Presentation Guidance Notes

Guidance Notes for the Presentation & Handout

Part of your coursework for this class includes a short presentation. This should be between 15 and 20 minutes and you should aim to provide your classmates with a handout. You may use PowerPoint or any other media aid but it is not a requirement. Your presentation will count towards 10% of your grade in each semester.

**Presentation Dates: Oct. 25; Nov. 1; Nov. 8; Nov. 22**

The Handout:

The handout you create should consist of some passages of primary and/or secondary text. These passages should be long enough for a reader unfamiliar with the topic to get the gist of the passage. It is therefore necessary to either explain their context or cite a long enough passage that it will be clear. That said, the passage should only serve to illustrate the points you are going to make during your presentation. Your handout should reflect the structure of your presentation.

**NB: You should provide your classmates with your handout the week before your scheduled presentation so that your peers will be able to formulate a response and/or questions. You may disseminate this via the Moodle/Blackboard portal; email or in class the week before your presentation date.

A good presentation will include the following:

          

1. An Introduction: Communicate to your audience a sentence or two about your topic   that will draw their attention. You might wish to mention some major features of a theoretical approach to the text or section of text that you discuss.

2. A brief discussion of the author you are discussing – try to mention aspects that are   germane to your discussion: maybe problems of dating or texts are important. 

3. What qualities typify this author’s life and works? What is unique about his or her life, or writing style? Are there rumours or legends that impact our understanding of this writer’s works?

4. You should provide a detailed description and analysis of the author’s position on religion or politics – or both.

         

5. Here is where you tie in all of the above with the text you are discussing. How does this author fit into the cultural landscape of the 17^th century? What about the reception of this author later in history?

6. Conclusion.