Hi, Is reading from a script for your presentation a no-no ? How many, if any marks get deducted if the examiner suspects (but could never prove) that you are reading from a script?
There's nothing that says you can't provided that script is prepared in exam time. But typically it makes a presentation look a bit inanimate or robotic and eye contact can be lost. You wouldn't lose marks for the script itself it's the delivery. In real presentations, presenters usually have queue cards or reminders of key points to make which expand on slides and PowerPoint has that facility. The thing to check out is whether any written material has to be given to the examiner as you don't want to fall fowl of any rules.
As bystander says - there is no explicit penalty in the marking schedule for using a script. However, the marking schedule does credit certain things that are observable & that might be impacted if a script is used. For example there are marks for "good eye contact". So it is perhaps safer to use brief notes (cue cards) than to use a script, as the latter may result in a greater loss of eye contact with your audience (i.e. the web cam!). If you are using cue cards (or a script) then I'd particularly encourage you to practice so you don't need to use them during both the introduction and conclusion sections of your presentation - as first and last impressions can be particularly important!
I don't see how maintaining that level of eye contact with audience is appropriate anyway. You'll rarely see professional politicians looking straight down the camera lens. Isn't there a problem here for people who's eyes aren't straight? Not everyone's eyes look like they're looking straight at someone...
There's a difference between glaring down a lens constantly and showing eye contact. What they don't want (and deduct marks far) is people avoiding the camera eg head permanently bent down or away. As for eye conditions these tend to be obvious conditions rather than contact aversions. My advice for someone with this condition if they have a concern is to be the examiner aware of it in the same way as submitting medical evidence in mitigating circumstances for other exams. Put this another way. Think about advice given to interviewees - it's have good eye contact. It's much the same thing as in business meetings. It is expected you will have appropriate eye contact. Don't get overly concerned.
