ES5000 Chap.12 Presenting Yourself and Your Research
Presenting Yourself and Your Research
The task
The oral presentation carries 20% of the grade. The brief asks for a talk of four to five minutes introducing yourself and your area of research, using visual aids to illustrate what you say.
It suggests four points you could cover: something interesting about your background, what draws you to your field or research focus, why you chose to study it at NUS, and what you hope to do after completing your degree.
The Canvas assignment page notes that there is nothing to submit; the talk itself is assessed.
The four criteria
Content and organisation carries 30%: points suited to the audience, technical concepts made easy to understand, an appropriate organisational format such as past, present and future or problem and solution, and clear transitions.
Language and vocal elements carries 30%, covering accurate grammar, well-chosen words and clear pronunciation, how loudly and energetically you speak, and your pace, fluency and use of pauses. Visual elements carries 30%, and despite its name it covers the speaker rather than the slides: where you look, your expression and gestures, how you stand, and the confidence and enthusiasm you show.
Visual aids carries 10%, for their design and their use.
When presentations happen
Presentations are scheduled in numbered slots from Week 4. The weekly topics pages list presentations 1 to 4 in Week 4, 5 to 8 in Week 5 and 9 to 12 in Week 6, and the schedule includes student presentations in Weeks 8 and 9 as well.
The Week 3 wrap-up asks you to prepare ideas and slides, so the earliest speakers should begin planning straight away.
Timing as part of the task
The brief asks you to practise until you speak for at least four and no more than five minutes. Pacing is one of the listed sub-criteria, so staying inside the window is part of what is assessed.
Most speakers need several timed rehearsals to reach a consistent length.
What this chapter covers
- 01
The task: introducing yourself and your research
- 02
Four suggested points to cover
- 03
Content and organisation at 30%
- 04
Language and vocal elements at 30%
- 05
Visual elements and visual aids
- 06
Presentation weeks and the four-to-five-minute window
Worked example · free
Explaining a technical topic to a mixed audience
- 2Open with an everyday example the audience knows.
- 2Introduce the technical term after the example.
- 2State why the work matters in one sentence.
Key terms
- Organisational Format
- The overall order of a talk, such as past, present and future, or problem and solution.
- Vocal Energy
- The liveliness and projection of a speaker's voice, assessed alongside volume in the brief.
- Pacing
- The speed and rhythm of delivery, including the use of pauses between ideas.
- Visual Aid
- Slides or other visual material used to illustrate spoken points during a presentation.
- Signposting
- Spoken transitions that tell listeners where the talk is going, such as turning now to my research.
Presenting Yourself and Your Research FAQ
How long should the oral presentation be?
Between four and five minutes. The brief asks you to rehearse until the talk lasts at least four minutes and at most five, and pacing is one of the assessed sub-criteria, so timing is part of the task rather than a formality.
How much do the slides count?
Visual aids carry 10% of the presentation criteria, for their design and their use. The other 90% is split equally between content and organisation, language and vocal elements, and visual elements, which covers eye contact, gesture and posture rather than slides.
What should I talk about?
Yourself and your area of research. The brief suggests four points: something interesting about your background, what draws you to your field, why you chose to study it at NUS, and your plans after the degree. These fit naturally into a past, present and future order.
Do I need to submit my slides?
The Canvas assignment page states that the oral presentation requires no submission. The presentation you deliver in your slot is what is assessed, so rehearsal matters more than polishing a file.
Assessment move
Record two full rehearsals on your phone a week apart. Watch each once for timing, once with the sound off for eye contact and gesture, and once with your eyes closed for pace and pronunciation. Each viewing checks a different criterion.
Working through Presenting Yourself and Your Research in ES5000? Sia is AskSia’s AI Arts and Humanities tutor — ask any ES5000 Presenting Yourself and Your Research question and get a clear, step-by-step explanation grounded in how ES5000 is taught and assessed. Read this chapter free, then take your hardest questions to Sia.
