172 CHAPTER 13^ Presentation Aids
advantages and disadvantages. Many of these presentation technologies are common
in classrooms; other forms are more common in workplaces and other settings. (Note:
Students taking this course online should check with their instructors about incorporat-
ing presentation technology into their video speeches.)Presentation Software and Projectors
A variety of projectors (LCD or DLP, for example) connect directly to computers
and project what appears on the monitor onto a screen. If you create visuals using a
presentation software program such as PowerPoint or Prezi, you’ll need a data pro-
jector. This technology has many advantages. Visuals are easy to create and edit. You can
insert hyperlinks to add audio and video support. Prezi lets you zoom in and out as you
move between points. During your speech, you simply launch your presentation and
move from visual to visual with a click of the mouse.
Unfortunately, software programs are often used poorly. For example, millions of
speakers turn out trillions of slides annually.^17 However, many slides are so ineffective
that they detract from the message—but the problem lies in the creators, not the
technology.^18 Think of presentations you’ve seen. How many were well done or memo-
rable compared to the number that were boring and poorly designed? Avoid pitfalls by
following these guidelines:^19
• Beforehand, plan the package as a whole. Write out the words you’ll use for text-
based visuals, and sketch in the visual-based images. Mentally identify the purpose
for everything you include.
• Then go back and edit out every nonessential word or image.
• Choose only high-resolution images that will display clearly.
• Create text-based slides in black and white at first and then add color sparingly to
emphasize significant ideas.
• Rehearse at least once without the slides to make sure that they don’t substitute for
your message.Document Cameras and Overhead Projectors
Document cameras (also known as visual presenters) have been called “the 21st-century
overhead projector”^20 because they are like a scanner, microscope, whiteboard, computer,
and projector rolled into one. Some units are compact enough to fold into a notebook-
sized carrying case. These high-resolution cameras let you project photographs, slides,
three-dimensional objects, a document you’ve created, and so on. You can zoom in on a
painting or enlarge a small model so that tiny details are visible.^21
Just a few years ago, overhead projectors were everywhere, and they’re still around
in some places. Their advantages? Transparencies are simple and inexpensive to make;
they are easy to store and transport. You can draw freehand or photocopy a printed
image directly onto one, or you can print on one directly from your computer. However,
you cannot create multimedia links, and the transparencies, once made, are not easily
revised.
The following guidelines apply to both document cameras and overhead
projectors:
• Before you begin speaking, turn on the machine and adjust the focus. Then turn it off
until you’re ready to display your visual.
• To draw attention to some part of your visual, point on the visual, not the screen.
Place a pointed object where you want listeners to focus and then move your hand
away from the image.presentation software
program computer software
to create a package of lists,
tables, graphs, and clip art
document cameras high-
resolution cameras that
display documents and
three-dimensional objects
Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.www.ebook3000.com