Have you ever attended any business presentations that used the headers “Background,” “Sales,” or “Conclusion” in their PowerPoint?
In most decks, almost every slide is guaranteed to have a title.
Your audience’s attention span is short, so make your text clear and concise.
Assertion-Evidence Structure
As cited by Six Minutes’ Andrew Dlugan, Dr. Michael Alley, author of The Craft of Scientific Presentations and a Pennsylvania State University professor, developed the Assertion-Evidence Structure (AES) for better presentation slides.
Assertion is where a complete sentence is placed into each slide title.
The evidence supports the headline with visual designs (ex. pictures, graphs, diagrams, drawings, equations).
Slide titles also help your audience better understand and remember your presentation.
Using Assertions as Headlines
In this post, we’ll focus on five guidelines for planning your PowerPoint slides using assertions.
1. Turn Your Idea into a Statement
PowerPoint is used as your visual aid. It should contain important points that support your actual pitch.
Avoid using titles such as “Sales” and “Conclusions,” as they have no concrete details or information worth remembering.
Keep the title short and clear to so that your audience will understand what it means.
2. Keep It Simple
Make your statement shorter. If possible, condense it to one line and remove any unnecessary words that might confuse your audience.
Include only those that are significant to relay a more meaningful message.
3. Use Larger Text
Never underestimate the power of font size.
To avoid losing your audience’s interest, use 40 point text size for your slide titles, like how newspapers, books, and web pages apply this to capture one’s attention.
4. Use a Consistent Location
Place the title in the slide’s upper-left corner, as it’s the easiest place for your audience to find it.
Your deck’s purpose is to guide your audience, not mislead them.
5. Make It Readable
Make it easier for your audience to read your slide’s text.
This shows that you care about their needs, letting them understand what you’re trying to point out.
It’s better to use san serif fonts for better legibility.
Summing It Up
Using these assertions help you craft clearer presentation slide, increasing your chances of effectively conveying your message to your audience.
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“4 Tips to Make Your Presentation Clear and Concise.” SlideGenius, Inc. 2015. Accessed June 18, 2015.
“Design 101: Basic Elements of a PowerPoint Deck.” SlideGenius, Inc. 2014. Accessed June 18, 2015.
“Slide Title Guidelines: Use Assertions, Not Topics.” Six Minutes. Accessed June 18, 2015.
