• Communication is Key! (the exchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs; something imparted, interchanged, or transmitted)
• In order to have effective communication, you must think about your words, your voice, and your non-verbal message
• Pay attention to your non-verbal behavior.
• Avoid looking nervous
• PRACTICE!!
• Make eye contact – hold for a second or two – move around the room with your gaze
• Pay attention to your posture – you want to be the focus of your presentation
• If you are using a lectern, don’t lean on it or use it as an arm rest
• Keep lighting at the right level
• Use non-verbal communication to emphasize a point – stepping forward adds emphasis – use hand motions to drive home a point
• Avoid distracting movements
• A power point is a prop, not the focus of a presentation
• Pay careful attention to your voice.
• Don’t READ! Don’t be monotone – it’s unnatural – you should sound like you are having a conversation – use a good voice range
• Monitor your volume
• Check equipment prior to your presentation (especially if using a microphone or slide show)
• Enunciate – speak clearly
• Use pauses to emphasize your statements
• Be careful with your pace – don’t talk too fast or too slow
• Watch your pitch so you sound conversational
• Carefully chose your words – give things that help people visualize what you are talking about
• Use examples – “paint a picture in the audience’s heads”
• Use language you are comfortable with.

Content of Your Presentation

Introduction and Conclusion

• Your introduction should be creative, original and interesting to get the attention of the audience immediately
• Your introduction should set the purpose and the objectives of your presentation. The audience needs to know what they are about to be involved in.
• Your conclusion should be creative and clearly related to the introduction. “That’s all I have” is not a conclusion!
• Include a creative summary before the conclusion.
• Remember the objective of your presentation and decide whether or not your introduction and conclusion make that clear to the audience.

General Content

• Information must be complete, correct and documented.
• Ideas and arguments should be original and fully developed.
• Technical or very complex ideas may require more explanation or refining than a written paper – your audience needs to understand what you are talking about.
• Content of the presentation must satisfy the objectives you set for yourself.

Organization and Structure

• You should be clear and concise: post an outline or a sign as a tool to highlight the main points and transitions if you think that will help the audience.
• The whole presentation should be unified in structure, style and purpose.
• Your language and vocabulary should be used creatively and appropriately.
• Vocabulary and sentence complexity should be adapted for the audience.
• Transitions between major points or sections should be apparent, but smooth.
• A good transition closes one point and opens the next.

Use of Technology or Props

• Be knowledgeable about the equipment prior to presentation
• A/V materials, aids and props should be high quality and appropriate
• Equipment and materials should be organized and handled with ease (plan out how you will distribute materials, etc.)
• Only materials that add to the effectiveness of the presentation should be used – avoid anything that will distract the audience

Documentation and Ethics

• It is unethical to claim the ideas or work of another person as your own (in writing, visual, or spoken communication)
• Use and document a sufficient number of sources to make your content credible and persuasive
• The beginning and end of a direct quote must be established clearly in your delivery.

Slide Show

Purpose: A slide show is run and controlled by the speaker, but is secondary to the spoken word. Only information (text & graphics) which support and enhance the speaker’s message should be included.

Typical organization of slides:

§         Teaser(s) – to grab the audience’s attention

§         Title screen – optional

§         Thesis/Purpose

§         Transitions – use this screen style repeatedly to help the audience follow transitions to major new outline points or areas

§         Body/Support – slides containing only that textual, visual or graphical information which improves the audience’s understanding or attention

§         Technical Information – slides containing technical language, direct quotes, dates, names, etc., which are difficult for the audience to grasp orally

§         Hyperlinks – use cautiously with an eye to time and flow

§         Summary Slides – review only major points

§         Final Persuasion Point – should close your thesis argument or purpose

§         Conclusion – a lasting visual image or textual idea that will remain with the audience

§         Bibliographic slides – NOT a part of your spoken presentation – display only after you are finished

Virtual Gallery

Purpose: Used to show images to your audience. Your spoken words, if any, are secondary to the images. You may have prepared the slides to provoke thought, questions, and/or discussion from your audience.

Organization and use of the slides:

§         Design slides, backgrounds, transitions, etc. which enhance the visual or appear invisible. Do not allow color and transition to overpower or distract from the visual purpose of each slide.

§         Textual information should be limited.

§         Labels and citations, where necessary, might be shown on a second repeat screen of each slide to avoid lessoning the initial impact of the visual image.

§         Organization might allow for non-sequential viewing determined by questions or discussion.

Continuous Electronic Kiosk

Purpose: A slide show alone communicates to the audience. Examples would include virtual guided tours, educational demonstrations, or open house exhibits.

Organization and use of slides:

• Set timing and transitions as appropriate for a first-time viewer
• Title and Informational screens – not only provide important information, but help the audience identify the beginning of a continuous cycle
• Labels and documentation of any sources must be included on each slide (or on the previous/subsequent slide)
• You may want to repeat versions of the title, introductory, or purpose slides at intervals for people who walk up (like at an event when using the visual on a loop)
• You may set the timing of the last slide to a longer interval to allow a new audience to gather and/or relieve the continuous light change distractions in the room
• Include a “Where to Learn More” slide or the names of the contact people as appropriate

Design and Organization Principles

Unity and consistency are key

• Choose a limited number or backgrounds, fonts, colors, and styles
• Slides at the same level of your outline should have a unified theme
• Slides of related purpose should have a unified theme
• Font, font size and font color should be the same on slides of related purpose (eg. all quotes in blue, all times in italics)
• Less is more!

Avoid distractions and irritatingly repetitious or slow effects

§         Use transition and animation effects with care

§         Include clip art and graphics only if they enhance your purpose

§         Choose sounds and all other effects carefully and on a VERY limited basis

Readability and Impact

• Select font size appropriate for display hardware and for size of intended audience
• Select fonts appropriate for size, distance, and reading ability of audience
• Restrict the number of font styles and colors
• Avoid low contrast fonts and backgrounds
• Select colors and styles according to the level of importance – don’t choose the flashiest style for a minor point for example
• Do not create a show that requires a very dark room
• Do not squish too much information or material on a slide
• Use transitions, animation, or add a line on mouse click features to avoid presenting too much information to the audience at one time
• Avoid text on the very bottom of the screen if it will be difficult for some audience members to see

Slide Show Operation and Delivery

• Create file with hardware in mind: size of screen, speed of computer, availability of sound, etc.
• Rehearse repeatedly (using the hardware you will use in your presentation)
• Preset timing is rarely a good idea. Plan ahead how you will handle transitions: keyboard, mouse, remote, etc.
• Rearrange equipment and furniture to suit your presentation (if necessary)
• Do NOT read from or look at the screen behind you. You may look at the screen briefly, but eye contact should be with your audience.
• Don’t let slide transition interrupt the flow of your presentation. Keep speaking while the next screen loads.
• Direct quotes and technical information may appear on slides, but large portions of your presentation should NOT be on the slides – it’s not a book to read! Your slideshow enhances your speaking – but shouldn’t replace it. Require the audience to pay attention to you, not to your slides alone.
• Use hyperlinks with caution. Pre-loading linked files is both quicker and safer in avoiding interruptions or access failures.
• If using sound or video-clips, check to be sure it will work – practice repeatedly for timing and a smooth presentation.
• Before you present, ask yourself whether your speech and ideas are the focus. Don’t let the slides or audio and visual effects overshadow your presentation (unless they are the main focus).
• Don’t turn off all the lights. If you are the speaker, the audience must be able to see you.

Documentation and Ethics

• As in any research/writing task, when creating a slide show follow all principles of ethics and fair use. Never take credit for the thoughts, ideas or artistic material of others.
• Create Works Cited/Bibliographic screens for the end of a slide presentation. DO NOT show these as a part of the content of your presentation, but make the information available to your audience after you finish.
• Free clip art does not require a citation.
• All charts, tables, pictures and graphics that are not you original work require a citation directly below them. For design and/or impact purposes, you may show the visual without a citation, if you repeat the slide later with proper citations.