9.5: Glossary

Glossary: Presenting Visual Aids 

Accessibility: The practice of designing visuals so that all audience members, including those with disabilities, can view and understand the material.

Animation: Motion effects used in slides to emphasize key points; should be minimal and purposeful to avoid distraction.

Attention Getter: A visual or video used at the beginning of a presentation to immediately capture audience interest.

Audience Focus: The speaker’s ability to direct audience attention to specific visuals or parts of a video to reinforce meaning.

Clarity: The quality of being easily understood; the main goal of all visual aid design.

Color Scheme: A coordinated selection of colors that enhances readability and maintains visual harmony throughout the slides.

Conclusion (of Visuals): The follow-up explanation after showing a visual or video to summarize its meaning and connect it to the speech’s main idea.

Consistency: The use of uniform colors, fonts, and layout across all slides to create a cohesive and professional presentation.

Context: The background information or explanation that helps an audience correctly interpret a visual or video clip.

Contrast: The visual difference between text and background (light vs. dark) that makes information easy to read.

Credibility: The level of trust and authority a speaker conveys, often strengthened by the ethical and accurate use of visuals.

Data Visualization: The use of charts, graphs, and infographics to simplify and display numerical or complex information.

Engagement: The level of attention and interest maintained by the audience through clear visuals and dynamic presentation style.

Ethical Use: The responsible use of visuals and videos that includes proper sourcing, accuracy, and respect for intellectual property.

Font: The style and size of printed text; should be clear, readable, and limited to two or three types in a presentation.

High-Quality Image: A clear, well-lit, properly sized picture that enhances the message instead of distracting from it.

Introduction (of Visuals): The process of preparing the audience for what they are about to see and explaining why it matters.

Length: The duration or amount of time a video or visual is shown; must be short enough to maintain audience focus.

Multimedia: The combination of text, audio, video, and images used together to communicate a message effectively.

Narration: The speaker’s verbal explanation that guides the audience through what they are seeing and why it matters.

Overload: The mistake of including too much information or too many visuals on one slide, causing audience disengagement.

PowerPoint (Slide Deck): A digital presentation composed of slides that display text, images, and media to visually support a speaker’s main ideas.

Professionalism: The overall impression of polish and preparation conveyed through organized, consistent, and ethical visual design.

Relevance: The degree to which a visual directly supports or illustrates a specific point in the speech.

Simplicity: The design principle of keeping slides free from clutter, focusing on only one main idea per slide.

Slide Layout: The arrangement of text, images, and graphics on a slide, designed for readability and balance.

Timing: The planned use of visuals or videos at the right moment in a speech to maximize impact.

Transition: A smooth shift from one slide, visual, or idea to another that maintains logical flow and audience focus.

Video Clip: A short segment of video used to illustrate or support a specific point within a presentation.

Visual Aid: Any physical or digital element (such as slides, charts, images, or props) used to enhance understanding and retention during a speech.