Within this article I will be discussing how to create a basic presentation.
Choose a Style
When you first get given the task to create a presentation you must consider the types of styles in which you will use. These styles must look professional and easy to understand. Ensure that your slides do not include too much information; this will clutter the slide and will distract your audience from what you are saying.
Background
When considering your background ensure that you avoid
- strong colours
- fancy backgrounds
- cluttered backgrounds
Some members of your target audience may suffer with visual difficulties and/or dyslexia so such background can be confusing to them.
Fonts
When considering your fonts ensure that you avoid fancy fonts. These can make the text confusing to read and it will take the audience longer to read.
It is encouraged to not use block capitals when writing any text as they look unprofessional and can take away the meaning from the text.
Don’t use fonts that are too big or too small. Fonts that are too big become overwhelming to the audience and fonts that are too small are hard to read.
Layout
When putting information on a slide, do not over fill it. This will be distracting to the audience as they will spend their time reading and not focusing on you as the presenter. It is recommended to only include one or two points per slide; this gives the audience time to read any points you have put on the slides and then will have an opportunity to listen to your explanation.
Always ensure that you proof read your slides when finished as small mistakes can also be another distraction to the audience (Leijen, 2012).
Platform
The easiest platform to create a presentation is on PowerPoint however it can also be created on Prezzie.
Examples
Good Example
Bad Example
Consider Content
Bullet Point Information
When writing the information on to the presentation, do not fill the slides up with extra information (or narrative information). This information can be wrote in the notes section and then later explained when presenting to the group.
When the slides are filled with too much unnecessary information, someone you are presenting to may become distracted whilst trying to read the information and may not be focused on you, the presenter.
Too much information may also make your slides look messy and unprofessional (Woodcock, 2018).
Length and Slide Amounts
Try to aim to do a slide per minute. This will ensure that you have covered anything needed and will give you enough time to explain each point.
Images
Ensure that all images are relevant to the subject you are presenting on. These images must also be appropriate and of a high quality. Be sure that the audience can see them clearly and are not being distracted by the images (James, 2014).
Time
When given the task to create a presentation, you will be given a time limit; be sure to stick to this limit! Normally a presentation will last approximately 10 minutes. You can loose marks if you go too far under the set time and will not gain any extra for going over. Your tutor will explain the timings when you are given the task.
Be sure to time your presentation before the day as you may not have included enough information to fill the time slot. Also ensure you have not gone over the time limit as you may be asked to stop and will miss out of some information that may be vital to your presentation.
Practice
Before any presentation, ensure that you practice your presentation. This will help to ensure that you are confident in what you are saying and will help to judge timings of your presentation. Be sure to try and connect to your audience, this will make them and you more relaxed! (SYN, 2011)
References
SYN (2011) Top Tips for Effective Presentations [Online] Available at https://www.skillsyouneed.com/present/presentation-tips.html (Accessed:09/05/2018).
Woodock, B (2018) TIPS ON MAKING PRESENTATIONS [Online] Available at https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/presentationskills.htm (Accessed:09/05/2018).
James, G (2014) 3 Ways to Make a Good Presentation Great [Online] Available at https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/3-ways-to-make-a-good-presentation-great.html (Accessed:09/05/2018).
Leijen, D (2012) 10 Tips for a Good Presentation [Online] Available at http://blog.ut.ee/10-tips-for-a-good-presentation/ (Accessed:09/05/2018).