Chapter 17 Enhancing Presentations with Slides and Other Visuals 1) Studies show that visuals can improve learning by up to ________ percent. A) 50 B) 100 C) 200 D) 400 Answer: D Explanation: D) Behavioral studies show that humans can process images 60,000 times faster than they can process text. The amounts to a 400 percent increase in learning when using visual imagery. 2) The purpose of visuals is to ________ during a presentation. A) replace your spoken message B) support and clarify what you have to say C) distract and entertain the audience D) provide decorative embellishments Answer: B Explanation: B) The purpose of visuals is to support your spoken message, not replace it. 3) While you're making design choices for an electronic slide deck, let simplicity be your guide because A) simple materials often take less time to create. B) simple visuals are less likely to be misinterpreted. C) keeping things simple reduces the chances of something going wrong. D) all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) Creating simple materials can take less time. Furthermore, simple visuals are less likely to distract or confuse the audience and less likely to cause problems during your presentation. 4) A disadvantage of electronic presentations is A) they're difficult to include in online meetings and webcasts. B) they are difficult to store or transport. C) they can be time-consuming to create. D) they cannot be customized for different audiences. Answer: C Explanation: C) Primary disadvantages of electronic presentations include the amount of time required to develop slides and the complexity involved in creating advanced presentations. 5) The most popular visual aids for business presentations are A) flip charts. B) whiteboards. C) electronic slides. D) overhead transparencies. Answer: C Explanation: C) Electronic slides created with programs like Apple Keynote and Microsoft PowerPoint are the visuals of choice in most business presentations today. 6) After you've chosen the right media for creating visuals to support your presentation A) don't hesitate to start creating your visuals. B) think through your presentation plan carefully before you get to work. C) search your archives for existing visuals that you can recycle in your new context. D) check your system for awesome special effects and download anything that's missing. Answer: B Explanation: B) Once you've selected a visual medium, think through your presentation outline before you start creating anything. 7) Which of the following statements about overhead transparencies is false? A) They can be easy to create. B) The are easy to edit and update. C) You can write on them during a presentation. D) They don't require high-tech presentation equipment. Answer: B Explanation: B) You can create overhead transparencies with nothing more than a marking pen. You can write on them while you're presenting, and you don't need a computer and presentation software to use them. Unfortunately, they are nearly impossible to edit. 8) Chalkboards and whiteboards are particularly useful for A) small-group sessions. B) making presentations for large audiences. C) formal situations. D) presentations on controversial topics. Answer: A Explanation: A) Chalkboards and whiteboards are effective tools for recording points made during small group meetings. 9) Which of the following visual aids would be particularly helpful for recording ideas during a group brainstorming session? A) Flip chart B) Electronic slides C) Prototypes and working models D) Chalkboards and whiteboards Answer: A Explanation: A) A flip chart is a dependable, low-tech tool for recording ideas and comments during team meetings and presentations. 10) The best option for creating a training module on the features of a software program would be A) overhead transparencies. B) screencasting software. C) image editing software. D) chalkboards and whiteboards. Answer: B Explanation: B) You can use screencasting software to make digital movies of computer screen output. You can also add voice narration, either while you're recording or when you're editing the movie. 11) Unlike structured slides, free-form slides A) are completely random and have no design consistency. B) don't follow a rigid design structure. C) use the same color for background and text. D) contain extra-large fonts. Answer: B Explanation: B) Free-form designs often have more impact on the viewer than structured designs because they use visual imagery in a more creative way, relying on visual action and the relationship between symbolic images rather than static rows and columns. 12) Structured presentation slides are usually the best choice for A) persuasive presentations. B) educational presentations. C) routine presentations. D) motivational presentations. Answer: C Explanation: C) Structured slides are usually the best choice for project updates and other routine informative presentations, particularly if the slides are intended to be used only once. 13) A presenter who is using free-form slides is A) released from the constraints of place and time. B) responsible for conveying more of the content. C) more likely to present complex subjects in a cohesive, integrated manner. D) able to rely on each slide to function as a multimedia teleprompter. Answer: B Explanation: B) Because free-form slides contain little text on each slide, the speaker is responsible for conveying more of the content. 14) Presentations featuring free-form slides tend to contain ________ presentations with structured slides. A) more slides than B) fewer slides than C) about the same number of slides as D) simpler slides than Answer: A Explanation: A) Each free-form slide tends to express a single idea, where structured slides often pack a great deal of information into a single slide. Because of this, free-form presentations tend to require many more slides than structured presentations. 15) A "slideument" is A) a particularly useful electronic slide that provides lots of information. B) a slide that is sent ahead of time to introduce the audience to your topic. C) an electronic slide that tries to function as both a presentation visual and a printed document. D) a slide that is also printed and distributed to the audience as a handout. Answer: C Explanation: C) Slideuments combine visual elements and text to function as stand-alone documents that readers can fully understand without the need of a speaker to present them. 16) Expert presenters often structure specific slides around a ________ that helps organize and explain the points they are trying to make. A) general topic B) key visual C) situational parable D) conceptual cluster Answer: B Explanation: B) A key visual can work in tandem with your written and spoken messages to help audiences get your message. 17) Four important design elements to consider when creating slides include all of the following except A) choosing color. B) selecting background designs. C) writing content. D) selecting fonts and type styles. Answer: C Explanation: C) Content is not a key element to the visual design of a slide. However, do not operate under the assumption that the labels and text that go on slides are unimportant. The text on a slide must work hand in hand with the images in order to communicate information to the audience effectively. 18) When you're considering the use of color in your slides, keep in mind that A) color can account for a large part of an audience's acceptance or rejection of an idea. B) color tends to distract viewers, which reduces their retention of the material. C) you should use as many colors as possible to maintain viewer interest. D) your choices are not that important as long as your slides are colorful. Answer: A Explanation: A) Studies show that up to 60 percent of an audience's acceptance or rejection of an idea depends on color. Similarly, audiences have been shown to be up to 80 percent more likely to read a text if it appears surrounded by the right color. Color has also been shown to improve memory retention by up to 75 percent. 19) In a presentation designed to reassure your audience after layoffs and bad news about company profitability, the best color to use would be A) blue. B) brown. C) red. D) any of the above. Answer: A Explanation: A) Blue has been shown to soothe people and create a sense of peacefulness, tranquility, and trust. This would make blue a good choice for people who have just gone through a period of wrenching stress and conflict. 20) If you are using yellow for your titles and text, the best background color would be A) white, if the slide is for a transparency. B) a darker shade of yellow. C) dark blue or purple. D) orange or red. Answer: C Explanation: C) With a bright foreground of yellow, a dark, contrasting color should be chosen for the background. Dark blue or purple is the best choice here for contrast. 21) ________ conveys information that's part of your message; ________ doesn't convey textual or numerical information. A) Decorative artwork; functional artwork B) Background artwork; foreground artwork C) Functional artwork; decorative artwork D) Transformational artwork; symbolic artwork Answer: C Explanation: C) Functional artwork includes photos, drawings, charts, and other visuals containing information that is part of your message. Decorative artwork doesn't deliver textual or numerical information, and may or may not be helpful. 22) When choosing a background for your slides, the most effective approach is to A) use dark colors such as blue. B) pair complex patterns with intricate borders. C) choose a simple design. D) use all of the above. Answer: C Explanation: C) A background should stay in the background of a scene. It shouldn't compete for attention with the items in the foreground of your image. Busy, cluttered, or flashy backgrounds are bad design; simple backgrounds are good design. 23) Your policy for using clip art in presentations should be A) not to use any clip art, ever. B) to use clip art sparingly, if at all. C) to use clip art as much as possible in those presentations that need spicing up. D) to use just those pieces that you particularly like. Answer: B Explanation: B) Clip art is often cute but rarely appropriate for business applications. Design experts think that clip art gives slides an unprofessional, cartoon look that is not appropriate for business audiences. 24) In business presentations, all background artwork should be considered to be A) a good way to keep the audience's attention. B) the key to good design. C) essentially decorative. D) essentially functional. Answer: C Explanation: C) In a business context, backgrounds by definition have no purpose other than to help highlight images in the foreground. Therefore, any images in the background should be considered unnecessary and decorative, since instead of highlighting foreground images they compete with foreground images. 25) When choosing fonts and type styles for slides, be sure to A) use script fonts for emphasis. B) limit your fonts to no more than two per slide. C) avoid boldface type. D) do all of the above. Answer: B Explanation: B) A single slide should have no more than two typefaces. Use of additional typefaces causes a distraction for the viewer and makes the slide seem confused and unprofessional. 26) When using thinner fonts in electronic presentations, A) use a wide variety of them, to keep the presentation interesting. B) include decorative fonts to help maintain audience interest. C) use boldface type so that letters won't look washed out. D) use all capital letters so type will stand out. Answer: C Explanation: C) From a distance, thin typefaces tend to disappear into the background. To avoid this problem use boldface type to make each letter thicker. 27) The slide master in presentation software A) allows you to save design elements so that they can be included on any new slides you add. B) automatically chooses the same fonts and typefaces for your slides. C) helps create a consistent-looking design for your entire slide show. D) does all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) The slide master allows you to choose fonts, colors, typeface size, and other design elements in a single slide and then have that same style automatically be featured in all of the slides in your presentation. 28) The predefined layouts in presentation software A) contain placeholders for specific slide elements such as titles and bulleted text. B) allow you to automate your slide show. C) allow you to add hyperlinks to your presentation. D) let you see an entire batch of slides at once. Answer: A Explanation: A) You can maintain consistency throughout your presentation by choosing a predefined layout that makes sure that bulleted lists, charts, graphics, and other design elements are given the same general space on every slide. 29) When preparing text slides for an upcoming presentation, you should A) try to have a slide to go with every concept you want to convey. B) be sure to use complete sentences. C) limit each slide to expressing a single thought, concept, or idea. D) do none of the above. Answer: C Explanation: C) Good design means that each slide conveys a unique idea, and only one idea. This is the goal to strive for, although if the presentation begins to require too many slides you may need to: (a) cover fewer ideas or (b) start combining some of the ideas you are expressing. 30) Which one of the following is the best example of functional animation? A) Having each bullet point fly from the left side of the screen B) Moving a color bar on the screen to highlight the steps in a process C) Using a cartwheel effect to bring in a block of text from outer space D) Making a clipart image spin around in circles Answer: B Explanation: B) Using carefully controlled functional animation is a great way to demonstrate sequences and procedures. 31) To make your text slides more readable, A) limit the text on each slide to four or five lines with four or five words per line. B) use complete sentences with capitals and punctuation rather than short bulleted phrases. C) use the passive voice. D) do all of the above. Answer: A Explanation: A) Clutter and causing your audience to strain to see your text are two things you want to avoid in your presentation. If your slide seems to need more than four or five lines of text, consider breaking it up into two separate slides. 32) Effective text slides should do all of the following except A) highlight key points. B) display your entire speaking script. C) summarize and preview your message. D) signal major shifts in thought. Answer: B Explanation: B) Keep in mind that slide text is not supposed to display your entire speaking script. 33) ________ control how one slide replaces another slide on the screen; ________ control the release of text, graphics, and other elements on individual slides. A) Agendas; moving blueprints B) Slide transitions; builds C) Storyboards; hyperlinks D) Builds; slide transitions Answer: B Explanation: B) Slide transitions control how one slide replaces another on-screen. Builds control the release of text, graphics, and other elements on individual slides. 34) If you're planning to use a video in your presentation, make sure that it's A) a full-length feature. B) capable of delivering a universal message. C) brief, relevant, and interesting. D) suitable for taking the place of your presentation. Answer: C Explanation: C) Video clips can add memorable, engaging content to your presentations, as long as they're relevant, interesting, and brief. 35) When adapting graphics for slides A) reduce the amount of detail. B) use full numbers, such as 2012, rather than '12. C) avoid using arrows or boldface type. D) don't use more than eight or nine graph lines. Answer: A Explanation: A) From a distance, fine details on graphics are simply too hard to see and too fine and subtle to appreciate. Eliminate all parts of your graphic that aren't absolutely essential for it to convey its message. 36) When using slide transitions, you should A) limit them to text; they are not appropriate for graphics. B) vary the direction, sometimes going from top to bottom and sometimes going from left to right. C) reveal information in a way that helps your audience better understand your message. D) do none of the above—slide transitions have no place in business presentations. Answer: C Explanation: C) Beware of such things as spinning "newsflash" slide transitions that may be amusing for recreational audiences but are far too flashy and distracting for a business environment. As with other design elements, when it comes to slide transitions, simple is better. 37) Hyperlinks are useful in slide presentations for A) providing additional details without having to incorporate each detail into a slide. B) customizing one electronic presentation for several audiences. C) accessing additional information during question-and-answer periods. D) doing all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) In some cases you may want to access a website that is continually updated during a presentation. For example, suppose you want to be able to quote the current price of gold in your presentation. A hyperlink to a gold price website allows you to get the current gold price at just a click of the mouse. When you are done looking at the link you can click back to your presentation. 38) During the revision stage of preparing your slide presentation, you should A) decide on the background color to use. B) decide where builds and transitions should be inserted. C) check for readability and clarity. D) determine your main idea. Answer: C Explanation: C) View the presentation from the typical distance that a person in your audience will view it. Can you read the text? Can you see the visual images and interpret what they are supposed to signify? Note that at this stage you should still feel free to delete slides, modify slides, or create new slides to correct mistakes or deficiencies in your presentation. 39) The title slide of your presentation should contain A) your name. B) your department affiliation (for internal audiences). C) your company affiliation (for external audiences). D) all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) In addition to your name and department or company, you may wish to date the slide. 40) You can create a well-organized presentation by using a ________ at each major section break to announce the title of the section that's about to begin. A) storyline B) pull quote C) bumper slide D) hyperlink Answer: C Explanation: C) You can insert a bumper slide at each major section break in a presentation, announcing the title of the section you're about to begin. 41) Printed materials that you give to the audience to supplement your presentation should be A) incidental to your overall presentation strategy. B) an integral part of your presentation strategy. C) distributed to your audience during your presentation. D) out of sync with your slides and your spoken message. Answer: B Explanation: B) View handouts as an integral part of your presentation strategy so that they work in harmony with your slides and spoken message. 42) A title slide A) is the equivalent of a report's cover and title page. B) defines the topic of the presentation and informs the audience why you are speaking on the topic. C) lists the topics you plan to cover in your presentation. D) always contains the word "Introduction." Answer: A Explanation: A) A title slide serves the same purpose as the title page of a report. It identifies who you are and what your presentation is about. If you post your presentation on the Internet the title page will identify you for audiences in cyberspace. 43) In an upcoming presentation, you plan to cover three important changes to your employees' working hours. The proper place to list this plan would be the ________ slide. A) cover B) introduction C) agenda D) teaser Answer: C Explanation: C) An agenda slide takes care of local "housekeeping" chores, such as plans for the company picnic or URLs for logging into backchannels. 44) ________ slides indicate which material has been covered and which section you are about to begin. A) Title B) Agenda C) Navigation D) None of the above Answer: C Explanation: C) Navigation slides allow you to view how much of the presentation is over and how much is still left to cover. This not only helps speakers gauge time to see if they should speed up or slow down, it also allows audience members to participate in the process and say things like, "Speed up, we're running out of time," or "Slow down, you've got plenty of time left." 45) Which of the following would be an appropriate handout to accompany an oral presentation? A) An interesting but unrelated news article B) A list of relevant websites C) A photo of you, with a caption listing all of your qualifications D) Any of the above Answer: B Explanation: B) Handouts serve the function of covering all material that you didn't have time or space to cover in the presentation. A list of relevant websites that refer to topics you mentioned in your presentation would be an appropriate handout. 46) Thanks to software such as Microsoft PowerPoint, preparing presentation visuals now requires almost no planning. Answer: False Explanation: Visuals must be planned with the same care and attention to detail that text reports and messages are planned. 47) A major advantage of electronic presentations is the ability to make changes easily at the last minute. Answer: True Explanation: The advantage to electronic visuals is that changes and modifications are easy to make and as permanent as you want them to be. Using presentation programs you can experiment with different designs and approaches to see which one works best for your material. 48) Major disadvantages of electronic presentations include the potential for hardware and software malfunctions and the time and effort it takes to master software programs. Answer: True Explanation: Looked at objectively, the disadvantages of electronic presentations are fairly minor. That is why virtually all businesses use computer software for their presentations in today's business world. 49) Overhead transparencies are old-fashioned visuals that are no longer used in business. Answer: False Explanation: Some people still use overhead transparencies. Their one great advantage is that they can be written on with a pen at any time. They are also permanent items that can't fail, for example, if there is a power outage in the building. 50) It is a good idea to have a separate plan for each slide you make for a presentation. Answer: True Explanation: Individual slides are analogous to individual sections of a written document. Each slide needs to be thought out well in advance. Slides also need to be looked at in sequence to see how well they fit together and tell a visual story. 51) Chalkboards and whiteboards are old-fashioned and inappropriate for any serious business presentation. Answer: False Explanation: Many people still prefer a chalkboard for expressing ideas. Whiteboards improve on chalkboards by replacing messy chalk with ink pens and allowing board data to be saved and distributed using an electronic whiteboard. 52) Flip charts are particularly effective for recording ideas during group brainstorming sessions. Answer: True Explanation: Many group leaders like the process of scribbling ideas on a flip chart and then flipping to a new sheet to accommodate a new idea. 53) Screencasting allows you to record what takes place on your screen into a little video that can be emailed to other users so they can view how to use software programs. Answer: True Explanation: Imagine you are having trouble with your new computer illustration program. An expert user can record the process of creating an entire illustration and send you the recording so you can view a step by step video of how to use the software. 54) It is preferable to work on the design of an electronic presentation before concentrating on the content. Answer: False Explanation: Content and design should both be conceptualized together. The outline for your text and sketches for your visuals should be done together to end up with a well-balanced product in which text and image work well together. 55) Because they contain more textual information than structured slides, free-form slides require less preparation and practice on the part of the speaker. Answer: False Explanation: Free-form slides contain less, not more text information than structured slides. They also require as much or more planning than structured slides. A single free-form presentation typically requires many more slides than a similar structured presentation. 56) "Slideument" refers to a slide set that is intended to be a stand-alone item that can be appreciated without the aid of a speaker. Answer: True Explanation: Theoretically, slideuments exist as visual-text hybrids that are so cleverly made that they don't require a speaker to explain their meaning. In real life, many experts think that slideuments are inadequate both as text and as visuals. Nevertheless, slideuments are popular in today's business world. 57) When creating text or graphics slides, it is important to keep content and graphics as simple and readable as possible. Answer: True Explanation: Simplicity has several advantages. Creating simple items is usually easier and takes less time than complicated graphics. Keeping it simple has benefits for the viewer as well, reducing the likelihood of distraction, confusion, and misinterpretation. Finally, the more complicated a graphic is, the more chance there is for something to go wrong. 58) Studies have shown that as long as the content of a presentation is compelling and well organized, it will have basically the same effect whether or not it's presented in color. Answer: False Explanation: Color has an enormous effect on perception, accounting for 60 percent of people's acceptance or rejection of an idea, for example, in one study. Another study found that color could increase memory retention by 75 percent. 59) Regardless of language differences, colors have the same meaning in all cultures. Answer: False Explanation: Colors have different meanings and interpretations in different cultures. So a designer should not expect the same response to a color scheme in foreign cultures. 60) The best background for your slides is one with a colorful, interesting pattern that will grab the audience's attention. Answer: False Explanation: In general, backgrounds should be plain and unassuming with no artwork at all. The purpose of a background is to provide is to provide a visual backdrop, not to grab the audience's attention. 61) When selecting fonts and type styles for slides, you should avoid script or decorative fonts. Answer: True Explanation: In general, all visual elements in a business environment should aim to be functional, not decorative. That includes decorative fonts that have no place in business visuals. 62) In most cases, text slides should contain a maximum of 4-5 lines with no more than 4 or 5 words per line. Answer: True Explanation: The reason for this limitation is to make sure that the slide does not get overburdened with text. Twenty words seems to be about the most a slide can handle before it begins to look cramped and hard to read. 63) When writing content for electronic slides, it is best to use passive voice whenever possible. Answer: False Explanation: The passive voice robs a presentation of energy. To make slides seem lively and engaging, use the active voice. 64) On slides for business presentations, you should use as little white space as possible. Answer: False Explanation: White space should be used generously to give viewers enough contrast and balance to be able to discern and interpret the slide at a glance. 65) Using builds can help prevent your audience from reading ahead during your presentation. Answer: True Explanation: An excellent use of a build is to have bullet points appear one by one on a list. That allows the speaker to focus on only one point at a time. 66) Including hyperlinks limits your ability to customize a presentation for different audiences and situations. Answer: False Explanation: Rather than limit customization, hyperlinks enable customization of a presentation by allowing you to click to alternate websites when convenient. For example, you may choose to click on a hyperlink that shows the one stock price for one audience, and a different stock price for another audience. 67) The "slide sorter view" in presentation software allows you to see a batch of slides, either all at once or in significant portions. Answer: True Explanation: The slide sorter function makes arranging slides quick and easy. 68) A "title slide" is a basic slide with just the word "Introduction" on it that serves as the first slide in your presentation. Answer: False Explanation: The title slide should include the speaker's name, the title of the presentation, and the speaker's department (for internal presentations) or company (for external presentations). 69) You can use "moving blueprint slides" at several points in your presentation, but not at the end. Answer: False Explanation: A moving blueprint slide tells the audience where it's been and where it's going. To review the entire presentation, the blueprint slide can be shown at the end of the presentation. 70) Electronic presentations do not necessarily eliminate the need for you to provide the audience with handouts. Answer: True Explanation: Handouts of important supplemental material are considered standard in most business circles. 71) Microsoft PowerPoint and Apple Keynote are popular software programs for creating ________ slides. Answer: electronic Explanation: PowerPoint is the industry standard. PowerPoint is so popular that slide presentations are often referred to as "PowerPoint presentations." 72) A(n) ________ consists of large sheets of paper attached at the top like a tablet. Answer: flip chart Explanation: When working in groups for such activities as brainstorming sessions, flip charts are often thought to be an aid to developing "group memory" of the ideas developed in the session. 73) Unlike free-form slides, ________ slides follow the same basic format throughout the presentation. Answer: structured Explanation: Structured slides generally present a less imaginative, more consistent approach to slide design. A single format, or a few variations of a format, recur throughout a structured presentation. This gives the audience predictable visual cues and a consistent look that is easy to understand and follow. 74) To make the text on your slides more readable, write short ________ phrases rather than long sentences. Answer: bulleted Explanation: Short bulleted phrases can generally be understood at a single glance by viewers. Long sentences, on the other hand, often must be decoded and interpreted before they are understood. 75) When modifying text for electronic slides, it is best to ________ the amount of words each one contains. Answer: reduce Explanation: In general, the fewer words that can be used to fully express an idea on a slide, the better the slide is. So in most cases, decreasing the number of words is the best way you can edit your slide. 76) For electronic presentations in dark rooms, it is best to use dark colors for the ________, a midrange of brightness for illustrations, and light colors for the ________. Answer: background, text Explanation: In a dark room, you want the text to stand out most, so bright colors for text are required. Bright text necessitates dark background for contrast. With bright text and dark background, midrange tones are the best choice for illustrations. Midrange tones won't conflict with the bright text or disappear into the dark background. 77) Software programs such as PowerPoint offer a(n) ________ feature that allows you to preset all your design choices, which are then automatically applied to all new slides. Answer: slide master Explanation: Slide master performs the same function as a "style" choice in a word processing program. The slide master preserves all design choices for slides that get automatically applied to any new slides you create. 78) ________ control how one electronic slide replaces another on screen. Answer: Transitions Explanation: With slide transitions, simple is best. Don't get lured into using flashy animations in business presentations. Your audience will get distracted and annoyed and you will be seen as unprofessional. 79) ________ enable you to make individual elements on a slide appear one at a time rather than all at once. Answer: Builds Explanation: A build can, for example, allow bullet points to appear one by one from a list. The speaker can pause on one bullet point and discuss it, then move on to the next bullet point when she is ready. 80) ________ are preprogrammed hyperlink icons available in presentation software. Answer: Action buttons Explanation: Rather than underlined blue text to indicate a hyperlink, an action button is a button or other graphic element that functions as a hyperlink. 81) A(n) ________ slide is the equivalent of a report's cover and title page. Answer: title Explanation: The title slide should always be the first slide presented. It identifies the speaker and the title of the presentation. 82) ________ slides tell your audience where you've been and where you're going in your presentation. Answer: Navigation Explanation: Navigation slides are useful for both the speaker and the audience. Speakers and audience members can both use navigation slides to gauge where they are in a presentation. 83) A(n) ________ slide signals that you are moving from one major part of the presentation to another. Answer: moving blueprint Explanation: The moving blueprint slide highlights the section you are currently on and shows the other sections in un-highlighted text. 84) ________ slides appear at each major section break and announce the title of the section you're about to begin. Answer: Bumper Explanation: Bumper slides do not review previous sections or preview future sections. They are simply section breaks. 85) A good way to give audiences additional information without overloading your slides is to provide ________ for them to take away from the presentation. Answer: handouts Explanation: Handouts function to provide any additional information that the audience needs. For example, a graph that contains too much detail to be discerned on the screen can be provided in a handout so the audience can appreciate its details. 86) List at least three types of visuals commonly used in business presentations. Answer: (1) Overhead transparencies, (2) electronic slides, (3) chalkboards and whiteboards, and (4) flip charts. 87) What presentation tools are often used for small-group sessions? Answer: Chalkboards, whiteboards, and flip charts are all effective tools for recording points made during small-group sessions. 88) Describe at least two advantages of using color in business presentations. Answer: Color visuals can account for 60 percent of an audience's acceptance or rejection of an idea. It can increase willingness to read by up to 80 percent, and it can enhance learning and improve retention by more than 75 percent. 89) A colleague uses dozens of clip art images in almost every presentation. She asks you for advice on how to improve the quality of her electronic slides. What advice would you give her on using clip art, and how would you explain it? Answer: She should stop using clip art, unless specific images that have communication value. Clip art is probably the biggest troublemaker in decorative art because it is so easy to misuse. Few clip art images have any informative value, and they can give an unprofessional, cartoony appearance to your slides. 90) What two types of artwork can be included in the foreground of electronic slides? Briefly explain the distinction between these types. Answer: This artwork can be functional or decorative. Functional artwork includes photos, technical drawings, charts, and other visual elements containing information that's part of your message. Decorative artwork simply enhances the look of your slides. 91) How can you determine the best font size for the text in an electronic presentation? Answer: The best size depends on the room(s) in which you'll be presenting. The farther the audience is from the screen, the larger your type needs to be. 92) You're tired of wasting hours making design changes to one slide at a time in your electronic presentations. What software feature (common in presentation software such as PowerPoint) would be helpful in this situation, and what is its function? Answer: A slide master is a software feature that enables you to choose specific colors, fonts, and design elements that automatically show up on every slide in your presentation. 93) Briefly explain the function builds play in electronic presentations. Answer: Builds control the release of text, graphics, and other elements on individual slides. For example, you can use them to make bullet points appear one at a time rather than having all of them appear at once. 94) What is a title slide? Answer: A title slide is the equivalent of a report's cover and title page. It contains the title of your presentation, your name, your department affiliation (for internal audiences), and your company affiliation (for external audiences). It may also include the date and an appropriate graphic element. 95) What is the potential disadvantage of distributing handout copies of your slides before your presentation begins? Answer: Distributing copies of your slides before your presentation begins allows your audience to read ahead instead of listening to you. Doing so is especially risky if your subject is a touchy one and you've chosen an indirect approach. 96) Describe seven strategies for writing readable content for slides. Answer: The first step is to limit each slide to one thought, concept, or idea. For most slides, you should also limit the content to 4-5 lines of text containing 4-5 words per line, and avoid showing multiple text-heavy slides in a row. It is also more effective to write short bulleted phrases instead of long sentences. You should use complete sentences only when you need to share a quotation or other text word-for-word. When it comes to items in lists, make sure to state them in parallel grammatical form to facilitate quick reading. Use the active voice rather than the passive to make your slides easy to read, and include short informative titles. 97) Describe the eight factors you should consider when completing slides and other visuals. Answer: First, make sure that your visuals are readable. Consider questions such as, Can text be read from the back of the room? Does the font color stand out from the background? Second, look for consistency in terms of colors and designs. Third, check your visuals for simplicity. Should some information be illustrated by a chart, diagram, or picture? Should some be eliminated or moved? Fourth, make sure the design elements you've used are appropriate for your audience. Fifth, make sure the visuals are clear. Is the main point of each slide obvious and easy to comprehend in just a few seconds? Sixth, check the text of your slides for conciseness and to eliminate any grammatical errors. Seventh, make sure your slides are focused—each one should cover only one thought, concept, or idea. It should also grab the reader's attention in the right place and support the key points of your message. Finally, verify that each slide in your presentation is fully operational and that the animations and other special effects work as you intended. 98) Explain the content and function of the three types of navigation and support slides. Answer: Navigation and support slides add "finish" to your presentation and provide additional information to benefit your audience. Title slides are the equivalent of a report's cover and title page, and they present basic information about you, your organization, and your presentation. Agenda and program details slides communicate both the agenda for your presentation and any additional information that your audience might need. Navigation slides tell your audience where you're going and where you've been in the presentation. They include moving blueprint slides, which show what material has been covered and which section you are about to begin. Another example is the bumper slide, which appears at each major section break and announces the title of the section you're about to begin. 99) Explain five types of materials that are often best presented on handouts. Answer: Materials that are best presented on handouts include: (1) Complex charts and diagrams. These can be overwhelming if you include them in the presentation, so presenters commonly use stripped down versions in their presentation slides and provide more detailed versions in a handout. (2) Articles and technical papers that supplement information in your presentation—providing these as a handout allows you to highlight material from them during your presentation. (3) Case studies. Be sure to include references and contact information with these. (4) Recommended resources related to your topic. It's best to annotate each of these in a handout, providing a one- or two-sentence summary of each site's content. (5) Copies of presentation slides. Audiences often like to have small printed versions of a presenter's slides, complete with the speaker's comments and blank lines for note taking. 100) Describe some considerations to keep in mind in timing the distribution of your handouts. Answer: Timing the distribution of your handouts depends on the content of your handouts, the nature of your presentation, and your personal preference. Some speakers prefer to distribute handout copies of their slides before the presentation begins so that the audience can take notes. Doing so can be risky, however, particularly if you've organized your talk with the indirect approach, because the audience can read ahead and reach the conclusion and recommendations before you're able to build up to them yourself. Other speakers simply advise the audience of the types of information they are including in handouts but delay distributing anything until they have finished speaking. Test Bank for Business Communication Today Courtland L. Bovee, John V. Thill 9780132971294, 9780134562186, 9780135900239, 9780132539555
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