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Visual aids

Some form of visual material is expected with most oral presentations. Powerpoint slide shows are the most common media.

Whatever you end up using, the golden rule is to practise with it in advance. You must be able to handle your slideshow effortlessly, or the 'aids' to your talk will intrude on the audience's attention and distract them from what you are saying.

To aid your presentation, visual material must also be legible. A few points are worth checking before your presentation starts:

Will you be blocking anyone's view of the screen?
Is the equipment properly focussed?
Is projection of an adequate size from the back of the room?

Some general guidelines when preparing Powerpoint slides are:

Use landscape layout (not portrait)
Keep layout, borders, fonts and images simple and clear
Font sizes: use 32 point to 36 point for headings. No less than 18 point for text, 28 is better.
Maximum 10 lines of text per slide.

A final note: if you plan to use a computer, have a backup plan in case of equipment failure - for example, a printed copy of your presentation.

The University of New England respects and acknowledges that its people, courses and facilities are built on land, and surrounded by a sense of belonging, both ancient and contemporary, of the world's oldest living culture. In doing so, UNE values and respects Indigenous knowledge systems as a vital part of the knowledge capital of Australia. We recognise the strength, resilience and capacity of the Aboriginal community and pay our respects to the Elders past, present and future.