Rethinking the Design of Presentation Slides:
The Assertion-Evidence Approach
UTREE
College of Engineering
Penn State
Most people do not realize how much slides affect
the success, or failure, of scientific presentations
Exercise: With a partner, come to agreement
on the three biggest problems with slides?
Corrosion and Hydriding
 Different alloys have different in-reactor corrosion rates and
consequently different degrees of hydriding and degradation of
mechanical properties
 => benefit of designing good alloy (e.g. M5 (Framatome) and ZIRLO
(W) have better corrosion properties than Zircaloy)
Hydrides are brittle and
can severely degrade
cladding ductility
Sabol et al. Portland 1997
Oxidation measured
by weight gain
Scientists and engineers often name
the same problems with slides
Corrosion and Hydriding
1. Too many words
2. Cluttered—not sure
what order to read
 Different alloys have different in-reactor corrosion
consequently different degrees of hydriding and deg
mechanical properties
 => benefit of designing good alloy (e.g. M5 (Fram
(W) have better corrosion properties than Zirca
Hydrides ar
can severely
cladding du
3. Much text not readable
Sabol et al. Portland 1997
Oxidation measured
by weight gain
PowerPoint’s defaults run counter to how people learn
Does not filter noise
Leads to too many written words
Consumes valuable space that
should be used for images
[Garner et al., 2009]
PowerPoint’s defaults run counter to how people learn
Build your talk on
messages
not
on topics
Support your messages
with visual evidence
not
bullet points
Build your talk on
messages
Urban Temperatures
• Often warmer than
surrounding areas
• Caused by materials in
roofs and roads
• Also caused by lack of
shade and vegetation
• Lead to higher temperatures in buildings
Build your talk on
messages
Urban Temperatures
Temperatures in urban centers are often
much warmer than in surrounding rural areas
Exercise: On separate sheets, write down
essential messages for your next talk
Temperatures in urban centers are often
much warmer than in surrounding rural areas
Support your messages
with visual evidence
Research shows that green roofs are extremely effective
in lowering the roof temperatures of buildings
Chicago City Hall, EPA
Research shows that green roofs are extremely effective
in lowering the roof temperatures of buildings
Chicago City Hall, EPA
Research shows that green roofs are extremely effective
in lowering the roof temperatures of buildings
Chicago City Hall, EPA
Research shows that green roofs are extremely effective
in lowering the roof temperatures of buildings
Chicago City Hall, EPA
Research shows that green roofs are extremely effective
in lowering the roof temperatures of buildings
Chicago City Hall, EPA
Exercise: Draft an assertion-evidence slide or critique
the assertion-evidence slides that you drafted
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge cannot handle current traffic,
especially during commutes and accidents
[hometownannapolis.com]
[washingtonpost.com]
The Chesapeake Bay, which is the country’s largest estuary,
has only two places for traffic to cross
Dover
Washington D.C
sha.state.md.us
Richmond
landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov
Since its construction in 1952, traffic across the bridge
has grown exponentially
1952
1.1 million vehicles
sha.state.md.us
[Maryland Transportation Authority, 2007]
[Maryland Transportation Authority, 2007]
Since its construction in 1952, traffic across the bridge
has grown exponentially
1952
1.1 million
1961
1.5 million
sha.state.md.us
[Maryland Transportation Authority, 2007]
[Maryland Transportation Authority, 2007]
Since its construction in 1952, traffic across the bridge
has grown exponentially
1952
1.1 million
1961
1.5 million
2007
27 Million
[Maryland Transportation Authority, 2007]
To present that evidence,
fashion sentences on the spot
but after planning and practice
[Dr. Cheryl Hayashi, TED.com]
In summary, the assertion-evidence approach leads to more
audience understanding and more projected confidence
Build your talk on messages,
not topics
Support those messages with
visual evidence
Explain that evidence by fashioning
sentences on the spot
Questions?
Back-Up Slides
Maximum Workable Reach
Envelope
ME 441W
Spring 2005
Stuart Apple, Rose Tolley, Aaron Vest
Mechanical Engineering
Penn State University
Design of an Apparatus That Measures
the Maximum Workable Reach Envelope
Lawrence Cheng
Jackie Gillott
Daniel Kerins
Mechanical Engineering
Pennsylvania State University
February 5, 2007
Exercise: Draft a title slide for your next presentation
Failure Analysis of an Ice Detector
Titlethe
of Presentation
in Initial Capitals:
on
Austria 13 Helicopter
36 Points, Calibri Bold
Team Member
Name of Team Member
Team
Manning
Stelzer
Name ofMember
Team
Member
Stelzer
Name ofMember
Team Member
Team
CURE
Engineering
CURE //Engineering
Replace this box with key image to introduce
talk’s scope, importance, or background
College ofAircraft
Engineering
Sikorsky
College
of
Engineering
Sikorsky
Aircraft
Penn State
Penn30,
State
April
2004
April 30, 2004
70302-10915-104 Ice Detector
Does the image help
orient the audience?