A practical checklist before a presentation assessment

A good checklist for a presentation assessment covers four things: what you will say, what you will show, what you will bring and how you will feel. Tick them off in three time slots, and the last hour becomes much quieter.

You do not need a perfect talk. You need one that is prepared enough to carry you when your nerves rise.

Why use a checklist at all?

Because nerves can make it harder to recall things on the spot. A written list does the remembering for you, so your mind is free for the talk itself.

A checklist also gives you a clear end to preparing, which is useful when you could polish slides forever.

Try this: the three-slot checklist

Copy this onto a card or into your phone notes, then tick it off.

A few days before

1. Read the marking guide and match each point to a slide or a sentence.
2. Write your opening line and closing line word for word.
3. Run through the talk out loud with a timer.
4. Ask a friend or family member to listen and tell you one thing to fix.

The night before

1. Save your slides as the original file and a PDF.
2. Copy them to a USB drive and email them to yourself.
3. Pack your notes, charger, clicker, water and anything the brief asks for.
4. Choose your clothes and check how long the trip will take, including parking or the LRT.
5. Go to bed on time.

The hour before

1. Arrive early and test the screen, the cable and the sound.
2. Stand where you will speak and look at where the audience will sit.
3. Take a drink of water. Skip extra coffee.
4. Review only your opening line and your three main points.

What if the technology fails?

Have a fallback ready. If the file will not open, ask to use your email copy. If the projector is out, speak from your notes and describe the slides in words.

Staying calm in front of a problem is a skill too. Say, “One moment, I will adjust,” and take a breath.

How do I steady myself just before I start?

Press your feet into the floor and let your shoulders drop. Breathe in through the nose, then breathe out slowly through the mouth, longer than the breath in. Do this five times.

You can practise this ahead of time with the slow breathing pacer or read simple breathing exercises for everyday stress. If breathing exercises make you dizzy or uncomfortable, stop and breathe normally.

What if I am very anxious about speaking?

Nerves before speaking are normal. A prepared talk, a short pause and a slow first sentence can help you begin.

If fear of presenting stays heavy for days, affects your sleep or makes you want to avoid your course, it is fine to talk to a counsellor or doctor. Our support page lists where to start.

A short sit after the checklist

When the last box is ticked, there is nothing more to prepare. Sit for a few minutes with both hands resting on your knees and let your breath settle without trying to control it.

If you would like a voice to follow, Sadhguru’s free seven-minute guided meditation in the Miracle of Mind app is an optional way to do this before the day.

For the night before, see preparing your evening before an examination, which also suits a presentation. More ideas for planning your learning are on our revision and learning guides.