BKEFFPRS.RVW 940412 Addison-Wesley Publishing Company,Inc. Heather Rignanesi, Marketing, x340, 73171.657@Compuserve.com P.O. Box 520 26 Prince Andrew Place Don Mills, Ontario M3C 2T8 416-447-5101 fax: 416-443-0948 or Tiffany Moore, Publicity tiffanym@aw.com Bob Donegon bobd@aw.com John Wait, Editor, Corporate and Professional Publishing johnw@aw.com Tom Stone, Editor, Higher Education Division tomsto@aw.com Philip Sutherland, Schulman Series 74640.2405@compuserve.com Keith Wollman, Trade Computer Group keithw@aw.com 1 Jacob Way Reading, MA 01867-9984 800-822-6339 617-944-3700 Fax: (617) 944-7273 5851 Guion Road Indianapolis, IN 46254 800-447-2226 "Effective Business and Technical Presentations", Morrisey/Sechrest, 1987, 0- 201-15852-3. The original ideas for this book were developed more than thirty years ago, and the first edition was published in 1968. Is it still of any use? Most definitely, yes. This is a very concise, ordered and complete overview for the preparation of presentations and instructional sessions. In slightly more than 130 pages, the authors give an overview of the preparation, planning and delivery process, plus tips in a number of related areas, and exercises to help refine the presentation. Chapter one is a basic introduction to the various types of presentation, laying groundwork for a six-step preparation process in chapter two. This covers objectives, audience, draft plans, resource material, organization and practice. A point reiterated throughout; sometimes strongly, sometimes gently; is that not everything has to be included. The reduction of presentation time and elimination of unnecessary detail is as important as what is included. Chapter three covers visual aids, pointing out that format is as important as existence, and that the only reason for graphics is if they express an idea which cannot be conveyed by words alone. Most material on presentation ignores logistics: chapter four deals well with room setup and other matters. Delivery and technique is discussed in chapter five. The exercises throughout the book are collected into chapter six and the book concludes with a very solid, though brief, annotated bibliography. For anyone unused to giving presentations or training, this is an excellent step-by-step guide. For those to whom training is old hat, this is a good check to keep yourself honest. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994 BKEFFPRS.RVW 940412 ====================== DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733 DECUS Symposium '95, Toronto, ON, February 13-17, 1995, contact: rulag@decus.ca