The Structure of a Slide Presentation

When most people think about designing a slide presentation, they focus on their content and what their slides will look like. Just as important, if not more so, is the structure of a presentation—the organization of ideas and concepts into a larger scientific story. Scientists that design well-structured talks not only communicate information better; they also create experiences for their audiences that increase attention, comprehension, and impact. This chapter describes principles for designing the structure of a slide presentation in a way that will keep your audience interested and attentive throughout the duration of your talk.