Good structure is of paramount importance as the audience only has one chance to understand what is being said. If they lose the ‘thread’ of what is being said they may not pick it up again, or if they do they may have missed vital points. A clear and simple structure will prevent this from happening. The easiest way to do this is in the format of a ‘formal structure’, which provides the basic elements of:

· Introduction - gives you the first impression of the subject and background theory, which in turn makes the ethnography easier to understand.

· Main Section - speakers elaborate on their chosen area of expertise.

· Conclusion – pick up from the point the presentation started, followed by a clear summary of the main points and

Fundamentally, the presentation must be clear, concise and well structured in order for the audience to have a good understanding of your topic. The speakers must be seen to be knowledgeable and enthusiastic in their delivery, as this will ensure you will please and hopefully inspire your audience.

Holding the audience’s attention is imperative. Each speaker will have to make and maintain contact with the audience and understand and respond to their mood. Whatever the objectives of the presentation the speaker must create a feeling of not only competence and professionalism, but also enthusiasm without, however, overdoing it. Audience participation is a good way of ensuring this, especially when approached with the effective use of humour, which will strengthen the rapport between the speaker and the audience and make the presentation not only enjoyable, but also memorable. A well told anecdote could also warm the audience to you, as it gives the presentation a very ‘human’ side. Creating parallels with western societies is also a good idea as the audience can perhaps relate something that they are familiar with to the culture that you are discussing.

It is very rare for a speaker to talk for half an hour without a single note. To do this creates a magnificent impression of competence and knowledge. When using notes I feel that it is better to read from carefully planned prompt cards, rather than from a full script, as this ensures you will maintain eye contact with the audience and you will be less likely to lose your place, which again instils confidence in you as an authority on your chosen subject.

Some topics in this essay:
Amazonian Indian, , Main Section, visual aids, introduction conclusion, slightly informal, visual aids help, audience understand, whilst using, audience presentation, speaker audience, contact audience, aids help, eye contact,