Real Communication An Introduction

424 Part 4  Public Speaking

reading them aloud, number by number. Graphs take

several different forms. Bar graphs show the relation-

ship of two or more sets of figures. A figure comparing

a freshman class’s average SAT scores by section, for

example, is well illustrated with a bar graph. Pie charts

show percentages of a circle divided proportionately;

for example, a university admissions office uses a pie

chart to reveal the percentage of freshman students

scoring in a particular range on the SAT. A pie chart

should ideally have from two to five segments; under

no circumstances should it have more than eight since

it will become difficult for the audience to read: if you

have too many categories, you can add the smallest

ones up and present them in a single segment.

Posters and Transparencies

Posters and transparencies provide a large, physical

display of key words or images that can be a useful way

for you to guide your audience’s attention (especially if

your speaking site is not suitable for computer display).

For example, if you are informing your audience about

the magnitude of the D-Day invasion of World War II,

you could position one poster showing the very young

faces of the soldiers alongside another showing the

enormous coastline of beaches and cliffs at Normandy.

As you ask your audience to look from the soldiers to

the beaches, they can better imagine what it must have

been like to run toward those cliffs in the midst of

gunfire.

Transparencies are clear plastic sheets that are used

with a projector to display text and images on a screen.

Like posters, they are a useful means of showing large

text or images to an audience, but they can be carried in

a folder or briefcase and are often lower cost and easier to

make than having posters professionally printed. Verify

that your speaking site is equipped with a transparency

projector or request one if that is possible. Then pur-

chase low-cost transparency sheets at an office supply

store and print or photocopy your color and black-and-

white pages.

When designing posters and transparencies, it’s

often helpful to keep a few key points in mind:

c Use large and legible print so that your audience members (particularly

online audience members) don’t strain to understand your visual aid. For

transparencies, this usually means choosing at least a twenty-point font.

c Use vivid colors to make your posters and transparencies more appealing.

800

600

400

200

Mathematics Writing Critical

Reading

AVERAGE SAT SCORE BY SECTION

FRESHMAN CLASS 2013

800

600

400

200

Mathematics Writing Critical

Reading

AVERAGE SAT SCORE BY SECTION

FRESHMAN CLASS 2014

500–550

18%

550–600

37%

600–650

29%

650–700

10%

700–750

4%

750–800

2%

BREAKDOWN OF SAT MATH SCORES

FRESHMAN CLASS 2014

FIGURE 14.1

SAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE

GRAPHS Bar graphs use

bars of varying lengths to

make comparisons. Pie charts

depict the division of a whole.