Chapter 14 Review

“Listening can lead to understanding; seeing can lead to believing.”

In this chapter, we examined how the right selection and strategic use of presentation aids enhance your audience’s interest in, comprehension of, and retention of your speech. Aids can take many forms, including the speaker him- or herself, assistants, objects, visual images (such as maps, photographs and drawings, and diagrams), graphs, text-based visuals, audio recordings, and video. You can display presentation aids in a variety of ways—such as in printed form or through presentation software and other technology. To get the most impact from your aids, you need to develop them with the following points in mind: consider your forum, consider your audience, make sure your aids support your points, keep your aids simple and clear, and rehearse with your presentation aids. Then use your aids judiciously during your presentation to support your points—not to deliver your message for you. A key point to remember is that presentation aids supplement your message, but they can never replace you. You are the messenger!

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LaunchPad for Speak Up offers videos and encourages self-assessment through adaptive quizzing. Look for the check icon and play icon throughout the chapter for adaptive quizzing and online video activities.

Key Terms

presentation aid 402

diagram 410

graph 411

line graph 411

bar graph 411

pie chart (circle graph) 412

verbal chart 412

flowchart 412

Play video presentation software 416

forum 418

prior exposure 420

Review Questions

  1. Question

    What are three key reasons for using presentation aids in a speech?

  2. Question

    Describe at least seven types of presentation aids you might use in a speech.

  3. Question

    According to the chapter, when is presentation software most useful?

  4. Question

    What factors should you consider while developing your presentation aids?

  5. Question

    What four things does a speaker need to keep in mind when delivering a speech with presentation aids?

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Question

    Are all presentation aids visual aids? What other senses might a good presentation aid engage?

  2. Question

    What advantages does presentation software offer over more traditional ways of presenting visual and audio aids?

  3. Question

    Do some types of speeches work better with presentation aids, and if so, which types of aids work best with which types of speeches?

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Activities

  1. Question

    Take a look at the illustration on page 422, which shows a speaker using a visual aid that’s the wrong size. If you were to redraw this illustration to correct the speaker’s mistake, what would that illustration look like?
    Chapter 14 - Activity Question 1

  2. Question

    Television commercials are persuasive appeals created from video and audio elements. With this in mind, consider a few television commercials you have found especially memorable. How do they use presentation aids (such as music and images) to grab your attention? How do these aids relate to the commercials’ main points? How could you apply lessons from these effective commercials to your own presentations?
    Chapter 14 - Activity Question 2

  3. Question

    Think of ways that you, as the speaker, are a visual aid. How can you tailor your nonverbal delivery—things like your posture or your appearance—to reinforce your main point?
    Chapter 14 - Activity Question 3