doing-effective-slide-presentation

How to Prepare for and do an Effective Slide Presentation?

Powerpoints are banned at Amazon. Data visualization guru, Edward Tufte, is also a strong opponent of Powerpoint slides and believes that slideware often reduces the analytical quality of presentations. Based on my experience of seeing hundreds of students present in front of the class, below, I have compiled a list of tips for student who plan to present. I often use this list also as a rubric for grading student presentations.

  1. Do not include large blocks of text, paragraphs, or full sentences on a slide; use short bullet points instead (2 to 8 words).
  2. Annotate pictures with appropriate labels ahead of time.
  3. Display and describe complex ideas step-by-step.
  4. Include a clear agenda or outline slide near the beginning of your presentation.
  5. When choosing colors for text, backgrounds, or other elements, consider “reading accessibility” for the audience.
  6. Present the overview and main points confidently and clearly.
  7. Emphasize content that is worth highlighting.
  8. Cite sources in place; do not list references at the end.
  9. The audience may not be familiar with the material, so speak slowly and deliberately.
  10. When multiple people are presenting, ensure that the overall presentation and slides are cohesive; everyone should work closely to present a coherent single story.
  11. Font and styling should be consistent across all slides (wherever applicable).
  12. Referring to bullet points while speaking is acceptable, but reading aloud is not (avoid sounding like a news reader).
  13. Print and bring handouts to distribute to the audience; the handouts should be a single-page printout of all the slides.
  14. The first slide should include all presenters’ full names.
  15. When referring to something specific on a slide, point it out using a laser pointer or cursor.
  16. You should redraw and create your own figures.
  17. Maintain eye contact with your audience, not just with your slides.
  18. If using video or audio, test it beforehand to ensure it works properly.
  19. Practice your presentation multiple times to ensure proper timing.
  20. End with a strong conclusion that reinforces your main points.
  21. A presentation session is not a book reading session, so do not read aloud from written notes.