Creating Effective Visual Aids (AVs)

1. Creating Effective Visual Aids (AVs)

2. OUTLINE • The rationale behind using AVs • Tips for preparing effective AVs • Preparing effective PowerPoint slides • Sample AVs

3. Visual Aids Should… • Supplement presentation • Outline the main points • Serve audience’s needs, not speaker’s • Be simple and clear because...

4. The Purpose of Using Visual Aids ... AVs • support your ideas • improve audience comprehension • add variety to presentation (a break from listening)

5. The Purpose of Using Visual Aids – cont. • enliven a difficult / boring subject • help illustrate complex ideas/concepts • help the presenter to stick to the plan

6. Visual Aids - Examples • PowerPoint Slides • Overhead Transparencies • Graphs/Charts • Pictures • Films/Video • Flip Charts • Sketches

7. Tips on Preparing Visual Aids

8. TIPS... • Start with anoutline of the goal • Keep visual aids BRIEF • Do not read AV directly (what you say vs.AV) • Ask audience to read or listen, not both

9. TIPS... (cont.) • Account for production time(both in planning and selection) • Checkrelevance to topic • Use charts and graphs • Make sure graphics are not too crowded

10. TIPS...(cont.) • Don't let handoutsbecome a distraction • Practice with AV • Seek feedback on the clarity of yourAV • Checkgrammar and spelling

11. Making PowerPoint Slides Avoiding the Pitfalls of Bad Slides

12. ADVANTAGES OF POWERPOINT SLIDES • Professional image • Minimal expense • Compact and portable

13. ADVANTAGES OF POWERPOINT SLIDES (cont.) • Easy to • email • sort and practice • edit • insert graphics • share

14. ADVANTAGES OF POWERPOINT SLIDES (cont.) • Can be • printed • copied • provided as handout material • Many options: • animation • video clips • sound

15. DISADVANTAGES OF POWERPOINT SLIDES • Equipment not always available • Technology being the focus - not content or presenter • Noisy projector —distracting • Need of a darkened room

16. Outlines Slide Structure Fonts Color Background Spelling and Grammar Conclusions Questions Tips to be Covered

17. Outline • 1st or 2nd slide ---- outline • Only main points on the outline slide • Ex: Use the titles of each slide as main points

18. Slide Structure • 1-2 slides per minute • Point / bullet form(no complete sent.) • 4-5 points per slide • Key words and phrases only

19. Slide Structure - Bad • This page contains too many words for a presentation slide. It is not written in point form, making it difficult both for your audience to read and for you to present each point. Although there are exactly the same number of points on this slide as the previous slide, it looks much more complicated. In short, your audience will spend too much time trying to read this paragraph instead of listening to you.

20. Slide Structure – Good • Showing one point at a time will: • help audience concentrate on what you are saying • prevent audience from reading ahead • help you keep your presentation focused

21. Slide Structure - Animation • Do not use distracting animation • Do not go overboard with the animation • Be consistent with the animation that you use

22. Fonts - Good • Use at least an 18-point font • Use different size fonts for main points and secondary points • this font: 28-point • main point font: 30-point • title font: 42-point • Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial

23. Fonts - Bad • If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written • CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ • Don’t use a complicated font

24. Color - Good • Use a color of font that contrasts sharply with the background • Ex: blue font on white background • Use color to reinforce the logic of your structure • Ex: light blue title and dark blue text • Use color to emphasize a point • But use thisonly occasionally

25. Color - Bad • Using a font color that does not contrast with the background color is hard to read • Using color for decoration is distractingand annoying. • Using a different color for each point is unnecessary • Using a different color for secondary points is also unnecessary • Trying tobe creativecan alsobe bad

26. Background - Good • Use backgrounds such as this one (attractive but simple) • Use backgrounds which are light • Use the same background consistently

27. Background – Bad • Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to read from • Always be consistent with the background that you use

28. Graphs • Use graphs rather than just charts and words • Data - easier to comprehend & retain • Trends - easier to visualize

29. Spelling and Grammar • Proofread your slides for: • speling mistakes • the use of ofrepeated words • grammatical errors you might have make • Have someone else check your presentation!

30. Conclusion • Use an effective and strong closing • Audience is likely to remember your last words • Use a conclusion slide to: • Summarize the main points • Suggest future avenues of research

31. Questions?? • End with a simple question slide to: • Invite your audience to ask questions • Provide a visual aid during question period • Avoid ending a presentation abruptly

32. Thank you 