Ariana Rodriguez

My Reflection on Our Class Presentations -

Going into our group presentation, I was honestly really nervous. This was my first presentation in this class, so I had no idea how I was going to feel standing in front of everyone and talking about what we learned. I usually get nervous when I have to speak in front of a group, so I was definitely overthinking it beforehand. However, once I actually started presenting and reading through my slides, I slowly started to feel more comfortable. I knew what I was talking about, I understood what I was trying to explain to my classmates, and I had my notes organized, which helped me a lot. The more I talked, the less nervous I felt.

I was really proud of how my group’s presentation turned out. I think we did a great job organizing everything and making sure the slides included the main ideas and important information without putting way too many words on them. I also really liked that we used a lot of visuals because I feel like having pictures made the presentation more interesting to look at instead of just having a bunch of text on every slide. Everyone in my group also did a good job speaking confidently about their sections. There were not really any awkward moments that I can remember, and everything felt pretty straightforward. Overall, I genuinely loved my group’s presentation, and I was extremely proud of everyone for the work we put into it.

After my group presented, I got to see the other groups present their chapters. One group that stood out to me was Group 2. They were assigned Chapters 4, 6, 7, and 8, and I remember Keethan being the first person to present Chapter 4, which focused on developing your purpose and topic. He explained the general purpose of a speech and talked about the three main types of speeches: informative, persuasive, and speeches specifically created for special occasions. I thought this was interesting because it showed how different speeches can have completely different purposes depending on what the speaker is trying to accomplish.

One of the things I remember the most from Group 2 was the Kahoot activities. Keethan used a Kahoot to go along with the section about brainstorming possible topics, and the whole class was able to participate. I thought this was a really fun idea because it kept everyone involved instead of having us just sit there listening to a presentation. There were some delays getting the Kahoot set up, so I think that part could have been organized a little better between the group members. Even though there were a few problems, I still thought it was a creative way to get the class involved.

Another member of Group 2, Leanys, presented sections about evaluating and selecting topic ideas, identifying your specific purpose, and phrasing your thesis. I remember thinking that she explained her information really well. She maintained good eye contact, spoke clearly, and seemed comfortable while presenting. Those are things I personally want to improve on because I know that eye contact and confidence can make a big difference when you are speaking in front of people. Overall, I enjoyed Group 2’s presentation. I thought it was interesting and entertaining, especially because of the Kahoots, and I liked that they found a way to keep the class engaged.

Group 3 covered Chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12. These chapters focused on beginning and ending a speech, using language effectively, integrating presentation media, and delivering a speech. Even though I don’t remember as many specific details from their presentation, I still think these topics are important because they connect directly to what we are doing in this class. Starting and ending a speech effectively, choosing the right words, using presentation media, and actually delivering the speech are all things that can affect how an audience receives a presentation. Watching different groups present also helped me notice that everyone has their own way of speaking and presenting information.

Group 4 presented Chapters 13 through 17, which included informative speaking, persuasive speaking, understanding argument, distance speaking and media appearances, and special occasion and group presentations. One thing I remember liking about this group was the use of images in their presentation. I think visuals can make a huge difference because they give the audience something to look at while also helping explain the topic. I also liked the way the group members explained their information instead of relying completely on the words on their slides. That made the presentation feel more like an actual presentation rather than just reading a slideshow.

Looking back at all of the presentations, I think the biggest thing I learned is that there is more to giving a good presentation than just knowing the information. Organization, visuals, eye contact, confidence, and audience engagement all matter. My own presentation showed me that being prepared can make me feel much more confident. At the beginning, I was really nervous, but knowing my material and having organized notes helped me calm down as I continued speaking. The other groups also showed me different ways to keep an audience interested, like using Kahoots, visuals, and clear explanations.

Overall, I think this experience was actually really helpful for me, especially because it was my first presentation in this class. I was nervous going into it, but afterward I realized that I was capable of doing it and that it was not as scary as I had built it up to be in my head. I also enjoyed seeing how my classmates presented because everyone had different strengths and different ways of communicating their information. If I could do my presentation again, I would still prepare the same way, but I would probably try to be even more confident from the beginning instead of letting my nerves get to me. By the end of this class, I hope I can become more comfortable speaking in front of people and not overthink it as much. For now, I am just happy that my first presentation went well and that I got to experience it with a group that I was really proud of.