Tuesday 29 November 2011

Basic Guidelines for Appreciating Poetry


Appreciating Poetry

Poetry is interesting to read and enjoy. But, understanding poetry from contextual, rhetorical, thematic, figurative and constructive point of view is a beautiful skill to be learnt. The scholars have proposed various techniques to approach a poem. Let us begin with few of them:

1.         Close Reading: The traditional tools of close reading, with its focus on poetic form and devices, are my first approach to the analysis, while I continue with discussion of what critics call the context of the poem, sonnet or sequence when that is particularly pertinent to poet's technical delivery. Thus, socio-economic, cultural and historical contexts are intrinsic to a complete analysis.

As we know, poets’ ends are two-fold:(1) to tell a story, and (2) to inform the poetic medium with metaphors that elucidate and build multiple levels of meaning and inquiry - its literary effects, the 'means' to poet's 'ends.'

2.         Versification: This is a descriptive level; I use a full array of traditional analytical techniques, worth examining as a class. First, let us consider the verse as a structural unit, versification. This concerns us with whether and where the sonnet is divided, and whether and where it is tabulated, as well as how sentence stops and other punctuation are used within it. In sonnets, there is the related aspect of a 'turn,' the volta, which was historically placed in the ninth line, and which, when not placed there, drew attention to the words and ideas around it. The sonnet 'turn' has evolved, moved within the sonnet, and changed over time, and is used variously by different sonnet writers, often to affect meaning.9 In Seth's work, we see fanciful aspects of Byron's versification in Don Juan, as well as versification practices used by Alexander Pushkin in Eugene Onegin.

3.         Enjambment: An enjambment is the "continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet or stanza," used to create meaningful effects, and also used to move the narrative action forward in a prosaic manner.

4.         Rhythm: It is both the actual 'timed' rate of flow of the words or motion, and the precise depression level in the wave pattern created. As in song, downbeat is an element of this, as well as meter, usually treated separately.

5.         Melody: Melody here is the musical effect of the sonnet, passage, or sequence noted. Is it monotonous or not? Hymn-like, psalm-like, prayer-like, a folk-song? What is the character of its musical effect?

6.         Harmony: It is the degree to which the verse elements are harmoniously constructed in their variations from and similarities to each other. This includes examining points at which they are intentionally rendered in a disharmonious manner, and why.

7.         Meter: It is the mainstay of analysis, involves an explication of the number of feet, as well as the character of the feet, where the stress falls, and where the pause, or caesura, enters, with and without reference to the poet's punctuation.

5          Phonological Concerns: Tone and Tonal Colour include several technical aspects. By tone, we are usually referring to the poet’s “attitude to his listener,” while ‘tone of voice’ and ‘voice’ are also now considered part of this analytical point. Tonal color includes aspects of rhyme and rhyming schemes - overall rhyme patterns and interior schemes, although other aspects of sound quality are a part of this analytical concern, including alliteration (repeated consonants or initial vowels) and assonance (similar vowel sounds within dissimilar consonant combinations). These are classified as phonological concerns.

6.         Accent: Generally, the explication involves scansion. Aspects of scansion, the actual reading of the verse, involve commenting upon the rhythmical stress, or ictus, based upon an analysis of word-accent and sentence emphasis. These include whether the accent is primary or secondary, involves prefixes or other types of grammatical stress combinations, or uses specifically relational words in specific positions in the line and verse.

7.         Scansion: The scansion exercise, critiquing the position of the rhythmical stress in the line and verse, takes us closer to discovering how the text creates effects. For instance, trochaic substitution is a specific type of inversion having the effect of giving special emphasis to the first foot of a metric set, while caesural inversion refers to a hovering of the stress in a line. Aspects of syllable analysis fall under scansion: Does the verse take a direct attack (initial truncation)? Does it add extra unstressed syllables at the beginning of the line (anacrusis) or elsewhere (hyperbeats)? Does it cut off the final unstressed syllables (catalexis)? How are the vowels treated: are they slurred (contraction)? or blended to omission (elision)? And how is pause used, specifically within the syllabic scheme? Today, linguists include syllable analysis under the category of morphophonological concerns. I elucidate these techniques when they are used by Seth, many of which are informed by scansion.

8.         Theme: Theme, or motif, is used to create meaningful congregations of ideas in narrative action. I am referring to "a conspicuous element, such as a type of event, device, reference or formula," and a "recurrent poetic concept," or leitmotif.

9.         Intention: Second, scholars have argued we must examine the author's intention. More broadly, we are interested in what is 'outside' the 'work,' per M.H. Abrams' analysis. For example, how is the poet's intention made evident, if it is; what world or 'universe' is seen or shown by Seth; and what audience is of interest to him in delivering this work? The work stands in relationship within a group of four concerns: itself, the author, the world and the reader.

10.       Imagery: Imagery is both a literary effect and an organizing principle of separate note. This term encompasses both textual effects that elicit visual images, or "mental pictures," and, more broadly, "figurative language" used as "vehicles" for metaphors and similes.

11.       Wordplay: The role of wordplay, Michael Spiller discusses this technique as one often seen in the work of poet, a critical component worthy of separate note, citing the traditional and long-standing 'board-game' quality of sonnets.

12.       Idea: I note, here, another point of critical inquiry, that of idea. Here, the question asked is whether the poet has successfully managed and delivered an entire idea. There has been a traditional concern in sonnet criticism as to whether a full idea is communicated in each line of the sonnet, or a full concept in each sonnet. For example, when the idea is split, effect is sharpened, attention is drawn to the area, and the reader notes a heightened impact, contrast, or enhancement; while, when a short 'idea' appears complete in one line, its impact is emphasized, as a unit.

13.       Rhetoric: With the term, rhetoric, M.H. Abrams suggests we examine any purposeful relationship between the author and the audience, while Terry Eagleton considers this term a departure point for analysis of context more broadly. In the traditional sense, we mean a style of speaking or writing.

14.       Presentation: With the word, presentation, we refer to what Michael Spiller calls the poet’s use of "image, fancy, sign and trace," beyond wordplay, and in the realm of delighting the senses with the effective and efficient use of what he calls 'twist,' and 'hide.'

15.       Form: The poem is written in the form of a sonnet with its fourteen lines and set structure. The poem contains a total of four stanzas – three stanzas of four lines each, and the last stanzas with only two lines.

1. The Pulley

When God at first made man,
Having a glasse of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) poure on him all we can:
Let the worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.

So strength first made a way;
Then beautie flow’d, then wisdome, honour, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
Rest in the bottome lay.

For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewell also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature:
So both should losers be.

Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlesnesse:
Let him be rich and wearie, that at least,
If goodnesse leade him not, yet wearinesse
May tosse him to my breast.

-George Herbert



Appreciation:

It would be difficult to explain Herbert's poem without alluding to Pandora's box of gifts. The gods, especially Zeus, gave Pandora a box, warning her never to open it. Her curiosity overcame her, however, and she opened it, releasing innumerable plagues and sorrows into the world. Only Hope, the one good thing the box had contained, remained to comfort humanity in its misfortunes. In this poem, the fusion of the classical and the Christian add richness and dimension to the poem's guiding metaphysical conceit, which is a pulley that draws man slowly toward God.
Pulleys and hoists are mechanical devices aimed at assisting us with moving heavy loads through a system of ropes and wheels (pulleys) to gain advantage. We should not be surprised at the use of a pulley as a central conceit since the domain of physics and imagery from that discipline would have felt quite comfortable to most of the metaphysical poets.
In the poem, the central idea posited by Herbert is that when God made man, he poured all his blessings on him, including strength, beauty, wisdom, honor and pleasure. However, as in Pandora's box, one element remained. We are told that God "made a stay," that is, He kept "Rest in the bottome." We might, in modern parlance, call this God's ace. God is aware that if He were to bestow this "jewel" (i.e. rest) on Man as well then Man would adore God's gifts instead of God Himself. God has withheld the gift of rest from man knowing fully well that His other treasures would one day result in a spiritual restlessness and fatigue in man who, having tired of His material gifts, would necessarily turn to God in his exhaustion. God, being omniscient and prescient, knows that there is the possibility that even the wicked might not turn to Him, but He knows that eventually mortal man is prone to lethargy; his lassitude, then, would be the leverage He needed to toss man to His breast. In the context of the mechanical operation of a pulley, the kind of leverage and force applied makes the difference for the weight being lifted. Applied to man in this poem, we can say that the withholding of Rest by God is the leverage that will hoist or draw mankind towards God when other means would make that task difficult. However, in the first line of the last stanza, Herbert puns on the word "rest" suggesting that perhaps God will, after all, let man "keep the rest," but such a reading would seem to diminish the force behind the poem's conceit.
The importance of rest -and, by association, sleep- is an idea that was certainly uppermost in the minds of Renaissance writers. Many of Shakespeare's plays include references to sleep or the lack of it as a punishment for sins committed. In Macbeth, for example, the central protagonist is said to "lack the season of all natures, sleep" and both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are tormented by the lack of sleep. Even Othello is most disconcerted by the fact that he is unable to sleep peacefully once Iago has poisoned him with the possibility of his wife's infidelity with Cassio.
Herbert's Pulley, then, does not present a new concept. In fact, the ideas in the poem are quite commonplace for seventeenth century religious verse. What is distinctly metaphysical about the poem is that a religious notion is conveyed through a secular, scientific image that requires the reader's acquaintance with, and understanding of, some basic laws of physics.
Poetic Devices:
Simile: Compare 2 unlike things using "like" or "as." If Herbert wrote "creating man is like pouring talents into the earth," this would be a simile.
Metaphor: Compare 2 unlike things directly, not using "like" or "as." Example: Herbert does not use a simile. He describes the creation image as equivalent to the glass of blessings. He extends the image with examples: strength, beauty, wisdom, honor, pleasure and rest (stz. 2-3). [Up to stanza 3, Herbert creates an extended metaphor, but it has not become a conceit until the last stanza.]
Conceit: "An extended metaphor." That is the usual definition, but a conceit is more complex, more involved. A conceit not only extends the image, as in the 3rd stanza, but it develops the ideas and metaphor into a new, even surprising direction. [This is the signature of the metaphysical poet.] "Rest," the blessing God withholds, leaves us with "restlessness." As our restlessness drags us down (on one rope of the pulley), we rise (on the other rope) to God, who gives us the blessing of Rest. 
Herbert adds the image of the pulley into (not just on to) the image of the glass of blessings. "The Pulley" is not just 2 metaphors with one extended. It is 2 metaphors working together to convey the meaning. The "glass of blessings" metaphor extends and expands until it develops into another image, the pulley..

Now let us analyse the following poems:

2. The Brook

I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally,
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.

By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorps a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.

Till last by Philip's farm I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.

I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.

With many a curve my banks I fret
by many a field and fallow,
And many a fairy foreland set
With willow-weed and mallow.

I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.

I wind about, and in and out,
with here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling,
And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel
With many a silver waterbreak
Above the golden gravel,
And draw them all along, and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.

I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers;
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
That grow for happy lovers.

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.

I murmur under moon and stars
In brambly wildernesses;
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses;
And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.
 -Alfred Tennyson



3. Where Mind is Without Fear


Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake


-Rabindranath Tagore

4. The Tyger

Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

-William Blake

5. In the Bazaars of Hyderabad

What do you sell O ye merchants ?
Richly your wares are displayed.
Turbans of crimson and silver,
Tunics of purple brocade,
Mirrors with panels of amber,
Daggers with handles of jade.

What do you weigh, O ye vendors?
Saffron and lentil and rice.
What do you grind, O ye maidens?
Sandalwood, henna, and spice.
What do you call , O ye pedlars?
Chessmen and ivory dice.

What do you make,O ye goldsmiths?
Wristlet and anklet and ring,
Bells for the feet of blue pigeons
Frail as a dragon-fly’s wing,
Girdles of gold for dancers,
Scabbards of gold for the king.

What do you cry,O ye fruitmen?
Citron, pomegranate, and plum.
What do you play ,O musicians?
Cithar, sarangi and drum.
what do you chant, O magicians?
Spells for aeons to come.

What do you weave, O ye flower-girls
With tassels of azure and red?
Crowns for the brow of a bridegroom,
Chaplets to garland his bed.
Sheets of white blossoms new-garnered
To perfume the sleep of the dead.
6. The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-Robert frost


7. This Is Going To Hurt Just A Little Bit

One thing I like less than most things is sitting in a dentist chair with my mouth wide open.
And that I will never have to do it again is a hope that I am against hope hopen.
Because some tortures are physical and some are mental,
But the one that is both is dental.
It is hard to be self-possessed
With your jaw digging into your chest.
So hard to retain your calm
When your fingernails are making serious alterations in your life line or love line or some other important line in your palm;
So hard to give your usual effect of cheery benignity
When you know your position is one of the two or three in life most lacking in dignity.
And your mouth is like a section of road that is being worked on.
And it is all cluttered up with stone crushers and concrete mixers and drills and steam rollers and there isn't a nerve in your head thatyou aren't being irked on.
Oh, some people are unfortunate enough to be strung up by thumbs.
And others have things done to their gums,
And your teeth are supposed to be being polished,
But you have reason to believe they are being demolished.
And the circumstance that adds most to your terror
Is that it's all done with a mirror,
Because the dentist may be a bear, or as the Romans used to say, only they were referring to a feminine bear when they said it, an ursa,
But all the same how can you be sure when he takes his crowbar in one hand and mirror in the other he won't get mixed up, the way you do when you try to tie a bow tie with the aid of a mirror, and forget that left is right and vice versa?
And then at last he says That will be all; but it isn't because he then coats your mouth from cellar to roof
With something that I suspect is generally used to put a shine on a horse's hoof.
And you totter to your feet and think. Well it's all over now and after all it was only this once.
And he says come back in three monce.
And this, O Fate, is I think the most vicious circle that thou ever sentest,
That Man has to go continually to the dentist to keep his teeth in good condition
when the chief reason he wants his teeth in good condition
is so that he won't have to go to the dentist.
- Ogden Nash


8.         Indian Gipse

IN tattered robes that hoard a glittering trace
Of bygone colours, broidered to the knee,
Behold her, daughter of a wandering race,
Tameless, with the bold falcon's agile grace,
And the lithe tiger's sinuous majesty.


With frugal skill her simple wants she tends,
She folds her tawny heifers and her sheep
On lonely meadows when the daylight ends,
Ere the quick night upon her flock descends
Like a black panther from the caves of sleep.


Time's river winds in foaming centuries
Its changing, swift, irrevocable course
To far off and incalculable seas;
She is twin-born with primal mysteries,
And drinks of life at Time's forgotten source


-Sarojini Naidu


9.         Night of the Scorpion

I remember the night my mother
was stung by a scorpion. Ten hours
of steady rain had driven him
to crawl beneath a sack of rice.

Parting with his poison - flash
of diabolic tail in the dark room -
he risked the rain again.

The peasants came like swarms of flies
and buzzed the name of God a hundred times
to paralyse the Evil One.

With candles and with lanterns
throwing giant scorpion shadows
on the mud-baked walls
they searched for him: he was not found.
They clicked their tongues.
With every movement that the scorpion made his poison moved in Mother's blood, they said.

May he sit still, they said
May the sins of your previous birth
be burned away tonight, they said.
May your suffering decrease
the misfortunes of your next birth, they said.
May the sum of all evil
balanced in this unreal world

against the sum of good
become diminished by your pain.
May the poison purify your flesh

of desire, and your spirit of ambition,
they said, and they sat around
on the floor with my mother in the centre,
the peace of understanding on each face.
More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours,
more insects, and the endless rain.
My mother twisted through and through,
groaning on a mat.
My father, sceptic, rationalist,
trying every curse and blessing,
powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.
He even poured a little paraffin
upon the bitten toe and put a match to it.
I watched the flame feeding on my mother.
I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation.
After twenty hours
it lost its sting.

My mother only said
Thank God the scorpion picked on me
And spared my children.

-Nissim Ezekiel



10. PROPHETS

Prophets have light
Screwed tight in their eyes.
They cannot see the darkness
Inside their own loincloth.
Their speech has grace
And their voice tenderness.
When prophets arrive
Dogs do not bark.
They only wag their tails
Like newspaper reporters.
Their tongues hang out
And drool as profusely
As editorials.
Crowds in the street
Split up like watermelons
When prophets arrive.

But there are times when even the fuse of heavenly stars is blown
Space boils like a forgotten kettle
The screw comes off from the eyes
And the blinded prophet is stunned
It is then that he comprehends the spiral staircase of heaven made of iron
The complexity of its architecture.

It is the first time that he apprehends God’s inhuman boredom
And the size of His shoes.
The weight of His foot.
And the total monopoly reflected
In His every movement.
It is then that he realises that
His journey so far is only
The space and time of His almighty yawn.

-Dilip Chitre



Monday 28 November 2011

UGC Sponsored Teacher's Orientation Program


My Experience: 99th Orientation Program at ASC, University of Mumbaii

I participated in orientation program out of compulsion as it is the prime requirement for increments in my teaching career but my experience at the 99th Orientation Program conducted between 14th September 2011 to 12th October 2011 by UGC Academic Staff College, University of Mumbai could change my entire outlook regarding these kinds of UGC sponsored program. The programme was meticulously planned with eagle’s eye and systematically executed without a single error throughout the four week. The advanced notifications of all the sessions, the active supporting staff, the availability of resources and participatory role of The Hon. Director, Dr. Shanti helped in mental preparations and in smooth conductance of all the sessions.

In the past two decades the academic domain especially teaching and learning has been undergone tremendous changes and transformations in terms of the quality of students, the availability of teaching aids, rise of market driven courses, demand for research, shifts in policies of higher education, social responsibilities of teachers as well as students, the need of value education, the system of evaluation and etc. in this context, this programme was very much helpful in understanding the minute details. Also, it helped in apprehending the need to manifest the sustainable up gradation and inculcation of innovative methods in teaching and learning.

I gained information: of advanced Teaching techniques, teaching methods, system of higher education, evaluation methods, New Education Policies and their possible Implications, environmental issues, stress management, moral and social values; knowledge: Experience, interaction, discussions and guidance of the distinguished resource persons and fellow teacher participants led to clarity of knowledge; techniques: microteaching techniques, teaching methods, computer based learning and general teaching techniques, techniques to manage the stress, techniques to develop the content and etc.; and self realization: assertion of confidence in me, recognizing inner competencies, need of motivation within and towards students, values, recognizing one’s responsibilities , need to take efforts for creating role model and etc.

The sessions on Teaching learning methods, Micro Teaching, Computer Practical, Web Resources, Field Visit, Cyber Laws and Security, e-Content Development, Stress Management, Consumers Rights and Responsibilities, Environmental Issues using Remote Sensing, Home Grown Six Sigma Miracle were impressive sessions in my opinion as they were informative, interactive and boosting but the sessions on  Research Methodology and …….., Credit based System, Idea of India, Identity……, evaluative methods were in my opinion not so impressive as resource persons could hardly create interest and understanding.

I was practicing many of the skills trained in this program and strategies based on my interaction with students and fellow colleagues in our academic circle since my appointment but this program sharpened these skills especially the micro teaching methods, e-content development, inter disciplinary approach to teaching, value based teaching, management of stress and presentation skills with the help of various teaching aids. Now, I am sure my attitude of demonstrating, caring and kindness, sharing responsibilities, sensitivity in accepting diversities, fostering individual instruction and encouraging creativity and research will surely make me different to my students.

But, I fear lack of teaching aids, lackadaisical behaviour of Management and Principal, lack of enough space and resources and lack of encouragement will certainly hamper my implementation of these skills. When I resumed my college duties after successful completion of orientation program, I submitted my report on my participation in orientation so that my Principal will read the report and will help me in implementation of what I learnt but our Principal told me without reading a single line of my report that nobody gives these kinds of reports and asked her clerk to file it. I felt it very discouraging but convincing myself in a moment, I thought I must keep endeavoring new things in my teaching career. Therefore, I could start my own blog addressing www.satyahanegave.blogspot.com to reach my students and teaching comrades and also I have constituted a committee of ten students to help me in video recording of lectures so that I can upload the video on net. I now spend a lot of time in my institute with students in learning to understand their problems and address them.

The techniques like Power Point Presentation, Web Resources, E-content development, photo editing, video editing, audio editing and overall presentation with the use of graphs, charts, maps, colours, animations, sounds, signals, tables, etc. helped me learning the beautiful computer aided techniques. The field visit to Children’s Aid Society and Govt. of Maharashtra Forensic Lab sensitized me more towards existing social, economical and health issues. I could visualize that the methods to tackle it are not beyond the reach of human being as one need to play a pivotal role in bringing the student and teachers together either in an individual capacity or in a group, so that some programmes in developing supporting system either in the form of projects, case studies, research projects and participation can be worked out.

I feel the ASC can also expand the scope of this program by bringing out an interaction with entrepreneurs/industrialists, the representative/s of management, policy makers and representatives of apex administrative body which in turn will  help in sensitising the issues and problems that teachers face and have been facing.

I request UGC to take up these programmes not only once in lifetime of a teacher but at least once in 5 years for short duration.            

Thursday 24 November 2011

Effective Presentation Techniques


Effective Presentations


Developing proper solutions is one thing, but getting moral and financial support for the ideas is as important. Thus, a proper presentation to organisations, to stakeholders, or to potential donors for getting support for the ideas is vital. Therefore one has to pay some attention to presentation techniques: each module ends with a presentation by some of the participants. To facilitate these presentations, a short introduction into the basic skills for giving oral as well as written presentations is provided.

Moreover, after a brief introduction of the distinct stages of a project (project cycle) this module will acquaint the participants with the contents of a feasibility study and explain how to structure the presentation of projects in a written document.

At the end of this module the participants will be able to:
1. Compose a presentation within a set time frame.
2. Realise an oral presentation within a set time frame, using basic   presentation skills (E.g. Visual aids, time   management, and delivery performance).
3. Prepare and present a project proposal to address the problem that requires mitigation.

Many people openly admit that their biggest fear is public speaking. Whether it's in front of a class, coworkers, managers, or total strangers, they experience physical symp­toms of sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeats, and worse. Their minds go blank, their mouths go dry, and their voices quiver—all classic signs of nervousness. For a few peo­ple, the fear is debilitating—we hear now and then of talented singers and musicians who are so paralyzed by stage fright that they cannot perform in public.

Most people experience some degree of fear when facing an audience, but they learn techniques to control their voice tone and body language to project confidence. Successful public speakers often attribute their apparent relaxation to rehearsal—practicing their speech or presentation enough times, and in a similar setting to the real one, that the words flow easily, despite a jittery stomach. Rehearsal appears to be the key solution for beginning speakers.

If a public-speaking class is available in your college, you will find it a good oppor­tunity to practice different types of speeches and polish your delivery—your case of nerves might not go away entirely, but it can become manageable.

Formal Presentations

In business, people in sales and marketing make formal presentations at customers' sites, annual meetings, and training seminars. When money is at stake or the audience is large, the presentation becomes more formal. For these situations, people take extra steps to guarantee a successful speech. Speakers sometimes videotape themselves giving the speech to observe facial expressions, body language, and delivery. They prepare visual aids that look polished and professional. They create handouts with detailed information and allow extra white space for notes. Many speakers enlist technical experts as backups to help answer detailed technical questions or operate the presentation equipment.

Informal Presentations

Most presentations are less formal. For example, some companies hold "brown-bag lunches," where a speaker discusses a topic while the audience eats lunch (the presenta­tion-might be recorded or telecast), or an employee presents an idea to a manager. While these situations are less formal than a sales presentation to a customer, the speakers usu­ally prepare in similar ways, with research, an outline and notes, and handouts.
Even more informally, a manager might ask an employee to discuss a technical topic at a staff meeting. Sometimes these speeches are impromptu, meaning a speaker be­gins speaking without preparation or planning.

Preparation of Presentations

Begin by checking all the details you need to plan your presentation, this includes:
· The duration of the talk.
· Whether time for questions is included.
· The size and location of the room.

Have a look around the room and try out the equipment not later than the day before your presentation, so you are able to use it with confidence.

The most important thing to remember is that people have a limited attention span, and that you must therefore organize your talk very clearly so that the main points stand out. This is how you do it:

Analyse your audience and limit your topic accordingly. What do your listeners already know? What do they need to know? How much information can they absorb?

Determine your primary purpose. What is the main point you wish to communicate? Build your presentation around that.

Select effective supporting information. Remember, your listeners will only remember at most three or four supporting points and only two or three supporting details for these points. So choose the information that will sell your case to your particular audience.

Choose an appropriate pattern of organization. Often your supporting information can be ordered according to one dominant pattern of organization: problem-solution, criteria, chain of reasoning, process of elimination, experimental research, chronological description, or comparison and contrast, to mention a few. Whatever pattern you choose, stick to it.

Prepare an outline.  Main points and main supporting points only. Only write out the whole text if you feel the information is too technical for you to be able to just explain it.  Select appropriate visual aids. These are indispensable, firstly as prompts to help you and secondly as attention-getters. People remember visuals much more than they do words.

The following options are available for technical oral presentations:
- Overhead transparencies
- Slides
- Flip charts
- Chalkboard
- Handouts
- Computer screen projection (PowerPoint)

Capture the interest of your audience from the beginning – make your opening comments strong. Never begin with an apology.

Remember that it takes a few minutes for an audience to establish a relationship with a new speaker: do not begin with key information. You might say what your talk is about and show a transparency with the title on it. This allows the audience to settle in. After these preliminaries, you should introduce your topic.

Make sure your listeners are clear about whatever the basic problem or issue is. If necessary, provide background information and define essential terms. In the introduction you should:
1. Explain the structure of your talk.
2. Set out the aims and objectives of the presentation.
3. Explain your approach to the topic.

Guidelines

Generally, the better prepared you are, the better your presentation will be.

TIPS:

Although you might never have the advantage of a professional speechwriter, as Ratan Tata undoubtedly did, you can follow these guidelines to reduce nerv­ousness and increase the effectiveness of your presentation:

1. Research your topic. Choose a topic and collect the data to back up your mes­sage or convince your audience. You might not use all the data, but keep them with you for questions from the audience.

2. Analyse your audience. Determine their level of technical background. Anticipate what your audience wants to know about the topic and what the audi­ence intends to do with the information. Anticipate possible questions (general and technical) and prepare for them.
To help you think about your audience ask yourself...
• Who are they?
• How many will be there?
• Do they have any prior knowledge of the subject?
• What are their age, sex, and level of ability?
• Why are they there?
• What are their needs?
• What do they need to know?
The presentation will be a failure if the audience does not understand it. Therefore, you should aim to make your message clear and easy to understand.

3. Outline your message: State the main point you want to make in one sentence. Then write the supporting points you want to make in a bulleted list. Sequence them in the order that makes sense for your purpose.
4. Use a multimedia approach: Most people are poor listeners, so provide visual aids for them to see and read. Handouts or transparencies not only visually or­ganize and reinforce your message, but add interest, as well.

5. Rehearse the speech out loud:. When you recite your speech, you can work out exact wording and possibly discover areas within the topic that need more research. Time yourself Not only will you know, but you can inform others, if asked, of the time allotment needed. You can rehearse in front of the mirror (good for practicing facial expressions, as well), while driving the car, or at the front of an empty room. If possible, ask someone to listen and give you feedback. Ask the person to note any signs of nervousness, such as tight facial expressions or fiddling with hair or glasses.

6. Arrive early: Get comfortable in the room, take some deep breaths, and arrange your notes and visual aids. If you plan to use any electronic equipment, make sure it works and you know how to turn it on, to reduce stress, many professional train­ers carry vital supplies in their briefcases, including their own markers, masking tape, and even an extra bulb for a projector. Greet people as they arrive, making eye contact and starting to establish rapport. For smaller audiences, this might be an opportunity to learn some of the names and backgrounds of your audience. Write down a few names in your notes, especially key people, so you can address people by name, if needed.

7. Start with an introduction: Instead of launching into the body of your speech, take a few minutes to introduce yourself and your subject and orient your audience to the scope of your speech. Experienced speakers include a "springboard motiva­tor," such as an anecdote, question, or activity that captures the interest and at­tention of the audience and gets them involved with the subject.

8. Use note cards or your visual aids to keep on track and prevent your missing an important point. (But do not read your speech from a script.)

9. Don't let questions digress from your main topic. If someone in the audience asks a question that is unrelated to your topic, or strays too far from the scope of your presentation, tactfully ask the person to "hold that question" until the end of your presentation. If you have time later, respond to the question. Also, if you do not know the answer to a question, admit it, and establish how you will follow up with the person. For example, ask for the person's phone number or e-mail address. Or ask the person to send you an e-mail with more details about the question.

10. End with a summary of your main points. Your closing is an opportunity to reestablish your key points and show how they logically lead to your conclusion. Do not throw in new points or re-argue your prior points during your conclusion—just restate them and close.

Body Language

Body language consists of all the nonverbal messages we deliver to our audience. Nonverbal signals can be deliberate actions to support a message. For example, public speakers might pound a podium to emphasize a point, or walk into an audience to in­crease audience participation. Tapping fingers signal impatience. Clenched fists signal anger. Open, uplifted palms signal a need for understanding or help. Waving arms sig­nal intense emotion.

Other nonverbal messages can be physiological reactions to situations that we can­not easily control. For example, when someone is angry, lips get thinner, brows furrow, and faces get red and warm (hence the expression "hothead"). When someone is afraid, eyebrows go up, causing eyes to get wide ("wide-eyed with fear").

When the message delivered by body language contradicts the spoken message, lis­teners remember the body language. This means we must pay attention not only to what we say, but how we say it. Our entire appearance adds to our message, including our pos­ture, where our eyes focus, how we move our hands, and how close we get to the audience. The detailed explanation to the body language is taken up in earlier chapter.

Observe how professionals (actors or public speakers whom you consider convincing) use facial expressions and hands gestures to augment their words.
When you have written the content of your speech, practice speaking in front of a mir­ror, using expressions and gestures that support your message. Record yourself using a video camera, or ask someone you trust, to identify any distracting habits or mannerisms, such as words that you might overuse (saying "OK" frequently), wringing your hands, or fidgeting. Many times, we can break these habits just by becoming aware of them.

This is where you have to deliver or present your message to the audience. When you begin to speak, the audience will listen carefully to what you say and watch closely how you perform. It is important to understand that how you say something is just as important as what you say.

Did you know?
The tone of your voice and your body language can account for 65% of the message. Your body language (body movements) can express your attitudes and thoughts.

Therefore pay attention to the following parts of your body:

Your voice
Speak slowly so that everyone can follow
Speak loudly so that everyone can hear
Speak clearly so that everyone can understand
Don’t use slang (e.g. I ain’t)

Your face
Smile to give your audience reassurance and try not to look confused, bored or scared.
Try to be yourself and natural.

Your eyes
 You can build a good relationship with the audience by looking at them when you are presenting your message. Looking at someone when you are talking to them is called ‘eye contact’. Don’t read from your notes all the time.

Maintain eye contact with your audience. Move your eyes slowly from person to person. Watch out for staring at one person (which is bound to make that person uncomfortable) or staring at only a part of the room (the rest of the room will feel left out and possibly lose interest).

Your posture
 Stand up straight and don’t lean against objects.
Make sure you are not standing in the way of the visual aid. Check that everyone can see the board.

Your hands
 Don’t play with objects e.g. a pen in your hand and don’t leave your hands in your pockets when you are talking.

Rest or fold your hands comfortably on the table or podium, or hold an appropri­ate object, such as a pointer. This reduces the chance that hand gestures will be­come distracting to listeners. With experience, speakers learn to use natural hand gestures that amplify the spoken message.

Your feet
 Try not to walk up and down the room too much or tap your feet when you are talking.

Your appearance
 Dress appropriately for the presentation – not too casual (e.g. jeans). Remember to dress for the audience and not yourself. Try to remember not to wear jewellery that might shine or move about.

Smile occasionally, especially during introductions and conclusions. Usually a gen­uine smile can lighten the intensity of any information or news. It makes the speaker appear relaxed and confident, and that relaxes listeners, as well.

Your attitude
 Be enthusiastic about the subject you are presenting and be confident. Try to stay calm and be professional!

 Visual Aids
 Select the visual aids that are practical for you and appropriate for your audience, in­cluding transparencies, slide shows, videos, flip charts, eraser boards, demonstration models, and handouts. Consider the following factors when making your choice:

Size of Audience: As a general guideline: The larger the audience, the larger the vi­sual aids. People in the back of the room want to see your visual aids. If you can't find a projection system to do that, consider handouts. For smaller audiences, your choices are broader.

Location and logistics: Consider the size of the room, placement of chairs in the room, and equipment available. For example, auditoriums usually have projectors and screens available for far-away viewing. Other types of visual aids, such as flip charts or demonstration models, might not be visible by people in the back of a large room. Conference or seminar rooms, on the other hand, are usually smaller and have flip charts, eraser boards, and projectors readily available. All types of visual aids will be viewed easily.

Subject Matter: If your speech includes numerical data (such as statistical results or budgets) or detailed drawings (such as engineering drafts), provide the data on handouts for easier viewing—projections of detailed items are difficult to read. Bulleted lists of key points, however, are easily viewed on projections, flip charts, or eraser boards.

Resources: Your resources, including software, hardware, time, and materials. Make the best of what you have to create a professional visual aid. If you have to learn a program or software application to create visual aids, allow enough time for experimentation.

Ambiance: Keep the audience, room, and subject matter in mind when creating visual aids. For example, use a large enough font for projections and transparencies that the people in the back of the room can read them. If the audience can read your message as well as hear it, you increase the chances that they'll remember it.

Multimedia: Multimedia presentation programs, such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Lotus Freelance Graphics, can incorporate photographs, slides, bulleted lists, and other text in exciting colors, fonts, and formats. Depending on the hardware available, you can project them on a screen from a computer or print them as transparencies and hand-outs. These programs might require a little training to use, although each contains ready-made templates, from which you can quickly choose the style and format for your presentation. If you are unfamiliar with the program, ask for assistance from friends, classmates, or instructors to get started, and allow a little practice time.

Additional Media: If no hardware will be available in the room (no transparency projector or computer), create posters or flip charts to take with you. You can hand-letter your lists and charts. Or you can purchase templates for letters, or even paste computer-created words and graphics for a more professional look.

Few additional Guidelines: Limit the scope of each visual aid to one point. If you pack too much onto a projec­tion or page, it will be unreadable. Stick to one bulleted list, one chart, or one graphic per page. Include key words or phrases, not entire concepts.

If you want to interact with your audience, such as brainstorming for ideas, use equipment that you can write on and that will be visible to the audience, such as clear transparencies, flip charts, or eraser boards. Be sure you have the correct markers for each type. If you prefer, ask someone in the audience to write on the board while you lead the discussion.

Demonstrate with actual objects, when possible. For example, when discussing a software program, bring in a laptop computer and show a pre developed and well-rehearsed demonstration of the program. Or when discussing how to take blood pres­sure (BP), bring in a BP cuff and demonstrate on a member of the audience.

Remember that audiences stay more attentive if they participate somehow. If time allows (sometimes it won't), ask for personal experiences, questions, or demonstrations—the audience will feel more involved.

Exercise: 
          
1.      How far do you agree that presentation makes a great difference in business organisation? Explain with reference to significance of presentation in business.
2.      What factors would you like to consider for framing presentation for sales promotion?
3.      List out the general factors to be considered for presentation.
4.      Differentiate between presentation and speech.
5.      What are the different forms of presentation? State their general features.
6.      What is the importance of visual aids in presentation?
7.      To what extent the body language matters in oral presentation? Illustrate it with suitable examples.
 8..    Draft presentations on the following topics:
1.      Introduction of New Recurring Deposit Scheme of your bank.
2.      On New Life Insurance Policy
3.      AIDS Awareness Campaign
4.      Stress Management and Motivation For Employees
5.      Health Awareness Program
6.      The Progress of the Sale of New Product in Market
7.      Need of Protecting Environment
8.      The Importance of Communication In Business
9.      The Water Conservation: A Need
10.  The Leadership Skills