the me people see in this slideshow rhetoric & powerpoint Patricia Sullivan

This presentation uses the generic content template to explore the rhetorical dimensions of PPT If my presentation represents ME, what ME does this presentation offer you?

My message is... PowerPoint templates have a rhetoric If you rely on them, then they decide your rhetoric BUT, your job as a communicator is to take charge of your rhetoric

PP templates started as aids to nondesigners The design templates offer 48 coordinated:  Backgrounds  Colors  Typefaces They helped nondesigners avoid hideous choices

PP design template rhetoric Suggests that writers should  Put consistently formatted titles on each slide  Put content in the same places  Limit content for each slide  Use bullets and levels Provides for these inexperienced or busy nondesigners some well-designed templates

PP design template rhetoric -- 2 Assumes business people want  Clean and crisp  Professional  Spare in text But gives almost baroque backgrounds for the minimal texts

PP template makers then moved to content 24 content templates (in PP 2001) For Business topics -- brainstorming to training Telling writers what to say when and where

PP content template rhetoric More intrusive than design templates, content templates offer  A design (ala the design templates)  A structure for the presentation  Content prompts for each slide  The transition between slides

PP content template rhetoric --2 Advocate structured writing  Standard structure (Title, Introduction, Topics--handled one- by-one--Close)  Major points first  Decisions made according to audience interest Uphold the minimalist design principles as well Add “spiffy” transitions that could misrepresent the new writer

Slide that follows shows a content template slide from “generic”

Topic One: assumptions Details about this topic Supporting information and examples How it relates to your audience

My Problems with this example Asks for a colon in the title May confuse writers about difference between “details” and “supporting information” Asks for consideration of audience to be captured in a point and places that last

On the Plus Side It asks for “details” to be supported It suggests examples be used It asks for relating to audience It uses a simple design (except for the slide transitions)

On the Minus Side It makes you think of your points as “details” If examples added, slide may be too long It thinks of audience afterward Can hardly forget the transitions

Next two slides show two more content template slides -- these near the end

Real Life Give an example or real life anecdote Sympathize with the audience’s situation if appropriate

What This Means Add a strong statement that summarizes how you feel or think about this topic Summarize key points you want your audience to remember

Rhetoric of these slides Both slides are added after three topic slides have completed the presentation’s content They try to connect with the audience and personalize the presentation  Real life -- connects content and audience through example and sympathy  What this means -- connects content to ME through my feelings or thoughts

Rhetoric of these slides --2 It is here that the generic content template differs somewhat from the 5 paragraph model of an essay This content strategically offers to leave the audience with something to remember... But if the content was as dry as the topics slide want, then it is too late to grab the audience (THEY ARE ASLEEP)

Why content templates are dangerous They’re easy They treat audience as a point to make, not a group to be persuaded Their prompts use language that can be misunderstood (and ultimately mislead) Inexperienced writers may follow them as THE WAY IT SHOULD BE

BOTTOM LINE: what’s wrong with content templates?

...All MEs look just alike.... All MEs sound just alike. And powerpoint no longer yields a competitive advantage