Visual Aids

Visual Aids Checklist

The key to effective visual aids is to remember the two essentials:

1. Visual aids must be VISUAL

 If possible, use pictures or diagrams rather than text. Use simple clear graphs and
tables, with not too many lines. Make sure they can be seen by the audience at the
back of the room.
 If you use text, use short lists with not too many words
 Slides should be well laid out but not too decorated
 Each visual should have a title so that the audience knows what they’re looking at
 Remember to put references on your visuals!
2. Visual aids must be AIDS
 The slide should show the key points that you want to make. You will add comments
while you speak. NEVER READ DIRECTLY FROM THE SLIDES!!!
 Remember that a table from a textbook may be no good for a visual aid, so take the
information you need and include it on your slide.

There are many different types of visual aids you can use, including:

 Tables
 Line graphs
 Bar charts/graphs
 Pie charts
 A bulleted list, not sentences
 Diagrams
 A separate line for each point
 Text
 Clear simple print
When using text, remember it should be:  Lower case letters, not capitals.

Referring to visual aids – language signals

1. Introducing the slides

Here you can see...
You can see here...
If we look at this slide...
Here are the data from our questionnaire...
These are the comparative mortality rates...
2. Locating a point on the slide
On the left side... On the right here...
At the top... At the bottom...

Based on: https://library.uoregon.edu/sites/default/files/data/cet/documents/Visual%20Aids%20Checklist.pdf