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The introduction

This part of the presentation should arouse the interest of the audience. You might want to consider using:

  • a short anecdote or example related to the topic
  • a provocative question
  • humour (used very carefully)
  • a hook relating the topic to general experience

For example:

If your presentation is about the benefits of modern transportation, you may wish to begin with a rhetorical question:

How many people have been caught in slow-moving traffic and been late for an important meeting?

After you get the audience's attention, you must tell your audience the purpose of your presentation in one or two clear sentences. Finally, you need to explain how the topic will be developed:

  • This paper will investigate the...
  • The effects of ... will be shown by a comparison of x and y.
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