IU The Choice of A Proper Presentation Aid Types Discussion

Discussion – Using Presentation Background As discussed earlier in this course, having compelling words to speak sometimes is not enough to be a truly effective speaker. Body language can send a message different from the words you are speaking, and so can failing to incorporate presentation aids appropriately. First, we should define what presentation aids are. A presentation aid is any type of device that helps you further drive home the point of your speech. Presentation aids can include PowerPoint slides, images, video clips, charts, graphs, sound bites, objects used as examples, and live demonstrations.The purpose of your speech often determines which aids are used and how. For example, it is much more effective to show a graph that illustrates a decline in sales than to simply state that a company has lost profits for its last four consecutive fiscal years. Similarly, if speaking to persuade others positively about climate change, a visual that compares images of a shoreline in present day to what it looked like 10, 15, or even 25 years prior will leave your audience with a better grasp of the impact such a phenomenon can have (in this case, it also goes a long way in proving your credibility). If making a case about the dangers of not wearing protective gear while riding a motorcycle, a speaker might choose to share photos of the outcome other riders have been met with who were not wearing protective gear.Using presentation aids effectively is a balancing act. As with any good infomercial or advertisement, any props used should serve a specific purpose and emphasize the points you are making to your listeners. It can be easy to miss the mark though, especially when trying to account for technical hurdles, limited resources, or other unforeseen circumstances. If sharing photos, be sure they are displayed in color and their resolution is high enough to show the detail you need. If using videos, cue them up before you begin speaking so that they are loaded and ready. Be sure to verify that all of the presentation aids you use are authentic; nothing hurts a presentation more than referencing outdated information or doctored imagery. It is also a good idea to preview the space you will be using before a speaking engagement comes up so that you can get a better sense of the tools at your disposal. If you want to incorporate a pamphlet or handout, verify the number of audience members you are expecting so that you can have enough materials prepared to share.Be sure to avoid having your presentation aids overtake your presentation. Whether slides, a video clip, or a poster board, the presentation aid is not the presentation itself. First and foremost, you are the presentation, and the aids should merely assist you in making your points. Do not incorporate so many aids that listeners could lose focus on you. Do not allow aids to disrupt your message. Lastly, choose aids that are appropriate for the occasion. While it may sound excellent to wow a crowd with a visually appealing video, if you do not have a means for projecting the video to the room, you might consider leaving it out. Do not bring small objects to hold if you are presenting to a large group. You will risk losing the attention of your listeners if only some of them are able to get the full effect of your presentation aids.Selecting presentation aids can be challenging, but this challenge should not deter you from using aids. As you consider what props might help you get your point across, keep in mind that practicing with your presentation aids can only help improve your speech and make you more comfortable when it comes time to execute.Identify three presentation aid types and discuss one advantage and one disadvantage to using each. Be sure to account for details such as audience size or speaking occasion as you explain your reasoning. First reply you need to answer:Using visual aids during a presentation or speech can be beneficial to get your message across to your audience. However, you must know when and how to use them. Three types of visual aids that can be used during a speech are things like “power point slides, whiteboards, and handouts” (Beqiri, 2018). There are advantages and disadvantages to using each. For powerpoint slides; an advantage would be having the audience more focused and a disadvantage would be that the audience may not focus on you entirely. For whiteboards, an advantage would be displaying key points and a disadvantage would be that you would need to ensure the entire audience could view. For handouts; an advantage would be the audience having a physical message in their hands, but a disadvantage could be that the audience would read instead of listen. You would need to consider things like audience size, and whether the entire audience can view your visual aids.Second reply:Three examples of presentation aids are PowerPoint, chart, or a graph. There are advantages and disadvantages to each one of these presentation aids. Some advantages to these aids are giving the audience no matter the size a chance to engage with the speaker, also understand the speech more because there are images or a graph. People understands more when they can see and hear what you are talking about. “Presentation aids have various disadvantages. One of the advantages is that they are impermanent. Some of them require being transported from one point to another like charts (Nelson,2015).” Also where using a chart or graph could really disorient the audience and prevent them from hearing what you have to say, in other words drawing attention away from your main point of the speech all together. These are things to take in account when using presentation aids when giving a speech.