PowerPoint and Presentation Suggestions
February 16, 2010
Lindsey’s Six Suggestions For Your Next Presentation
- You need less text than you think! If a 20-minute conference talk is about 7-10 pages of double-spaced Times New Roman 12-point text with standard margins, then a 5-minute talk is a maximum of 2.5 pages. This means you have to condense your material into key points and highlights, or choose to present only one point in greater detail.
- Your talk needs a clear structure. After beginning with something interesting to hook your audience’s attention, give a sort of verbal “table of contents”: “Over the course of this presentation, I’m going to discuss Idea #1, compare and contrast it with Idea #2, and tell you how both relate to Idea #3. I will conclude by demonstrating that Idea #4 is actually the best of all.” For even more staying power, have a slide supporting this part of your introduction.
- Pacing is how you make sure your audience will “get it.” Rehearse your presentation before you give it, so that you can make sure you are speaking slowly and clearly, and that your presentation’s overall structure will be clear to the audience. I recommend presenting for a family member or a fellow student who is not familiar with your work. (I sometimes rehearse mine over the phone with my folks.) If they get it, then your “real” audience will too.
- Every PowerPoint slide should be clear and have a distinct purpose. Don’t clutter them with extraneous material. Simplify all graphs and figures to show only the most relevant data. Make sure that the point of each slide is obvious to the group and to the audience.
- Consider using the “notes” feature at the bottom of each PowerPoint slide to store your talk. Your audience won’t be able to see it, and it will make it clearer to you how each slide figures in your presentation.
- Make a handout of your PowerPoint presentation by printing 3 slides per page with lines for notetaking. When you go to print, select the “Handouts (3 slides per page)” option. This way people will be able to easily follow your talk, and they’ll also be able to jot down notes or questions they might have. They’ll still want to see the full-size version (particularly when you’ve got images to show), but you’ll have an informed audience rather than a confused one.
Here are two very useful presentations, which I encourage you to use as resources while planning your talk!
Effective PowerPoint Presentations… It’s Not Just About The Facts!
Suzanne Shaffer, Penn State
Entry Filed under: Macaulay,Pedagogy. Posted in Macaulay ,Pedagogy .
