Integrating Text and Graphics (Reiterated Strategies)

Effective Language, continued (p. 558 - 560)

For a maximal presentatation, considering how you use writing and what kinds of writing becomes essential. The following strategies are useful to organize thoughts and graphics, and allow for your audience to follow along while you develop your ideas slide-to-slide.


1. Advanced Organizers - a statement that highlights the main points of the presentation and clarifies what you will discuss, and in what order. Use transitional phrases and specific, active language to outline where you will take audience. You may have many such advance organizers, which may serve as introductions into a. entire presentation, and/or b. sections where points are developed in steps and multiple examples.

The following is an example of an Advanced Organizer for entire presentation:

Chez Denise brings Paris, France to Chicago. From the first sight, our customers will have travelled across the globe without the expensive plane ticket. From the facade to the dining rooms to the singing of metal pans cooking the best French cuisine the city can offer, we intend to show you how the City of Love falls in love with the Windy City.


2. Using Memorable Language - appropriate, clear language is necessary, but so is langauge that will be vigourous and specific enough to paint your image in the audience's brains.

The above example includes some memorable language. Common references to Paris (City of Love) and Chicago (the Windy City) help build the connection. Also, "facade" is a French term, which sticks out in various ways: 1. "facade" is a concise description instead of
buidling's outside appearance" and 2. the word allows for the Paris to be brought in the language.

Also, there is reference to the customers in the description. All of the language specifically describes the following general things - the customers, the concept of the restaurant, the city/community.


3. Summaries - use some slides to summarize/conclude some of the previous slides. Too often we summarize first, telling audience how to look at everything. However, there is a difference between providing an advanced organizer and a conclusion. The conclusive summary indicates "this is what we talked about" while advance organizers provide "what we are going to expand on, and in what order."


4. Transitions - Rather than starting a new point from scratch, use slides like you would use paragraphs. Repeat some key words and phrases from the last slide (point) as you transition into a new slide (point).

Also, use transitional phrases such as "such as", "secondly," "in contrast to," etc. Go back in our blog to look at transitional devices