Building a Lecture That Works

Abstract

The prospect of preparing and pre senting a lecture can give rise to a discomforting anxiety, particularly for the novice. Fortunately, the feelings of satisfaction (and relief) that follow a successful presentation often match the intensity of the original anxiety. When a lecturer has completed a presenta tion, three things have happened: first, the lecturer has brought to light the im plicit structure of the topic in a way that is perceived as factually accurate; second, the lecture has created a way for students to see the content from a fresh perspective; third, the lecturer has involved the audience in the unrav elling of a mystery, alternately provok ing and satisfying the curiosity of the listeners. Lecture building is best thought of as a three-part sequence. The first part structures the material; the second part creates visual experiences that comple ment the spoken word. The third part provokes the audience to respond to the structure and comprehend the ma terial. The first part of the task entails analyzing the content from an objec tive stance. This part requires careful research and scrutiny, as if for a re search paper. The second and third parts require sensitivity to the audi ence, with careful attention to the ca pacity of the listeners to comprehend