1. Using Visual Aids Effectively
“Where’s the darn flipchart in this room?”

2. Why Use Visual Aids? They save time and add interest
They improve listener understanding
They improve listener retention
They allow for different learning styles

3. Verbal and Visual Recall

4. Types of Visual Aids: Advantages and Disadvantages
Overhead Transparencies
Slides
Flip Charts and Posters
Objects and Models
Handouts
Whiteboards and Chalkboards
Computer Assisted Audiovisuals

5. Guidelines for VAs
The VA should never become the REASON for the speech
The VA should be appropriate for the length and format of the speech
Know what technology will be available to you
The higher the tech, the more you need redundancy and backup--Burnett’s rule of VA

6. Size Matters This is a 72 point f This is a 60 point font

7. This is a sans serif font--This is Arial
Type Fonts
Serif fonts versus Sans Serif fonts
This is a sans serif font--This is Arial
This is a font with serifs--This is Times New Roman

8. More On Fonts
Please see the overhead projector for more on fonts

9. Additional Guidelines for Text
Use only 4-6 lines of text per VA
Use phrases, not full sentences
Use Upper Case and Lower Case for ease of reading
Leave the same space at the top of a VA
Limit lines to no more than 40 characters

10. Use Clip Art to Keep Interest
The text can be placed here on the left, and the picture on the right

11. How Not to Use PowerPoint
In most situations, PowerPoint should NOT be used as a running outline as we do here!
Use PowerPoint to generate illustrations of particular data points or pieces of support
Slides are easily printed to overheads using specialized inkjet and laser jet overheads (print on the rough side!)
Kinko’s (and others) can do the job!