Management Communication for Undergraduates Oral Presentation Rubrics

SCORING RUBRICS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS Strategy/Purpose: Does the presentation meet its intended objective? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Objective of the presentation is easily identified; content supports objective Objective is not immediately clear; some additional content needed to support objective Objective is difficult to determine; additional content needed to support objective Objective cannot be determined Strategy/Audience: Does the presentation address the intended audience? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Content, structure, and language of presentation geared to intended audience Presentation is missing some content required by audience; some language used inappropriately (e.g., unfamiliar jargon, too much jargon) Presentation is missing a substantial portion of content required by audience; uses some inappropriate or ineffective language No organization apparent; content of presentation reflects interests of speaker but not of audience; inappropriate use of language Structure: Does the organization reflect the purpose of the presentation and the needs of the audience? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Appropriate use of direct/indirect structure; presentation organized according to audience’s needs; relationship between ideas clear; strong introduction and conclusion Structure either too direct or too indirect; organization is evident but may be undermined by weak transitions or occasional digressions; introduction or conclusion does not accomplish its intended function Direct or indirect structure used inappropriately; organization is confusing or unclear; weak introduction or conclusion No discernible organization; thoughts in random order without connections between them Support/Evidence: Is the evidence used to support the argument concrete, relevant, credible, accurate, and sufficient? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Argument is clearly supported by accurate evidence considered credible by the audience; sufficient detail to support the main points of the document Many details support argument, but some are not fully elaborated or sufficiently specific; some evidence not relevant Some evidence is provided, but data not fully explained, relevant to the argument, or credible; important pieces of evidence have not been included; some data inaccurate Little or no data to support the main ideas of the argument; much of the data is inaccurate © 2002 Lori Breslow, Sloan Communication Program, 2002 Delivery/Oral: How strong are the oral components of the presentation? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Speaker is fluent and poised; uses language comfortably and appropriately; speaks at an effective rate and volume; few fillers Some degree of nervousness apparent; minor problems with language usage; speaker may speak too slowly or quickly, too loudly or softly; fillers are noticeable Speaker seems uncomfortable; several problems with language usage; speaker speaking much too slowly or quickly, too loudly or softly; fillers are noticeable Speaker is unable to deliver presentation coherently Delivery/Nonverbal: How strong are the nonverbal components of the presentation? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Speaker uses gestures comfortably in line with his/her own style; eye contact is appropriate for audience; use of space appropriate for the situation Speaker gesturing too much or too little; eye contact may be slightly too much or too little; speaker may be moving around a little too much or not quite enough Speaker gesturing too much or too little; using distracting gestures (e.g., playing with a ring); not enough eye contact; inappropriate use of space Nonverbal components of the presentation distract from ability of the audience to receive the message Visual Aids: Do the visual aids reinforce the message and add to the effectiveness of the presentation? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Appropriate visual aids are used; visual aids serve as a complement to the speaker and the message to be delivered; designed effectively; speaker uses visual aid easily Appropriate visual aids are used; a few weaknesses in design; a few difficulties with use Choice of visual aid is poor; weaknesses with design; difficulties with use Inappropriate choice of visual aid; design detracts from speaker’s ability to deliver the message; inability of speaker to use visual aid Questions and Answers: Has the speaker handled the Q&A portion of the presentation competently? Well done Acceptable Some Weaknesses Problematic Speaker answers questions knowledgeably, thoroughly, and concisely; process is handled smoothly Speaker has some difficulty answering questions concisely; some problems responding to some questions (e.g., hostile questions, aggressive questions) Speaker is thrown off balance by questions; has difficulty responding to some questioners Speaker is unable to answer questions; loses control of the process