Rules for Viewgraphs

Most important: keep them:  

1. clean,
2. simple,
3. necessary to the story line.

Controversy: Number of viewgraphs vs. amount of material per viewgraph.

  On the one hand:

• Transparencies should illustrate a single point and, like the presentation itself, have only one focus
• The less busy a viewgraph appears, the more justice it does to the information it attempts to communicate
• Complex data/figures cannot be fully appreciated unless the speaker separates them into a series of simplified constituents.

  On the other hand:

• Flipping through many viewgraphs fragments the talk.
• Clearly organizing each part of the story on one viewgraph allows gives audience sufficient info in one place so they can absorb it.
• Putting related figures/data on one viewgraphs allows relationships to be displayed and explained.

Agreement exists on:

1. Try to avoid showing tables. Keep fewest significant digits.
2. Equations intimidate most audience who then "tune out" of the talk. Use with care, introducing the physics of the symbols first. Never change a symbol within a viewgraph or from one to the next.
3. Lettering on viewgraphs can never be too large, at least 17 point.
4. Uniformity of style throughout the presentation accentuates and underscores the flow and coherence of the talk.
5. Figures
   • Clearly label axes
   • Delete all information (curves/words) irrelevant to talk.
   • Explain main points of figure directly on the viewgraph.