preparing slides & posters: some perceptual tips for better presentations

Preparing Slides & Posters:

Some Perceptual Tips

for Better Presentations

Elizabeth Krupinski, PhD

Department of Radiology

University of Arizona

Presentation Goals

• Convey information• Concisely & effectively• Support & complement verbal

• Illustrate what words cannot

Presentation Goals

• It is NOT a paper• Time is limited• Present your key points• Present in a logical order

• Stick to your topic• What’s your point !

Basic Rules• Make It Big• Keep it Simple• Make It Clear• Be Consistent

Make It Big• Gauge your room size• Gauge audience distance• Title font = 54 - 60 point• Text font = 32 - 48 point• Use bold face font• Move 6’ from your computer

Font Size• 14 point font size

• 18 point font size

• 24 point font size

• 32 point font size• 36 point font size

• 48 point font size

• 60 point font size

Keep It Simple• San serif - no squiggles • Block letters• No italics • Mix UPPER & lower Case• Times, Arial, Century, Univers

• Bold, underline & color for emphasis

Fonts Types• Impact• Letter Gothic plain text• Bookman Italics• SyndieSyndie shadowed shadowed• Curlz MT• Arial bold• Blackadder ATC underlined

Make It Clear• 6 - 7 lines text per slide• ~ 7 words per line• Leave spaces• Avoid lots of text• Points vs complete thoughts

• Avoid punctuation ! . ; , “ ?

Do Not Crowd This is how to crowd a slide with way too much text!

The goal of this demonstration is to show the audience-distressing effects of crowding way too much information on one slide using as many words as possible in a font size that is way too small to make a multitude of extraneous and unrelated points so that the reader gets cross-eyed trying to read every word I have written in as short amount of time as possible without ever stopping. I have used plain text font at 24 point so it is even more difficult. I have not emphasized a single word. I have used lots of punctuation marks. As the bumper sticker says - if you can read this you are too close! Are you still reading or have you given up already as you should have long ago?

Make It Clear• Progressive disclosure of information

• Use multiple slides • Include only necessary info

• Make content self evident

Illustrations• Picture says 1000 words• Graphs & Tables• No more than 2 - 3 per slide

• 2 - 3 colors max• Do not crowd illustrations• Keep things simple

SchematicsWS

WS

WS

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blue

red

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A

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uytty

rtt

rtrt

fggsg

back

go

stop

AA

WS# 4

green

blue

A

A

END

back

Graphs

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Graphs

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Graphs• Label the axes• Show units• Provide a legend• Use color 2 - 3 / graph• Clearly differentiate lines• 2+ graphs - consistent within & between slides

Graphs

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Film CT MRI US

One

Two

Tables• Limit columns & rows• Spilt into multiple slides• Show only relevant entries

• Highlight relevant entries• Summary > all data

TablesOne Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve453 564 564 789 876 679 2313 6749 6754 564 7865 6754675 675 675 567 897 353 8976 4323 8787 564 8786 8765675 453 563 897 867 895 8965 4321 9865 867 0765 9543965 654 875 898 321 906 9865 5438 0098 765 0976 7634453 564 564 789 876 679 2313 6749 6754 564 7865 0976675 675 675 567 897 353 8976 4323 8787 564 8786 5432675 453 563 897 867 895 8965 4321 9865 867 0765 0764965 654 875 898 321 906 9865 5438 0098 765 0976 8645453 564 564 789 876 679 2313 6749 6754 564 7865 6734675 675 675 567 897 353 8976 4323 8787 564 8786 9674675 453 563 897 867 895 8965 4321 9865 867 0765 7834965 654 875 898 321 906 9865 5438 0098 765 0976 9563675 453 563 897 867 895 8965 4321 9865 867 0765 7834965 654 875 898 321 906 9865 5438 0098 765 0976 9563965 654 875 898 321 906 9865 5438 0098 765 0976 9563

TablesRed Blue Green Yellow Purple453 786 432 985 5454349 341 854 764 8745341 896 563 785 5476216 875 745 792 7453634 398 673 897 6732845 987 463 895 4329

Visual Balance• English is read left to right

• Eyes tend to land on center

• Balance your slides• Center graphs / pictures• Fill screen L to R with text

Using Color• Use complimentary colors• Dark background - light text • Maximize contrast• Blue/red & green/red = bad• Shading - looks nice, hides text

Choosing Colors

Maximize Contrast

Red & blue is very bad

Red & green is very bad

Black & blue are bad

Blue & yellow are very good

Dark colors & white are very good

Black & neon green are pretty good

Shading• Text across shades of grading less visible

• Reading left to right or up & down 1/2 obscured

• Contrast significantly reduced• Eye strain increased• Some of your message gets lost

Pictures & Clip Art

• Use moderately• Compliments text• Humor is good• Don’t overshadow the text

Laser Pointers

Laser Pointers• Use moderately• Point to specifics• Know your slides• Don’t wave around randomly

• Don’t point at audience• Use text overlays instead

Arrows & Text

Right Ventricle

General• Talk to the audience• Not your notes• Not the screen behind you• Speak clearly & loud• Know your time limit• Practice your timing

Some Good Sites• kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/effective

• psyche.uthct.edu/shaun/SBlack/slides

• ukans.edu/cwis/units/coms2/upa/upa

Some Good Sites• research.ucla.edu/era/present

• classes.monterey.edu/CHS/CHS303-01/world/powpoint/index

• med.monash.edu.au/crh/publications/max-97