Assignment 5

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Proofread your slides very carefully. Noticing a typo for the first time when you’re standing in front of a group is a ghastly experience, and it makes you look bad. If possible, ask someone who is not familiar with the content to proof the presentation for you.

Allow yourself time to rehearse the presentation and revise it, even if you feel pretty comfortable about the content. Notice transitions that aren’t smooth, areas where your content seems thin, sections that drag. Rehearsing can give you more confidence and will improve your audience’s experience by helping you improve your slides.

SLIDE REVISION CHECKLIST Choose readable fonts, and limit the number of fonts you use. Stick to a few basic, easy-to-read fonts, no more than two different fonts per slide. Use animation and sound sparingly and only if they support the message of your presentation. If they enhance the meaning and clarity of your presentation, use them. If they compete with your content, don’t. In bullet points, use parallel grammatical constructions to help your audience follow your ideas. Use formatting like bold and italics sparingly and consistently. Too much of this kind of formatting can make your slides hard to read.

For sample presentations, please visit me at www.howtowriteanything.com.

Creating Visuals

Not all business communication occurs through writing—a lot occurs through visuals. In fact, words aren’t always your best tool. Sometimes data is easier to understand if it’s represented graphically. You don’t have to be a graphic designer to learn the language of visual communication.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT GRAPHIC There are lots of graphics options for you to choose from: photos and other images, as well as different kinds of charts and graphs. The type of graphic you choose will depend on your data and the story you want to tell with it.

COLUMN CHART A column chart lets you compare values using vertical bars.

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