DeMontfort University International College

Presentation Slides
The visual part of a presentation is very important and a key element of this can be your
presentation slides. Look at the statements below and decide which you agree with and
with which you disagree. Be sure to support your opinion with reasons. Discuss in small
groups.

i) use lots of gimmicks such as flashing images, animation, music and sound effects. This will
make your presentation more exciting and help it stand out.
ii) make sure your slides are uniform. This means each slide should have a similar style,
colour, format etc. This helps it look professional.
iii) it’s important to have as much information on each slide as possible. This will help the
audience understand your presentation.
iv) it’s useful to read the information from your slides to the audience. This will help make
your points clear.
v) Slides should be as brief as possible, only containing key points or statistics. This will help
the audience follow the structure but also means that they will listen to you.
vi) when preparing your slides, always consider the place in which you are going to present.
This will help you decide the correct font size, pictures etc.
vii) minimize the number of slides you intend to use. For a ten-minute presentation, no
more than 8 slides should be needed.
viii) never put text over pictures, this can make it very difficult for the audience to read.
ix) use similar colour combinations such as red/green, brown/green, blue/black,
blue/purple. This will make your slides visually appealing.
x) proofread your slides carefully before any presentation. Grammar or spelling mistakes will
make your presentation seem very unprofessional.