An oral presentation is a short talk on a topic given to class or group. In an oral presentation one or more participants present their views on a topic based on their reading or research. A discussion generally follows, prompted by questions from the instructor and class. Oral presentations tend to be short, around 10–15 minutes. Participants may need to prepare visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides or handouts, or may mark impromptu sketches or notes on a white board or easel pad. Oral presentations can be held in person or via web or video conferences.

A good oral presentation will have the following components:

• Introduction—The participant should state the topic and the focus of the presentation and outline its main points.
• Body—The participant should develop the main points. The presentation can be organized chronologically, by theme, or order of importance. The participant should provide clear links between main points, explanations, and examples.
• Conclusion—The participant should clearly restate the premise and summarize the main points.

Oral presentations are good for both mid-course and final assessments. They can reveal participants’ abilities to find relevant information and combine it into a logical and coherent package. Instructors can use probing follow-on questions to assess participants’ deeper comprehension. Another advantage to oral presentations is that they don’t take long to grade. An assessment checklist or rubric can be used as a scoring tool. For more information on how to structure and describe assessment criteria, refer to Assessment Checklists and Rubrics. Whatever the assessment tool, it must be shared in advance with students so they know exactly what they need to do to achieve the highest scores.

There are a few downsides to oral presentations. Good public speakers have an advantage with oral presentations. However, it may be difficult for non-native speakers or participants who find public speaking intimidating to fully demonstrate their learning. It also takes time, often outside of class, for participants to prepare their presentations and it takes in-class time to present them.