Class 14: 2012.10.18
Key Words: using visual aids
Visual aids can enhance almost every aspect of a speech. However, they have to be
used strategically.
Kinds of Visual Aids
1. objects and models
2. photographs and drawings
3. graphs
4. charts
5. video
6. the speaker
7. PowerPoint®
Guidelines for Preparing Visual Aids
1. Prepare visual aids well in advance.
2. Keep visual aids simple.
3. Make sure visual aids are large enough.
4. Use a limited amount of text.
5. Use fonts effectively.
6. Use color effectively.
7. Use images strategically.
Guidelines for Presenting Visual Aids
1. Display visual aids where listeners can see them.
2. Avoid passing visual aids among the audience.
3. Display visual aids only while discussing them.
4. Explain visual aids clearly and concisely.
5. Talk to your audience, not to your visual aid.
6. Practice with your visual aids.
7. Check the room and equipment.
Tip for the Mid-Term Exam
For purpose of the exam, you are not expected to memorize lists, such as the three
lists above. However, you should remember the principles involving the effective use of
visual aids, as explained in the chapter.
Here are some sample True-False statements that would be useful to know.
1.
T F
Research has shown that an average speaker who uses visual aids will come across as
more credible and better prepared than a speaker who does not use visual aids.
2.
T F
Research shows that an average speaker who uses visual aids effectively will come across
as more professional than a dynamic speaker who does not use visual aids.
3.
T F
Research has shown that visual aids can increase both the clarity and the persuasiveness
of a speaker’s message.
4.
T F
If the object you want to speak about is too large, too small, or unavailable to use as a
visual aid, you may be able to use a model instead.
5.
T F
Models are the best type of visual aid for presenting statistical information.
6.
T F
Because a picture is worth a thousand words, it is a good idea to pass photographs among
the audience in order to illustrate your point.
7.
T F
To be effective as visual aids, photographs must be large enough to be seen easily by
everyone in the audience.
8.
T F
The best way to show drawings and photographs is to pass them around the room during
your speech.
9.
T F
If you were giving a speech about how to lift weights, the most effective visual aid would
probably be a drawing.
10.
T F
If you were showing statistical trends in a speech, the best visual aid to use would
probably be a pie graph.
11.
T F
If you wanted to compare two or more items, the most effective visual aid would probably
be a bar graph.
12.
T F
If you wanted to summarize the steps of a process in a speech, the best kind of visual aid
to use would probably be a chart.
13.
T F
You can be your own visual aid.
14.
T F
If PowerPoint is allowed to dominate a speech, it can divert attention from the speaker’s
message.
15.
T F
Your textbook recommends that you make a PowerPoint slide for every point in your
speech.
16.
T F
As your textbook states, it is usually a good idea to write your entire speech on PowerPoint
slides so your audience can read along with you.
17.
T F
One advantage of using PowerPoint in a speech is that it requires very little planning.
18.
T F
As your textbook explains, you should use PowerPoint only where it is needed to clarify or
strengthen your ideas.
19.
T F
One advantage of preparing your visual aids well in advance is that doing so allows you to
use them while practicing your speech.
20.
T F
You should include in a visual aid only what you need to make your point.
21.
T F
When using PowerPoint, you need to limit the amount of information you put on each
slide.
22.
T F
When you design a visual aid, you should keep in mind the size of the room in which you
will be speaking.
23.
T F
Printing your visual aid in ALL CAPITAL letters is a good way to make sure it will be easy
for the audience to read.
24.
T F
According to your textbook, you should usually include 10-15 lines of text on a PowerPoint
slide.
25.
T F
The more words you write on your PowerPoint slides, the more effective your speech will
be.
26.
T F
Giddyup would be a good font to use for a PowerPoint slide in a speech about
horseracing.
27.
T F
According to your textbook, you should usually use the same fonts consistently for all your
PowerPoint slides.
28.
T F
As your textbook explains, you should usually use four different fonts on a PowerPoint
slide to increase audience interest.
29.
T F
Almost any combination of colors works well on a visual aid.
30.
T F
Red and green is usually a poor color combination for a visual aid.
31.
T F
According to your textbook, blue text on a green background is usually a good choice of
colors for a visual aid.
32.
T F
Research shows that using PowerPoint images where they are not needed in a speech
interferes with listener comprehension.
33.
T F
As your textbook explains, research shows that using PowerPoint images for every idea in
a speech increases listener comprehension.
34.
T F
Passing visual aids among the audience during a speech is helpful to a speaker because it
allows listeners to inspect the aids at their own pace.
35.
T F
When you are going to give an audience material to take home from a speech, you should
usually distribute the material after you finish speaking.
36.
T F
Once you have finished discussing a visual aid, you should leave it on display until you get
to the next visual aid.
37.
T F
When you finish discussing a PowerPoint slide, you should leave it on screen until you get
to the next slide.
38.
T F
One of the advantages of using visual aids in a speech is that their meaning is instantly
clear to the audience.
39.
T F
Visual aids usually should be used only in informative speeches.
40.
T F
It is important to maintain strong eye contact with your audience when you are presenting
a visual aid.
41.
T F
As your textbook explains, it is usually a good idea to put up a blank slide when you are
finished talking about each of your PowerPoint slides.
42.
T F
When you plan to use PowerPoint in your speech, you should always bring a backup copy
of your slides on a flash drive.