Communication in oral presentation: A Malaysian experience

This on-going study analyses Malaysian engineering studentspsila oral presentations in relation to communication competencies during their 20 to 25-week Industrial Training Program. Students from four engineering faculties of two universities in Malaysia participated in this study. They were located at various industries sites in four states. The study adopts a blended approach of engineering oral presentation genre and a competency model in analyzing the data. Six main components, three from each approach are dealt with, namely introduction, body, conclusion and knowledge, skill and motivation respectively. The videotaped presentations and recorded interviews were transcribed and used to depict the actual performance. Based on the competencies that arise from the analysis, this study unfolds studentspsila difficulties in communication and presentation skills. This set of skills is critical in determining a graduatepsilas success or failure.