Present: Communicating Information Effectively

Present is the seventh pillar in the SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy. It means communicating information effectively after identifying a need, scoping the task, planning the search, gathering sources, evaluating information, and managing it ethically.

Presenting is the stage where students show what they have learned. This may happen through an essay, report, oral presentation, poster, digital slideshow, video, podcast, infographic, portfolio, blog post, classroom display, or discussion. The final product should communicate information clearly, accurately, and responsibly.

Definition

A simple classroom definition is:

Present means communicating information and findings in a clear, organized, ethical, and suitable form.

This pillar is not limited to standing in front of a class. Students present information whenever they share what they found or understood. A written report, digital poster, recorded explanation, group slideshow, or online discussion post can all be forms of presentation.

Presenting information well requires more than collecting facts. Students must choose what to include, organize ideas, explain evidence, use suitable language, and acknowledge sources.

Choosing Format and Audience

A good presentation begins with two questions:

• Who is the audience?
• What is the purpose?

The audience may be classmates, younger students, teachers, parents, community members, or online readers. The purpose may be to inform, explain, persuade, compare, report findings, solve a problem, or raise awareness.

Different audiences and purposes need different formats.

For example, a detailed research essay may be suitable for a teacher education course, but it may not be suitable for primary students. A short illustrated poster may be better for younger learners.

Structure and Clarity

Presentation should be organized. A clear structure helps the audience follow the message.

A simple structure may include:

• title or topic
• introduction
• main points
• evidence or examples
• conclusion
• source list or acknowledgements

For oral or digital presentations, students should avoid putting too much text on slides. Slides should support explanation, not replace it. A slide full of copied paragraphs is difficult to read and often shows weak understanding.

For written work, students should use paragraphs, headings, topic sentences, examples, and transitions. For visual work, students should use layout, labels, spacing, and images carefully.

Clarity means the audience can understand the message without confusion. Students should define key terms, avoid unnecessary jargon, and explain ideas in their own words.

Using Evidence

A strong presentation uses evidence. Students should not only state opinions. They should support claims with facts, examples, data, quotations, observations, or source-based explanation.

For example, instead of saying:

“Too much screen time is bad.”

A stronger statement is:

“Excessive recreational screen use may affect sleep, attention, and study routines, so students need balanced digital habits.”

The stronger version is more careful. It avoids exaggeration and can be supported with suitable evidence.

Students should learn to connect evidence to the point being made. Evidence should not be pasted into the presentation without explanation.

Ethical Presentation

Ethical presentation means sharing information honestly and responsibly. Students should not misrepresent sources, copy without credit, hide important context, or use images and media illegally.

Ethical presentation includes:

• citing sources
• using quotation marks for exact words
• paraphrasing accurately
• avoiding plagiarism
• respecting copyright
• giving credit for images, charts, videos, and music
• not changing evidence to mislead
• protecting private information
• using respectful language
• following teacher rules about AI tools

This is important because the final presentation is often what others see. If the presentation contains copied, misleading, or unsupported information, the earlier research process becomes weak.

Design and Communication

Design matters, but it should support communication. A presentation should not be judged only by colors, animations, or decoration.

Good design helps the audience understand the message. It uses readable text, clear headings, suitable images, enough spacing, and logical order.

For digital slides, students should remember:

• use short points, not long copied paragraphs
• make text large enough to read
• use images that support meaning
• avoid too many animations
• keep design consistent
• explain visuals during the presentation
• cite image and information sources

For posters and infographics, students should use layout carefully. The audience should know where to look first, what the main message is, and what evidence supports it.

ICT Connection

ICT gives students many ways to present information. They may use:

• presentation software
• word processors
• blogs
• podcasts
• video editors
• infographic tools
• digital portfolios
• websites
• learning management systems
• online whiteboards
• shared documents
• audio recording tools

ICT can make presentation more creative and accessible. Students can combine text, image, audio, video, charts, links, and interactive elements. They can also revise work more easily after feedback.

However, ICT can also distract from learning. Students may spend too much time choosing fonts, animations, templates, or background music and too little time checking accuracy and evidence.

The teacher should remind students that the digital product must serve the learning goal. A beautiful presentation with weak content is not a strong presentation.

Flashcard

What does Present mean in the SCONUL model?

Tap to reveal

Answer

Present means communicating information clearly, accurately, ethically, and appropriately for a specific audience, purpose, and format.

Classroom Meaning

Teachers can develop the Present pillar by giving clear criteria before students create final work. Students should know how their presentation will be judged.

A simple rubric may include:

These criteria help students understand that presentation is both communication and responsibility.

Teachers can also ask students to practise explaining their source choices. For example:

“Which source gave you the most useful evidence, and how did you use it in your presentation?”

This connects Present with the earlier pillars.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to think presentation means only making work look attractive. Appearance matters, but it is not enough. The presentation must show understanding.

Another mistake is to include too much information. Students may overload slides, posters, or reports with copied text. A good presentation selects important points and explains them clearly.

A third mistake is to forget sources at the final stage. Students may evaluate and manage sources during research but fail to cite them in the final product.

A fourth mistake is to use digital media without checking rights or privacy. Images, videos, music, and personal information must be used responsibly.

The Present pillar helps students complete the information literacy process. It teaches them to communicate what they have learned in a way that is clear, ethical, accurate, and suitable for the audience.