COMS 3302-Visuals-Putnam
Using Visual Aids
Advantages of Visual Aids:
Think about the value of a visual aid to your speech:
The advantages of visual/audio support are:
1. Aid in clarity
2. Aid in retention
3. Aid in interest
Determine the form and technology that best suits your purpose/multiple approaches:
For our purposes use either an overhead projector with transparencies or Microsoft Power Pointâ is an excellent device for some presentations. If you choose the latter be sure you know how to operate the software and your computer. And be sure to give me one class period notice you will need the connecting cord for the unit.
Kinds of Visual Aids:
1. Objects—if your speech has an object linked to it, you can get access to it, and it is not something banned (see assignment instructions) by the assignment, this can be an excellent means of visual support.
2. Models—a good substitute for an actual object if that object is unavailable, too large or too small.
3. Photographs—often thought to be a good visual aid choice, but only if the photo is large enough to be see by the audience. Most photographs are not designed to be viewed from 15-20 feet away, making many photographs too small to be see and consequently are often poor choices.
4. Drawings—as the name indicates; sometimes good but be sure the audience can identify what the drawing depicts.
5. Graphs (pie, line, and bar)—any visual representation of statistical data. Not mandatory but if you choose to make statistical visual, your choices are one of three graphs:
Ø Pie Graphs-- Show how one variable relates to the whole; what one portion one slice is to the whole.
Ø Line Graphs—Show how data change over time; trends in time. Dramatic change in data in a short period are sometimes called mountain graphs.
Ø Bar Graphs—Show how one or more variable(s) relates to another or to several others.
6. Charts—good for summarizing large blocks of data/information. Flow charts are classic examples of this; showing a step-by-step process of something. Common mistake is cramming too much information onto the chart; making it too busy and less effective for the speech.
7. Videotape/DVD players—you can use these if you do the following: give me at least one day’s notice so I can get the equipment for you, take about 30 seconds and tell us what we will be seeing before you start the tape, have it cued up and ready to go, and do not let it run more than about one minute. This is designed to support you, not you supporting it.
8. Transparencies—most commonly used in business presentations. Easy to make, cost-effective, and easy to transport. Do not just copy a page from a book and make it into a transparency.
9. Multimedia Presentations---as noted earlier, you can use PowerPoint® but be sure to know how to use it and be comfortable with the computer.
10. The Speaker—technically the speaker is a visual aid, but you are not an acceptable alternative to any of the above items. In short, do not try to beat me on a technicality, you cannot be your visual aid for any assignment in this class.
Guidelines or tips in the preparation and use of your presentation aids:
Ø There are two Golden Rules: (1) make the visual aid large enough to be seen by all of the audience and (2) keep the visual aid clear and simple or easy to understand. Violate either of these rules and your aid is significantly less meaningful to your audience
Ø Design visual aids for maximum audience impact. For example don’t waste your time or the time of your audience by creating a transparency with the word cat on it. Or don’t hold up a cigarette and say, “don’t smoke.” In other words, get something out of your visual aid; ensure it has some substance. Or don’t bother using it.
Some tips in the actual use of the visual aid:
1. Practice with the visual aid. Know how to use the overhead projector and how to operate Power Point.
2. Have the visual aid ready to go. Prepare it before you come to class. Creating a visual aid (usually on the board) will detract from eye contact with the audience and usually is of poor quality.
3. Maintain eye contact with audience. It’s fine to look at your visual aid; you need to. But never forget it is your audience who deserves the majority of your attention.
4. Don’t let your visual aids become a distraction. One sure way to do this is to pass around objects while speaking. This is alluring to many students, but it serves as competition for the speaker. If you pass objects around while speaking, we cannot devote our full attention to you. Additionally, remember to turn off the overhead projector when you move on to other topics.
5. Display the visual support only when you need to show the audience. Turn away a poster when you do the same. In short, keep the focus on you…not a visual aid that does not apply to the issue at hand.
6. Explain the visual aid clearly yet concisely. Tell us what is significant about it; let us digest its value and then move on. Do not just put it up for us to see and you ignore talking about it.