Dissertation presentation = trepidation!

I've always found public speaking (or performing) very nervewracking.  For giving Cello recitals in High School, to giving presentations in University.  Even preforming as part of an orchestra!  Consequently this has always been something I was aware I needed to work on.  My line manager asked my to give a presentation on the findings of my dissertation 'Bodleian 2.0? : an exploration of Web 2.0 use in the Bodleian Libraries' at our staff away day.  Even though I was presenting in front of my (very supportive) colleagues I still found the experience scary.  Despite this, I think many positives came out of it.

Instead of writing my dissertation, submitting it and then burying it away.  It forced me to go back to it and read it with a critical eye.  I had to think about how best to present my findings to a group of people didn't necessaserily have any background (or interest) in social media and Web 2.0.  To do this I created a mindmap of my findings, this formed the basis of my presentation.

I also found that I had confidence in presenting once I got through the initial panic.  I enjoyed telling people about this project that I had spend around 14 months working on.  I'm planning to see if my findings would be of use in the organisation I work in.  I've realised that I spend a long time working on it, and want the research to be of use.