Chapter 14 Delivering Presentations 423If a prop is large and cumbersome or too small to be easily viewed by your
audience members (particularly for online speeches), then consider using a
model, an appropriately scaled object. One of our past students brought in a
small-scale model of the Soviet nuclear submarine the Kursk to demonstrate how
the vessel tragically encountered problems, exploded, and sank.
Be mindful and considerate when selecting and using props and models in
your presentation. One of us had a student give a speech on ocean pollution
using a live fish in a bowl as a prop. He poured the contaminants he was dis-
cussing into the bowl, and his classmates (and instructor) were understandably
horrified and distraught when the fish died. The speaker made a powerful point
through this prop, but he was entirely inconsiderate of the speaking situation
and his audience’s expectations in addition to unethically contradicting his
premise that we should save ocean wildlife.
Similarly, avoid objects that may be dangerous or even illegal, such as fire-
arms, knives, chemicals, and so on. (You would be surprised to know about some
of the scary props we’ve seen students try to use over the years, ranging from
weapons to unfriendly dogs.) Think safety first!
Media Clips and Images
Images, as well as film, television, Internet video clips, interviews, and podcasts,
can add another dimension to and stimulate interest in your speech by provid-
ing vivid illustrations or clarifications of topics that are difficult to capture with
words alone. A speaker informing an audience about reconstructive surgery for
cleft palate, for example, might show a photograph of a child born with the
condition as well as postsurgical photos, rather than just trying to describe the
condition and outcome. When choosing media clips and images, keep a few
points in mind:
c Make sure that your speaking site is equipped with the equipment you will
need to make your selection viewable to your audience.
c Keep your video clips short (say, one to two minutes maximum, depending
on the length of the speech).c Don’t overwhelm your audience with ten illustrations or
photographs when two or three would suffice.c Make sure photographs are properly edited and cropped.
Your goal is to draw your audience’s attention to a specific
aspect of the photograph and not overwhelm them with
background information.
Graphs and Charts
When you’re delivering a speech rich in statistics,
data, and facts, visual aids can be indispensable
presentation tools (see Figure 14.1). You can
actually cut your presentation time drastically
and increase your listeners’ interest by point-
ing to some figures on a graph rather than
AN INTERESTING
PROP can be a helpful visual
aid. This speaker might have
trouble illustrating certain
muscles and nerves in the
human body without a model.
Susana Gonzalez/AFP/Getty Images