PART 5 PRESENTATION AIDS

1009

Research has shown that audiences remember only about 30 percent of what they hear, but they remember more than 60 percent of what they hear and see. Using presentation aids not only helps audiences remember the points of your speech, but also helps listeners visualize relationships among key concepts, rapidly evaluate data, and understand complex ideas. When visual aids look professional, they also bolster the speaker’s credibility. However, presentation aids alone cannot make a speech work. No matter how great visual aids look, audiences are turned off by speakers who simply read information off the aids without adding anything new. Instead, aim to use aids as jumping-off points for engaging verbal information or argumentation.

Presentation aids can include charts, diagrams, audio and video information, and props. Focus on selecting aids that illustrate your speech points most effectively.

A prop is any physical object that enhances the audience’s ability to visualize a main point. For example, a speech about fly-fishing might include a fishing pole, a fishing line, and a fly as props. A model is a three-dimensional, proportional representation of an object or process. For example, a doctor might use a human-sized skeleton as a model while explaining how a fracture affects movement.

Some guidelines for using props and models include:

A picture is any image (such as a photo, painting, or map) that imparts information. For example, a photograph of a wrecked SUV might show the danger of texting and driving in a speech about auto safety. A diagram illustrates a process, showing how something works or how concepts are organized and related. For example, a diagram of a NASA rocket with each component labeled might supplement a speech about space flight. A map is an image that shows a geographic area or areas. A speech advocating for preservation of manatees might feature a map of Floridian waterways where both manatees and humans are active. In each case, the value of any picture, diagram, or map lies in its ability to efficiently convey information. Often this information is emotional, such as in the case of the wrecked SUV, or technical or numerical, as in the case of the rocket diagram.

A graph represents relationships between variables. Most speakers use one of four types: a line graph, bar graph, pie graph, or pictogram.

A line graph plots one measurement along a horizontal axis and another measurement along a vertical axis, then connects each data point with a line. Line graphs can be powerful tools for representing trends that change over time.

A bar graph uses vertical or horizontal bars to compare quantities or magnitudes. Multidimensional bar graphs, in which differently colored or marked bars represent different kinds of information, allow audiences to easily compare two or more kinds of data in a single chart. When creating line and bar graphs:

1010

A pie graph divides a whole into “slices” so that each slice corresponds to a percentage of the whole. Pie graphs are good at showing contrasts in proportion. When creating pie graphs:

A pictogram shows relationships and trends with icons or pictorial symbols. Pictograms add emotional impact to otherwise dry data. For example, a series of columns made up of missile icons stacked above different years might show how military spending has waxed or waned over time. When creating pictograms, clearly label your axes and indicate what variable each symbol represents.

Like a graph, a chart visually represents the relationship among data. A flowchart helps audiences visualize the flow of a complex process by animating its steps with boxes connected by arrows. A table allows audiences to rapidly examine and compare data by grouping it in columns and rows.

An audio clip is a brief recording of music, sound, or speech. Video refers to excerpts from movies, television, online venues, or unpublished footage sources. A multimedia presentation combines any quantity of pictures, text, audio, and video data into a single production. Just as pictures can communicate complex information efficiently, audio, video, and multimedia presentation aids can also grab attention, add expressive power to main points, and make a speech engaging. When incorporating audio, video, and multimedia aids into a speech, remember to: