Victoria R critique post

1st presentation critique

 

To begin with, I personally think everyone did amazing. I’m a person who gets very nervous talking to a large group of people, hence why I chose to take this class online. Along with this, I believe a good amount of students who take this class online agree with that as well. Keeping this in mind, I feel like everyone did amazing presenting. Every presentation was very well put together, formally organized as groups, and very fluid. Not only that but everyone organized themselves perfectly and accordingly to meet all the requirements for this presentation without needing instruction by the professor or class leaders. Everyone’s cooperation made our first presentation feel like it is our last in a 16 week class already.

What stood out the most to me was how professional everyone seemed. Nobody looked like this was their very first college speech class, even though for many of us it is and some were visibly nervous. Everybody pushed their and were prepared. Every group supported each other. To add, the transitions from one person to the next felt smooth. Watching everyone handle their nerves and still put themselves out there made me feel more comfortable, because it reminded me I wasn’t the only one who gets nervous. Overall, the group projects set a high standard for what public speaking can look like when people work hard together.

 

Group One

Group one, if I am not mistaken, presented on public speaking and how it is an art. This honestly shocked me because I would’ve never known nor would I have guessed that. Just like with any other art, public speaking has evolved into different forms of presentation over time.

I feel like they didn’t overload us with too much information all at once. This group, being the first group to present, killed their presentation in such a short amount of time and did it while perfectly getting their information through. Starting off the class with such a strong presentation also set the tone for the rest of us. Personally, it gave me motivation because I thought, “Okay, if they can start this strong, I know I can too.” Another great point in their presentation is about over coming your fear of presenting. As it was something I per thought for a long time was impossible but not anymore.

What I learned from this group is that public speaking isn’t a fixed thing. It adapts with time, culture, and technology. That gave me some relief because it showed me that there isn’t just one “perfect way” to give a speech. There are many different styles, and the key is to know your audience and setting.

 

Group Two

Next, group two presented a bunch of very important and interesting information regarding the development of information for your presentation. This group nailed their points amazingly, got their information through, and in my opinion kept me entertained the most. They explained how before you even write your speech, you need to think about why you’re giving it. Whether your purpose is to inform, persuade, or entertain. They also explained how to narrow down a broad idea into a clear topic.

The thoroughness they used when explaining the why to each how was amazing. I feel like killed their topics, especially Erika in her part of “using examples”

What I also appreciated was how confident this group looked. They seemed comfortable, like they trusted their preparation, and that energy made the presentation enjoyable. It reminded me that when I’m up there, people will feed off my energy too. If I’m nervous but still positive and clear, the audience will notice the effort.

 

Group Three

Thirdly, group three’s presentation stood out because of how much they emphasized the importance of language usage during a presentation. Honestly, this is something I never thought much about. Usually, I just talk the way I normally do, with my own personality, and don’t think twice about the exact words I choose. But their presentation showed me that the way we choose words. Whether they’re formal, casual, descriptive, or persuasive. This can totally change how the audience feels about the speech.

They explained how language can be powerful, and that it can either bring people in or push them away. For example, using clear, simple words helps keep people engaged, while using words that are too complex or full of jargon might confuse them. They also talked about using stories and imagery to make a point more memorable.

What I noticed most about group three was how smooth their flow was. They used their time perfectly, and it didn’t feel like the clock was dragging. Their slides weren’t overloaded, and they spoke like they really believed in their points. That inspired me because I realized that even if you’re nervous, the audience connects most to how genuine you are with your words.

 

Group Four: My Group

And then finally, my group—group four. I can’t tell you or predict what the other groups were going through, but we were definitely going through a lot. figuring things out behind the scenes. We had different personalities, but somehow we managed to make it work. From start to finish we tried our best to take notes from everyone else’s presentations and learn from their strengths.

We all agreed that Calixto absolutely smashed his part, and a lot of us kind of piggy-backed off his energy. He set the bar high for our group and gave us momentum to keep going. The energy we had as a group was amazing, and I feel like that showed through when we finally presented.

That being said, I won’t lie. All of our nerves definitely showed. We were all anxious when it was finally our turn, and I think that’s something we all need to work on. But in a way, that nervousness made us stronger because it showed that we cared about how we did. At the end of the day, we presented our best, and I think we learned a lot not only about public speaking but also about teamwork. I know insure did

 

Conclusion

Looking back on all four presentations, I feel like I walked away with a lot more than I expected from a group project. Group one taught me that public speaking is an evolving art, not a fixed set of rules. Group two reminded me how important it is to develop a clear purpose and focused topic before even writing a speech. Group three opened my eyes to how powerful language choices are and how they can completely change how a message is perceived. And my own group showed me the importance of teamwork, preparation, and pushing through nerves together.

Overall, this experience gave me confidence that I can keep improving. I might still get nervous, but I learned that nervousness is normal, preparation makes all the difference, and working with others helps you grow.