The start of a lecture is perhaps the most exciting and at the same time the most nerve racking moment of a lecture. This is when the audience's mentality is changing from a normal mode to a listening and paying attention mode. This is also when the lecturer is uncertain about the lecture, the questions that may arise, and the reaction of the audience.

At the same time, the initial few minutes of a lecture define the pace, extent of success, and the overall effect of a lecture. A bad start to a lecture makes the delivery of a successful lecture extremely difficult. On the other hand, a good and energetic start can make the delivery of a smooth lecture almost automatic. As a result, a great deal of care and attention is required by the lecturer in order to ensure that the lecture starts out in the right way. In this chapter, the dynamics and issues of the first few minutes of a lecture will be analyzed in detail.

THE INITIAL LACK OF ATTENTION

The first and most important aspect of the beginning of a lecture is the attention span of the audience. While generally the attention span of the audience decreases as the lecture goes on, in the first few minutes of a lecture the attention span actually increases from an initial low point, as shown in the following figure.