1. PUBLIC SPEAKING:
VISUAL AIDS

2. Types of Visual Aids
 Projected images (PowerPoints, Prezios, etc.)
 Props (Objects)
 Display boards
 Video clips
 Photographs
 Maps
 Charts/Graphs
 People

3. Why use a visual aid?
 Improves audience understanding and
memory
 Serves as notes
 Provides clearer organization
 Facilitates more eye contact and motion by the
speaker
 Contributes to speaker credibility
 Having a prop or visual aid may also help
some speakers feel more comfortable.

4. Creating Visual Aids

5. Size Matters
 Make sure that the visual aid is large enough
to be seen.
 Any writing should be easily readable by
those in the back of the room.

6. Keep It Simple
 In design and content
 Keep graphics, fonts, and writing simple, so
that your audience may grasp their meaning and
purpose immediately.
 Avoid overwhelming the audience with too much
information.
 Use your speech to fill in the details.

7. Practicing with Visual Aids

8. Practice Makes Perfect
 A common mistake for the novice speaker is to
think that s/he will know how to handle a visual
aid without ever practicing with it.
 Get the feel of your visual aid before you give
your speech.

9. Using Visual Aids

10. Take Control
 An aid is an aid. It is meant to help, not control.
 To do this:
 Show the visual aid only when you are utilizing it.
 Make sure you introduce/summarize it’s content &
purpose.
 Maintain eye contact while using your aid.
 Don’t talk to your visual aid or turn your back on
the audience.
 Stand to the side of your visual aid.
 Never pass your visual aid around.

11. Works Cited
 "Using Visual Aids." University of Pittsburgh.
21 Aug. 2008. Web. 25 Jan. 2015.
 Young, Teri. Speech 1 Public Speaking. De
Anza College. PDF.