Presenting and Testing
Year 9 HEAP • Persuasion • Presentation
A pitch is not a reading of the poster. It is a short, live argument for why the campaign should exist, what it will do and how it will know whether it worked. Testing is how the campaign learns before it goes wider.
The three-minute pitch
| Section | Time | Job | Sentence starter |
|---|
| Hook | 20 seconds | Make the issue concrete. | "Every lunchtime, ..." |
| Problem | 30 seconds | Name who is affected and why it matters now. | "The people most affected are..." |
| Evidence | 45 seconds | Show two or three pieces of proof. | "Our audit found..." |
| Proposal | 40 seconds | Explain the change and how it would work. | "We propose..." |
| Objection | 25 seconds | Show you have taken the strongest concern seriously. | "The obvious concern is..." |
| Call to action | 20 seconds | Ask for one specific decision or action. | "We are asking you to..." |
What to bring
- One complete campaign artefact: poster, short video, script or social post.
- One page of evidence with sources and dates.
- One page showing the audience test and the change made because of it.
- One sentence naming the action you are asking for.
- A backup plan if the technology fails: printed copy, offline video or a spoken description.
Audience test design
| Question | What it tests | How to ask |
|---|
| What do you think this campaign is asking you to do? | Comprehension and call to action | Open question, no prompts. |
| What is the main reason given? | Argument clarity | Open question. |
| What do you find most convincing, and why? | Credibility | Open question, followed by "why?" |
| What feels unclear, exaggerated or uncomfortable? | Unintended effects | Invite criticism explicitly. |
| Would you do the action? Why or why not? | Feasibility and motivation | Ask about barriers, not just intent. |
| Who might be excluded or misrepresented? | Ethics and access | Ask directly; do not wait for volunteers. |
Running the test
- Choose five to eight people who resemble the intended audience but are not in the campaign group.
- Explain the purpose and ask for honest criticism. Make it clear that disagreement is useful.
- Show the artefact once without explaining it first. Explanation contaminates the test.
- Ask the questions in order. Do not defend the draft while they answer.
- Record responses anonymously. Use codes, not names.
- Look for patterns, not just the comment you liked best.
- Make one significant change and record why.
Interpreting responses
| Response | Possible meaning | Next move |
|---|
| "I didn't know what to do." | The call to action is buried or vague. | Move it earlier and make it concrete. |
| "I thought it was about something else." | The headline or image is ambiguous. | Test a clearer headline or caption. |
| "It felt like it was blaming us." | The tone attributes the problem to the audience. | Shift from blame to a shared, feasible change. |
| "I didn't believe the number." | The evidence lacks a visible source or method. | Add the source, date and what was counted. |
| "I would, but I can't." | A barrier has not been removed. | Change the ask or provide support. |
| "It's fine." | Polite disengagement, not persuasion. | Ask what they remember and what they would change. |
Answering questions
| Question type | Example | Response strategy |
|---|
| Evidence challenge | "Where did that figure come from?" | Name the source, date and method. If you do not know, say so and follow up. |
| Cost challenge | "Who is paying for this?" | Give the best available estimate and the trade-offs. Do not invent a figure. |
| Fairness challenge | "Who gets left out?" | Acknowledge the gap and explain the safeguard or next step. |
| Priority challenge | "Why this instead of something else?" | Explain the scale, urgency and feasibility without dismissing the other issue. |
| Hostile question | "Isn't this just a stunt?" | Stay calm, restate the claim and return to evidence. |
Pitch rehearsal checklist
- I can explain the campaign in one sentence without notes.
- I know which evidence I will show and where it came from.
- I have practised the first and last twenty seconds most.
- I have timed the pitch and left room for questions.
- I have prepared for the three most likely objections.
- I can describe one change I made after testing, and why.
- My visual is readable from the back of the room.
- I have a backup if the technology fails.
Common errors
- Reading the poster aloud. The pitch should add argument, not duplicate text.
- Explaining before testing. This tells the audience what to think.
- Defending every comment. The test is for learning, not winning.
- Changing nothing. A test that produces no change wasted the audience's time.
- Overclaiming results. Five responses are a signal, not proof of the whole school's view.
Before the pitch goes public, complete the ethical review.