presentation rubric university

Outcome/Skills

Advanced

Developing

Emerging

Idea development, use of language, and the organization of ideas are effectively used to achieve a purpose.

A. Ideas are clearly organized, developed, and supported to achieve a purpose; the purpose is clear.

B. The introduction gets the attention of the audience.

C. Main points are clear and organized effectively.

D. Supporting material is original, logical, and relevant (facts, examples, etc.).

E. Smooth transitions are used.

F. The conclusion is satisfying.

G. Language choices are vivid and precise.

H. Material is developed for an oral rather than a written presentation.

A. The main idea is evident, but the organizational structure may need to be strengthened; ideas may not always flow smoothly.

B. The introduction may not be well-developed.

C. Main points are not always clear.

D. Supporting material may lack in originality or adequate development.

E. Transitions may be awkward.

F. The conclusion may need additional development.

G. Language is appropriate, but word choices are not particularly vivid or precise.

A. Idea “seeds” have not yet germinated; ideas may not be focused or developed; the main purpose is not clear.

B. The introduction is undeveloped or irrelevant.

C. Main points are difficult to identify.

D. Inaccurate, generalized, or inappropriate supporting material may be used.

E. Transitions may be needed.

F. The conclusion is abrupt or limited.

G. Language choices may be limited, peppered with slang or jargon, too complex, or too dull.

The nonverbal message supports and is consistent with the verbal message.

A. The delivery is natural,

confident, and enhances

the message — posture,

eye contact, smooth gestures, facial expressions, volume, pace, etc. indicate confidence, a commitment to the topic, and a willingness to communicate.

B. The vocal tone, delivery

style, and clothing are consistent with the message.

C. Limited filler words (“ums”) are used.

D. Clear articulation and pronunciation are used.

A. The delivery generally seems effective—however, effective use of volume, eye contact, vocal control, etc. may not be consistent; some hesitancy may be observed.

B. Vocal tone, facial expressions, clothing and other nonverbal expressions do not detract significantly from the message.

C. Filler words are not distracting.

D. Generally, articulation and pronunciation are clear.

A. The delivery detracts from the message; eye contact may be very limited; the presenter may tend to look at the floor, mumble, speak inaudibly, fidget, or read most or all of the speech; gestures and movements may be jerky or excessive.

B. The delivery may appear inconsistent with the message.

C. Filler words (“ums,”) are used excessively.

D. Articulation and pronunciation tend to be sloppy.

Idea development, use of language, and the organization of ideas for a specific audience, setting, and occasion are appropriate.

A. Language is familiar to the audience, appropriate for the setting, and free of bias; the presenter may “code-switch” (use a different language form) when appropriate.

B. Topic selection and examples are interesting and relevant for the audience and occasion.

C. Delivery style and clothing choices suggest an awareness of expectations and norms.

A. Language used is not disrespectful or offensive.

B. Topic selection and examples are not inappropriate for the audience, occasion, or setting; some effort to make the material relevant to audience interests, the occasion, or setting is evident.

C. The delivery style, tone of voice, and clothing choices do not seem out-of-place or disrespectful to the audience.

A. Language is questionable or inappropriate for a particular audience, occasion, or setting. Some biased or unclear language may be used.

B. Topic selection does not relate to audience needs and interests.

C. The delivery style may not match the particular audience or occasion—the presenter’s tone of voice or other mannerisms may create alienation from the audience; clothing choices may also convey disrespect for the audience.

PowerPoint Rubric

* Primary sources can include original letters and diaries, personal observations, interviews, first-hand accounts, newspaper articles, magazine articles, journal articles, Web pages, audio recordings, video productions and photography.

Examples of Other Rubrics

• Presentation Design

Presentation Rubric for a College Project

We seem to have an unavoidable relationship with public speaking throughout our lives. From our kindergarten years, when our presentations are nothing more than a few seconds of reciting cute words in front of our class…

...till our grown up years, when things get a little more serious, and the success of our presentations may determine getting funds for our business, or obtaining an academic degree when defending our thesis.

By the time we reach our mid 20’s, we become worryingly used to evaluations based on our presentations. Yet, for some reason, we’re rarely told the traits upon which we are being evaluated. Most colleges and business schools for instance use a PowerPoint presentation rubric to evaluate their students. Funny thing is, they’re not usually that open about sharing it with their students (as if that would do any harm!).

What is a presentation rubric?

A presentation rubric is a systematic and standardized tool used to evaluate and assess the quality and effectiveness of a presentation. It provides a structured framework for instructors, evaluators, or peers to assess various aspects of a presentation, such as content, delivery, organization, and overall performance. Presentation rubrics are commonly used in educational settings, business environments, and other contexts where presentations are a key form of communication.

A typical presentation rubric includes a set of criteria and a scale for rating or scoring each criterion. The criteria are specific aspects or elements of the presentation that are considered essential for a successful presentation. The scale assigns a numerical value or descriptive level to each criterion, ranging from poor or unsatisfactory to excellent or outstanding.

Common criteria found in presentation rubrics may include:

• Content: This criterion assesses the quality and relevance of the information presented. It looks at factors like accuracy, depth of knowledge, use of evidence, and the clarity of key messages.
• Organization: Organization evaluates the structure and flow of the presentation. It considers how well the introduction, body, and conclusion are structured and whether transitions between sections are smooth.
• Delivery: Delivery assesses the presenter's speaking skills, including vocal tone, pace, clarity, and engagement with the audience. It also looks at nonverbal communication, such as body language and eye contact.
• Visual Aids: If visual aids like slides or props are used, this criterion evaluates their effectiveness, relevance, and clarity. It may also assess the design and layout of visual materials.
• Audience Engagement: This criterion measures the presenter's ability to connect with the audience, maintain their interest, and respond to questions or feedback.
• Time Management: Time management assesses whether the presenter stayed within the allotted time for the presentation. Going significantly over or under the time limit can affect the overall effectiveness of the presentation.
• Creativity and Innovation: In some cases, rubrics may include criteria related to the creative and innovative aspects of the presentation, encouraging presenters to think outside the box.
• Overall Impact: This criterion provides an overall assessment of the presentation's impact on the audience, considering how well it achieved its intended purpose and whether it left a lasting impression.

“We’re used to giving presentations, yet we’re rarely told the traits upon which we’re being evaluated.

Well, we don’t believe in shutting down information. Quite the contrary: we think the best way to practice your speech is to know exactly what is being tested! By evaluating each trait separately, you can:

• Acknowledge the complexity of public speaking, that goes far beyond subject knowledge.
• Address your weaker spots, and work on them to improve your presentation as a whole.

I’ve assembled a simple Presentation Rubric, based on a great document by the NC State University, and I've also added a few rows of my own, so you can evaluate your presentation in pretty much any scenario!

CREATE PRESENTATION

What is tested in this powerpoint presentation rubric.

The Rubric contemplates 7 traits, which are as follows:

Now let's break down each trait so you can understand what they mean, and how to assess each one:

Presentation Rubric

How to use this Rubric?:

The Rubric is pretty self explanatory, so I'm just gonna give you some ideas as to how to use it. The ideal scenario is to ask someone else to listen to your presentation and evaluate you with it. The less that person knows you, or what your presentation is about, the better.

WONDERING WHAT YOUR SCORE MAY INDICATE?

• 21-28 Fan-bloody-tastic!
• 14-21 Looking good, but you can do better
• 7-14 Uhmmm, you ain't at all ready

As we don't always have someone to rehearse our presentations with, a great way to use the Rubric is to record yourself (this is not Hollywood material so an iPhone video will do!), watching the video afterwards, and evaluating your presentation on your own. You'll be surprised by how different your perception of yourself is, in comparison to how you see yourself on video.

Related read: Webinar - Public Speaking and Stage Presence: How to wow?

It will be fairly easy to evaluate each trait! The mere exercise of reading the Presentation Rubric is an excellent study on presenting best practices.

If you're struggling with any particular trait, I suggest you take a look at our Academy Channel where we discuss how to improve each trait in detail!

It's not always easy to objectively assess our own speaking skills. So the next time you have a big presentation coming up, use this Rubric to put yourself to the test!

Need support for your presentation? Build awesome slides using our very own Slidebean .

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Rubric Best Practices, Examples, and Templates

A rubric is a scoring tool that identifies the different criteria relevant to an assignment, assessment, or learning outcome and states the possible levels of achievement in a specific, clear, and objective way. Use rubrics to assess project-based student work including essays, group projects, creative endeavors, and oral presentations.

Rubrics can help instructors communicate expectations to students and assess student work fairly, consistently and efficiently. Rubrics can provide students with informative feedback on their strengths and weaknesses so that they can reflect on their performance and work on areas that need improvement.

How to Get Started

Best practices, moodle how-to guides.

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Step 1: Analyze the assignment

The first step in the rubric creation process is to analyze the assignment or assessment for which you are creating a rubric. To do this, consider the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the assignment and your feedback? What do you want students to demonstrate through the completion of this assignment (i.e. what are the learning objectives measured by it)? Is it a summative assessment, or will students use the feedback to create an improved product?
• Does the assignment break down into different or smaller tasks? Are these tasks equally important as the main assignment?
• What would an “excellent” assignment look like? An “acceptable” assignment? One that still needs major work?
• How detailed do you want the feedback you give students to be? Do you want/need to give them a grade?

Step 2: Decide what kind of rubric you will use

Types of rubrics: holistic, analytic/descriptive, single-point

Holistic Rubric. A holistic rubric includes all the criteria (such as clarity, organization, mechanics, etc.) to be considered together and included in a single evaluation. With a holistic rubric, the rater or grader assigns a single score based on an overall judgment of the student’s work, using descriptions of each performance level to assign the score.

Advantages of holistic rubrics:

• Can p lace an emphasis on what learners can demonstrate rather than what they cannot
• Save grader time by minimizing the number of evaluations to be made for each student
• Can be used consistently across raters, provided they have all been trained

Disadvantages of holistic rubrics:

• Provide less specific feedback than analytic/descriptive rubrics
• Can be difficult to choose a score when a student’s work is at varying levels across the criteria
• Any weighting of c riteria cannot be indicated in the rubric

Analytic/Descriptive Rubric . An analytic or descriptive rubric often takes the form of a table with the criteria listed in the left column and with levels of performance listed across the top row. Each cell contains a description of what the specified criterion looks like at a given level of performance. Each of the criteria is scored individually.

Advantages of analytic rubrics:

• Provide detailed feedback on areas of strength or weakness
• Each criterion can be weighted to reflect its relative importance

Disadvantages of analytic rubrics:

• More time-consuming to create and use than a holistic rubric
• May not be used consistently across raters unless the cells are well defined
• May result in giving less personalized feedback

Single-Point Rubric . A single-point rubric is breaks down the components of an assignment into different criteria, but instead of describing different levels of performance, only the “proficient” level is described. Feedback space is provided for instructors to give individualized comments to help students improve and/or show where they excelled beyond the proficiency descriptors.

Advantages of single-point rubrics:

• Easier to create than an analytic/descriptive rubric
• Perhaps more likely that students will read the descriptors
• Areas of concern and excellence are open-ended
• May removes a focus on the grade/points
• May increase student creativity in project-based assignments

Disadvantage of analytic rubrics: Requires more work for instructors writing feedback

Step 3 (Optional): Look for templates and examples.

You might Google, “Rubric for persuasive essay at the college level” and see if there are any publicly available examples to start from. Ask your colleagues if they have used a rubric for a similar assignment. Some examples are also available at the end of this article. These rubrics can be a great starting point for you, but consider steps 3, 4, and 5 below to ensure that the rubric matches your assignment description, learning objectives and expectations.

Step 4: Define the assignment criteria

Make a list of the knowledge and skills are you measuring with the assignment/assessment Refer to your stated learning objectives, the assignment instructions, past examples of student work, etc. for help.

  Helpful strategies for defining grading criteria:

• Collaborate with co-instructors, teaching assistants, and other colleagues
• Brainstorm and discuss with students
• Can they be observed and measured?
• Are they important and essential?
• Are they distinct from other criteria?
• Are they phrased in precise, unambiguous language?
• Revise the criteria as needed
• Consider whether some are more important than others, and how you will weight them.

Step 5: Design the rating scale

Most ratings scales include between 3 and 5 levels. Consider the following questions when designing your rating scale:

• Given what students are able to demonstrate in this assignment/assessment, what are the possible levels of achievement?
• How many levels would you like to include (more levels means more detailed descriptions)
• Will you use numbers and/or descriptive labels for each level of performance? (for example 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and/or Exceeds expectations, Accomplished, Proficient, Developing, Beginning, etc.)
• Don’t use too many columns, and recognize that some criteria can have more columns that others . The rubric needs to be comprehensible and organized. Pick the right amount of columns so that the criteria flow logically and naturally across levels.

Step 6: Write descriptions for each level of the rating scale

Artificial Intelligence tools like Chat GPT have proven to be useful tools for creating a rubric. You will want to engineer your prompt that you provide the AI assistant to ensure you get what you want. For example, you might provide the assignment description, the criteria you feel are important, and the number of levels of performance you want in your prompt. Use the results as a starting point, and adjust the descriptions as needed.

Building a rubric from scratch

For a single-point rubric , describe what would be considered “proficient,” i.e. B-level work, and provide that description. You might also include suggestions for students outside of the actual rubric about how they might surpass proficient-level work.

For analytic and holistic rubrics , c reate statements of expected performance at each level of the rubric.

• Consider what descriptor is appropriate for each criteria, e.g., presence vs absence, complete vs incomplete, many vs none, major vs minor, consistent vs inconsistent, always vs never. If you have an indicator described in one level, it will need to be described in each level.
• You might start with the top/exemplary level. What does it look like when a student has achieved excellence for each/every criterion? Then, look at the “bottom” level. What does it look like when a student has not achieved the learning goals in any way? Then, complete the in-between levels.
• For an analytic rubric , do this for each particular criterion of the rubric so that every cell in the table is filled. These descriptions help students understand your expectations and their performance in regard to those expectations.

Well-written descriptions:

• Describe observable and measurable behavior
• Use parallel language across the scale
• Indicate the degree to which the standards are met

Step 7: Create your rubric

Create your rubric in a table or spreadsheet in Word, Google Docs, Sheets, etc., and then transfer it by typing it into Moodle. You can also use online tools to create the rubric, but you will still have to type the criteria, indicators, levels, etc., into Moodle. Rubric creators: Rubistar , iRubric

Step 8: Pilot-test your rubric

Prior to implementing your rubric on a live course, obtain feedback from:

• Teacher assistants

Try out your new rubric on a sample of student work. After you pilot-test your rubric, analyze the results to consider its effectiveness and revise accordingly.

• Limit the rubric to a single page for reading and grading ease
• Use parallel language . Use similar language and syntax/wording from column to column. Make sure that the rubric can be easily read from left to right or vice versa.
• Use student-friendly language . Make sure the language is learning-level appropriate. If you use academic language or concepts, you will need to teach those concepts.
• Share and discuss the rubric with your students . Students should understand that the rubric is there to help them learn, reflect, and self-assess. If students use a rubric, they will understand the expectations and their relevance to learning.
• Consider scalability and reusability of rubrics. Create rubric templates that you can alter as needed for multiple assignments.
• Maximize the descriptiveness of your language. Avoid words like “good” and “excellent.” For example, instead of saying, “uses excellent sources,” you might describe what makes a resource excellent so that students will know. You might also consider reducing the reliance on quantity, such as a number of allowable misspelled words. Focus instead, for example, on how distracting any spelling errors are.

Example of an analytic rubric for a final paper

Example of a holistic rubric for a final paper

Single-Point Rubric

More examples:

• Single Point Rubric Template ( variation )
• Analytic Rubric Template make a copy to edit
• A Rubric for Rubrics
• Bank of Online Discussion Rubrics in different formats
• Mathematical Presentations Descriptive Rubric
• Math Proof Assessment Rubric
• Kansas State Sample Rubrics
• Design Single Point Rubric

Technology Tools: Rubrics in Moodle

• Moodle Docs: Rubrics
• Moodle Docs: Grading Guide (use for single-point rubrics)

Tools with rubrics (other than Moodle)

• Google Assignments
• Turnitin Assignments: Rubric or Grading Form

Other resources

• DePaul University (n.d.). Rubrics .
• Gonzalez, J. (2014). Know your terms: Holistic, Analytic, and Single-Point Rubrics . Cult of Pedagogy.
• Goodrich, H. (1996). Understanding rubrics . Teaching for Authentic Student Performance, 54 (4), 14-17. Retrieved from   
• Miller, A. (2012). Tame the beast: tips for designing and using rubrics.
• Ragupathi, K., Lee, A. (2020). Beyond Fairness and Consistency in Grading: The Role of Rubrics in Higher Education. In: Sanger, C., Gleason, N. (eds) Diversity and Inclusion in Global Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

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Grading Rubrics

A rubric, or “a matrix that provides levels of achievement for a set of criteria” (Howell, 2014), is a common tool for assessing open-response or creative work (writing, presentations, performances, etc.). To use rubrics effectively, instructors should understand their benefits, the types and uses of rubrics, and their limitations.  

Benefits of Rubrics

The criteria identified in the matrix differs with the subject matter, the nature of the assignment, and learning objectives, but all rubrics serve three purposes.

• Rubrics help instructors identify standards for achievement. The process of creating a rubric leads instructors to think through, label, and determine grading weight on the major aspects of any assignment. This work can help instructors better align assignments to  learning objectives .
• Rubrics communicate expectations to students as well as others who assist with grading (e.g., teaching assistants) or who teach the same or similar classes. Students report that rubrics clarify instructors’ expectations and grading standards, helping them submit work that better matches the assignment requirements (Treme, 2017). This may explain why students can perform better when they are given rubrics (Howell, 2014).
• Rubrics facilitate more consistent and objective grading. For instance, using rubrics in grading has been shown to reduce grade inflation (White, 2018). Relatedly, using rubrics can reduce the time spent grading, since they streamline or eliminate many areas of deliberation in grading (Stevens and Levi, 2013).

Types of Rubrics

There are two basic types of rubrics.  Holistic   rubrics  provide an overall description of work at various levels of achievement. For instance, separate paragraphs might describe “A,” “B”, “C,” and “D” -level papers. A holistic rubric might help instructors communicate the interrelationships of the elements of an assignment. For instance, students should understand that a fully persuasive research paper not only has strong argument and evidence but is also free of writing errors. These rubrics offer structure but also afford flexibility and judgment in grading.

Holistic Rubric Template

Analytic   rubrics  provide more detailed descriptions of achievement levels of distinct components of the assignment. For instance, the components of thesis, evidence, coherence, and writing mechanics might each be described with two to three sentences at each of the achievement levels. Such rubrics help instructors and students isolate discrete skills and performance. These rubrics limit the grader’s discretion and potentially offer greater consistency.  

Analytic Rubric Template

Whether designing a holistic or analytic rubric, the descriptions of student achievement levels should incorporate common student mistakes. This saves time as it reduces the need for long-hand feedback that is time-consuming and often hard for students to read (Stevens and Levi, 2013). For either type of rubric, the achievement level may be indicated with evaluative shorthand (e.g., Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor) or grade labels (A, B, C, D). In many cases, rubrics also provide the point totals possible with overall level (holistic) or each component (analytic).

Using Rubrics

Developing a rubric requires identifying and weighing the different elements of an assignment. The relative weight given to any category should reflect the learning objectives. For instance, if the learning objectives focus on interpreting and using evidence, the weight of the grade should not fall on rudimentary skills, like grammar and syntax. At the same time, rubrics can help instructors articulate and implement developmental goals. For example, using the same elements for two or more iterations of an assignment, the rubric for an earlier submission can place more weight on writing mechanics, while more weight can be placed on higher-order skills for a later submission.  

Rubrics can be used as  summative   or  formative   assessment . Used as summative assessment, rubrics give concrete rationale for the grade that students receive. Used as formative assessment, rubrics help both instructors and students monitor the areas in which students are succeeding and struggling. For best use of rubrics as formative assessment, grading should be accompanied by clear, improvement-oriented  feedback  (Wylie et al., 2013). Additionally, instructors can require students to use the rubric as a checklist that they turn in with their work. This may help students better monitor the quality of their work before submitting it (Treme, 2017).

Technology can aid in developing and using rubrics. Canvas provides a rubric generator function that gives options for assigning point value, adding comments, and describing criteria for the assignment. To access it, go to the “assignments” page, click on the assignment, and select “add rubric.” A technologically-developed rubric like those in Canvas ensures greater consistency in assigning grades (Moyer, 2015).

Limitations

No rubric is a complete substitute for reasoned judgment. While instructors strive to remove arbitrariness in grading, expert discernment is always an ingredient in assessment. Despite their air of objectivity, rubrics involve significant subjectivity—for instance, in the decisions about the relative weight or the descriptions of elements of student work. Nor are rubrics a “silver bullet” for achieving high academic performance. Baseline knowledge and prior academic performance are still greater factors in student achievement (Howell, 2014: 406). Nonetheless, rubrics are a useful tool for promoting consistency, transparency, and objectivity and can have positive outcomes for instructors and students.

Howell, R. J. (2014). Grading rubrics: Hoopla or help?  Innovations in Education and Teaching International ,  51 (4): 400-410.

Kryder, L. G. (2003). Grading for speed, consistency, and accuracy.  Business Communications Quarterly ,  66 (1): 90-93.

Moyer, Adam C., William A. Young II, Gary R. Weckman, Red C. Martin, and Ken W. Cutright. “Rubrics on the Fly: Improving Efficiency and Consistency with a Rapid Grading and Feedback System.”  Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology , 4, no. 2 (2015): 6-29.

Stevens, D., & Levi, A. (2013).  Introduction to rubrics: an assessment tool to save grading time, convey effective feedback, and promote student learning  (Second edition.). Sterling, Virginia: Stylus.

Treme, Julianne. “An Op-Ed Grading Rubric: Improving Student Output and Professor Happiness.”  NACTA Journal , 61, no. 2 (2017): 181-183.

White, Krista Alaine, and Ella Thomas Heitzler. “Effects of Increased Evaluation Objectivity on Grade Inflation: Precise Grading Rubrics and Rigorously Developed Tests.”  Nurse Educator , 43, no. 2 (2018): 73-77.

Wylie, Caroline and Christine Lyon. “Using the Formative Rubrics, Reflection and Observation Tools to Support Professional Reflection on Practice.”  Formative Assessment for Teachers and Students  (2013).

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Home > Resources > Group presentation rubric

Group presentation rubric

This is a grading rubric an instructor uses to assess students’ work on this type of assignment. It is a sample rubric that needs to be edited to reflect the specifics of a particular assignment. Students can self-assess using the rubric as a checklist before submitting their assignment.

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Oral Presentation Rubric

Select the box which most describes student performance. Alternatively you can "split the indicators" by using the boxes before each indicator to evaluate each item individually.

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Rubric for Evaluating Student Presentations

• Kellie Hayden
• Categories : Student assessment tools & principles
• Tags : Teaching methods, tools & strategies

Make Assessing Easier with a Rubric

The rubric that you use to assess your student presentations needs to be clear and easy to read by your students. A well-thought out rubric will also make it easier to grade speeches.

Before directing students to create a presentation, you need to tell them how they will be evaluated with the rubric. For every rubric, there are certain criteria listed or specific areas to be assessed. For the rubric download that is included, the following are the criteria: content, eye contact, volume and clarity, flow, confidence and attitude, visual aids, and time.

Student Speech Presentation Rubric Download

Assessment Tool Explained in Detail

Content : The information in the speech should be organized. It should have an engaging introduction that grabs the audience’s attention. The body of the speech should include details, facts and statistics to support the main idea. The conclusion should wrap up the speech and leave the audiences with something to remember.

In addition, the speech should be accurate. Teachers should decide how students should cite their sources if they are used. These should be turned in at the time of the speech. Good speakers will mention their sources during the speech.

Last, the content should be clear. The information should be understandable for the audience and not confusing or ambiguous.

Eye Contact

Students eyes should not be riveted to the paper or note cards that they prepare for the presentation. It is best if students write talking points on their note cards. These are main points that they want to discuss. If students write their whole speech on the note cards, they will be more likely to read the speech word-for-word, which is boring and usually monotone.

Students should not stare at one person or at the floor. It is best if they can make eye contact with everyone in the room at least once during the presentation. Staring at a spot on the wall is not great, but is better than staring at their shoes or their papers.

Volume and Clarity

Students should be loud enough so that people sitting in the back of the room can hear and understand them. They should not scream or yell. They need to practice using their diaphragm to project their voice.

Clarity means not talking too fast, mumbling, slurring or stuttering. When students are nervous, this tends to happen. Practice will help with this problem.

When speaking, the speaker should not have distracting pauses during the speech. Sometimes a speaker may pause for effect; this is to tell the audience that what he or she is going to say next is important. However, when students pause because they become confused or forget the speech, this is distracting.

Another problem is verbal fillers. Student may say “um,” “er” or “uh” when they are thinking or between ideas. Some people do it unintentionally when they are nervous.

If students chronically say “um” or use any type of verbal filler, they first need to be made aware of the problem while practicing. To fix this problem, a trusted friend can point out when they doing during practice. This will help students be aware when they are saying the verbal fillers.

Confidence and Attitude

When students speak, they should stand tall and exude confidence to show that what they are going to say is important. If they are nervous or are not sure about their speech, they should not slouch. They need to give their speech with enthusiasm and poise. If it appears that the student does not care about his or her topic, why should the audience? Confidence can many times make a boring speech topic memorable.

Visual Aids

The visual that a student uses should aid the speech. This aid should explain a facts or an important point in more detail with graphics, diagrams, pictures or graphs.

These can be presented as projected diagrams, large photos, posters, electronic slide presentations, short clips of videos, 3-D models, etc. It is important that all visual aids be neat, creative and colorful. A poorly executed visual aid can take away from a strong speech.

One of the biggest mistakes that students make is that they do not mention the visual aid in the speech. Students need to plan when the visual aid will be used in the speech and what they will say about it.

Another problem with slide presentations is that students read word-for-word what is on each slide. The audience can read. Students need to talk about the slide and/or offer additional information that is not on the slide.

The teacher needs to set the time limit. Some teachers like to give a range. For example, the teacher can ask for short speeches to be1-2 minutes or 2-5 minutes. Longer ones could be 10-15 minutes. Many students will not speak long enough while others will ramble on way beyond the limit. The best way for students to improve their time limit is to practice.

The key to a good speech is for students to write out an outline, make note cards and practice. The speech presentation rubric allows your students to understand your expectations.

• A Research Guide.com. Chapter 3. Public Speaking .
• 10 Fail Proof Tips for Delivering a Powerful Speech by K. Stone on DumbLittleMan.
• Photo credit: Kellie Hayden
• Planning Student Presentations by Laura Goering for Carleton College.

Curriculum & Requirements

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Embarking on a liberal arts and sciences education at Puget Sound means engaging in an integrated and demanding introduction to a life of intellectual inquiry. Throughout your academic career, you’ll learn to understand yourself, understand the diversity of intellectual approaches to understanding our world, and increase your awareness of your place in a broader context. Over four years of study, you’ll build a foundation for lifelong learning.

Core Curriculum

As a student at Puget Sound, you will complete a core curriculum consisting of two first-year seminars in fall and spring, courses in three divisions, interdisciplinary connections courses, courses on knowledge and power, and experiential learning. Your first year experience will introduce you to the academic and collaborative skills you will need to succeed in college, while providing close mentoring to chart your course. You'll begin to explore our divisions of Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, while learning about power and knowledge production, languages, and engage in an experiential learning program such as study abroad, an internship, and/or summer research. Finally, you’ll go beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries to understand the interrelationship of fields of knowledge by exploring how they form connections to illuminate real-world issues and problems.

The First Year Experience

• 100-level Connections (1 unit)
• Critical Conversations Seminar (1 unit)

These first-year seminars may not be used to meet major, minor, or emphasis requirements, Divisional requirements, or other core requirements. Students may not enroll in them after fulfilling the requirement.

The Continuing Core

• Division Requirements (3 unit)
• Experiential Learning Core (0-1 unit)
• Knowledge, Identity, and Power Core (2 units)
• Connections 200-400 level Core (2 units)
• Language Core (0-2 units)

A new Core Curriculum for 2024-25

At Puget Sound, you don’t just get a major, you get a unique perspective on the world. Our core curriculum is rooted in the tradition of the liberal arts, so no matter what you choose to study, you’ll have opportunities throughout your undergraduate education to explore branches of knowledge you never even knew existed.

Graduation Requirements

As a top-tier university, we hold our students to the highest standards of academic excellence. Students who complete the following requirements will be awarded a baccalaureate degree:

• Two first-year seminars: one Connections course at the 100-level and one Critical Conversations Seminar (CCS) in writing and speaking
• Experiential Learning core
• Knowledge, Identity, and Power core (two KNOW courses; at least one at the 300-400 level)
• Two Connections classes above the 100-level
• Language requirement
• Satisfied the Arts & Humanities Division Requirement
• Satisfied the Social Science & History Division Requirement
• Satisfied the Natural Science & Math Division Requirement
• Complete the requirements for a Major field of study . Additional majors and/or minors are options for the student. Courses taken credit/no credit will not fulfill major requirements.   
• A minimum of 16 units must be earned in residence at the University of Puget Sound. Residence requirements also exist in core, majors, minors, and graduation honors. Credit from approved study abroad programs is considered to be in residence credit. 
• A minimum of 6 of the last 8 units must be earned in residence at the University of Puget Sound. Credit from approved study abroad programs is considered to be residence credit. 
• Complete all incomplete or in-progress grades. All coursework must be finished by the last day of the graduation term.
• Maintain a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 2.00 in all graded courses taken at Puget Sound, including transfer courses, and in the major(s) and the minor(s), if a minor is elected.  
• File an application for graduation with the Office of the Registrar. Applications are due in September for graduation at the end of the next Spring, Summer, or Fall terms. 

*0.67 unit minimum for transfer students.

Declaring a Major

Each student declares a major by the end of their second year through the Office of Academic Advising and will be responsible for meeting the requirements. An academic major requires a minimum of 8 units within that department or program, of which 4 units must be in residence credit. While a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA is required to graduate, some departments or programs may require a higher GPA for the completion of a major or minor. 

In addition to a major, a student may choose to declare more than one major or a minor. An academic minor requires a minimum of 5 units, of which 3 units must be residence credit. Courses graded pass/fail may not be counted toward their minor requirement.

Related Links

• Search current class schedule

Core Curriculum and Graduation Requirements Prior to 2024-2025

The text below pertains to the previous Core Curriculum and Graduation Requirements for students matriculating prior to the 2024-2025 academic year.

As a student at Puget Sound, you will complete a core curriculum consisting of courses from eight core areas of study. Each course counts as one unit toward your eight-unit core requirement. You will first gain a foundational study of college-level writing, speaking, and research practices, while beginning to study five academic approaches to understanding the world. Finally, you’ll go beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries to understand the interrelationship of fields of knowledge by exploring connections between these approaches.

Seminar in Scholarly Inquiry (Year 1)

• Seminar in Scholarly Inquiry 1
• Seminar in Scholarly Inquiry 2

Five Approaches to Knowing (Years 1–3)

• Mathematical
• Natural Scientific
• Social Scientific

Interdisciplinary Experience (Years 3–4)

• Connections
• Units may include up to 4 academic units graded credit/no credit, up to 2 units in activity courses, and up to 4 units of independent study.
• A minimum of 6 of the last 8 units earned must be in residence at the University of Puget Sound.
• Maintain a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 2.00 in all courses taken at Puget Sound, transfer courses, in your major and minor.
• Students entering with freshman or sophomore standing must complete at least a course in Connections, the second Seminar in Scholarly Inquiry, and two additional core areas. Up to 4 core courses may be completed with transfer credit.
• Students entering with junior standing must complete at least a course in Connections, the second Seminar in Scholarly Inquiry, and one additional core area. Up to 5 core courses may be completed with transfer credit.
• Students with a high school diploma from a school where the primary language of instruction was other than English do not need to take further courses.
• Heritage learners (defined by Valdés, 2001 as “a student of language who is raised in a home where a non-English language is spoken, who speaks or merely understands the heritage language, and who is to some degree bilingual in English and the heritage language”) are required to take only one course.
• Students with AP language exam scores of 4 or 5 or IB higher level language scores of 5, 6, or 7 are required to take only one course.
• Transfer students may use transfer credit to count for one or both courses. Each approved transfer course must be a minimum of 4 quarter credits or 3 semester credits. 
• See the "Undergraduate Programs and Degrees" section of the current University Bulletin for additional details and a list of courses taught in English that have been approved for the requirement. 
• Satisfy the Knowledge, Identity, and Power (KNOW) requirement by successfully completing one approved course.
• Satisfy the Experiential Learning graduation requirement by successfully completing either a zero-credit EXLN course (295-298) or a credit-bearing course that is approved to meet that requirement.
• Earn at least 3 academic units outside of your first major and outside of your department/program at the upper division level (at either the 300 or 400 level, or at the 200 level with departmental approval and at least two prerequisites).
• Meet the requirements for a major field of study. A second major or a minor are optional.
• Complete all incomplete or in-progress grades.
• File an application for graduation with the Office of the Registrar in September for graduation at the end of the next spring, summer, or fall term.
• Complete all coursework by the last day of the graduation term.

* Note: The Language Graduation Requirement changed for the 2023-24 academic year. Students on the 2022-23 or prior Bulletins must fulfill their language requirement in one of the following ways:

• Successfully complete two graded semesters in a single foreign language at 101-102 level or one graded semester at the 200 level or above;
• Pass an approved foreign language proficiency exam;
• Receive a score of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement foreign language exam or a score of 5, 6, or 7 on an International Baccalaureate Higher Level foreign language exam;
• Provide proof of proficiency as a native speaker of a language other than English;
• Consult with the Office of Student Accessibility and Accommodation if you have a documented learning disability which affects your ability to learn a foreign language.

© 2024 University of Puget Sound

3MT: Three Minute Thesis

Eighth Annual

The graduate college is pleased to sponsor the eighth annual three minute thesis (3mt) competition for graduate-student researchers..

• Apply to Compete

This annual event is an opportunity for students to build their communication skills by creatively describing their research in ways that make it relatable and relevant to a non-specialist audience.

One static slide may be used while speaking for up to three minutes. timelines and guidelines are listed below. enjoy the videos of  past award winners’ presentations, or an entire final round of competition ..

What is 3MT?

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) celebrates the exciting research conducted by master’s or Ph.D. students around the world. Developed by The University of Queensland, the competition cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Presenting in a 3MT competition increases students' capacity to explain their research in three minutes in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Competitors are allowed one PowerPoint slide, but no other resources or props.

Eligibility

Participants must be currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral degree program that requires students to conduct their own research (dissertation or thesis).

Three participants will be recognized with awards. The winner of the final competition receives a $500 Ubill scholarship and may be asked to represent the university in other 3MT events. A scholarship of $250 will be awarded to the final competition's Runner Up and People’s Choice Award winner. The Graduate College will also raffle off two travel grants worth $200 each, as well as one U-Bill scholarship worth $200 for participants in their final year of graduate school. Every participant will have the opportunity to cultivate their presentation, research, and academic skills.

Judging Criteria

Winners will be determined by a panel of judges using the official 3MT competition rubrics. Judges for the initial heats will be invited from the Iowa State University faculty and staff and the local community. Judges for the final competition will be well-known Iowa constituents.

At every level of the competition, each competitor will be assessed on the judging criteria listed below. Each criterion is equally weighted and has an emphasis on audience.

Comprehension and Content

• Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question.
• Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research.
• Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes and impact of the research.

Engagement and Communication

• The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience.
• The PowerPoint slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation.
• The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience's attention.

Successful competitors will spend adequate time on each element of the presentation without rushing while emphasizing the significance and application of his/her research and leaving the audience wanting to learn more.

Presentation Feedback

For feedback on your 3MT slide or the speech you are planning to incorporate into your 3MT presentation, please  make an appointment  with a writing consultant at the Center for Communication Excellence.

3MT Committee ( [email protected] ):

• Sarah Huffman
• Denise Vrchota
• Sarah Igram

Past 3MT Winners

2022 awardees.

2022 Final Round Participants