Appendix A. Glossary

acronym

A word formed from the first letters of words in a phrase, such as radar (radio detecting and ranging).

active voice

When the subject is doing the acting.

agenda

A list of things to be decided or acted on at a meeting.

central message

The main point of your presentation.

close-ended question

A question for which there is only one correct answer or a brief one- or two-word response.

dialogue question

An open-ended question that encourages listeners to share their experiences, attitudes, or feelings on a subject.

empathy

The ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and feel what he or she does.

energy

An enthusiasm and passion for your central message.

evidence

Data that either proves or disproves a viewpoint, like the material presented in a court of law to prove a person's innocence or guilt.

goal of a presentation

The result you want to achieve by delivering it.

ice-breaker

A question that begins a dialogue or interaction between a speaker and listener(s).

meaning of the message

How the central message is relevant to the listeners and what they are likely to get out of it.

mind-mapping

A process of brainstorming ideas related to your central message and graphically displaying them so you can decide which ones are relevant and important.

neutralizing a question

Removing pejorative terms so you can deal with the question the way you want to.

passive voice

When the subject is being acted upon.

performance anxiety

That natural uneasiness we feel before performing any difficult task in front of other people.

scanning

A method of eye contact in which the speaker's eyes are continually moving from one person to another.

stage fright

A natural anxiety that most people feel when they get up and speak before a group of listeners.

stress

A heightened mental state produced in response to a threat, real or imagined.

template

A master slide that creates a design for each of your visual aids.