Presentations … Just the thought of having to give a presentation sends a chill down the spine of most people and, believe it or not, North American's fear public speaking more than death itself [ Urs Bender , 1997]. If you have not given a presentation you will no doubt have to sometime in the future because it has become the norm for disseminating information to large audiences quickly and effectively. Technological tools are now ubiquitous in the global seminar theatre.

 

In the 1960s Marshall McLuhan proposed that we live in a global village and that the medium is the message    [McLuhan , 1967]. At no other time than now were McLuhan's statements more true. If harnessed correctly, multimedia technology can foster more active learning [ McKeachie , 1999]; however, if this technology is improperly used it may hinder audience comprehension.

During my academic career I have had the pleasure of giving presentations to an array of audiences. I have also had the satisfaction of discussing presentation methods with many of my colleagues, attending numerous conference presentations where I critiqued and judged some of the sessions, and I have also critiqued my own presentations - you are after all your own worst critic. In this essay I provide tips for creating multimedia presentations (i.e., presentations that incorporate the use of a presentation package, such as Microsoft Ò PowerPoint or Corel Ò Presentations) that will effectively work for you and not against you.

 

What is the most difficult part of a presentation? Usually the first 30 to 60 seconds because during that time you struggle in the transition between the introducer and you and with becoming comfortable in front of your audience. This period also happens to be the time when you make the most critical impression on your listeners. Therefore, you should place considerable emphasis in preparing your title slide.

 

A title slide should be clear and concise. The presentation title should be the focal point of the slide and as such, it should be large (i.e. ³ 36 points). If you are introduced, then there is no need to put your name on this slide. Additionally, there should be no reason to put information that the audience will already know (i.e., the date and location of the presentation and who the audience is). That information is strictly for your records and can be placed in your personal files.

 

Depending on your beliefs, the next slide in a presentation may be a preview to the overall presentation. An outline slide provides a map to the audience of what you will do during the presentation. Lani Arredondo believes that an outline slide is important because it tells the audience what you are going to tell them. This is important if you wish your audience to recall your message. To assist your audience with recall you should organize your presentation into three large sections. In the first section you should tell the audience what the message will be (i.e., outline), in the second you will tell them the message (i.e., body of the presentation), and in the third you will tell them what you told them (i.e., summary).

 

It is commonly stated that, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Audio-visuals are tools that can be used to imprint information in people's minds long after they have forgotten what you said. Research demonstrates that visual aids enhance learning [ Manko , 1969; Arredondo , 1991; Pike , 1992;]. For example, if you recall a recently attended presentation the one you most likely remember incorporated some style of multimedia technology in the form of pictures and words. What you presently know was learned 75 % through visual stimulation, 13 % by audio stimulation, and 12 % through your sense of smell, touch, and taste [ Peoples , 1988]. Words alone are only one third as effective as a picture at transmitting a message; however, when words are coupled with a picture, they are six times more effective. Based on this research, there are several tips you should follow when preparing your presentations.

 

Try to avoid, or at least minimize, the amount of slides that are strictly text. I often find that presentations are chockfull of text slides. Presenters generally use text slides, not for audience assistance, but for their own guidance. These presenters rely on text slides as a crutch to help them get through the presentation. Sometimes these slides are read directly by the presenter to the audience. So what then is the purpose of you being there? If you are well-prepared there is no need to read from your slides. A few key words should be all that is needed to trigger your memory. Some rules should be followed when preparing text slides.

 

Some specific guidelines for text slides that I use are: 1) the font should be a sans serif font (i.e., Arial) and not a serif font (i.e., Times New Roman) because it is easier for the audience to distinguish between sans serif letters; 2) the slide title, if used, should be ³ 36 points; 3) paragraphs should be reduced to sentences and sentences trimmed to phrases and then into key words (e.g., think of billboard advertisements – very few words but very effective); 4) there should be no more than 6 to 8 lines of key words per slide, anymore and it is too much information; 5) text font should be ³ 32 points and in no circumstances < 24 points (e.g., print off your slides, place them on the floor and stand above them, if you cannot read the font it is too small); 6) never use all capital letters in titles or lines of text; 7) the line spacing should be set so that you maximize the use of the slide and the largest font size that still remains pleasing to the eye; 8) there should be a strong contrast between the text and the slide background (i.e., dark text on a light background or light text on a dark background); and 8) always have your text slides reviewed by a peer to ensure that there are no errors or omissions (e.g., spelling errors can cause an audience to believe your information is unreliable).

 

A note should be made on pre-packaged presentation themes. To make your presentation one to remember I would avoid using themes included with the presentation package. These motifs are not original and generally are not the most attractive or effective way to present your material. You and your audience will be more impressed and will take away more from a presentation that is pleasing to the eye and original in design.

 

Slides with figures are an excellent way to illustrate to your audience complicated concepts or for reinforcing your spoken words. If you use figures make sure that your audience understands what it is that you are showing them. For example, your spectators will not be impressed if you show a picture of an entire car when all you really want them to learn about is the piston inside the motor. Focus is the key with figures. Show the figure and zoom, with your speech, into what it is that you are trying to show. Figures should also be large enough so that the entire audience can see them. If you cut and paste an image from the internet ensure that it is a good quality image. Scanned images should also be in high quality form or else they should not be used. Poor quality images will only distort, not support, your message.

Try to avoid going wild with clipart images. It may be tempting to insert clipart images into a presentation in order to distract the audience from you, but these images will also likely distract the audience from taking in your overall message. Therefore, it is wise to use clipart images in moderation and use them only when appropriate (i.e., where and when they reinforce an idea).

 

Graphs are one item that presenters appear to spend little time preparing. Remember, your audience needs you to guide them during the presentation. When you show a graph you must explain what it is depicting and this includes describing all of the axes and noting any peculiarities in scales. There is no sense in showing a graph that is not adequately understood by your audience. Most presenters use graphs from standard spreadsheet programs like Excel and Quattro Pro. Although there is nothing wrong with using graphs from these packages, the default graphs are typically not of a good quality. Therefore, you should spend some time sprucing up these graphs in order to clearly show what you want the viewers to understand. Some general guidelines for graphs that I use are: 1) no font should be < 24 points and the font should be a sans serif font that matches the presentation font; 2) all axes tick marks should be logical and easily understood (i.e., don't use 3 tick divisions when 4 or 5 would be more logical); 3) pay attention to significant digits used for tick marks and use only those digits necessary (i.e., default graphs typically use too many significant digits that can lead to clutter and confusion); 4) graphs should be uncluttered (i.e., if there are too many data series that cross in one graph think about using two graphs instead); 5) graphs should be easily understood (i.e., do not use a complicated three-dimensional graph for something that can be described with a simple two-dimensional graph).

 

When creating an effective high technology presentation you should have a knowledge of colour use. Colours are a method of message conveyance (i.e., all colours have underlying meaning and can make or break your presentation), but you must be careful in the colors you choose. Some colours work together while others work against each other. To use colours appropriately, make sure to apply the use of complimentary colours, which can be found within a colour wheel [e.g., Itten , 1970].

 

You should recognize that about 8 % of the population has a visual color deficiency and does not see colour the same way that a person without a colour deficiency does. The most common vision condition is red-green color blindness. People who suffer from this see shades of red and green as a brown color making it impossible to distinguish between the two colors. Therefore, the next time you put a graph in your presentation you should ensure that there is another way to distinguish between the red and green lines in a plot. One way to do this is with the use of textures and shapes in addition to hue. For example, one line could be dashed while the other remains solid. You should consider colour blind people because it would be very frustrating to someone who has this deficiency to hear you talk about the trend in a red line when they are looking at the green line thinking it is red. If you are curious about colour blind conditions there is a wealth of information on the internet and one exceptional site that shows how a person with colour blindness sees the world can be found at www.vischeck.com .

 

You may have access to a multimedia package that has the ability to incorporate text, cartoons, photographs, charts, tables, and movies all in one, but you must remember that the audience attends a presentation to see and hear you. You are your best visual. The audience wishes to listen to a warm body that can communicate a message not only through audio transmission but by body language and emotions. Do not get lost in the media show. Remember, technology is used to support your message, you are not there to reinforce the technology!

 

Even though low tech tools for presentations are becoming scarce [ Arredondo , 1991] they still have a place in the seminar theatre. You as a presenter must determine what is the best tool for bringing about your message and facilitating learning of your listeners. If this is better done through low tech tools then they should be used; however, whenever high tech tools can enhance learning they should definitely be used and used in conjunction with the tips that I have presented here.

 

References:

 

Arredondo, L. 1991. How to present like a pro . McGraw Hill, Toronto . 180p.

Pike, R.W. 1992. Visual aids – how to keep participants' attention . In Woelfle, R.M. [ editor ], A new guide for better technical presentations . Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Press, New York . 369p.

Peoples, D.A. 1988. Presentations plus . John Wiley and Sons, New York . 239p.

McLuhan, M. 1967. The medium is the message . Bantam, New York . 159p.

Manko, H.H. 1969. Effective technical speeches and sessions . McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York . 174p.

Urs Bender, P. 1997. Secrets of power presentations, focusing on effective, dynamic and impressive business presentations , 8 th edition. The Achievement Group, Toronto . 269p.

www.vischeck.com

 

About the Author

 

Matthew Alexander is a PhD. Candidate with the Groundwater Studies Group in the Department of Civil Engineering and a participant in the TLC's Diploma in University Teaching Program. He has presented on the distinction between effective and ineffective high technology presentations.