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
  • Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
  • Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
  • Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
  • Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Questions being asked after a presentation

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

  • Explain why the product is valuable.
  • Describe why the product is necessary.
  • Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
  • Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
  • Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

  • Briefly frame the issue.
  • Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
  • Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
  • Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

  • Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

  • Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
  • Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
  • After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

  • Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
  • First, let’s begin with…
  • I will first cover…
  • My first point covers…
  • To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

  • In the same way…
  • Likewise…
  • Equally…
  • This is similar to…
  • Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

  • What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
  • What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
  • How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
  • What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

  • Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
  • For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
  • You discuss your second point from the centre again.
  • You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
  • The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

  • An intro slide outlining your ideas
  • A  summary slide  with core points to remember
  • High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

  • Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
  • A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
  • Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
  • Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

  • There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
  • The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
  • The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

  • 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
  • 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
  • 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

  • Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
  • Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
  • Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
  • The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

Blog > How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

08.09.21   •  #powerpoint #tips.

When creating presentations, it is particularly important that they are well organized and have a consistent structure.

A logical structure helps the audience to follow you and to remember the core information as best as possible. It is also important for the presenter, as a good presentation structure helps to keep calm, to stay on the topic and to avoid awkward pauses.

But what does such a structure actually look like? Here we show you how to best organize your presentation and what a good structure looks like.

Plan your presentation

Before you start creating your presentation, you should always brainstorm. Think about the topic and write all your ideas down. Then think about the message you want to communicate, what your goal is and what you want your audience to remember at the end.

Think about who your audience is so that you can address them in the best possible way. One possibility is to start your presentation with a few polls to get to know your audience better. Based on the results, you can then adapt your presentation a little. Use the poll function of SlideLizard and have all the answers at a glance. SlideLizard makes it possible to integrate the polls directly into your PowerPoint presentation which helps you to avoid annoying switching between presentation and interaction tool. You can keep an eye on the results while the votes come in and then decide whether you want to share them or not.

Ask your audience questions with SlideLizard

  • an informative
  • an entertaining
  • an inspiring
  • or a persuasive presentation?

Typical Presentation Structure

The basic structure of a presentation is actually always the same and should consist of:

Introduction

Structure of a good presentation including introduction, main part and conclusion

Make sure that the structure of your presentation is not too complicated. The simpler it is, the better the audience can follow.

Personal Introduction

It is best to start your presentation by briefly introducing yourself which helps to build a connection with your audience right away.

Introduce the topic

Then introduce the topic, state the purpose of the presentation and provide a brief outline of the main points you will be addressing.

Mention the length

In the introduction, mention the approximate length of the talk and then also make sure you stick to it.

The introduction should be no longer than two slides and provide a good overview of the topic.

Icebreaker Polls

According to studies, people in the audience only have an average attention span of 10 minutes, which is why it is important to increase their attention right at the beginning and to arouse the audience's interest. You could make a good start with a few icebreaker polls for example. They lighten the mood right at the beginning and you can secure your audience's attention from the start.

For example, you could use SlideLizard to have all the answers at a glance and share them with your audience. In addition, the audience can try out how the polls work and already know how it works if you include more polls in the main part.

Icebreaker polls with SlideLizard

Get to know your audience

As mentioned earlier, it is always useful to think about who your audience actually is. Ask them questions at the beginning about how well they already know the topic of your presentation. Use SlideLizard for this so that you have a clear overview about the answers. You can use both single- and multiple-choice questions or also open questions and display their results as a WordCloud in your presentation, for example.

Include a quote

To make the beginning (or the end) of your presentation more exciting, it is always a good idea to include a quote. We have selected some powerful quotes for PowerPoint presentations for you.

Present your topic

The main part of a presentation should explain the topic well, state facts, justify them and give examples. Keep all the promises you made earlier in the introduction.

Length and Structure

The main part should make up about 70% of the presentation and also include a clear structure. Explain your ideas in detail and build them up logically. It should be organized chronologically, by priority or by topic. There should be a smooth transition between the individual issues. However, it is also important to use phrases that make it clear that a new topic is starting. We have listed some useful phrases for presentations here.

Visualize data and statistics and show pictures to underline facts. If you are still looking for good images, we have selected 5 sources of free images for you here.

Focus on the essentials

Focus on what is most important and summarize a bit. You don't have to say everything about a topic because your audience won’t remember everything either. Avoid complicated sentence structure, because if the audience does not understand something, they will not be able to read it again.

Make your presentation interactive

Make your presentation interactive to keep the attention of your audience. Use SlideLizard to include polls in your presentation, where your audience can vote directly from their smartphone and discuss the answers as soon as you received all votes. Here you can also find more tips for increasing audience engagement.

Make your presentation interactive by using SlideLizard

Repeat the main points

The conclusion should contain a summary of the most important key points. Repeat the main points you have made, summarize what the audience should have learned and explain how the new information can help in the future.

Include a Q&A part

Include a Q&A part at the end to make sure you don't leave any questions open. It's a good idea to use tools like SlideLizard for it. Your audience can ask anonymous questions and if there is not enough time, you can give them the answers afterwards. You can read more about the right way to do a question slide in PowerPoint here.

Get Feedback

It is also important to get feedback on your presentation at the end to keep improving. With SlideLizard you can ask your audience for anonymous feedback through star ratings, number ratings or open texts directly after your presentation. You can then export the responses and analyse them later in Excel.

Feedback function of SlideLizard

Presentation style

Depending on the type of presentation you give, the structure will always be slightly different. We have selected a few different presentation styles and their structure for you.

Short Presentation

Short presentation

If you are one of many presenters on the day, you will only have a very limited time to present your idea and to convince your audience. It is very important to stand out with your presentation.

So you need to summarize your ideas as briefly as possible and probably should not need more than 3-5 slides.

Problem Solving Presentation

Problem Solving Presentation

Start your presentation by explaining a problem and giving a short overview of it.

Then go into the problem a little more, providing both intellectual and emotional arguments for the seriousness of the problem. You should spend about the first 25% of your presentation on the problem.

After that, you should spend about 50% of your presentation proposing a solution and explaining it in detail.

In the last 25%, describe what benefits this solution will bring to your audience and ask them to take a simple but relevant action that relates to the problem being discussed.

Tell a Story

Tell a story

A great way to build an emotional connection with the audience is to structure a presentation like a story.

In the introduction, introduce a character who has to deal with a conflict. In the main part, tell how he tries to solve his problem but fails again and again. In the end, he manages to find a solution and wins.

Stories have the power to win customers, align colleagues and motivate employees. They’re the most compelling platform we have for managing imaginations. - Nancy Duarte / HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations

Make a demonstration

Make a demonstration

Use the demonstration structure to show how a product works. First talk about a need or a problem that has to be solved.

Then explain how the product will help solve the problem and try to convince your audience of the need for your product.

Spend the end clarifying where and when the product can be purchased.

Chronological structure

Chronological structure of a presentation

When you have something historical to tell, it is always good to use a chronological structure. You always have to ask yourself what happens next.

To make it more interesting and exciting, it is a good idea to start by telling the end of something and after that you explain how you got there. This way you make the audience curious and you can gain their attention faster.

Nancy Duarte TED Talk

Nancy Duarte is a speaker and presentation design expert. She gives speeches all over the world, trying to improve the power of public presentations.

In her famous TED Talk "The Secret Structure of Great Talks" she dissects famous speeches such as Steve Jobs' iPhone launch speech and Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. In doing so, she found out that each presentation is made up of 4 parts:

  • What could be
  • A moment to remember
  • Promise of “New Bliss”

Related articles

About the author.

2 minute presentation structure

Helena Reitinger

Helena supports the SlideLizard team in marketing and design. She loves to express her creativity in texts and graphics.

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

  • Carmine Gallo

2 minute presentation structure

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

2 minute presentation structure

  • Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Article • 10 min read

How to Structure a Presentation

Choosing the best format for your audience.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

2 minute presentation structure

Have you ever sat through a rambling, disorganized presentation? If so, you probably found it hard to follow what the speaker was saying.

When presentations don't flow well, it's easy for audiences to get lost. This is why it's important to think carefully about the structure and organization of your presentation.

In this article, we'll explore some common structures that you can use next time you speak in front of other people.

The Importance of Structure

Without a defined structure, your audience may not be able to follow your presentation. When this happens, your opportunity is lost, the communication fails, and your reputation takes a hit. For example, if your aim is to persuade people, you'll want to use a different approach from the one you'd use if you wanted to demonstrate how a product works.

Many factors can influence your choice of structure, but the most important consideration is your presentation's purpose or goal. You need to identify what you want to achieve – do you want to inspire, motivate, inform, persuade, or entertain people?

Your audience's needs also affect the structure you choose. For example, those who are new to your topic need more background information than people with more expertise and experience. So, in this case, you'd want to choose an approach that gives you ample time to explain the context of your subject, as well as to reinforce your main points.

Structures to Consider

Below, we outline several structures that you can use to organize your presentation.

1. Open – Body – Conclusion

The Open – Body – Conclusion approach is one of the most practical structures you can use for presentations. (Click here to download a worksheet that helps you use it.)

People often call it the "tell 'em" approach, because you:

  • Tell audience members what you're going to tell them (introduction).
  • Tell them (body).
  • Tell them what you told them (conclusion).

This structure is simple, effective and easy to remember. Its repetitive nature allows you to reinforce your points, which helps others remember them. It is also flexible: you can adjust the introduction and body to persuade, motivate, educate, or entertain them.

One downside, however, is that repetition can quickly bore people. The approach is also "old hat" to many, which can cause them to lose interest. If you choose to use it, balance repetition with plenty of interesting facts, images, anecdotes, or stories to hold your audience's interest.

Let's look at each stage of the Open – Body – Conclusion structure in detail and discuss the elements that you need to include in each. We'll start with the body, rather than the introduction, because the rest of your presentation will be based on that.

The body of your presentation needs to contain your key points. You should present these in a logical order, so that your audience can follow them easily.

Keep in mind that the body should comprise a limited number of ideas: the more you try to include, the fewer people will remember. A good guide is to cover three to five main points, but no more.

When organizing your ideas, use the chunking principle to put the information into specific units. This will make the concepts easier to grasp, and help people remember what you have told them.

Make sure that you back up your main points with facts. Use good information-gathering strategies in your research, and consider citing the sources that you use. To add credibility to your presentation, consider using the following information to support your ideas:

  • Data, facts or statistics.
  • Images or diagrams.
  • Stories and examples.
  • Quotes or testimonials from experts or industry leaders.

Reliable sources will strengthen your credibility , and build trust with your audience.

Your opening, or introduction, has two main purposes: to grab your audience's attention, and to cover the key points that you intend to talk about.

Instead of telling people what you plan to say, you can use a different approach and explain why they are there. What will they learn from your presentation, and how will the content benefit them?

It's also important to get their attention right from the beginning. You can do this in several ways:

  • Tell a story.
  • Ask a rhetorical question.
  • Play a short video.
  • Make a strong or unexpected statement.
  • Challenge your audience.
  • Use a quotation or example.
  • Appeal to people's self-interest.
  • Request a specific action.
  • Use suspense.

If you plan to answer questions at the end of your presentation, it's a good idea to mention this in the introduction, so people don't interrupt you mid-flow.

Many presenters overlook the importance of a conclusion – but the statements you finish with are what many audience members will remember best.

With the "tell 'em" approach, your conclusion summarizes the main points in the body of your presentation. If you want people to take action, be specific about what you want them to do.

Think carefully about how you want them to feel once you've finished; your conclusion is a great opportunity to reinforce this. Why not inspire them with a great story, a quote or a compelling call to action?

2. The Sandwich Approach

The Sandwich Approach is a variation of the Open – Body – Conclusion structure. This three-part structure covers:

  • Advantages and/or benefits of your message or idea.
  • Risks and concerns.
  • How the benefits manage or eliminate those risks.

This approach is effective when you want to persuade audience members, or change their minds.

Having evidence to support your position is critical. However, factual data and reams of spreadsheets and charts are not highly persuasive. What people respond to is "vivid" evidence that brings your concept or argument to life.

To brush up on your persuasion skills, look at The Rhetorical Triangle . This tool asks you to consider your communication from three perspectives: those of the writer, the audience and the context. It's a method that builds credibility, and helps you ensure that your arguments are logical.

3. Monroe's Motivated Sequence

Monroe's Motivated Sequence is another good structure to use when you need to motivate or persuade. This sequence consists of five key steps:

  • Getting your audience's attention – Use an interesting "hook" or opening point, such as a shocking statistic. Be provocative and stimulating, not boring and unemotional.
  • Creating a need – Convince the audience there's a problem, explain how it affects them. Persuade them that things need to change.
  • Defining your solution – Explain what you think needs to be done.
  • Describing a detailed picture of success (or failure) – Give people a vision; something they can see, hear, taste, and touch.
  • Asking the audience to do something straight away – Get them involved right from the start. If you do this, it's then much easier to keep them engaged and active in your cause.

4. Demonstration Structure

Use a simple demonstration structure when you are unveiling a new product or service.

Start by explaining why the product or service is so good. What makes it special? What problem will it solve for people?

Next, demonstrate what it does. How you do this will depend on your product but, whatever you do, make sure it works! Bring any important points to the audience's attention and provide helpful tips, where appropriate. Show them the results, and finish by giving them useful information, a good understanding of your topic, and something to remember.

Don't get too wrapped up in the detail; remember to keep it simple. Your presentation will be more powerful and your audience will remember more if you highlight just a few of the most important features. This will whet their appetite, and leave them wanting to know more.

5. Opportunity, Benefits, Numbers Structure

The Opportunity, Benefits, Number (OBN) structure is useful when you face busy people who want to hear what you have to say in the shortest time possible.

To use this structure, give audience members a quick summary of the opportunity that they need to consider, and outline the benefits that they can expect. Then, show them the numbers that back up your claims. [1]

For example, imagine you are explaining why your company should implement a new performance management system. First, you might give some background on the proposal – for example, you want to drive a high-performance culture. Then, you could explain the benefits, such as improving organizational performance and profits. Finally, you could compare the cost of bringing the system in with the predicted return on investment, based on a similar system at another organization.

Presentations that lack a clear flow are confusing and ineffective. This is why it's important to pay careful attention when choosing the most appropriate structure.

Different structures fulfill different purposes. Before you begin, think about why you are giving your presentation. Do you want to inform, persuade, inspire, or entertain your audience?

The most common structure for presentations is Open – Body – Conclusion. This is often effective because it gives you the opportunity to repeat your key points a number of times. However, other structures can be more appropriate, depending on the circumstances, such as when you're trying to persuade an audience, demonstrate a product, or provide information in the most time-efficient way.

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[1] Martinuzzi, B. (2013). '11 Ways to Structure a Knockout Presentation,' from American Express OPEN Forum [online]. Available here . [Accessed 7 August 2014.]

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9.4 – How to structure your presentation

Learning objectives.

  • organize your presentation into a clear, simple structure
  • use valid resources and avoid plagiarism

There are lots of ways to structure a presentation, but we like this one best. It’s clear, simple and fits most presentations. This structure has 10 parts:

  • Grabber/hook: A very brief and interesting statement or question that grabs the audience’s attention
  • Self-introduction including full name & credential: Who you are and why you’re qualified to present this content
  • Thesis: What you’re going to speak about
  • Overview of main points
  • Key point 1
  • Key point 2
  • Key point 3
  • Conclusion: Restate the thesis
  • Summary of main points: Restate the overview
  • Call to action: What you want the audience to do

In this part of your presentation, you’ll capture the audience’s attention, tell them who you are, and give them a preview of your presentation.

  • Grabber/hook   (Goes before or after the self-introduction) A very brief and interesting statement or question that grabs the audience’s attention. See Grabber Types below for more details.
  • Self-introduction  (Goes before or after the grabber ) Tell the audience your name and credentials. For example: I’m Minh and I’ve been a professional presenter for 10 years.
  • Thesis   The main point or argument of your presentation. Be brief and precise, not general or vague. For example: I’m going to show you how practicing your presentation 10 times will improve your grade by 20%.
  • Overview of main points  Briefly outline the main points that you’ll cover in your presentation. To help your audience, do list these in same order that you’ll deliver them later on. For example: First, we’ll talk about what makes presentations great, then I’ll share some data on how practice affects your confidence and performance, and finally we’ll look at how to practice.

In this part of your presentation, you’ll deliver the detailed information of your presentation.

  • Key point 1   A major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points
  • Key point 2   Another major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points
  • Key point 3   The final major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points

In this part you’ll remind the audience of what you told them, and tell them what to do next.

  • Summary of main points   (Can be merged with your conclusion) Clearly restate your three main points in the same order you delivered them. It’s the same as your overview but in past tense. First, I described what makes presentations great, then I shared data on how practice affects confidence and performance, and finally we looked at how to practice.
  • Conclusion   Restate your thesis in past tense. For example: I’m showed you that practicing your presentation 10 times will improve your grade by 20%.
  • Call to action   Give your audience clear, active and compelling direction, based on what you told them. For example: Practice your presentations ten times and start collecting those A-plusses!

Grabber types

Remember that the grabber’s job is grabbing the audience’s attention, so it must be surprising, fascinating or intriguing. It must also be related to your presentation’s topic. Here are some descriptions and examples:

  • An opinion or view that may be extreme, perhaps even shocking. “Gambling in all forms should be completely banned!”
  • A strong statistic is a fact from a reputable source. “More Canadians die each year as a result of a tobacco-related disease than due to traffic accidents in Canada and the US combined.”  Source:  The Canadian Lung Association [New tab]
  • A story is a great way to capture your audience’s imagination and get them to “project” themselves into your presentation. Powerful stories are often emotional. They could be about you or someone else, or may be allegorical. In 1964, I was a little girl sitting on the linoleum floor of my mother’s house in Milwaukee, watching Anne Bancroft present the Oscar for best actor at the 36th Academy Awards. She opened the envelope and said five words that literally made history: “The winner is Sidney Poitier.” Up to the stage came the most elegant man I had ever seen. I remember his tie was white, and of course his skin was black. I’d never seen a black man being celebrated like that. And I’ve tried many, many, many times to explain what a moment like that means to a little girl — a kid watching from the cheap seats, as my mom came through the door bone-tired from cleaning other people’s houses. … In 1982, Sidney received the Cecil B. DeMille Award right here at the Golden Globes, and it is not lost on me that at this moment there are some little girls watching as I become the first black woman to be given this same award! ~ Oprah Winfrey accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards
  • Rhetorical: you ask a question without expecting an answer. For example: Have you ever wondered how electricity works?
  • Closed-ended: you ask the audience to respond. For example: Raise your hand if you’ve ever wondered how electricity works.
  • Open-ended: where you don’t give options to the audience and they can answer freely. For example: What’s your favourite candy?
  • It’s important to consider that they audience might not respond exactly as you expect. So prepare responses for what you’ll do based on a variety of responses.
  • Similar to a story, an invitation to imagine something is powerful because it gets the audience to use their imaginations, and can transport them “into” your presentation. You could ask the audience to imagine something extremely positive, or could have them imagine something very negative.Example : “I want to invite you all to close your eyes and imagine that the term is over. You earned an A+ in 1500, Covid is over, and you’re on vacation on a lovely tropical beach. You can hear the soft ocean waves and feel the warm breeze as you sip an ice cold drink. You’re in paradise, and think to yourself… I don’t have a care in the world… everything is perfect.” 

A quote is something that a famous person said. The person should be credible / well known.

Example : “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”  John Lennon Example : “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take .”  Wayne Gretzky

  • A proverb is a common saying. These can be somewhat cliché, and less than exciting because we’ve heard them a lot. To keep things interesting, you could consider introducing a foreign proverb to the audience:Example : “the first pancake is always ruined” (Russian proverb conveying that things might not be perfect at first, but will improve as you continue to practice. Used in a presentation designed to convey that you should never give up)
  • Alternatively, you could “twist” a common proverb and contradict it:Example : “I’m here to tell you that an apple a day doesn’t keep the doctor away!” (Used in a presentation on diabetes and being mindful of sugar intake)
  • A prop is a physical item that you can show to the audience. Make sure the item is large enough to be easily seen.Example : Wearing a jersey and showing a basketball for a presentation on Michael Jordan
  • In presentations that include slides or other media, you can briefly show or play video, audio or images. Make sure the media isn’t too long – remember the audience is here to see you speak.Example: A short drone video of beautiful Thai beaches for a presentation designed to convince people to visit Thailand
  • You can use humour or a joke as a grabber, but be careful that that everyone will get the joke and it won’t offend anyone.
  • Example : Playing a guitar and singing (for a presentation on the mental health benefits of music)
  • Example : Beatboxing (for a presentation on the basics of beatboxing)
  • Example : Describing a lovely scene, then making a shocking noise (at the start of a presentation on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster)

You can also mix and match grabbers. For example, you could show an image and ask the audience to guess what it is.

The length of your grabber is relative to your total presentation time. For a 2-minute presentation, it should be quite brief – maybe one sentence. For a 16-minute team presentation, a 45-60 second grabber would be appropriate.

Outline your presentation

The fastest way to create a successful presentation is to start with an outline.

Use an outline, not a script; this will allow you to be more natural and let you look at the audience or camera. Reading is a guaranteed way to make your presentation boring.

The easiest way to create your outline is to work in this order:

  • Determine your thesis and write this as a full sentence
  • Determine your 3 Main Points
  • Add key supporting points for each of your Main Points
  • Complete the other parts – introduction, grabber, call to action, etc.

Working in this order is fast because it’s easier to create the conclusion and grabber when you’ve already decided on the content. Also, after you have the main structure it’s easy to add details, examples and stories that make your presentation interesting and convincing.

Another benefit of outlining is that you can use the outline as your presentation notes.

Presentation Model – Test your Knowledge

Label each part of the presentation correctly.

  • Call to Action
  • Key Point 2
  • Key Point 1
  • Key Point 3
  • Introduction

Presentation part

  • Hello, my name is Sarah Green and I have been a barista for two years
  • There is a famous company that was founded in Seattle, has a mermaid for its logo, and has over 31,000 stores worldwide. Can you guess which company it is?*
  • I am here today to tell you why you should patronize Starbucks Coffee*
  • because of convenience, quality, & amazing food
  • Starbucks is Convenient~ many locations, mobile app, quick service*
  • Starbucks has Quality~ arabica beans, top ingredients, staff trained to make drinks and food properly*
  • Starbucks has amazing food~ grab and go, hot food, prepackaged meals*
  • Today I told you why you should patronize Starbucks*
  • because of its *convenience*, *quality*, and *amazing food*
  • So, what are you waiting for? Go to a Starbucks store today and order an amazing coffee!*

Check your Answer: [1]

Activity source: “ How to structure your presentation ” In Business Presentation Skills by Lucinda Atwood & Christian Westin licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 .

Attribution & References

Except where otherwise noted, this chapter (text & H5P activities) is adapted from “ How to structure your presentation ” In Business Presentation Skills by Lucinda Atwood & Christian Westin licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 . / Grabber types converted to HTML from H5P.

  • 1. j, 2. g, 3. c, 4. f, 5. e, 6. b, 7. h, 8. i, 9. d, 10. a ↵

Communication Essentials for College Copyright © 2022 by Jen Booth, Emily Cramer & Amanda Quibell, Georgian College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Group Presentations

46 How to structure your presentation

Lucinda Atwood and Christian Westin

This chapter teaches you a quick, easy way to create effective presentations. You’ll also learn how to use valid resources and avoid plagiarism.

There are lots of ways to structure a presentation, but we like this one best. It’s clear, simple and fits most presentations.

In this part of your presentation, you’ll capture the audience’s attention, tell them who you are, and give them a preview of your presentation.

  • Grabber/hook   (Goes before or after the self-introduction) A very brief and interesting statement or question that grabs the audience’s attention. See Grabber Types below for more details.
  • Self-introduction  (Goes before or after the grabber ) Tell the audience your name and credentials. For example: I’m Minh and I’ve been a professional presenter for 10 years.
  • Thesis   The main point or argument of your presentation. Be brief and precise, not general or vague. For example: I’m going to show you how practicing your presentation 10 times will improve your grade by 20%.
  • Overview of main points  Briefly outline the main points that you’ll cover in your presentation. To help your audience, do list these in same order that you’ll deliver them later on. For example: First, we’ll talk about what makes presentations great, then I’ll share some data on how practice affects your confidence and performance, and finally we’ll look at how to practice.

In this part of your presentation, you’ll deliver the detailed information of your presentation.

  • Key point 1   A major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points
  • Key point 2   Another major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points
  • Key point 3   The final major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points

In this part you’ll remind the audience of what you told them, and tell them what to do next.

  • Summary of main points   (Can be merged with your conclusion) Clearly restate your three main points in the same order you delivered them. It’s the same as your overview but in past tense. First, I described what makes presentations great, then I shared data on how practice affects confidence and performance, and finally we looked at how to practice.
  • Conclusion   Restate your thesis in past tense. For example: I’m showed you that practicing your presentation 10 times will improve your grade by 20%.
  • Call to action   Give your audience clear, active and compelling direction, based on what you told them. For example: Practice your presentations ten times and start collecting those A-plusses!

Grabber types

Remember that the grabber’s job is grabbing the audience’s attention, so it must be surprising, fascinating or intriguing. It must also be related to your presentation’s topic. Here are some descriptions and examples:

You can also mix and match grabbers. For example, you could show an image and ask the audience to guess what it is.

The length of your grabber is relative to your total presentation time. For a 2-minute presentation, it should be quite brief – maybe one sentence. For a 16-minute team presentation, a 45-60 second grabber would be appropriate.

Outline your presentation

The fastest way to create a successful presentation is to start with an outline. Y ou’ll need two outlines: a preparation outline, and a speaking outline.

Preparation outlines are comprehensive outlines that include all of the information in your presentation. Our presentation outline will consist of the content of what the audience will see and hear. Eventually, you will move away from this outline as you develop your materials and practice your presentation.

Your speaking outline will contain notes to guide you and is usually not shared with your audience. It will summarize the full preparation outline down to more usable notes. You should create a set of abbreviated notes for the actual delivery.

Use an outline, not a script; this will allow you to be more natural and let you look at the audience or camera. Reading is a guaranteed way to make your presentation boring.

The easiest way to create your outline is to work in this order:

  • Determine your thesis and write this as a full sentence
  • Determine your 3 Main Points
  • Add key supporting points for each of your Main Points
  • Complete the other parts – introduction, grabber, call to action, etc.

Working in this order is fast because it’s easier to create the conclusion and grabber when you’ve already decided on the content. Also, after you have the main structure it’s easy to add details, examples, and stories that make your presentation interesting and convincing.

You can use your presentation outline as a starting point to developing your speaking outline. It’s a good idea to make speaking notes to align with your main points and visuals in each section.

UNC Libraries Presentation Planning Worksheet

Using Examples and Scenarios

Presenters will often use examples and scenarios to help illustrate the their message. The main difference between examples and scenarios is that while both help “show” the audience what you mean, an example is the “thing” itself, while a scenario would include more detail about the sequence or development of events. Scenarios also tend to be longer and more nuanced.

An ‘example’ of a sales target might be: to sell 500 units in 30 days. A ‘scenario’ might be described as: Company A is selling vacuums to the Atlantic Canada region. They are trying to increase their sales, and so have set a target of 500 units in the region in 30 days, using a sales incentive program for employees and promoting a sale at local stores.

A Word About Storytelling

Storytelling can be an effective way to convey your message to your audience. Stories are a fundamental part of the human experience, and, if well-told, can resonate with listeners. Some of the most inspiring TEDTalks speakers use storytelling effectively in their presentations. You can find out more about how to incorporate storytelling techniques into presentations from the TEDTAlk speakers directly.

image of a book to represent reading icon

Read the following blog post from Nayomi Chibana (2015).

http://blog.visme.co/7-storytelling-techniques-used-by-the-most-inspiring-ted-presenters/

 Test your knowledge 

How to structure your presentation Copyright © by Lucinda Atwood and Christian Westin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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7.3 Structuring Your Presentation

Lucinda Atwood; Christian Westin; [Author removed at request of original publisher]; and Linda Macdonald

Presentations can be organized in many different ways. The choice of an organizing principle, or a core assumption around which everything else is arranged, depends on the subject matter, the speaking situation, and many other factors, including your preference as a speaker.

Presentation Structure

The simple structure outlined below is adaptable to most topics. The presentation begins with an attention-getter, a claim, and an overview of key points that will be addressed. The main part of the speech follows with two to five main points; and concludes with a summary and, in a persuasive speech, a call to action.

Introduction

In the Introduction of your presentation, you will capture the audience’s attention, tell them who you are, state the main point of your presentation, and provide a preview.

  • Attention-getter/grabber   A very brief and interesting statement or question that grabs the audience’s attention. See Grabber Types below for more details.
  • Self-introduction  (Place before or after the grabber ) Tell the audience your name and credentials. For example: I’m Minh and I’ve been a professional career coach for 10 years.
  • Thesis   The main point or argument of your presentation. Be brief and precise, not general or vague. For example: I’m going to show you how practicing your presentation 10 times will improve your level of comfort by 50%.
  • Overview of main points  Briefly outline the main points that you will cover in your presentation. To help your audience, list these in the same order that you will deliver them later on. For example: First, we’ll talk about what makes presentations great, then I’ll share some data on how practice affects your confidence and performance, and finally, we’ll look at how to practice.

Attention-getter/grabber types

Remember that the job is grabbing the audience’s attention, so it must be surprising, fascinating or intriguing. It must also be related to your presentation’s topic. Some descriptions and examples are presented here:

You can also mix and match grabbers. For example, you could show an image and ask the audience to guess what it is.

The length of your grabber is relative to your total presentation time. For a 2-minute presentation, it should be quite brief – maybe one sentence. For a 16-minute team presentation, a 45-60 second grabber would be appropriate.

In this part of your presentation, you will deliver detailed information. Depending on the length of the presentation and your purpose, you might have two to five points in the body.

  • Key point 1   A major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points
  • Key point 2   Another major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points
  • Key point 3   The final major point that supports your thesis and may have supporting sub-points

Your points can be arranged in a variety of ways. In her TED Talk The Secret Structure of Great Talks and her Harvard Business Review article titled “ Structure your presentation like a story” (click here for direct link to her article) , Nancy Duarte advocates organizing a presentation according to what is and what could be . Before reading on, take a moment to read the Duarte article, then check your knowledge.

Other ways to organize the body of your presentation are presented in Table 7.1 The center column explains how the principle works, and the right column provides an applied example based on a sample presentation about the United States’ First Transcontinental Railroad. For example, using a biographical organizing principle, you might describe the journey of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804, Lincoln’s signing of the Pacific Railroad Act in 1862, and the completion of the first Transcontinental Express train trip in 1876. As another example, using a spatial organizing principle, you might describe the mechanics of how a steam locomotive engine works to turn the train wheels, which move on a track to travel across distances.

As you read each organizational structure, consider how the main points and subheadings change or adapt to meet each pattern.

Sample Organizing Principles for a Presentation

Transitions

The structure of your presentation should be clear to your listeners at the start of the presentation and reinforced throughout with transitions. Transitions both connect to your thesis and indicate a shift to your next point.

As part of your introduction, you should make clear the structure of your points. For example,

“Slack Desktop offers three time-saving benefits for our team collaborations.” “First, I will discuss the current inefficiencies in our collaborations and then explain how Slack Desktop can resolve these problems.” “Slack Desktop’s built-in notification system, keyboard shortcuts, and convenience in switching between workspaces are advantages for team collaborations.”

Provide a transition as you move from the introduction to the first point. For example,

“The first advantage for our teams in using Slack Desktop…” “First, I will provide an overview of Slack’s capabilities before addressing the two features that are most compelling for our teams…” “Let’s begin with the built-in notification system…”

As you move to the second and third points, you can reinforce the structure of the presentation for your listener by stating where you have been and where you are going. For example,

“We have covered the benefits of the notification system and the range of keyboard shortcuts and will now discuss the greatest benefit for our work– the simplicity in moving between teams.” “A final benefit of Slack Desktop for collaborations is the ease in switching between teams.” “Now that I have demonstrated the problems with the current system, I will demonstrate the solutions to these problems with Slack.” “It is clear that the notifications systems and keyboard shortcuts are time-saving features, but the greatest time-saving feature is the ease and convenience in switching between teams.” “Although Slack has several beneficial features, team collaborations in our company may be better facilitated through Chanty.” “Just as keyboard shortcuts provide added convenience, so too does the notification system.”

Finally, transition to the conclusion:

“In summary, Slack has indisputable advantages.” “In conclusion,..” “What I would most like you to take from this presentation is…”

Transitions connect your points and ensure the audience follows you. The audience will clearly see where you have been and where you are going next. Practice your transitions so that the content flows naturally. As we will discuss in Chapter 3.12 , moving as you transition between points can help you remember the order of points as well as engage your audience.

At the end of your presentations, you’ll remind the audience of what you told them, and tell them what to do next.

  • Summary of main points   (can be merged with your conclusion) Clearly restate your three main points in the same order you delivered them. It is the same as your overview but in past tense. First, I described what makes presentations great, then I shared data on how practice affects confidence and performance, and finally, we looked at how to practice.
  • Conclusion   Restate your thesis in past tense. For example: I’m showed you that practicing your presentation 10 times will improve your grade by 20%.
  • Call to action   Give your audience clear, active and compelling direction, based on what you told them. For example: Practice your presentations ten times and start collecting those A-plusses!

Now that you have some ideas of how you might structure your presentation, move on to creating an outline, the subject of the next chapter section.

7.3 Structuring Your Presentation Copyright © 2022 by Lucinda Atwood; Christian Westin; [Author removed at request of original publisher]; and Linda Macdonald is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Two Minute Speech: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Have you ever been asked to give a two-minute speech and found yourself struggling to come up with the perfect words? Writing a speech, even a short one, can be a daunting task. It requires careful planning, research, and structure to convey your message effectively. But don't worry, we've got you covered. In this step-by-step guide, we'll take you through the process of crafting a concise and impactful two-minute speech.

Understanding the Purpose of a Two Minute Speech

Before we dive into the writing process, it's essential to understand the purpose of a two-minute speech. As the name suggests, a two-minute speech is a brief talk that typically conveys a specific message or idea. It may be delivered on various occasions, such as a business pitch, a wedding toast, or a school presentation.

Two-minute speeches have become increasingly popular in recent years, and it's not hard to see why. In today's fast-paced world, people have shorter attention spans, and it can be challenging to keep an audience engaged for an extended period. A two-minute speech allows you to deliver your message quickly and efficiently, without losing your audience's attention.

The Importance of Brevity

One of the critical features of a two-minute speech is brevity. Given the limited time frame, you need to convey your message succinctly and powerfully. Clarity, conciseness, and impactfulness are more important than impressing your audience with fancy words or complex arguments.

It's crucial to remember that brevity doesn't mean sacrificing substance. You still need to have a clear message and supporting points to make your speech effective. However, you must prioritize your ideas and present them in a way that is easy for your audience to understand and remember.

Common Occasions for Two-Minute Speeches

There are numerous occasions when a two-minute speech may be required. These include:

  • Job interviews: A two-minute speech can be an effective way to introduce yourself and highlight your qualifications for a job.
  • Entrepreneurship pitches: If you're looking to secure funding for a new business venture, a two-minute pitch can be an excellent way to make a quick impression on potential investors.
  • Wedding toasts: A heartfelt two-minute speech can be a beautiful way to honor the newlyweds and celebrate their love.
  • Funeral eulogies: A two-minute speech can be a powerful way to pay tribute to a loved one who has passed away.
  • Conference presentations: Two-minute speeches are becoming increasingly popular at conferences as a way for presenters to deliver quick, impactful messages.
  • School or college assignments: Two-minute speeches can be an effective way for students to practice public speaking and showcase their knowledge on a particular topic.
  • Political campaigns: Two-minute speeches are often used by politicians during debates and other public appearances to convey their message quickly and effectively.

Whether you're delivering a two-minute speech at a job interview, a wedding, or a conference, remember that brevity and impactfulness are key. With careful planning and practice, you can deliver a powerful message that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Planning Your Two Minute Speech

Now that you understand the critical features of a two-minute speech let's move on to the first step in the writing process, planning.

Identifying Your Main Message

The first step in planning your speech is identifying your primary message. What is it that you want to convey to your audience? Is it a call to action, an informative idea or a persuasive pitch? Once you determine your primary message, you will be able to craft the rest of your speech around it.

Researching Your Topic

After identifying your primary message, you will need to conduct research on your topic to support your arguments and convey credibility. You can use various sources, including books, articles, websites and interviews to gather information. Ensure that you only use reliable and verified sources to avoid any inaccuracies in your speech.

Knowing Your Audience

The last step in planning your speech is knowing your audience. Who will be listening to your speech, and what are their needs and expectations? Tailoring your speech to your audience will help you connect better with them and convey your message more effectively.

Structuring Your Two Minute Speech

With the planning phase complete, it's time to move on to the structure of your speech. A well-structured speech will ensure that your message is conveyed effectively, and your audience stays engaged throughout the two minutes.

Crafting a Strong Introduction

Your introduction is the most critical part of your speech. It should be attention-grabbing, informative, and set the tone for the rest of your talk. Start with a quote, anecdote, or a shocking statistic to capture your audience's attention, and then proceed to introduce your primary message.

Organizing Your Key Points

To keep your speech organized, begin by outlining your primary message and then break it down into three key points. Ensure each point supports your primary message and flows coherently into the next point. Use examples, stories, or data to illustrate your points and keep your audience engaged throughout.

Developing a Memorable Conclusion

Just as your introduction is essential, so is your conclusion. It should leave a lasting impression on your audience, summarize your main points and restate your primary message. You can end with a call to action or a powerful quote that resonates with your message and inspires your audience to act.

Writing Tips for a Two Minute Speech

Writing a great two-minute speech requires more than just outlining and structuring your talk. Here are some additional writing tips to help make your speech memorable and impactful.

Using Clear and Concise Language

When writing a two-minute speech, it's essential to use straightforward language that your audience can understand. Avoid complex vocabulary and jargon that may confuse or alienate your listeners.

Incorporating Storytelling Techniques

Using personal anecdotes, real-life examples, or case studies can help illustrate your key points and make your speech more relatable to your audience. It can also add a humanistic touch to your speech and make it more memorable in the long run.

Balancing Facts and Emotions

Lastly, it's essential to balance your use of facts and emotions. While facts help support your arguments and add credibility, emotions help connect with your audience and make your speech more impactful. A balanced approach to facts and emotions is crucial for a great two-minute speech.

ChatGPT Prompt for Writing a Two Minute Speech

Use the following prompt in an AI chatbot . Below each prompt, be sure to provide additional details about your situation. These could be scratch notes, what you'd like to say or anything else that guides the AI model to write a certain way.

Compose a speech that is two minutes in length, ensuring that it is well-crafted, comprehensive, and of the highest quality possible.

[ADD ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. CAN USE BULLET POINTS.]

In conclusion, writing a two-minute speech requires careful planning, research, and structure. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll be able to craft a concise, impactful talk that resonates with your audience and conveys your message effectively. Remember to keep it simple, use storytelling techniques and maintain a balance between facts and emotions. With practice, you'll be able to deliver great two-minute speeches that leave a lasting impression on your audience.

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  • Apr 11, 2023

How to design an impactful 3MT slide (with examples!)

things going into a funnel to make a 3MT slide

What can you do in three minutes? Brush your teeth, make a coffee?

How about explain your entire PhD thesis? 😅

Believe it or not, that’s what thousands of people do each year in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT ® ); a global public speaking competition where PhD students explain the scope and impact of their research in, you guessed it, just three minutes . ⏰

And if you’re reading this, perhaps you’re an aspiring 3MT-er yourself, on the hunt for some inspiration to design an impactful 3MT slide to accompany your talk.

Sound like you? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Previously, we gave you some tips and tricks on how to write a winning 3MT script , but in this instalment of our 3MT series, we’re switching gears to cover another very important aspect:

We’ve trawled the internet to discover what actually makes a good three minute thesis slide, and in this blog, we’ll cover some do’s and don’ts to help you design one that’s memorable and impactful. To help bring these concepts home, we’ll also include some examples that we love from past 3MT winners and finalists.

But before we do that, let’s recap some important rules related to the 3MT slide:

3MT slide rules

So, in short, the 3MT slide obviously needs to be fairly simple. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Hold up… if the 3MT is a public speaking competition, why is the slide even important? Surely only what you speak about matters, right? WRONG! 🙅‍♀️

The 3MT competition is about so much more than just what you say. It’s also about what you do and what you show And what you show during your 3MT is where your nifty little slide comes in.

Not only is the PowerPoint slide a key component of the 3MT judging criteria , it also helps create a lasting mental image for the judges. After all, you can’t win the 3MT if the audience and judges can’t even remember what your research is about!

So, hopefully we’ve been able to convince you about just how important having a good slide is. But how do you design an impactful 3MT slide, you ask?

Well, here are 5 of our top tips:

Tip #1 : Avoid data dumping 📊

You might be familiar with those boring old PowerPoint presentations that seem to appear at every conference. You know the ones I’m talking about. The ones cluttered with complex graphs, huge tables, and enough numbers to put even the most experienced professors to sleep.

May I present to you… Exhibit A:

My PhD research example slide

Look familiar? Good. Now lock the memory away in a distant room of your mind palace, because that’s exactly what you DON’T want in a 3MT slide (or really, in any slide for that matter…)

Unlike a conference presentation, your 3MT slide should simply act to enhance and complement your script, rather than be used to display complex data and graphs. In fact, I would suggest avoiding the use of any complex graphs and data tables at all, because they just end up detracting attention from what you’re saying.

If you choose to present some important data or statistics in your 3MT slide, consider swapping out graphs with simple infographics , like pie charts or diagrams:

an image displaying From This to This turning a graph into an infographic of a salad bowl

As you can see, simple infographics and eye-catching figures are a much more visually stimulating way to present information, especially compared to data-heavy graphs and tables. And they’re surprisingly easy to make using tools like Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Express .

So, if in doubt, leave complex data out. 🚫

In fact, you’ll find that most successful 3MT-ers show little to no data at all in their slides and intentionally keep them very conceptual, which brings me to tip #2 .

Tip #2 : Keep it conceptual 💡

Perhaps you’re sensing a general theme here… that typically less is more when it comes to a 3MT slide. This allows the focus of the presentation to be on the speaker, the slide simply acting as a visual aid to complement the story . And when it’s a public speaking competition, I’d say that’s pretty important.

In our humble opinion, some of the most effective and memorable 3MT slides are those that present an image or diagram that conveys a single underpinning concept or idea .

You might recall from our ‘ How to Write a Winning 3MT Script ’ blog post, that many successful 3MT scripts incorporate things like humour, analogies , or fictional characters. In these situations, it can be helpful for the contents of the slide to reflect this.

One of my favourite examples of this comes from 2016 Asia-Pacific 3MT Winner, Joshua Chu-Tan , who spoke about his research on gene therapy treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to target the root of vision loss. In his winning presentation, he says:

quote for Joshua Chu-Tan, winner of 3MT, about age-related macular degeneration

Rather than using complex diagrams to show the theory, he opted for this simple, yet extremely powerful image that highlights the impact of vision loss from age-related macular degeneration. And, seeing as this image has stuck in my memory for years, I’d say it was a pretty good choice.

As another example, back when I won the 3MT , I used an analogy to draw parallels between A) cars carrying passengers on a highway, and B) nanoparticles carrying drugs along a blood vessel. So, my 3MT slide portrayed a busy highway with signage to show which hypothetical organs the cars were headed towards:

3MT quote from Cintya Dharmayanti, 3MT winner, about nanoparticles being tiny carriers on a highway

Basically, the overarching message is to keep it simple.

And that’s all well and good… But where do you even start?

Your first step is to write your 3MT script . Then, once you have your script prepared, use it as a tool to help you brainstorm ideas for your slide. Note whether you’ve used any analogies, introduced any characters, or covered certain concepts, and then based on this information, find or create a visual to match! 🖼 This might be a little different to your usual scientific presentations, where you would normally prepare your slides first, then come up with what you are going to say after, but trust me – it works!

Tip #3 : Choose an eye-catching visual… or make one 👀

In the same way that ‘ the hook’ in your 3MT script helps to pique the audience’s attention, the slide is another important tool to capture their attention and keep them engaged. But to do this, it needs to be eye-catching and interesting .

We’ve noticed that most winning 3MTs have slides that generally fall under one of two categories: images or diagrams .

These are usually photographs or illustrations that complement the script in some way — containing a reference to the concept, analogy or character(s) that were introduced in the script.

For example, let’s say you introduced a fictional character in your 3MT script. By visually showing this character in your slide, it helps the audience form a connection with them and taps into their sense of empathy. Let’s look at an example:

Amanda Khamis, 3MT winner, on treatments for babies with cerebral palsy

As you can see, using this photograph makes for a really effective and impactful slide because it elicits a strong emotional response. Come on… how can you not love that adorable little face, right? 🥺

However, the images don’t have to be of people to be effective – they can also be more conceptual.

For instance, one 3MT finalist spoke about their research on detecting diseases, like cancer, based on characteristic molecules present in the breath. In their slide, they showed an illustration of breath molecules exiting the lungs and mouth to be caught in a net:

Merryn Baker, 3MT winner, quote about a material that can capture molecules from the breath like a net

Not only is this image a great reference to the net analogy used, but we (as the audience) are able to get a basic idea about the research concept based on the slide alone, which really helps it stick in our memory!

Of course, while we’ve highlighted some great examples, you should choose whatever image speaks to you and your research. Some useful resources to find images for your 3MT slide include iStock Photo and Adobe Stock Photos (making sure to provide attribution where required), or you can even be extra creative and take your own photo, or create your own image ! 📸

Aside from images, schematic diagrams can be another great way to conceptualise and visualise your research. However, to be effective as 3MT slides, the diagrams need to be simple and easy to understand.

Ideally, they should be short, and the outcomes immediately recognisable . Avoid using complex diagrams that you’ve directly copy-pasted from a paper, as these generally take a lot more time and concentration to understand.

A good example of a diagram for a 3MT slide was used by the 2020 Asia-Pacific 3MT winner , whose research focused on the development of a liquid glue to help measure electrical signals from plants as a way to measure their health:

example slide from Luo Yifei, 3MT winner, about developing a liquid glue that can detect plant electrical signals

In this example, it’s easy to understand what the research is about, what’s being measured, and what the desired outcomes are, thanks to the clear illustrations and emotive flower drawings.

So, if done well, diagrams can be a really powerful tool to conceptualise your research. If you want to try and create one yourself, there are lots of useful tools you can use, like Adobe Illustrator , Canva , or BioRender , to name a few.

Get creative!

Tip #4 : Minimise text 💬

When it comes to presentations, there’s nothing worse than being in the audience, staring at a PowerPoint slide, only to find a wall of text staring back at you. Not only is it super distracting, but aesthetically, it also leaves much to be desired.

And let’s be honest, if the audience is reading your slide, then they’re not listening to you… and vice versa. Which, for the 3MT, is a very big problem.

To prevent this, try to avoid including large bodies of text on your 3MT slide . See if you can verbally communicate the information instead, or alternatively, replace the text with an image that conveys the same message. After all, they say a picture speaks a thousand words.

If you really need to include some text, as in the case of simple diagrams, try to keep it to a minimum and limit yourself to 15 words maximum.

Any text you do include should use a font size that can be easily seen from the back of the room (i.e., 24 pt. minimum). And, while they sometimes have their time and place, try to avoid using any cursive, funky, or hard-to-read fonts . Comic sans, I’m looking at you. 😒

Tip #5 : Negative space is your friend 🔲

You might be tempted to fill every visible inch of your PowerPoint slide with images, diagrams, or just something to compensate for the very little time you have to present your 3MT.

Though, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you did, because a little negative space can go a long way towards designing a great 3MT slide.

But what is negative space? Put simply, it’s the empty space around and between objects.

explaining negative space. the black plant is the main focal point, while the orange background represents negative space

Leaving some negative space in your slide gives the audience some breathing room and helps them focus on what’s important .

For photographs, this might mean choosing an image that has one focal point. This doesn’t necessarily mean the background needs to be plain, but it may simply be out of focus to allow the objects in the forefront to stand out.

For diagrams, this means leaving some empty space between sections so that there’s a clearer distinction between them, or reducing the number of sections entirely.

Here are some great examples of 3MT slides that use negative space to draw our attention to a particular person or object:

Baby crying

By leaving some negative space, our eyes are immediately drawn to one particular focal point, letting us focus on what’s important: You.

The take-home message 📝

And that brings us to the end of the second blog for our 3MT series!

The 3MT slide can truly make or break a 3MT presentation, but the right one can take it to the next level. And, by following these simple tips, you’re well on your way to designing a slide that captures your research in an effective and impactful way:

Avoid complex graphs and data

Keep it conceptual

Choose an eye-catching image or diagram, or make one

Keep text to a minimum, and

Don’t be afraid of negative space

So get creative! And remember, if you want to learn more about how to create amazing graphics, or how to up your public speaking skills, we’d love to show you how in our in-person science communication workshop s or online courses!

Contact us here to find out more. 🤩

Cintya Dharmayanti

Dr Tullio Rossi

2 minute presentation structure

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FPPT

2-Minute Presentation: How to Prepare a Two Minute Speech on Time

Last updated on April 13th, 2024

You might be in a hurry to deliver a two minute presentation or speech, or you might want to prepare a short speech to give as closing remarks at an event. Whatever the case might be, there are several ways by which you can prepare a two-minute speech on time.

1. Write Down Notes or the Full Text on Your Speech

Some people like to use some notes scribbled on a paper to remember the key aspects of the speech, whereas others like to memorize a speech or read it from a paper or teleprompter. Then there are some people who are simply good at delivering a speech without the need of notes or written text. Whichever type of presenter you may be, you would want to know how much time it takes for you to complete your speech. This is why you can write down your notes or the complete text of the speech and read it out to estimate the time.

2. Use a Timer to Calculate the Time

To estimate the time, you can use a timer. If you’re using PowerPoint slides, you can use a number of add-ins and built-in features to time your slides. Here is a list of PowerPoint timers that you can use for this purpose. Knowing how much time it takes you to deliver your speech will help you ensure that you don’t exceed the allocated time, as well as better outline the content that would be most suitable for your audience.

3. Estimate your Words per Minute using a Words to Minutes Tool

You might want to estimate the WPM (Words Per Minute) for your speech and presentation. Some people like to speak slowly to be clear, whereas others might find it more appropriate to be a little quick in delivering their speech. You can estimate the WPM to understand your ability to deliver a speech in terms of the number of words you use each minute. There is also a free handy free tools that helps you convert speech to minutes online . Using this WPM calculator you can estimate things such as how many words is a 3 minute speech, how long to read a speech might it take you or how many words to pages are you using. This can make your time well spent, then you can use a speech calculator or words to minute tool to calculate the number of words per minute.

WPM Calculator example showing the Words to Minute tool.

Alternatively, you can use our article series in which we present an estimate of how many slides to include for a specific presentation length, for example how many slides for a 30 minute presentation in PowerPoint.

4. Add or Remove Content

If your speech is too long or too short, you can add or remove content, as well as use shorter versions of certain explanations to ensure you don’t exceed the time allocated for your speech. For example, in case you wish to give an example of determination and perseverance, you can mention a famous personality that the audience can relate to rather than using a lengthy explanation as to how the aforementioned can lead to success. Similarly, using abbreviations that the audience is acquainted with can help reduce your WPM and help you explain more details in a short period of time.

5. Practice Your Expressions & Body Language

Once you have your speech ready and you have estimated the time it takes to deliver it, you should refine the way you speak to leave a lasting impression on your audience. You can also use a mirror and try to relax and smile to deliver your speech. Practicing with your body language and expressions will help you make your speech more powerful. However, you don’t always need to smile, as some parts of your speech might require showing resolve, whereas other bits might require a more gentle approach. You can practice your expressions to find the right mix.

Practice Expressions and body language for delivering a presentation

The above mentioned tips should help you prepare your speech on time, be it a two minute speech or something much longer. If you have a good tip that our readers can benefit from, share your experience with us by leaving a comment.

You should practice your 3-minute speech as much as possible, until you feel confident enough with the delivery of your presentation. You can try practicing 3 times per day over a course of a week. You can also spread the practice along the day, in the morning, in the afternoon and one more time before end of day.

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2 minute presentation structure

100+ 2 Minute Speech Topics For Students [Updated]

2 minute speech topics for students

  • Post author By admin
  • February 23, 2024

Public speaking can be a daunting task for many students. Whether it’s presenting in front of a classroom or speaking at an event, the thought of standing up and delivering a speech can make even the most confident individuals feel nervous. However, mastering the art of public speaking is an invaluable skill that can benefit students in various aspects of their lives. In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of 2 minute speech topics for students and provide a comprehensive guide to help them excel in this endeavor.

Table of Contents

Importance of 2-Minute Speeches

Time management is crucial in today’s fast-paced world, and learning how to effectively communicate ideas within a short time frame is a valuable skill. 2-minute speeches challenge students to condense their thoughts and ideas into a concise format, teaching them the importance of prioritizing information and delivering it efficiently. 

Additionally, shorter speeches help students develop their attention-span, as they must find creative ways to engage their audience and convey their message effectively in a limited amount of time.

Moreover, regular practice with short speeches can significantly improve students’ overall public speaking abilities, boosting their confidence and communication skills.

How to Select 2 Minute Speech Topics For Students?

Selecting 2-minute speech topics for students can be a thoughtful process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you choose the perfect topic:

  • Identify Interests: Encourage students to consider their interests, hobbies, or areas of expertise. Topics they’re passionate about are more likely to engage both them and their audience.
  • Relevance: Choose topics that are relevant to the audience’s interests, current events, or issues that affect their lives. This ensures the speech resonates with the listeners.
  • Audience Consideration: Consider the audience’s demographics and preferences. Select topics that are appropriate and interesting to the specific audience you’ll be addressing.
  • Clarity and Depth: Opt for topics that can be explored within a 2-minute timeframe. Ensure the topic is narrow enough to cover adequately but broad enough to provide depth and insight.
  • Impactful and Thought-Provoking: Select topics that have the potential to evoke emotions, spark discussions, or inspire action. Thought-provoking topics encourage critical thinking and engagement from the audience.
  • Personal Connection: Encourage students to choose topics that they have a personal connection to or experiences with. Sharing personal anecdotes or insights can make the speech more authentic and relatable.
  • Diversity: Promote diversity in topic selection. Encourage students to explore a range of subjects, including social issues, science and technology, arts and culture, environment, education, and more.
  • Relevance to Learning Objectives: Align the topic selection with the learning objectives or goals of the assignment or curriculum. Ensure that the chosen topics allow students to demonstrate their understanding and skills effectively.
  • Originality: Encourage creativity and originality in topic selection. Encourage students to think outside the box and explore unique or less-discussed subjects to capture the audience’s attention.
  • Practice and Feedback: After selecting a topic, encourage students to practice delivering their speech and seek feedback from peers or mentors. This helps refine the content and delivery for maximum impact.

By following these guidelines, students can select 2-minute speech topics that are engaging, relevant, and impactful, allowing them to effectively communicate their ideas and connect with their audience.

100+ 2 Minute Speech Topics For Students

  • The Importance of Kindness in Daily Life
  • Benefits of Regular Exercise
  • Overcoming Adversity: Lessons Learned
  • Impact of Social Media on Relationships
  • Environmental Conservation: Small Actions, Big Impact
  • The Power of Positivity
  • Exploring Cultural Diversity
  • Importance of Time Management for Students
  • My Role Model and Why They Inspire Me
  • Breaking Stereotypes: Embracing Individuality
  • The Influence of Music on Mood
  • The Art of Effective Communication
  • Benefits of Volunteering in the Community
  • Overcoming Fear of Failure
  • Cyberbullying: Recognizing and Preventing It
  • The Beauty of Diversity in Nature
  • Healthy Eating Habits for a Balanced Life
  • Importance of Mental Health Awareness
  • Pursuing Your Passions: Finding Fulfillment
  • The Impact of Technology on Education
  • Respecting Differences: Embracing Inclusion
  • Tips for Effective Study Techniques
  • Importance of Setting Goals
  • Coping with Stress in High School
  • Benefits of Learning a Second Language
  • The Power of a Smile
  • Exploring Career Options: Finding Your Path
  • Benefits of Outdoor Activities for Physical Health
  • Overcoming Procrastination: Getting Things Done
  • Building Resilience in Challenging Times
  • The Role of Education in Shaping Society
  • Importance of Financial Literacy for Teens
  • Developing Leadership Skills in Student Life
  • Impact of Positive Role Models on Youth
  • The Value of Friendship in Adolescence
  • Environmental Sustainability: Individual Responsibility
  • Overcoming Peer Pressure: Making Smart Choices
  • The Joy of Reading: Unlocking Imagination
  • Recognizing and Appreciating Teachers
  • The Power of Empathy in Building Relationships
  • Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation
  • Navigating Social Media: Staying Safe Online
  • Exploring Career Opportunities in STEM Fields
  • Overcoming Self-Doubt: Believing in Yourself
  • The Importance of Cultural Awareness
  • Tips for Effective Public Speaking
  • Benefits of Adopting a Pet
  • The Impact of Positive Affirmations on Self-Confidence
  • Digital Citizenship: Responsible Online Behavior
  • Celebrating Diversity in Friendship
  • Importance of Sleep for Academic Success
  • Overcoming Challenges Through Perseverance
  • The Power of Gratitude in Daily Life
  • Benefits of Teamwork in Achieving Goals
  • The Role of Family in Shaping Values
  • Exploring Creativity Through Art and Music
  • The Significance of Volunteer Work in Society
  • Developing Critical Thinking Skills
  • Tips for Effective Time Management
  • Overcoming Obstacles: Turning Failure into Success
  • The Impact of Social Media Influencers
  • Cultivating a Growth Mindset
  • The Importance of Recycling for a Sustainable Future
  • Benefits of Positive Affirmations for Mental Health
  • The Role of Technology in Environmental Conservation
  • Exploring Different Learning Styles
  • Overcoming Test Anxiety: Strategies for Success
  • Benefits of Participating in Sports
  • The Power of Positive Self-Talk
  • Importance of Respecting Others’ Opinions
  • Strategies for Conflict Resolution
  • The Impact of Role Models on Career Choices
  • Exploring Cultural Traditions and Celebrations
  • Overcoming Negative Body Image: Embracing Self-Acceptance
  • The Benefits of Traveling and Cultural Exchange
  • The Influence of Peer Groups on Behavior
  • Building Confidence Through Public Speaking
  • Importance of Setting Boundaries in Relationships
  • The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health
  • Benefits of Journaling for Personal Growth
  • The Impact of Social Media on Body Image
  • Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination
  • The Power of Resilience in Adversity
  • Tips for Effective Conflict Resolution
  • Benefits of Positive Affirmations for Self-Esteem
  • Exploring Different Career Paths
  • Overcoming Shyness: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
  • The Importance of Self-Care Practices
  • Benefits of Outdoor Education Programs
  • The Role of Empathy in Building Stronger Communities
  • Strategies for Building Healthy Relationships
  • Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Recognizing Your Worth
  • The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
  • Benefits of Learning from Failure
  • The Power of Visualization in Goal Setting
  • Strategies for Overcoming Perfectionism
  • Importance of Seeking Help for Mental Health Issues
  • The Role of Resilience in Academic Success
  • Benefits of Adopting a Growth Mindset
  • The Impact of Positive Role Models on Self-Confidence
  • Strategies for Overcoming Test Anxiety
  • Benefits of Practicing Gratitude Daily
  • The Power of Positive Thinking in Achieving Goals
  • Tips for Building Resilience in Challenging Times
  • Importance of Building a Support Network for Mental Health.

Ways To Structure 2 Minutes Speech

Structuring a 2-minute speech effectively is essential to ensure that your message is clear, concise, and engaging. Here are several ways to structure a 2-minute speech:

Introduction (10-15 seconds)

  • Start with a hook or attention-grabber to capture the audience’s interest.
  • Introduce yourself and briefly preview the topic you’ll be discussing.
  • State the main purpose or thesis of your speech.

Main Points (45-60 seconds)

  • Organize your speech into two or three main points that support your thesis.
  • Dedicate roughly equal time to each main point.
  • Provide supporting evidence, examples, or anecdotes for each point to reinforce your arguments.
  • Use transitions to smoothly move from one point to the next, maintaining the flow of your speech.

Conclusion (15-20 seconds)

  • Summarize the main points you’ve discussed, reinforcing your thesis.
  • End with a strong closing statement or call to action that leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
  • Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion; instead, focus on reinforcing key takeaways.

Optional: Opening Story or Quote (10-15 seconds)

  • Begin your speech with a relevant story, anecdote, or quote that sets the tone for your topic.
  • Ensure that the opening relates directly to the main points you’ll be discussing and serves to engage the audience from the start.

Optional: Visual Aid or Prop (if applicable)

  • If appropriate for your topic, consider using a visual aid or prop to enhance your speech.
  • Keep visual aids simple and relevant, using them to complement your verbal message rather than distract from it.

Optional: Audience Interaction (if applicable)

  • Engage the audience by asking a rhetorical question, prompting them to reflect on their own experiences, or inviting them to participate in a brief activity related to your topic.
  • Be mindful of time constraints and ensure that any audience interaction enhances rather than detracts from the overall structure of your speech.

Remember to practice your speech multiple times to ensure that you can deliver it comfortably within the 2-minute timeframe. Focus on clarity, coherence, and confidence in your delivery, and be prepared to adapt if you find that certain sections of your speech are taking longer than anticipated. 

With careful planning and rehearsal, you can structure a compelling and effective 2-minute speech that effectively conveys your message to the audience.

Mastering the art of 2 minute speeches is a valuable skill that can benefit students in various aspects of their lives. By learning how to effectively communicate ideas within a short timeframe, students can improve their time management, attention span, and overall public speaking abilities.

By choosing the right 2 minute speech topics for students, structuring their speech effectively, and delivering it with confidence, students can excel in this endeavor and become successful communicators.

So, embrace opportunities for public speaking, practice regularly, and watch as your confidence and communication skills soar.

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Is PTE Easier Than IELTS?

How to Create an Engaging 5-Minute Presentation

Caroline Forsey

Published: September 15, 2023

A 5-minute speech can feel both incredibly short and infinitely long.

man gives a five minute presentation at work

While this short format encourages audiences to pay more attention, presenters often struggle to fit everything into five minutes even as they navigate nervousness that seems to stretch out each second.

As a result, preparation is key for 5-minute speech success.

But how can you ensure your presentation accomplishes everything it needs to within just five short minutes? We’ve put together an (appropriately condensed) guide on five-minute presentations to help you get started.

→ Free Download: 10 PowerPoint Presentation Templates [Access Now]

How many words are in a 5-minute presentation?

A five-minute presentation is approximately 700 words long. The average person speaks 120 to 160 words a minute, which means the average five-minute presentation is 600 to 800 words.

2 minute presentation structure

10 Free PowerPoint Templates

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

  • Creative templates.
  • Data-driven templates.
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You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

To calculate your own personal speaking speed (words per minute, or WPM):

  • Make an audio recording of yourself speaking for one minute.
  • Use a free transcription service to generate a text version of your speech.
  • The number of words you spoke in that minute is your personal WPM.

When constructing a longer presentation, you might be more concerned about transitions and keeping the audience engaged with more extensive narrative elements.

In a short presentation, everything you say should directly tie back to your central premise and further advance your main point.

Keeping a tight scope and using your words carefully ensures your time isn't wasted and the audience leaves with a clear, singular takeaway.

How many slides are in a 5-minute presentation?

Five or six slides, or about one per minute, is a good baseline for a 5-minute presentation. Depending on your subject matter, however, you might use up to 20 slides and spend about 10 or 15 seconds on each.

More important than your slide count is what each slide contains. It‘s a good rule of thumb to keep your slides simple and focused on visuals instead of text for a presentation of any length.

This becomes especially important when you’re dealing with a condensed presentation window.

Trying to cram in as much information as possible within a short time frame can be tempting. Resist the urge. Instead, focus on simple, clean visuals that all tie back to your central premise.

You can also use these free presentation templates to arrange your slides in a way that makes the most sense for your delivery and the content of your presentation.

2 minute presentation structure

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Frantically Speaking

10-Minute presentations: How to Write, Design & Deliver (Complete Guide)

Hrideep barot.

  • Presentation , Public Speaking

2 minute presentation structure

Presentations are an interesting way to introduce a new topic, perspective, or study to your audience. 10-minute presentations serve the same purpose but they come with a specified restriction on time.

When we see the word presentation, we instantly think of PPTs and while PPTs are used in many cases, some presentations are completely oral as well.

The number of speakers is another variable while presenting. It can be done individually like in the case of a job interview presentation or in a group setting like in the case of a college assignment. 

How long should a 10-minute presentation be?

Ideally, for 10-minute presentations, you should focus on adding 5-10 effective, crisp slides. And a speech of about 1000-2000 words should be enough to complete the presentation within 10 minutes.

However, there are no set rules while making a presentation which means that you are free to increase or decrease the number of slides in your presentation depending upon your pace of presenting.

Now when we talk about the pace of presenting, we mean the number of words you can speak in an understandable manner per minute. So, if you can speak 100-120 words per minute (adding the usual pauses), then a 1000–1200-word speech would be enough for your 10-minute presentation.

While we cannot point out an exact word count specifically catered for you in this blog, we can surely suggest you take up any piece of long article and go on reading it out loud while taking necessary pauses and timing it. It might give you an idea of your speed which in turn would help you gauge the perfect word count for your presentation.

Another factor that would define the way you present your topic is whether you are presenting it individually or in a group.

Individual Presentations

A man presenting his topic.

In Individual presentations, you are the one to shoulder your entire presentation’s responsibility. You can make use of effective PowerPoint presentation skills or use props to keep the audience engaged and interested in your presentation.

Further, it becomes extremely important for you to have sufficient knowledge about your topic, as in case of any doubts you are the only one to be questioned by the audience members.

Group Presentations

A group of two college students presenting to a class full of students.

On the other hand, in group presentations, the responsibility to carry out an effective and good presentation falls on all group members. This calls for a lot of coordination which would require a ton of practice.

In groups, you can make use of skits to explain a certain phenomenon. Or maybe the use of coordinated props per speaker can also make your presentations more eye-catchy.

Further, involving your entire group to present rather than just 2 people doing it with beautifully placed content, will easily stand out to the audience.

The placement of your content could be in a para format wherein one person speaks a para followed by another one. Or one person can explain one subtopic followed by another; whatever suits best for your group.

A beautiful example of group presentations is the one by The minimalists .

It is a beautiful presentation because we see that while one person is speaking, the other enacts what is being said, thus making it an interesting presentation involving both speakers.

Tips for your 10-minute presentations

1. avoid information overload.

While it can be very tempting to add all the relevant information in your presentation, limiting it will turn out to be one of the best decisions taken by any presenter.

The reason is very simple, every individual has a very limited attention span and capacity to take in new information . 10-minute presentations exceed the average duration of attention span among humans which is 7 minutes.

If you bombard them with tons of information, chances are that they might feel exhausted and detached from your topic and presentation altogether.

2. Avoid reading from your slides

We know you might have heard this a gazillion times but here we are to say it again because it is very important. Avoid reading from your slides. As it might indicate your lack of understanding of the topic . It can also end up being a little boring for the audience to listen to something present in front of them that they can easily read themselves.

3. Give your audience an incentive to listen to you

It is always better to assume that your audience is not innately motivated to listen to your presentation and hence to give them a reason why listening to your presentation would be worth it.

Are you planning on discussing a new perspective on a widely-spoken topic? Are you trying to introduce new findings? Is your presentation trying to motivate the audience?

Whatever goal you wish to achieve through your presentation, make it known to the audience.

4. Try to offer something new

The very essence of presentations is to offer some new idea, perspective, or study to your audience. This holds especially true when your presentation is on a generic or widely-spoken topic like climate change.

5. Avoid exceeding the time limit

This goes without saying, avoid exceeding your time limit. If you know you have been given 10 minutes, either finish it by the time it hits the limit or better yet, finish it before time.

Everyone would appreciate you for finishing your presentation before time for sure.

6. Make it easy to understand

Another point that goes without saying is to make your content very easy for everyone in the audience to understand.

Try to tweak your presentation in a manner that is convenient for the youngest and the least experienced member to understand easily.  For if your presentation doesn’t reach your audience, it might not fulfill its very purpose.

Structuring 10-minute presentations

Just like we structure any speech, with a beginning, a middle, and an end, structuring your presentation follows a similar pattern.

In the initial few minutes or even seconds of your presentation, the audience might have decided whether they should listen to your presentation or will it be more fruitful to dive deep into their thoughts.

This is the reason why starting 10-minute presentations on a strong foot is emphasized so much. But again, there is no need to stress out about it.

Here are a few tips on how you can start your presentation:

1. Provocative statements

Provocative statements are the ones that try to shake some strongly held views of the audience. Reggie Rivers make use of a provocative statement in his TED talk that might help you understand its use better.

He begins by saying

If you want to achieve your goals, don’t focus on them.

The statement clearly goes against a belief we have grown up with; the idea that we should chase and focus on our goals in order to achieve them.

2. Hypothetical scenario

Starting with a hypothetical scenario includes the use of words like “Imagine” or “what if.” It gives your audience a chance to put themselves in a situation that you are about to address in your presentation.

An example of the same is given below.

Imagine you are going out for a drive with your friends. It is a little late and the roads are wet from the heavy shower that had surrendered only a few minutes ago. You are all singing and laughing. But then you look to your left only to realize two giant lights come close to you at lightning speed and you know at that moment you are going to die. That you are going to die in that crash. Then you hear a screech and *pause* the truck halts 5 cm from your car. That is exactly what someone with anxiety feels but unlike you, it doesn’t end within a few minutes; it persists for hours or even days.

3. Hard-hitting questions

While questions are one of the most widely used ways to open any speech or presentation, the task here is to open with a hard-hitting question.

A question that your audience probably doesn’t have an answer to, which you plan on providing them through your presentation.

Some examples of these would be:

  • Is there anyone here who can give me the exact amount of microplastics they consumed during this week?
  • Did you know that with the advancement in technology, there is a possibility that the organ transplanted to you in 20 years would not be from another human but from an animal?

Starting your presentation with props is the easiest and most creative way to start a presentation. The reason why it is creative is that you can use absolutely anything as a prop. Be it a plastic bottle, a jar full of waste, or even some hula hoops.

Once you have introduced yourself and your topic, you can go on to the next step: the main content of your presentation.

However, it isn’t just about presenting your points but how you present them that we will take a look into.  Presenting your topic in a more structured manner makes it easier for your audience to stay in tune with your presentation.

One of the formatting ways is the 3-pointer format . The idea behind using a 3-pointer structure is to divide your main content into 3 huge chunks or points. And while you are free to add more points, having 3 points makes it a tad bit easier to recall the information and to maintain a flow among the listeners.  

An example of using a three-pointer structure is this 5 slide presentation by Ashley Stahl where she talks about 3 key questions to unlock your authentic careers.

  • What are you good at?
  • What do people tell me I am good at?
  • What is holding you back?

The closing remarks like the opening lines are quite important.

There are several ways in which you can close your presentation. But it takes more than a mere thank you to make it an effective closing remark for your presentation.

A few ways in which you can close 10-minute presentations are:

1. Fitting remark

A fitting remark or in simple terms a summary is where you revise what you just spoke in a couple of lines. It is better to keep it as short as possible as 10-minute presentations don’t give you enough tie to elaborate.

2. Calling for action

You can end your speech by instilling a sense of action and purpose among the audience members to make a difference. An amazing example of this is the speech by Leonardo DiCaprio. While it is a speech, you can observe his way of delivering the last couple of lines and inculcate the same in your presentation.

For more ways in which you can close your presentation check out our video on 5 Powerful Speech Closing Remarks for your next Presentation.

Designing 10-minute presentations

Designing your PowerPoint is as important as presenting your topic confidently and effectively.

A few dos and don’ts of designing your PPTs are:

Some amazing websites that will help you in making effective and aesthetically pleasing presentations are canva , Prezi , and more.

Best PowerPoint presentations on TED 

Some of the most innovative PowerPoint presentations we came across on Ted were the ones given by Tim Burton and Adam Grant.

1. Tim Burton

I can not emphasize how absolutely wonderful the Presentation by Tim is. A mix of information with tons of humor coupled with very entertaining visuals.

His confidence makes the presentation quite engaging and interesting to watch.

2. Adam Grant

Adam Grant like Tim Burton has made use of animated cartoons to make the statistical data quite entertaining. However, the way he presents his topic is a little different.

His presentation is filled with images and cartoons . When he states quantitative data, the font size and color are something that must be taken a look into. Further, the language that he includes in his PPT is very candid and informal.

Delivering 10-minute presentations

While you are trying to make your content crisp, 10 minutes may seem way too little; But when it comes to presenting it and speaking, 10 minutes is not that short of a time.

There are a few things that you can do so as to deliver your presentation in its most effective way.

1. Practice your presentation in chunks.

Chunks are the division of your main content into small parts. 5-to-9 chunks are easy to remember.

We are not encouraging you to memorize or rote learn your presentation. However, it is important to remember the flow in which you are supposed to be presenting. And for this dividing, your presentation into chunks to practice can help navigate you through your entire presentation.

This also raises the question that,

How Long Should You Practice for a Presentation?

It is advisable to practice your presentation at least 3 times and a maximum of 10-12 times . But as the old saying goes “Practice makes a man perfect,” you can practice as long as you feel you have perfected your presentation.

If you are looking for a specific time duration for which you should practice then, for a 10-minute presentation, 30 minutes to about An hour and a half should suffice.

For some amazing tips on how you can rehearse your presentations, check out 13 Tips For Rehearsing A Presentation .

2. Add a story or share a personal experience

Stories are a very binding way to let your point across. It adds a personal touch, especially if you are sharing your personal experience. It also gives the audience a chance to understand where you come from and maybe even relate to you.

The TED by Jarret J. Krosoczka is a wonderful presentation where he illustrates his story while talking about it to the audience.

The creative bend makes it a presentation worth remembering, don’t you think?

3. Engage the audience.

While it isn’t mandatory for you to add elements that would ensure that the audience stays engaged, adding it will only help in enhancing your and your audience’s experience (if time permits).

You can add a quiz , or a small game like spot a difference between the two pictures. you can also ask a question and take a poll by asking the audience members who agree to raise their hands.

4. Add humor to your presentations

Humor can be your friend or your enemy while presenting a topic. If you get it right, it can make your presentation an unforgettable one. At the same time, if you end up making jokes that the audience might not find funny or worst even derogatory, It may land you in some trouble.

One of the funniest and most energy-filled presentations I have come across was the one by Alexis Nikole Nelson and her take on Veganism. The way in which she makes use of the prop is another thing you must take a look into.

Add elements of credibility

Elements of credibility include stating facts and figures . You can also quote some renowned personalities . All these things would build the confidence of the audience in your presentation. It also works best to give a reality check. How do you ask?

Simple, when you state figures, you give them a clear picture of the situation.

An example of this is the use of statistics used by Randy Palisoc in his Ted talk “Math isn’t hard, it’s a language.”

26%..Thats is the percentage of US 12 graders who are proficient in math

Find the full video of the same below.

Famous 10-Minute Presentations

1. bill gates.

We might have all heard about Bill Gates and his talks or speeches on Climate Change. But this presentation was a little different.

Here, Bill Gates goes on to explain how teachers have not been receiving sufficient feedback which could’ve led to drastic changes in their teaching patterns.

He explains the wide disparity in feedback given to teachers through charts , thus providing a way to easily compare and evaluate one’s country’s performance to that of others.

His bidding statement ends on a positive note as it is filled with optimism. He says,

I am excited about the opportunity to give all our teachers the support they want and deserve. I hope you are too.

2. Vishaan Chakrabarti

Renowned Architect Vishaan Chakrabarti gives an insight into the need for sustainable housing to provide a roof over the head of additional 3 billion people who are expected to be born by 2100.

The presentation is particularly interesting for the way in which he has used the visuals and animations . The language is kept simple which makes it easy to understand even if you have no degree in architecture.

Topics for 10-minute presentations

Presentation topics for college students.

  • Population explosion
  • The increasing gap between Rich and Poor
  • Virtual money as the next evolution in monetary exchange
  • Diversification and blending of cultures
  • Change in seeking entertainment post-pandemic
  • Data is the new oil
  • Are we prepared for the next pandemic?
  • Electric Vehicles: Future of Transportation
  • E-learning and the shift in the education system
  • Veganism and sustainability
  • Evolution of the fashion industry in the metaverse
  • Legalization of cryptocurrencies
  • Need for immediate action toward climate change
  • Do your degrees define your success in life?
  • Evolution in careers across the years

Presentation Topics for Interviews

  • Overcoming fears can lead to success
  • Diversification in the workplace and its impact on better decision making
  • Right to work is a fundamental right
  • Can a few jobs permanently start working from home?
  • Women as leaders
  • The rise in startup culture
  • The increasing threat of data breach
  • Influencer marketing and its advantages
  • Employee motivation and its relation to monetary rewards
  • Should employees be paid for working overtime
  • Paternal leave and its benefits
  • Building skills is more important than degrees
  • The efficiency of a 4 day work week
  • Benefits of going paperless to the organizations

Funny 10-minute presentation topics

  • 11 ways to order a pizza
  • Why you don’t need success
  • Why be excellent when you can be mediocre?
  • World’s worst Disaster: Crocs Heels
  • Evolution of Dance: from Bellydance to TikTok dance
  • Being an Adult: The Most challenging task
  • Struggles of Being a Planned Child
  • Alcohol fixes relationships
  • How autocorrect ruins your life
  • LOL: Only Socially Acceptable way to Avoid laughing
  • If only I had the life I do on My Instagram
  • 5 easy ways to make it out of the friendzone
  • 3 Totally useless professions
  • 6 ways to do absolutely nothing
  • The Rise of Family Whatsapp Groups

You can also find more speech topics depending on the type of your speech. Check out Demonstrative Speech Topics , Informative Speech Topics , and Persuasive Speech Topics on our website to get some inspiration for your speech.

10-Minute presentation sample

Presentation on Sustainable Fashion

I want you to imagine the amount of water you drink in a day. Now imagine and tell me if you can do the math, how much water would you have consumed in 3 years?

Let me help you.

2720 liters of water.

Now how would you feel if I tell you that this also equal to the amount of water that went into making the t-shirt you quite stunningly adorn right now?

*Imitates mind being blown*

With a 4-fold increase in the production of clothes over the last 20 years, we cannot even imagine the extent to which it has penetrated the pollution index across the world. Every year, fast fashion brands release several micro collections against the ideal 2. So if you ever wondered how the store has a very different collection every time you step into H&M or Zara, you know now. In fact, In the US per person, approximately 35 kgs of textile waste are generated every year.

If this wasn’t enough, the extent of water pollution caused by Fast fashion is beyond imaginable. 22,000 toxic waste is released into rivers by tanneries in Bangladesh,

Every. Single. Day.

So, what is the most immediate action that you can take to switch to more sustainable styling?

I am going to introduce a mantra that has worked wonders for me when I felt overwhelmed about switching to sustainable fashion. The 4 Rs and No it isn’t Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

The 4 Rs for sustainable fashion are

Reduce your consumption of clothes. Has it ever happened that you end up buying a shirt only to realize you don’t a perfect pair of pants to wear with it? Or bought something that you found super cute but never touched once you got home? It’s okay! Don’t feel guilty, I have done that too.

But that can be avoided. A simple method is to ask yourself “Do I need this Now?” and “Will I be able to use it in the long run?” The answer to the second question will immediately direct you away from fast fashion brands that offer cheap quality clothing at a very affordable rate.

If the clothes you own can be repaired in any way, it is better to do that than jump on to buy a new one. There were many times when I repaired or redesigned my outfits. For example. this one time when I slipped in my yard and tore my jeans a little from the knee area. Guess the ground was desperate for me to own another pair of ripped jeans and so I did exactly that. The other time a friend of mine, an amazing artist got some splashes of paint on her pants, Any guess what we did with those pants?

Exactly! Splashed more paint over it. Now I know it may sound bizarre but that was a time when that was in trend.

The third option is to Resell your stuff or give it to someone else.

This is where our popular thrift stores come into the picture. You’ve got a piece of clothing that you are never going to wear? Why let it take up the space in your closet when you can easily make money out of it and get rid of it at the same time. But if you are more altruistic, you can even consider donating your not-so-frequently used clothes to those who need them. And I know for a fact that every brown person sitting here is a pro at both lending and receiving hand-me-downs.

Lastly and the most important of all is, to rethink your consumption of fashion. It is 2022. Some brands have dedicated their entire efforts to providing you with sustainable alternatives. You can choose to buy consciously.

For instance, Adidas’s future craft loop edition shoes are one such example of big brands trying to do their part in this battle of saving our planet from our species. Further, there are brands like Baggit that use vegan leather for all their products.

Then there are completely sustainable brands like Eco India that use the clothes thrown into landfills to make fashion statements that are both iconic as well as sustainable.

While I can talk about this for as long as my voice doesn’t give in, I guess I should cut it short.

Reduce, Repair, Resell and Rethink what you can do to make the change towards a healthier fashion choice. After all the industry thrives upon you and your impulsiveness, try not to give in to it.

So the idea is simple. Maintain your style but not at the cost of the planet.

Final Thoughts

Presentations are an effective mode of presenting your topic with creativity.

10-minute presentations however come with a restriction on time which makes it important to focus on crunching the information you plan to add and thus keeping it short.

The use of visuals can be effective in carrying out successful presentations, be it PPTs or props.

Sharing personal experiences, humor, or any other element that makes your presentation stand out would enhance your presentation and make it easier for the audience to recall the information shared by you.

Lastly, there is no right or wrong way of presenting.

The only way we know is to enjoy your presentation just as much as you would want the audience to enjoy listening to it.

If you feel like you need more personalized guidance on carrying out your presentation in a more effective and confident manner, Check out Frantically Speaking .

We will be more than happy to help you!

Hrideep Barot

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2 minute presentation structure

IMAGES

  1. How To Structure A Presentation A Guide With Examples

    2 minute presentation structure

  2. How to structure a PowerPoint Presentation (2022)

    2 minute presentation structure

  3. how to give a 2 minute presentation

    2 minute presentation structure

  4. How To Give A 2 Minute Presentation Story

    2 minute presentation structure

  5. 2 Minute Speech Topics For Students » Digiandme.com

    2 minute presentation structure

  6. 7 Ways to Take Your Presentation Structure to the Next Level

    2 minute presentation structure

VIDEO

  1. 2 MINUTE SPEECHES: How to write & deliver an impactful short speech

  2. Presentation Skills: 7 Presentation Structures Used by the Best TED Talks

  3. 2-Minute Neuroscience: The Neuron

  4. Create Organization Chart in 2 Minutes

  5. How to Prepare a Presentation with the Correct Structure

  6. Phil Lempert's 2 minute Speech Demo

COMMENTS

  1. How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

    This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there. Follow these steps: Signal that it's nearly the end of your presentation, for example, "As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…". Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation - "In this speech I wanted to compare…". 5.

  2. How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

    Length and Structure. The main part should make up about 70% of the presentation and also include a clear structure. Explain your ideas in detail and build them up logically. It should be organized chronologically, by priority or by topic. There should be a smooth transition between the individual issues.

  3. What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

    Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired ...

  4. The 2-Minute Rule for Effective Presentations

    Remember, the 2-Minute Rule is a guideline to help you structure your presentation effectively. Adjust the timings based on the content and context of your talk.

  5. How to Structure a Presentation

    Describing a detailed picture of success (or failure) - Give people a vision; something they can see, hear, taste, and touch. Asking the audience to do something straight away - Get them involved right from the start. If you do this, it's then much easier to keep them engaged and active in your cause. 4.

  6. How to make a great presentation

    The secret structure of great talks. From the "I have a dream" speech to Steve Jobs' iPhone launch, many great talks have a common structure that helps their message resonate with listeners. In this talk, presentation expert Nancy Duarte shares practical lessons on how to make a powerful call-to-action. 18:00.

  7. 7 Ways to Take Your Presentation Structure to the Next Level

    The presentation starts off with a discussion on the natural animal and human condition of power and ends with a personal invitation to change your life with a 2-minute practice of power posing. If you are a lover of the show "Grey's Anatomy," this is the idea behind the power pose that the neurosurgeons do before a big procedure.

  8. How to structure a winning presentation

    If you want your audience to stay engaged, you need to structure your ideas as a well-crafted story. Follow these three steps to clearly define your narrative before you start creating your slides ...

  9. Present with Purpose: Create/Deliver Effective Presentations

    What can go wrong with presentations? • 2 minutes; Objectives fall into three categories • 2 minutes; Let's put it all together • 3 minutes; Know your audience • 10 minutes; Uma's presentation story • 2 minutes; Presentation structure is like an architectural tour • 2 minutes; Follow this structure for your presentation • 3 ...

  10. 9.4

    There are lots of ways to structure a presentation, but we like this one best. It's clear, simple and fits most presentations. ... The length of your grabber is relative to your total presentation time. For a 2-minute presentation, it should be quite brief - maybe one sentence. For a 16-minute team presentation, a 45-60 second grabber would ...

  11. How to Prepare a Presentation with the Correct Structure

    In this video, you'll learn the proper structure for a presentation. This video will help you if you're struggling with organizing your presentation.

  12. How to structure your presentation

    46 How to structure your presentation Lucinda Atwood and Christian Westin. This chapter teaches you a quick, easy way to create effective presentations. ... The length of your grabber is relative to your total presentation time. For a 2-minute presentation, it should be quite brief - maybe one sentence. For a 16-minute team presentation, a 45 ...

  13. 7.3 Structuring Your Presentation

    Presentation Structure. The simple structure outlined below is adaptable to most topics. The presentation begins with an attention-getter, a claim, and an overview of key points that will be addressed. ... For a 2-minute presentation, it should be quite brief - maybe one sentence. For a 16-minute team presentation, a 45-60 second grabber ...

  14. How to Write a Two Minute Speech: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Conference presentations: Two-minute speeches are becoming increasingly popular at conferences as a way for presenters to deliver quick, impactful messages. ... With the planning phase complete, it's time to move on to the structure of your speech. A well-structured speech will ensure that your message is conveyed effectively, and your audience ...

  15. Memorable 2-Minute Speeches: How to Write & Deliver (With Examples)

    So for 2-minute speeches, 260-300 words should be sufficient. When it comes to the number of pages for a 2-minute speech, then your speech can be half to one page long. It all depends on the font size that you use! Similarly, the number of sentences that would make up a 2-minute speech can vary depending on the font size that you use or your ...

  16. Powerful 2 Minute Speech Topics: A-Z Guide (With 200+ Examples)

    2. A Joke. Jokes and humor are almost always appreciated by the audience provided it isn't even slightly derogatory or demeaning to anyone. Opening your 2-minute speech with a joke can in fact be a good attention grabber that would also not take up a lot of your speech time.

  17. How to design an impactful 3MT slide (with examples!)

    Tip #3: Choose an eye-catching visual… or make one 👀. In the same way that 'the hook' in your 3MT script helps to pique the audience's attention, the slide is another important tool to capture their attention and keep them engaged. But to do this, it needs to be eye-catching and interesting.

  18. 2-Minute Presentation: How to Prepare a Two Minute Speech on Time

    Whatever the case might be, there are several ways by which you can prepare a two-minute speech on time. 1. Write Down Notes or the Full Text on Your Speech. Some people like to use some notes scribbled on a paper to remember the key aspects of the speech, whereas others like to memorize a speech or read it from a paper or teleprompter.

  19. 100+ 2 Minute Speech Topics For Students [Updated]

    Ways To Structure 2 Minutes Speech. Structuring a 2-minute speech effectively is essential to ensure that your message is clear, concise, and engaging. Here are several ways to structure a 2-minute speech: Introduction (10-15 seconds) Start with a hook or attention-grabber to capture the audience's interest.

  20. 57. How do I give a great 2 minute speech?

    Identify the topic, the title, and the purpose of your speech. Below are examples of a speech purpose: 2. Prepare in advance your 2-3 key points and remember that a good presentation includes: 3. Take your mobile phone and open voice memos. Start speaking and record your first speech on this subject.

  21. How to Create an Engaging 5-Minute Presentation

    1. Speak as a Leader Bootcamp Welcome. This five-minute presentation by Nausheen I. Chen perfectly balances minimalism with informative text. The design uses background color to help create contrast within the presentation, and the final call-to-action is unique and actionable.

  22. 10-Minute presentations: How to Write, Design & Deliver (Complete Guide

    A few ways in which you can close 10-minute presentations are: 1. Fitting remark. A fitting remark or in simple terms a summary is where you revise what you just spoke in a couple of lines. It is better to keep it as short as possible as 10-minute presentations don't give you enough tie to elaborate. 2.

  23. 2 MINUTE SPEECHES: How to write & deliver an impactful short speech

    How to Write 2 Minute Speech in English or any other language?Being a short speech, a 2 minute speech can be pressed on you at any point. You might be asked ...