Creating Good Presentations

Planning a Presentation(Remember all the things you learned in speech class)

PowerPoint as a Visual Aid(Remember all the things you learned in art class)

Planning a Presentation 1. Design starts before you turn on

your computerWhat type of presentation is it? (informational, persuasive, etc.)Who is your audience?What is the content?What do you want the audience to walk away with from your presentation?

Planning a Presentation 2. Research, research, research

Gather the accurate and appropriate informationExplore many sources

Planning a Presentation 3. Start with an outline

Brainstorm your content

4. Organize your ideasGive a beginning, middle, and endLogical flow

5. Open effectively6. Incorporate clear signals

Use repetition

Planning a Presentation 7. Summarize8. End memorably

PowerPoint Visual AidBe consistent: consistent background, consistent font, etc.Use text effectively

Generally, follow a 6x6 rule: not more than six words across or six bullets downText should be concise thoughts not paragraphs

PowerPoint Visual AidUse text effectively (continued

Serif fonts (fonts with “tails” like Times New Roman are easier to read versus fonts without serifs such as Arial)Limit using ALL CAPITAL lettersChoose a simple font that is easy to read unless the style of font adds meaning to the textProofread

PowerPoint Visual AidUse text effectively (continued)

Titles and headlines should fit on one line

Font color needs to be a strong contrast to background color

PowerPoint Visual Aid

Mathematical center versus visual center

Mathematical Center

Visual Center

PowerPoint Visual Aid

Rule of ThirdsThese four intersections are are good focus pointsAll nine squares should have something in them (none should be solid color)Something should touch every edge

White SpaceWhite space is needed to provide contrast to catch the reader’s eye

Don’t clutter your page with too much text

TransitionsTransitions should flowUse appropriate transitionsTransitions can add meaning to a presentation

Visuals

Humans process visuals 66,000 times faster than text

Graphics

Real photographs add more meaning than clip artGraphics should be relevant to written content and add to the presentationCharts are easier to read than a table of numbersUtilize quality graphicsImages can contain emotion and bring meaning to words

Cropping Photos

What is cropping?Selecting the part of the image you want while removing the rest.

Why crop pictures?Cropping can bring the viewers focus to the subject and make unexciting photos appear more dynamic.

Cropping TipsGood cropping uses sufficient space at the top, bottom and sides of photo.

Consider where you are going to use the image. Does it need to fit into a vertical, horizontal or square space?

When cropping people it is best to crop at a person’s knee, waist, elbows or shoulders, depending on how much of the person you want to show.

Cropping ExampleBefore

After

Sound & VideoSound should enhance presentation (think about commercial jingles)Appropriate to written content

About ColorsColor should draw the viewer’s attention to the desired informationLearn & teach color theory

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Remember Opposites

Something big Something small

Something short Something tall

Something dark Something light

Helps to make your picture all right

Projecting a PresentationStand 10 feet away from your computer monitor. Can you read it? If not, increase your font size1/3, 2/3: Keep the front 1/3 of the room dark and the back 2/3 lightedGenerally you need 2 inches of screen size for each person in the audience

Works CitedBermark, Dr. Lynell, “Strategies for Sucessful Presentations,” Thornburg Center for Professional Development, Jukes, Ian, “Creating Knock-Your-Socks-Off Presentations: How to Deliver your Message with Power and Pizzazz,” The InfoSavvy Group