effective visual aids - info speech

PowerPoints& Video Clipsa guide to using electronic visual aids

Visual Aids Review

• MUST have visual aid for informative speech!• Could be:– Objects to display– Poster– PowerPoint– Video– Multimedia: a combination of above

Visual Aids Review (cont.)

• LARGE font, LARGE photos

• Easy to read

• Object too big or small? Make model

• Effective use of color

• Seen easily from back of room

Know Your Plan

• Never make PowerPoint before writing speech

• Content should drive PowerPoint

• Plan slide content before making it

One Thing at a Time

• We instantly read words put up on a screen.• If you have the next four points listed, the

audience will read ahead of you.• Then they won’t be focused on your speech or

on you.• You’ve now lost their attention.• Your speech isn’t going to be effective.• (When you read this line, raise your hand.)

One Thing at a Time (cont.)

• Reveal one point at a time.

• Put charts/photos on separate slides.

• Your JOB is to control the flow of info.

Paragraph v. Point

• Most people think their PowerPoints have to be stand-alone documents so they put the entire text of their speech on the PowerPoint. Congratulations. You’ve just caused your audience to die of boredom. Your PowerPoint slides are illustrations of your presentation, meant to enhance your text. The PowerPoint is not a presentation all by itself. The audience should have to pay attention to YOU to learn about your topic. Trying to read the paragraph you wrote distracts them from being attentive to you, creates a listening barrier, isn’t pleasant to look at, and makes it hard for them to tune back into you when they’re done reading. You get the point.

Paragraph v. Point (cont.)

• Not a stand-alone document• Meant to enhance, not replace• Audience watches YOU, not PowerPoint

• 6x6 Rule:–Six or less lines of text–Six or less words per line

Background Designs

• Busy backgrounds look cool….

• ….but it’s really hard to read anything on it!

Background (Cont.)

• Dark text color

• Light background

• Easiest on eyes

• Dark background? Harder on eyes!

• Use slightly larger font size

• Light text color

ALIGNMENT AND FONT

• Align points LEFT or RIGHT• Center

• alignment• looks

• amateur• Use an easy-to-read font: – Calibri, Arial, Helvetica

• Save fancy fonts for headers

CLIP ART

Photos

• Avoid clip art (seen it already!)

• One photo per slide – Two photos only if comparing/contrasting

• Keeps slide clean, uncluttered

One Idea Per Slide

• Focus each slide on one narrow idea

– i.e. one main point or detail

–Not all info needs a slide!

One Idea Per Slide (cont.)

• Support ideas with graphics, not text

• EXAMPLE:– 65% of students learn from graphics and words– 38% of students learn from words only• E-Learning and the Science of Instruction, Clarke

Have a Back-Up Plan!

• Technology doesn’t always work

• Save on flashdrive

• Save to an email account

• Print slides on full pages (elmo)

Video Clips

• Approx. 45 seconds• Test links during SET-UP• Clip shouldn’t speak for itself• Link to speech before, after, and maybe during – Why are we watching?– What should we notice?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lExW80sXsHs