300 14.2 Designing anD Using Presentation aiDs
chaLKBoarDs anD whitEBoarDs Chalkboards and whiteboards offer
several advantages as ways to provide visual support for spoken words: They
are widespread; you can find a chalkboard or whiteboard in most classrooms
and boardrooms. They are inexpensive, simple to use, and low-tech, so you
don’t need to worry about extension cords or special training. They lend them-
selves to a variety of content; it’s easy to sketch a simple graph, diagram, or
map, or to jot a few words on the board.
Nonetheless, many public-speaking teachers discourage overuse of them.
Why? When you write on the board, you have your back to your audience; you
do not have eye contact! Some speakers try to avoid that problem by writing on
the board before their speech starts, but then listeners often look at the visual
rather than listening to the introductory remarks. Moreover, chalkboards and
whiteboards are probably the least novel presentation aids, so they are not par-
ticularly effective at getting or holding audience attention.
Use a board only for brief phrases or for very simple line diagrams that can be
drawn in just a few seconds. It is usually better to prepare a chart, graph, or drawing
on a poster or an overhead transparency than to use a chalkboard or whiteboard.Computer-Generated Presentation Aids
Richard had worked hard on his presentation to the finance committee. He
had prepared an impressive-looking poster, distributed a handout of his key
conclusions, and rehearsed his speech so that he had a well-polished delivery.
But as he sat down after concluding his speech, certain he had dazzled his lis-
teners, a colleague poked him and asked, “Why didn’t you use PowerPoint or
Prezi slides?”
PoPuLar PrEsEntation softwarE Most audiences, especially those in
the corporate world, expect a speaker to use computer-generated presentation
aids. The most popular presentation software, PowerPoint, helps you create and
present images, photos, words, charts, and graphs. Figure 14.6 shows how clip
art can be used to create polished PowerPoint slides.
Prezi is another increasingly popular presentation software program that
is cloud-based—the information is stored in an Internet “cloud” rather than
on your own computer. Prezi has many features similar to PowerPoint, but it
also has features that let you zoom in and out to help you focus your audience’s
attention (although overuse of this feature can be nauseatingly distracting!).
Prezi also has a feature that lets you look at all of your slides at once, giving you
more control to select images to adapt to your audience. So rather than predeter-
mining the precise order of your slides, you can more readily adapt your presen-
tation to your audience while you are speaking.
Keynote, another popular presentation software, was developed for
AppleTM computers and devices, although it can be transferred for use in PC
computers. Like other graphics programs, it permits users to easily maintain
consistency in fonts and colors. Some people especially like its sleek, contempo-
rary appearance.M14_BEEB3981_05_SE_C14_289-314.indd 300 11/18/14 11:27 AM