DTM EXPO
DTM EXPO
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DTM Students will prepare and present a project in the following areas:
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Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Sound Design, Projection Design, Allied Design & Technology, and Stage Management.
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Project materials should clearly tell the story of the process, evolution, and art of the design.
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A team of theatre design and technology respondents will serve as selection panelists and will provide feedback to the student work.
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Students do not need to be nominated to be eligible, but must be Bona Fide students and also registered in the Festival.
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Both realized and unrealized/classroom projects are eligible for consideration for all awards and prizes.
How to Participate
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Register for the Regional Festival.
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Fill out the DTM EXPO Registration Form before the Due 11:59 PM, Monday, December 15th, 2025.
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Submit a digital project presentation file (guidelines below) of your work before the Due 11:59 PM Monday, January 5th, 2026.
NOTE: Please check your email for the Digital Submission Link. If you have not received it, please contact dtmchair2@kcactf2.org
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Display your work at the festival (guidelines below).
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Present orally to the group of responders (3 MIN) and receive feedback (6 MIN).
Design Categories and Supporting Materials
Design Display Best Practices
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Emphasize process over product, including rough drafts, sketches, and illustrations of key moments in design development, including challenges
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Use larger, high-quality images- larger is better than more
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Apply neutral backgrounds, avoiding use of images
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View all display board space as valuable real estate- ensure that images create a narrative and logical flow
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Prioritize clear labeling and visual flow
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Avoid including resumes or business cards
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Do not display name of school but do include the names of collaborators (SAMPLE NEEDED)
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Process work such as
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A design statement in outline form
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Research images
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Preliminary sketches
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Preliminary ground plans, etc.
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Visual representations of the design
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Color sketches
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Finalized ground plan
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Front elevations
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Section views
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Final renderings and/or models.
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Realized work should include production photo(s).
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Process work such as
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A design statement in outline form
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Research images
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Preliminary sketches, and rendering etc.
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Visual representation of the design –
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Final renderings with fabric swatches, etc.
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Realized work should include production photo(s).
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Process work such as
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A design statement in outline form
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Research images, etc.
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Paperwork such as
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A lighting plot
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Cue synopsis/sheets
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Magic sheets
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Renderings (if any)
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Visual representations of the design.
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Realized work should include production photo(s).
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Process work, such as
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A design statement in outline form
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Any supporting materials that show the process leading to the design
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Paperwork such as
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A sound plot,
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Sound system design
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Cue Sheet, etc.
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Realized work should include production photo(s) and a visual poster for context.
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Clearly identifiable links or digital files (Recommended-SoundCloud or YouTube) with selected cues (i.e., 3 cues are recommended since you have only 3 minutes total for the presentation) and the manipulations that lead to those compositions.
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Please avoid copyrighted music
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Process work such as
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A design statement in outline form
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Research images
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Items that led to the design compositions (e.g., storyboards)
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Projection system programming process (if any)
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Video Editing process (if any)
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Paperwork such as
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A plot
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Cue Sheet (if any)
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Any additional organizational paperwork
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Realized work should include production photo(s)
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Video Loops to show your finalized work.
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Clearly identifiable links or digital files (YouTube or Vimeo) with selected cues and the manipulations that lead to those compositions
This category addresses the range of technical challenges that theatre presents and celebrates the process of reaching a solution.
Areas for consideration include:
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Technical Directors
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Master Electricians
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Sound Engineers
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Costume Technologists
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Costume Craft Artisans
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Hair and Makeup Artisans
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Make-up Design
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Prop Artisans
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Scenic Artists
Supporting materials that have proven most useful include combinations of the following:
Note: Choose elements that best articulate and document the conceptual approach, process, and production.
- Production photographs
- A design statement in outline form
- Research images
- Preliminary sketches
- White models
- Color models
- Color sketches
- Drafting including sections
- Recording of sound cues and manipulations that lead to those compositions
- Design bibles
- Story boards
- Costume plates
- Fabric and trim swatches
- Costume plot
- Cue synopsis
- Tracking sheet
- More
DIGITAL DISPLAY GUIDELINE
Digital Display or Presentation Slides Overview
Create a Digital Display as a single poster or a presentation slide deck in Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva, or another presentation software.
All presentation slides will be limited to 12 slides.
If you are making a one-page Digital Poster, the size should be 48″ x 48″ or smaller.
Sound & Projection Designers:
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Please submit your selected cues via SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo, or a cloud-based shareable folder link (e.g., Clipchamp on OneDrive) instead of uploading the audio/video files.
Materials for all areas should show the following:
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Clarify the problem or subject being addressed
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Process materials such as research, working drawings, and anything that shows your investigation
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Paperwork appropriate to the project. This may include drafting, tracking sheets, etc
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Visual representations of the project, such as renderings, schematics, etc
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Projects based on realized productions should include production photo(s) if possible
Slide/Required Items 1: Title Page/Information
Required Items:
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Student’s name (NO SCHOOL NAMES)
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Student’s area of discipline
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Name of the production, including the playwright’s name.
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If this is a realized production, please also include the names and disciplines of the other designers involved.
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If it is a poster, please consider using an easy-to-read font and a size larger than 24 points. (e.g., Arial, Helvetica)
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Please DO NOT include the name of your school on this or any supporting slides.
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Marketing/publicity/poster designers: We understand that the name of your school is already printed on your publicity materials. We do not expect you to remove the name of the school from your posters/programs/marketing materials, as this will affect your design. But please do not include your school name anywhere else in your presentation.
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Slide/Required Items 2: A Statement of Design Concept and/or Production Concept
Write several descriptive sentences that communicate the purpose, focus, and fundamental concept of your design.
Note: Outline form is recommended. If you want to write a sentence, please make it short and precise.
Suggested Items:
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The time, place, and setting (if applicable).
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If it is a poster, please consider using an easy-to-read font and a size larger than 24 points. (e.g., Arial, Helvetica)
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Example:
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Your emotional reaction to the play.
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A metaphor or a visual object to describe your emotional reaction.
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Design elements to describe your design solutions (line, shape, texture, color, value, tempo, etc.)
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Mood, description of the world of the play you want to create.
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Slides 3-11/Required Items: Supporting Materials
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Choose elements that best articulate and document your conceptual approach, process, and production.
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Please see the Design Categories and Supporting Materials section above.
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Emphasize process over product, including the key moments in design development, including challenges.
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Use larger, high-quality images- larger is better than more
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Apply neutral backgrounds, avoiding the use of images
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View all display board space as valuable real estate- ensure that images create a narrative and logical flow
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Prioritize clear labeling and visual flow
Slide 12/ Required Item: Closing/Reflection
Please summarize your experience working on this project.
Choose one or two of the following questions to support your work.
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What did you learn about yourself as a theatre practitioner (designer/technician) from working on this project?
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What worked well, and what did not work well, and why.
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How did working on this project reveal your strengths and weaknesses?
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How do you apply this experience to future productions as a theatre practitioner?
How to submit a shareable link
The link to upload your presentation will be available and emailed after the December 15th registration deadline.
How to get the shareable link of your digital display/slides:
Google Slides:
Click “File”
> ”Share”
> “Share with others”
> Click the dropdown menu on General Access
> Select “ Anyone with the link”
> Click “Copy Link” (You are ready to paste to the submission form!)
Google Drive:
Click the three vertical dots
>”Share”>”Share”
>”Click the dropdown menu on General Access
> Select “ Anyone with the link”
> Click “Copy Link” (You are ready to paste to the submission form!)
Microsoft PowerPoint:
Click “File”
>”Share”
>”Share with People”
> Click Gear Icon (Sharing Settings)
>Select “Anyone”
> Click “Apply”
> Click “Copy Link” (You are ready to paste to the submission form!)
Microsoft OneDrive:
Click the three horizontal dots
>”Share”
>Click Gear Icon (Sharing Settings)
>Select “Anyone”
> Click “Apply”
> Click “Copy Link” (You are ready to paste to the submission form!)
PHYSICAL DISPLAY & ORAL PRESENTATION GUIDELINE
Plan your presentation format
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Self-Standing Presentation Board (Tri-Fold is recommended).
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The maximum size is 48″ H x 48″ W.
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You will have a 12″ D x 36″ W table space for the board or other additional items.
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Extra space & Power sources will be available upon request, but are limited.
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Please mention that in the EXPO registration form or contact the DTM Co-Chairs: Shana Joslyn and/or Naoko Skala
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Electric Device Users-Especially Sound & Projection Designers:
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A self-powered tablet-based device is recommended, but not required, for the regional EXPO.
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Prepare your oral presentation
“Design” your board and print out photos & paperwork
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Emphasize process over product.
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Please include rough drafts, sketches, and illustrations of key moments in design development, including challenges.
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Use larger, high-quality images- larger is better than more
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View all display board space as valuable real estate- ensure that images create a narrative and logical flow
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Prioritize clear, typed labeling and visual flow
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Avoid including original design work, resumes, or business cards
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Do not display the school’s name, but do include the names of collaborators.
Write a 1-3 minute “Elevator Pitch” script in outline format for your presentation.
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You will have 3 minutes for your presentation.
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PLEASE practice, practice, practice!!!
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An Elevator Pitch is a personal and intentional introduction to one’s work.
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This pitch may include
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Introduction:Your Name, Your Area of Discipline, Title of the production, Playwright’s name. PLEASE DO NOT MENTION YOUR SCHOOL’S NAME.
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A brief explanation of the project and its context (classroom, realized, hypothetical, devised, etc.)
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The core concept or critical questions that guided the work/project
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Key inspirations (visual, narrative, technical), research undertaken, and contextual factors that informed their creative choices.
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Articulation of your conceptual framework and artistic intentions.
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Outline your project process-
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The methodologies employed
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Challenges encountered
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Solutions devised during the development of your project.
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On-site Registration and Sign-Up
When you arrive at the Festival in January, please register at the Festival Registration table first.
After receiving a lanyard, please come to the Design/Tech/Management (DTM) table to sign up for your presentation time and date, choose your exhibit space, and notify the DTM chairs to ensure they add you to the system.
If you have your display board & materials at the time of sign-up, please leave them on your exhibit table after notifying the DTM chairs.
Stage Management entries have table space only, approximately 3 sq. feet.
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Exhibits must be set-up and taken down at the assigned load-in and strike times.
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It is expected that your work stay in place for the entire festival.
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Students who can not attend the set-up must find a way to have their presentation set up in their absence, and those students who need to leave prior to the final strike must find a way to prearrange the removal and safe return of their design work.
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Work removed early will not be considered for awards.
Although the Region II gallery space will be secured during the day, exhibitors are responsible for the safeguarding of their own equipment.
Region II is not responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen displays.
All exhibits will be photographed for the KCACTF Region II archives and some images may be used on the Region II website.
If you do not wish to have your work documented, please contact the Chair of Design and Technology directly.
Oral Presentation & Responding Session
Please arrive 20 minutes early or earlier for your presentation time.
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If you will be late for your presentation time, please get in touch with the DTM Chairs as soon as possible.
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We cannot guarantee rescheduling your oral presentation, so please be careful.
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We highly recommend that you observe other students’ presentations and response sessions.
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Please ask your friends or peers to take notes of the respondents’ feedback on your work.
Video/Audio recording is prohibited.
When you present your work in 3 minutes or less, please consider…
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Making eye contact with the respondents.
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If it is difficult for you, please look at the area around people’s eyes (eyebrows, between the eyes, etc.).
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Taking deep breaths.
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We expect you to be nervous, because you are doing something brave!
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During the respondent session:
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Be open to constructive feedback.
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If you do not know the answer, it is entirely natural! Be calm and be honest in a professional manner.
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Answering examples:
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“Thank you for your question. I do not have the complete answer at this moment, but I do know that…”
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“From my understanding, the decision was made by xxx because…”
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