Make Your Lectures Stick: Three Tips for More Engaging Presentations

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Whether you’re introducing a new idea or explaining a complex process, how you present your material shapes how students understand and connect with it. Try these research-informed strategies to make your presentations more engaging and purposeful:

Plan with purpose. Before opening your slides, clarify what you want students to think, feel, or do by the end. Align every visual, example, and question with that purpose to keep attention focused and learning active.
Chunk content and check in. Break information into meaningful sections of 10–15 minutes. After each, pause for reflection or a quick check-in—an informal poll, a one-minute summary, or a brief partner exchange—to help students consolidate ideas and stay mentally present.
Vary your delivery. Change the rhythm and format to sustain attention. Shift between mini-lectures, demonstrations, visuals, and student-generated explanations. A well-paced variety invites curiosity, strengthens comprehension, and keeps your classroom energy alive.

Go to Engaging Presentations for more tips on presentations.