news presentation definition

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14.3 News Media and Ethics

Learning objectives.

• Describe the role of media in delivering news to the public.
• Identify the important characteristics of reliable journalism.
• Summarize the effects of bias in news presentations.

Now more than ever, with the presence of online news sources, news delivery is expected to be instantaneous, and journalists and news agencies face pressure to release stories rapidly to keep up with competing media sources. With this added pressure, standards of accuracy and fairness become more difficult to uphold. What wins when ethical responsibility and bottom-line concerns are at odds? Columnist Ellen Goodman notes that there has always been a tension in journalism between being first and being right. She argues, “In today’s amphetamine world of news junkies, speed trumps thoughtfulness too often (Goodman, 1993).” As you read the following sections, decide if you agree with Goodman’s assessment of the state of the news media today.

Immediate News Delivery

In 1916, audiences across America tuned in to their radios to hear the first-ever breaking-news coverage of an event as the results of the presidential election between Woodrow Wilson and Charles Evans Hughes were announced from the offices of The New York American . Until that broadcast, news was delivered to American homes once per day in the form of a newspaper, and often this coverage lagged a day or more behind the actual incidents it reported. Whereas much of radio news coverage even into the 1930s involved the reading of newspaper stories and news wires on the air, radio offered something that the newspapers could not: live coverage of special events (Govier, 2007).

For decades, the public turned to the family radio when they wanted to hear the most recent coverage of important news. All of that changed, however, in 1963 with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. CBS correspondent Dan Rather took television audiences live to “the corner window just below the top floor, where the assassin stuck out his 30 caliber rifle,” and for the first time, people were able to see an event nearly as it occurred. This was the beginning of round-the-clock news coverage, and the American public, while still relying on print news for detailed coverage, came to expect greater immediacy of major event reporting through TV and radio broadcasts (Holguin, 2005).

Today, with the widespread availability of Internet news, instant coverage is the norm rather than the exception, and the Internet has generally replaced TV and radio as the source of immediate information. Visitors to ABCNews.com can watch an evening newscast three and a half hours before it airs on television (Sullivan, 2006). RSS (which stands for Really Simple Syndication , a standard for the easy syndication of online content) feeds, home pages for major news-delivery sites like Yahoo! News and CNN.com , news tickers, live video streams, blogs, Twitter, and a host of other media outlets ensure that news—and rumors of news—circulates within minutes of its occurrence. Additionally, with smartphone applications like those for The New York Times and USA Today , people can access the latest news coverage from almost anywhere.

The development of the Internet as a source of free and immediate access to information has forever changed the structure of the news media. Newspaper, television, and radio news programs have all had to adapt and diversify to compete for a share of the market. As Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for Digital Communication put it, “For the first time in 60 years, newspapers are back in the breaking news business.” Online, newspapers can compete with broadcast media for immediate coverage, posting articles on their home pages as soon as the stories are written, and supplementing the articles on their websites with audiovisual content. Gone is the era of single-medium newsrooms with predictable deadlines (USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 2009).

Not only are traditional news media restructuring, but news consumers are also changing the way they access information. Increasingly, audiences want news on demand; they want to get news when they want it, and they want to be able to gather it from a variety of sources. This is having a significant effect on media revenues. News aggregators , websites like Yahoo! News and Google News that compile news headlines from an array of legacy news organizations to display on their pages, have become popular information outlets. Although these websites don’t hire reporters to produce news stories themselves, they get about the same amount of online traffic as websites for legacy news organizations like CNN and The Wall Street Journal . Moreover, many subscribers to print newspapers and magazines are canceling their subscriptions because they can get more current information online at no cost (State of the Media, 2010). Print advertising is down as well. In 2004, The San Francisco Chronicle reported losing $50 million in classified advertising to free online options like Craigslist. 1

This loss of revenue has become a problem in recent years because while newspapers and magazines generate some income from advertisements on their websites, the money is not enough to compensate for lost readership and print ads. Subscriptions and advertising in traditional print media still account for 90 percent of industry funds, which means with less revenue in these areas, the support base for news organizations is dwindling. Newspapers and magazines across the country have had to restructure and scale down. Newspapers now spend $1.6 billion less annually on reporting and editing than they did 10 years ago (State of the Media, 2010).

Additionally, reduced budgets combined with greater pressure for immediacy have changed the way information gets reported and disseminated. Newsrooms are asking their staffs to focus on producing first accounts more quickly to feed multiple platforms. This often means that more resources go into distributing information than gathering it. Once news is released online by one source, it spreads rapidly, and other organizations scramble to release accounts, too, in order to keep up, often leaving staff less time for fact-checking and editing. The initial story is then followed quickly by commentary from both professional news organizations and nonprofessional sources on blogs, Twitter, and other social networks.

As a result of this restructuring, certain stories may get distributed, replayed, and commented on almost excessively, while other stories go unnoticed and in-depth coverage that would unearth more facts and context gets neglected. This has led a number of industry professionals to become anxious over the future of the news industry. The Center for Excellence in Journalism has called the news industry today “more reactive than proactive (State of the Media, 2010).” Journalist Patricia Sullivan complains, “Right now, almost no online news sites invest in original, in-depth and scrupulously edited news reporting.” 2 While some may disagree with Sullivan, in-depth journalism remains an expensive and time-consuming venture that many online news sites, faced with uncertain revenue streams and a growing consumer demand for real-time news updates, are reluctant to bankroll extensively.

Already strapped for funds, news organizations know they have to cater to public demands, and foremost among these demands is speed. When pop-music icon Michael Jackson died on June 26, 2009, at 2:26 p.m., news of his death hit cyberspace by 2:44 p.m. and soon spread nationwide via Twitter. Surprisingly, the initial report of Jackson’s death was released by celebrity gossip website TMZ. Legacy news sources were slower to publish accounts. The Los Angeles Times , wary of the sourcing of the story, waited to confirm the news and didn’t publish the story on its website until 3:15 p.m., by which time, thanks to the speed of social media, the star’s death was already “old news (Collins & Braxton, 2009).”

Figure 14.4

American news organizations are losing their audiences to online media and have lost billions in advertising income.

Social Responsibility of News Media

In the preamble to its statement of purpose, the Committee of Concerned Journalists lists as the central purpose of journalism “to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in a free society (Committee of Concerned Journalists).” This theory of the social responsibility of the press is often referred to as the vital information premise . Though sometimes worded differently by different organizations, it is widely accepted in the journalism community as the foundation for any principles of media ethics (Iggers, 1999). What are those specific principles? Here are some that are particularly important for journalists in the current media climate.

Present News Stories That Inform and Serve the Needs of Citizens

If the basis for the principles of ethical news reporting is giving citizens the information they need to function in a democratic society, then that information must be presented accurately. Journalists should be careful to verify the facts before they report them. As the Committee of Concerned Journalists asserts, “Accuracy is the foundation upon which everything else is built—context, interpretation, comment, criticism, analysis and debate,” so reliable news sources are essential if citizens are to have a clear understanding of the society in which they live. 3 Furthermore, although news organizations have a professional responsibility toward advertisers and shareholders, their commitment is always to citizens first. This means that journalists must report the facts truthfully and without omission, even if they are not in the best interest of advertisers, shareholders, or friends.

Present Issues Fairly

Reporting issues fairly requires not only factual accuracy, but also lack of favoritism toward any organization, political group, ideology, or other agenda. The Society of Professional Journalists stipulates that journalists should refuse gifts and favors and avoid political involvement or public office if these things compromise journalistic integrity (Society of Professional Journalists). Additionally, journalists should avoid inflating stories for sensation and be as transparent as possible about their sources of information so that the public can investigate the issues further on their own. 4

All sides of an issue should be presented in a news story. Of course, all journalists have a perspective from which they write, but a clear distinction should be made between news reports and editorial content (American Society of News Editors, 2009).

Present Stories in a Way That Addresses Their Complexity

Many issues in the news are layered and highly complex. Developing a thorough understanding of issues requires dedication and a sometimes lengthy investigation, and, especially in a world where rapid reporting is the norm, there can be a temptation to gloss over the finer points of an issue for the sake of efficiency. Additionally, most consumers of news, increasingly busy and overwhelmed by the amount of information available, want stories that can be quickly digested and easily comprehended. However, as the Committee of Concerned Journalists points out, the media must balance what readers want with what they need but cannot anticipate. 5 Oversimplifying issues, whether for the sake of a quick story or to satisfy public tastes, becomes a violation of the vital information premise. 6

Present Diverse Perspectives

When discussing what he considers to be one of the key issues in professional journalism, media ethicist Jeremy Iggers points out that because democracy means the widest possible participation of citizens in public life, diversity in journalism is of fundamental importance. 7 Not only should newsroom staff represent a diversity of gender and races, but journalists should also speak for all groups in society—“not just those with attractive demographics,” as the Committee for Concerned Journalists puts it. Journalists should represent the underrepresented because ignoring citizens is a form of disenfranchisement. 8

Monitor Government and Corporations

When the framers of the U.S. Constitution guaranteed freedom of the press, one of the things they had in mind was the ability of the news media to serve as a watchdog over those in positions of power (Committee of Concerned Journalists). It is the duty of the press to ensure that business is conducted in the open and that government actions are public. One famous example of the media fulfilling its watchdog role was The Washington Post ’s investigation of the 1972 Watergate scandal. During Richard Nixon’s presidency, journalists at the Post uncovered information linking government agencies and officials to the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex as part of an attempt to sabotage the Democratic campaign and guarantee Nixon’s reelection (Flanagan & Koenig, 2003). Media coverage of the scandal increased publicity and ultimately put pressure on the government that led to an investigation and the prosecution of many who were involved (Baughman, et. al., 2001).

Characteristics of Reliable Journalism

While CNN and other news networks took some criticism for their delay in reporting Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, others commended the news organizations for waiting for official confirmation. For many journalists and members of the public, ensuring accuracy, even when it means delays, is a hallmark of responsible journalism.

More than 400 journalistic codes of ethics have been produced by various unions and associations worldwide (White, 2008). Where they may differ on specifics, these codes of ethics agree that the news media’s top obligation is to report the truth. When journalists say this, of course, they don’t mean truth in an absolute, philosophical sense; they mean practical truth, the truth that involves reporting the facts as faithfully and accurately as possible. This notion of truth includes an accurate representation of information from reliable sources, but it also includes a complete representation, one that presents multiple perspectives on an issue and does not suppress vital information.

Many codes of ethics stress that the press has a duty to continue its investigation of the facts, even after initially reporting them, and to rectify any inaccuracies that may have occurred in the initial coverage of an issue (White). One example is The Huffington Post , a news website that, with over 2,000 bloggers, has the world’s most linked-to blog. Blogging is sometimes criticized by more traditional journalists for the tendency, among some blogs, to include biases, unreliable information, and unfounded opinions—in other words, for instances of violating journalistic codes of ethics. However, The Huffington Post requires all of its pass-holding writers to fact check and to correct any factual errors within 24 hours or lose their privileges. 9

Along with an emphasis on the truth, codes of ethics stress loyalty to citizens as a standard of primary importance. Of course, truth telling is an essential component of this loyalty, but additionally, the concern here is in reminding journalists whom their work serves. Especially in the current environment, in which media outlets face increased financial pressure, there is a tension between responsible journalism and the demands for profit. Aiden White notes that corporate and political influences are of increasing concern in this environment, but he reminds journalists that while they have duties to other constituencies, “media products are not just economic.” Journalists must hold the larger public interest above other interests (White).

Another challenge often posed by bottom-line concerns and the pressure for a good story is sensitivity toward, and protection of, those involved in the news. Responsible journalists should strive to balance disclosure of the news with a respect for individual privacy. Finding this balance can sometimes be a challenge. On one hand, journalists should never expose private information that could be harmful to individuals for the sake of sensationalizing a story. Issues like family life, sexual behavior, sexual orientation, or medical conditions, for instance, are generally considered tabloid material that would violate the privacy of those involved.

On the other hand, there are times when the private lives of individuals must be made public in the interests of serving the common good. One example was the 2009 media scandal surrounding South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, who, after media investigations over his weeklong disappearance in June of that year, admitted to flying to Argentina to visit his mistress. After it was revealed that Sanford had used public funds for his private travel, he resigned from his office as the chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association (Associated Press, 2009). Although the publicity surrounding this private matter was clearly painful for the governor and his family, releasing information about the incident, particularly regarding the misuse of public funds, was in the best interest of the citizens. The International Federation of Journalists offers three factors as a rough guideline in cases where privacy is in danger of being violated: the nature of the individual’s place in society, the individual’s reputation, and his or her place in public life. Politicians, judges, and others in elected office often must forgo their expectations of privacy for reasons of democracy and accountability—the public’s right to know if their elected officials are engaged in unethical or criminal conduct generally trumps an individual’s right to privacy. 10

Figure 14.5

As shown in the scandal surrounding former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, drawing the line between exploiting individuals’ private lives to sell stories and disclosing information in the public interest is not always clear.

Wikimedia Commons – public domain.

Because the press has a duty to serve the best interests of the citizens in a democracy, it is important that journalists act independently and that they remain neutral in their presentation of information. Objectivity was once the common term used to support this notion. More recently, however, there has been wider acceptance of the fact that reporting always occurs through a lens of personal experience, culture, beliefs, and background that ultimately all influence the way any individual perceives a situation (Myrick, 2002). If this were not the case—if there were only one standard way everyone perceived, investigated, and reported on a story—what would be the value of including racial and gender diversity in the newsroom? Nevertheless, responsible journalism requires journalists to avoid favoritism and to present news that is fair and offers a complete picture of the issue.

The principle of journalistic independence is an important component of the news media’s watchdog role. Journalists should avoid conflicts of interest—financial, political, or otherwise—and, when conflicts of interest are unavoidable, it is a journalist’s ethical responsibility to disclose those. 11 One example involving conflict of interest centers on recent talk of government bailouts for the news media, similar to the bailouts for the auto and banking industries. However, many journalists are concerned that government support of this kind would present a conflict of interest and interfere with the media’s watchdog role (Nicklaus, 2010).

In addition to maintaining independence, the news media should allow for commentary and opposition. Leaving space for citizens to voice concerns about journalistic conduct is an important part of serving the public interest and keeping the public’s trust.

The Effects of Bias in News Presentations

While principles of ethical journalism require journalists to remain neutral in their reporting, there is, as previously mentioned, always a degree of bias that will be present in any news reporting due to the element of personal perspective that any journalist will naturally bring to his or her work. A 2005 in-depth study by political scientists at UCLA found that, of 20 media outlets, 18 had a perspective in their news reporting that was left of the national average. Of those 20, only Fox News and The Washington Times scored to the right of the average U.S. voter (Sullivan, 2005).

What, exactly, does political bias in the media look like? In the UCLA study, news sources were scored based on their sources of information and expert opinion. The news outlets with the most liberal slant—CBS News and The New York Times —cited liberal think tanks and policy groups with a much greater frequency than they cited conservative ones (Groseclose & Milyo, 2005). Political bias can also be observed by examining which stories a network or newspaper chooses to report. According to media analyst Seth Ackerman, the right-leaning Fox News network reports news stories that favor the Republican Party or show the Democratic Party in a negative light. Additionally, Fox’s panels of pundits who offer commentary after the news tend to be politically conservative or moderate far more often than liberal (Ackerman, 2001).

Figure 14.6

Some argue that there is a politically left bias in the news media.

Of course, such biases in news media have an effect on public opinion. However, while the picture a journalist or particular news outlet creates may not be entirely objective, journalists with integrity will strive to be fair and comprehensive, offering opposing views and citing their sources of information. Members of the public should remember that they also have a responsibility to be active, rather than passive, consumers of information. Good media consumers use critical analysis skills while reading news reports. If a story is presented conscientiously in the news, a reader or viewer will have the resources he or she needs to research an issue further and draw his or her own conclusions. As you continue reading the chapter, keep in mind the ethical obligations of those who work in mass media and the potential consequences of their failure to uphold them.

Key Takeaways

The Internet has brought about profound and rapid changes in the structuring, delivery, and economics of news media.

• Immediate news delivery has become the norm.
• The pressure for immediate delivery increases the tension between factual accuracy and “getting there first” in news reporting.
• Because people can get instant news for free online, subscriptions to print media are down, and so are advertising revenues.
• Present news stories that inform and serve the needs of citizens.
• Present issues fairly.
• Present stories in a way that addresses their complexity.
• Present diverse perspectives.
• Monitor government and corporations.
• ensures accuracy (even if it means causing delays);
• reports the truth;
• stays loyal to citizens by putting the public interest above all else;
• is protective and sensitive to those involved in the news;
• remains objective and presents information in a neutral way; and
• allows for commentary and opposition.
• All news stories contain some bias because of the diversity of journalists’ perspectives. While the news media is often criticized for representing a political bias in reporting, ethical journalists always strive to present issues in a fair and comprehensive way.

Conduct your own survey of political bias in the news. Choose either a television network or newspaper known for more liberal tendencies, such as CNN or The New York Times , and a network or newspaper known for more conservative reporting, such as Fox News or The Washington Times . Examine both sources’ coverage of the same news story ( not a column or editorial). Then answer the following short-answer questions. Each response should be one to two paragraphs.

• What differences do you notice between the two sources’ news coverage?
• What evidence, if any, do you find of political bias? If it does exist, what effect do you think this bias has on readers?
• Consider the role of the media in delivering news to the public. In your opinion, can both sources’ coverage still be characterized as fair and accurate? Why or why not?

1 Sullivan, “As the Internet Grows Up.”

2 Sullivan, “As the Internet Grows Up.”

3 Committee of Concerned Journalists, “Statement of Shared Purpose.”

4 Committee of Concerned Journalists, “Statement of Shared Purpose.”

5 Committee of Concerned Journalists, “Statement of Shared Purpose.”

6 Society of Professional Journalists, “SPJ Code of Ethics.”

7 Iggers, Good News, Bad News , 138.

8 Committee of Concerned Journalists, “Statement of Shared Purpose.”

9 White, To Tell You the Truth , 76.

10 White, To Tell You the Truth , 136.

11 Society of Professional Journalists, “SPJ Code of Ethics.”

Ackerman, Seth. “The Most Biased Name in the News,” FAIR: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , July/August 2001, http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1067 .

American Society of News Editors, “ASNE’s Statement of Principles,” August 2009, http://asne.org/article_view/articleid/325/asnes-statement-of-principles.aspx .

Associated Press, “Sanford Took Personal Trips on Plane,” CBS News , August 9, 2009, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/09/politics/main5228211.shtml .

Baughman, Judith S. and others, “The Government and Watergate,” in American Decades , ed. Judith S. Baughman and others (Detroit: Gale, 2001), vol. 8.

Collins, Scott and Greg Braxton, “TV Misses Out as Gossip Website TMZ Reports Michael Jackson’s Death First,” Los Angeles Times , June 26, 2009, http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jun/26/local/me-jackson-media26 .

Committee of Concerned Journalists, “Statement of Shared Purpose,” Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, https://edubirdie.com/blog/the-nine-core-principles-of-journalism .

Flanagan, Richard M. and Louis W. Koenig, “Watergate,” in Dictionary of American History , ed. Stanley I. Kutler, 3rd ed. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2003), 8:425.

Goodman, Ellen. “Temper ‘Instant’ News Coverage,” Gainesville (FL) Sun , February 7, 1993, http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19930207&id=vt4RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XuoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5028,1856837 .

Govier, Gordon. “The Living Room Fixture,” The Evolution of Radio News, 2007, http://www.radioscribe.com/formats.html .

Groseclose, Tim and Jeffrey Milyo, “A Measure of Media Bias,” Quarterly Journal of Economics 120, no. 4 (2005), http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/polisci/faculty/groseclose/pdfs/MediaBias.pdf .

Holguin, Jaime. “Rather Recalls JFK Assassination,” CBS News , February 28, 2005, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/28/eveningnews/main677096.shtml .

Iggers, Jeremy. Good News, Bad News: Journalism Ethics and the Public Interest (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1999), 46.

Myrick, Howard A. “The Search for Objectivity in Journalism,” USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), November 2002, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_2690_131/ai_94384327/?tag=content;col1 .

Nicklaus, David. “Bailing Out Journalism Would Threaten Its Independence,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch , June 8, 2010, http://more.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/columnists.nsf/davidnicklaus/story/7db2f5de844ed63f8625773c000da74b?OpenDocument .

Society of Professional Journalists, “SPJ Code of Ethics,” http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp .

State of the Media, Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, The State of the News Media 2010 , http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2010/overview_intro.php .

Sullivan, Meg. “Media Bias is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist,” news release, UCLA, December 14, 2005, http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/Media-Bias-Is-Real-Finds-UCLA-6664.aspx .

Sullivan, Patricia. “As the Internet Grows Up, the News Industry Is Forever Changed,” Washington Post , June 19, 2006, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/13/AR2006061300929.html .

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, “Annual Internet Survey by Center for the Digital Future Finds Large Increases in Use of Online Newspapers,” news release, Center for Digital Future, April 2009, http://annenberg.usc.edu/News%20and%20Events/News/090429CDF.aspx .

White, To Tell You the Truth , ii; Committee of Concerned Journalists, “Statement of Shared Purpose.”

White, Aidan. To Tell You the Truth: The Ethical Journalist Initiative (Brussels: International Federation of Journalists, 2008), iii.

Understanding Media and Culture Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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presentation

Definition of presentation

• fairing [ British ]
• freebee
• largess

Examples of presentation in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'presentation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing presentation

• breech presentation

Dictionary Entries Near presentation

present arms

presentation copy

Cite this Entry

“Presentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presentation. Accessed 11 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of presentation, medical definition, medical definition of presentation, more from merriam-webster on presentation.

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

Partner Center

Presentation

• Written By Gregg Rosenzweig
• Updated: November 8, 2023

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is a Presentation?

A communication device that relays a topic to an audience in the form of a slide show, demonstration, lecture, or speech, where words and pictures complement each other.

Why should you think of presentations as content?

The beauty of content creation is that almost anything can become a compelling piece of content . Just depends on the creativity used to convert it and the story that brings it to life.

The long and short of it

Although the length of a presentation in terms of time can depend on the overall approach (Are you talking a lot? Are you referring to the screen in detail or not?), consider the number of informational content slides when tallying the overall presentation length. For instance, don’t include title slides in your tally when conveying length to a content creator.

A general guide to presentation length:

• Short Form (5 content slides)
• Standard Form (10 content slides)
• Long Form (20+ content slides)

Popular use cases for presentations…

Let’s consider TED Talks for a minute: one of the best examples (bar none) of how words, pictures, and a narrative can make people care about something they otherwise might not.

These “talks” pre-date podcasts and blend a compelling use of language and imagery in presentation format to spread ideas in unique ways.

TED Talks have been viewed a billion-plus times worldwide (and counting) and are worth considering when it comes to how you might use video-presentation content to connect with your customers in creative, cool, new ways.

Business types:

Any company that has a pitch deck, executive summary , sales presentation, or any kind of internal document that can be repurposed into external-facing content pieces — without pain.

Presentation Examples – Short Form

Presentation Examples – Standard Form

Presentation Examples – Long Form

Understanding Content Quality in Examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality ( Good, Better, Best ) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels ( General, Qualified, Expert ) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

Impress your clients, co-workers, and leadership team with exceptional content for your next presentation, product demonstration, and more. If you need help getting your message across in a succinct, attention-grabbing, and persuasive way, talk to one of our content specialists today.

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What is a Presentation?

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• How to Build Presentations Like a Consultant
• 7 Qualities of Good Speakers That Can Help You Be More Successful
• Self-Presentation in Presentations
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• Elsewhere on Skills You Need:
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The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation .

These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication. 

This article describes what a presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills.

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk.  Some of these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation that also lays the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered. 

A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a ' persuasive ' element. It may, for example, be a talk about the positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding for a project.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Making a presentation is a way of communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience and many of our articles on communication are also relevant here, see: What is Communication? for more.

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.

When and where will you deliver your presentation?

There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room, lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.

Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?

If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.

Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?

A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.

Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?

Are you already familiar with the audience?

With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and effectively, to get them on your side.

What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will you be expected to use?

In particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be expected to stand in one place, or move around.

What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?

Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information needs to be included in your presentation.

All these aspects will change the presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation Method .

The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the presentation.

Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.

You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.

The audience receives the presenter’s message(s).

However, this reception will be filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge and personal sense of values.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why communication can fail.

The message or messages are delivered by the presenter to the audience.

The message is delivered not just by the spoken word ( verbal communication ) but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact ( non-verbal communication ), and visual aids.

The message will also be affected by the audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well . They will judge your presentation a failure, because you have not met their expectations.

The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message, and whether it met their expectations.

As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will meet expectations.

See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.

How will the presentation be delivered?

Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience.  However, there may be occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video conferencing systems, such as Skype.

It is also important to remember that if your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous references should be kept to a minimum.

Impediments

Many factors can influence the effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience.

For example background noise or other distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.

As presenter, you have to be prepared to cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your message.   

Our page: Barriers to Communication explains these factors in more depth.

Continue to read through our Presentation Skills articles for an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Continue to: Preparing for a Presentation Deciding the Presentation Method

See also: Writing Your Presentation | Working with Visual Aids Coping with Presentation Nerves | Dealing with Questions Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks

Presentations to Inform

Functions of the presentation to inform, learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Describe the functions of the speech to inform.
• Explain the difference between exposition and interpretation.

Informative presentations focus on helping the audience to understand a topic, issue, or technique more clearly. You might say, “Is that all?” and the answer is both yes and no. An affirmative response underscores the idea that informative speeches do not seek to motivate the audience to change their minds, adopt a new idea, start a new habit, or get out there and vote. They may, however, inform audiences on issues that may be under consideration in an election or referendum. On the other hand, a negative response reaffirms the idea that to communicate a topic, issue, or subject clearly is a challenge in itself and shouldn’t be viewed as a simplistic process. There are distinct functions inherent in a speech to inform, and you may choose to use one or more of these functions in your speech. Let’s take a look at the functions and see how they relate to the central objective of facilitating audience understanding.

The basic definition of communication highlights the process of understanding and sharing meaning. An informative speech follows this definition in the aspect of sharing content and information with an audience. You won’t be asking the audience to actually do anything in terms of offering a response or solving a problem. Instead you’ll be offering to share with the audience some of the information you have gathered relating to a topic. This act of sharing will reduce ignorance, increase learning, and facilitate understanding of your chosen topic.

Increase Understanding

How well does your audience grasp the information? This should be a guiding question to you on two levels. The first involves what they already know—or don’t know—about your topic, and what key terms or ideas might be necessary for someone completely unfamiliar with your topic to grasp the ideas you are presenting. The second involves your presentation and the illustration of ideas. A bar chart, a pie graph, and a video clip may all serve you and the audience well, but how will each ingredient in your speech contribute to their understanding? The audience will respond to your attention statement and hopefully maintain interest, but how will you take your speech beyond superficial coverage of content and effectively communicate key relationships that increase understanding? These questions should serve as a challenge for your informative speech, and by looking at your speech from an audience-oriented perspective, you will increase your ability to increase the audience’s understanding.

Change Perceptions

How you perceive stimuli has everything to do with a range of factors that are unique to you. We all want to make sense of our world, share our experiences, and learn that many people face the same challenges we do. Many people perceive the process of speaking in public as a significant challenge, and in this text, we have broken down the process into several manageable steps. In so doing, we have to some degree changed your perception of public speaking. When you present your speech to inform, you may want to change the audience member’s perceptions of your topic. You may present an informative speech on air pollution and want to change common perceptions such as the idea that most of North America’s air pollution comes from private cars, or that nuclear power plants are a major source of air pollution. You won’t be asking people to go out and vote, or change their choice of automobiles, but you will help your audience change their perceptions of your topic.

Gain Skills

Just as you want to increase the audience’s understanding, you may want to help the audience members gain skills. If you are presenting a speech on how to make salsa from fresh ingredients, your audience may thank you for not only the knowledge of the key ingredients and their preparation but also the product available at the conclusion. If your audience members have never made their own salsa, they may gain a new skill from your speech. In the same way, perhaps you decide to inform your audience about eBay, a person-to-person marketplace much like a garage sale in which items are auctioned or available for purchase over the Internet. You may project onto a screen in class the main Web site and take the audience through a step-by-step process on how to sell an item. The audience may learn an important skill, clean out the old items in their garage, and buy new things for the house with their newfound skills. Your intentions, of course, are not to argue that salsa is better than ketchup or that eBay is better than Amazon, but to inform the audience, increasing their understanding of the subject, and in this case, gaining new skills.

Exposition versus Interpretation

When we share information informally, we often provide our own perspective and attitude for our own reasons. But when we set out to inform an audience, taking sides or using sarcasm to communicate attitude may divide the audience into groups that agree or disagree with the speaker. The speech to inform the audience on a topic, idea, or area of content is not intended to be a display of attitude and opinion. Consider the expectations of people who attend a formal dinner. Will they use whatever fork or spoon they want, or are there expectations of protocol and decorum? In any given communication context there are expectations, both implicit and explicit. If you attend a rally on campus for health care reform, you may expect the speaker to motivate you to urge the university to stop investing in pharmaceutical companies, for example. On the other hand, if you enroll in a biochemistry course, you expect a teacher to inform you about the discipline of biochemistry—not to convince you that pharmaceutical companies are a good or bad influence on our health care system.

The speech to inform is like the classroom setting in that the goal is to inform, not to persuade, entertain, display attitude, or create comedy. If you have analyzed your audience, you’ll be better prepared to develop appropriate ways to gain their attention and inform them on your topic. You want to communicate thoughts, ideas, and relationships and allow each listener specifically, and the audience generally, to draw their own conclusions. The speech to inform is all about sharing information to meet the audience’s needs, not your own. While you might want to inform them about your views on politics in the Middle East, you’ll need to consider what they are here to learn from you and let your audience-oriented perspective guide you as you prepare.

This relationship between informing as opposed to persuading your audience is often expressed in terms of exposition versus interpretation. Exposition means a public exhibition or display, often expressing a complex topic in a way that makes the relationships and content clear. Expository prose is writing to inform; you may have been asked to write an expository essay in an English course or an expository report in a journalism course. The goal is to communicate the topic and content to your audience in ways that illustrate, explain, and reinforce the overall content to make your topic more accessible to the audience. The audience wants to learn about your topic and may have some knowledge on it as you do. It is your responsibility to consider ways to display the information effectively.

Interpretation and Bias

Interpretation involves adapting the information to communicate a message, perspective, or agenda. Your insights and attitudes will guide your selection of material, what you focus on, and what you delete (choosing what not to present to the audience). Your interpretation will involve personal bias. Bias is an unreasoned or not-well-thought-out judgment. Bias involves beliefs or ideas held on the basis of conviction rather than current evidence. Beliefs are often called “habits of the mind” because we come to rely on them to make decisions. Which is the better, cheapest, most expensive, or the middle-priced product? People often choose the middle-priced product and use the belief “if it costs more it must be better” (and the opposite: “if it is cheap it must not be very good”). The middle-priced item, regardless of actual price, is often perceived as “good enough.” All these perceptions are based on beliefs, and they may not apply to the given decision or even be based on any evidence or rational thinking.

By extension, marketing students learn to facilitate the customer “relationship” with the brand. If you come to believe a brand stands for excellence, and a new product comes out under that brand label, you are more likely to choose it over an unknown or lesser-known competitor. Again, your choice of the new product is based on a belief rather than evidence or rational thinking. We take mental shortcuts all day long, but in our speech to inform, we have to be careful not to reinforce bias.

Bias is like a filter on your perceptions, thoughts, and ideas. Bias encourages you to accept positive evidence that supports your existing beliefs (regardless of whether they are true) and reject negative evidence that does not support your beliefs. Furthermore, bias makes you likely to reject positive support for opposing beliefs and accept negative evidence (again, regardless of whether the evidence is true). So what is positive and what is negative? In a biased frame of mind, that which supports your existing beliefs is positive and likely to be accepted, while that which challenges your beliefs is likely to be viewed as negative and rejected. There is the clear danger in bias. You are inclined to tune out or ignore information, regardless of how valuable, useful, or relevant it may be, simply because it doesn’t agree with or support what you already believe.

Point of View

Let’s say you are going to present an informative speech on a controversial topic like same-sex marriage. Without advocating or condemning same-sex marriage, you could inform your audience about current laws in various states, recent and proposed changes in laws, the number of same-sex couples who have gotten married in various places, the implications of being married or not being able to marry, and so on. But as you prepare and research your topic, do you only read or examine information that supports your existing view? If you only choose to present information that agrees with your prior view, you’ve incorporated bias into your speech. Now let’s say the audience members have different points of view, even biased ones, and as you present your information you see many people start to fidget in their seats. You can probably anticipate that if they were to speak, the first word they would say is “but” and then present their question or assertion. In effect, they will be having a debate with themselves and hardly listening to you.

You can anticipate the effects of bias and mitigate them to some degree. First, know the difference between your point of view or perspective and your bias. Your point of view is your perception of an idea or concept from your previous experience and understanding. It is unique to you and is influenced by your experiences and also factors like gender, race, ethnicity, physical characteristics, and social class. Everyone has a point of view, as hard as they may try to be open-minded. But bias, as we’ve discussed previously, involves actively selecting information that supports or agrees with your current belief and takes away from any competing belief. To make sure you are not presenting a biased speech, frame your discussion to inform from a neutral stance and consider alternative points of view to present, compare and contrast, and diversify your speech. The goal of the speech to inform is to present an expository speech that reduces or tries to be free from overt interpretation.

This relates to our previous discussion on changing perceptions. Clearly no one can be completely objective and remove themselves from their own perceptual process. People are not modern works of minimalist art, where form and function are paramount and the artist is completely removed from the expression. People express themselves and naturally relate what is happening now to what has happened to them in the past. You are your own artist, but you also control your creations.

Objectivity involves expressions and perceptions of facts that are free from distortion by your prejudices, bias, feelings or interpretations. For example, is the post office box blue? An objective response would be yes or no, but a subjective response might sound like “Well, it’s not really blue as much as it is navy, even a bit of purple, kind of like the color of my ex-boyfriend’s car, remember? I don’t care for the color myself.” Subjectivity involves expressions or perceptions that are modified, altered, or impacted by your personal bias, experiences, and background. In an informative speech, your audience will expect you to present the information in a relatively objective form. The speech should meet the audience’s need as they learn about the content, not your feelings, attitudes, or commentary on the content.

Here are five suggestions to help you present a neutral speech:

• Keep your language neutral and not very positive for some issues while very negative for others.
• Keep your sources credible and not from biased organizations. The National Rifle Association (NRA) will have a biased view of the Second Amendment, for example, as will the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on civil rights.
• Keep your presentation balanced. If you use a source that supports one clear side of an issue, include an alternative source and view. Give each equal time and respectful consideration.
• Keep your audience in mind. Not everyone will agree with every point or source of evidence, but diversity in your speech will have more to offer everyone.
• Keep who you represent in mind: Your business and yourself.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The purpose of an informative speech is to share ideas with the audience, increase their understanding, change their perceptions, or help them gain new skills.
• An informative speech incorporates the speaker’s point of view but not attitude or interpretation.
• Consider the courses you have taken in the past year or two, and the extent to which each class session involved an informative presentation or one that was more persuasive. Do some disciplines lend themselves more to informing rather than interpretation and attitude? Discuss your findings with your classmates.
• Visit a major network news Web site and view a video of a commentator such as Rachel Maddow or Keith Olbermann (MSNBC) or Glenn Beck or Bill O’Reilly (Fox News). Identify the commentator’s point of view. If you were giving a presentation to inform, would you express your point of view in a similar style?
• On the same network news Web site you used for Exercise no. 2, view a video reporting a news event (as opposed to a commentator’s commentary). Do you feel that the reporter’s approach conveys a point of view, or is it neutral? Explain your feelings and discuss with your classmates.
• What is the difference between an informative presentation and a persuasive one? Provide an example in your response.
• Consider a sample speech to inform on a topic where you have a strong opinion. In what ways would you adjust your key points so as not to persuade your listeners? Discuss your ideas with a classmate.
• Communication For Business Success. Authored by : anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/communication-for-business-success/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

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What Is a Digital Presentation & How to Get Good At It

Learn the basics of presentation decks and how to create one. Explore examples and tips to make your own deck more effective and engaging.

Dominika Krukowska

16 minute read

Short answer

What is a presentation.

A presentation is a slide-based visual storytelling aid. It’s used for transferring information and emotion to an audience with visual, vocal, and textual communication.

The purpose of a presentation is to help the audience understand a subject matter. Presentations are used in business, academics, and entertainment. They can be made in PowerPoint, PDF, or webpage format.

You will lose your audience with static presentations.

Have you ever sat through a digital presentation that felt like it was dragging on forever? Or worse, have you been the one giving the presentation when people’s eyes glazed over? This feeling of agonizing boredom is called Death by PowerPoint.

Failing to give an engaging presentation will make you lose your audience's attention , and as a result, their ability to remember anything you have to say.

If you’re wondering how exactly you avoid this fate, you’re not alone. Everyone struggles with this. It’s not you - it’s PowerPoint.

The solution? I’m going to show you how to never again suffer from Death by PowerPoint by avoiding the common PowerPoint pitfalls and much much more.

By the end of this blog post, you’ll learn to create digital presentations that immediately engage your audience, capture their interest, and make them care.

Spoiler - the key is to ditch your static slides for interactive experiences.

Let's dive in!

What is the main purpose of a presentation?

The purpose of a presentation is to communicate information or ideas to an audience in a clear and effective manner. The reasons for making a presentation can be to inform, persuade, motivate, educate, entertain, or simply share knowledge or experiences.

The goal of a presentation can be to help your audience understand complex concepts, make informed decisions, or take action based on the information you present.

In business settings, presentations are often used to pitch products or services, report on progress or performance, or make recommendations to stakeholders.

What are the 2 main types of presentations?

When it comes to creating a presentation, there are 2 primary types: (1) speech presentations and (2) digital presentations (made for reading). There are key takeaways for nailing each presentation type. Take note of them if you intend to get good at both.

Reading presentations

Speech presentations

Digital presentations (Reading presentations)

Digital presentations, on the other hand, are presentations that the audience can access on their own computer or phone without the presenter being physically present. These presentations require a different set of skills and techniques to keep the audience engaged.

Essentials for improving your digital presentations:

• Written clarity is critical: Since your audience will be reading your presentation, it's essential to keep your content clear and concise. Say more with less.
• Show, don't tell: Use supporting visuals to help illustrate your points and make your presentation more engaging.
• Animation and annotation: Use animations and annotations to direct your audience's attention to the right place at the right time, keeping them engaged throughout. there are plenty of free animation software to help you create these.
• Personalization: Make your audience feel like you're speaking directly to them by personalizing your presentation. Use inclusive language and address their pain points, needs, and interests.

Speech presentations (Face to face)

Speech presentations are the classic type of presentation where a speaker presents to an audience in person. These presentations are usually given at conferences or meetings, and can now also take place virtually through platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or Skype.

Essentials for improving your speech presentations:

• Less written, more spoken: Speech presentations are all about the spoken word, so it's crucial to avoid cramming too much text onto your slides. Focus on speaking to your audience instead.
• Body language and voice: In a speech presentation, your body language and tone of voice are essential to engaging your audience. Use humor, sarcasm, or suspense to keep your listeners interested.
• Rapport: Making eye contact and using real-time communication can help you build rapport with your audience and make them feel involved in your presentation.

What are the main types of digital presentations?

Digital presentations come in all shapes and sizes, but understanding the main types can help you choose the right format for your message.

Business presentations

Marketing presentations, sales presentations, education and training presentations, personal presentations.

Education & training

Business presentations are used for showcasing company performance updates, introducing new products or services, discussing future plans with clients and partners, or briefing investors.

Whether it's an internal meeting or an external one with stakeholders, business presentations are all about delivering a clear and compelling message that drives the company forward.

Marketing presentations are visual decks used to present your target audience, marketing strategies, and campaign outcomes to prospective clients, ad agencies, or stakeholders.

Sales presentations are decks that contain details about the features, pricing, and main benefits of your offering, and are used during in-person meetings or online sales calls. They’re designed to help sales reps close deals or land new clients.

Education and training presentations are slide decks designed to teach new concepts and best practices to a variety of audiences, including students, employees, or clients.

A personal presentation is used during networking events, business conferences, or public speaking engagements. It’s used to share your key accomplishments and demonstrate your passion and the main values you stand for.

What makes a good presentation?

A good presentation captivates by establishing trust, engaging the audience with interactive elements, and weaving data into an enthralling narrative that sparks emotions and inspires, leaving a lasting impact.

There are 3 things any good presentation must do:

1. Establish trust and credibility

Without your audience trusting you and your authority you will never get them to listen. And to really listen, some say, they have to like you.

To establish yourself as a credible source of information, use relevant visuals, stories, and examples that showcase your expertise and experience, earning the trust of your audience.

2. Interact with the audience

Static PowerPoint slides are no longer enough to engage anyone. Presentations need to be informative but also entertaining.

Therefore, incorporating interactive elements into your presentations like animations, videos, calculators, quizzes, polls, and live infographics is now essential to grab attention and keep your audience engaged start-to-finish .

3. Tell a good story

When it comes to digital presentations, it's not just about the information you share, but how you share it. That's where storytelling comes in! It's all about weaving a relatable narrative that resonates with your viewers, leaving them eager for more.

By blending your data and facts into an enthralling tale, you're not only dishing out knowledge but also sparking emotions and inspiration. It's a game-changer for grabbing your audience's attention and getting your message across effectively.example

How to create a good digital presentation?

To create a great digital presentation, you need to think beyond the slides and consider the experience you want your audience to have.

Think of your presentation as a journey that takes your audience from point A to point B - you need to ensure that every step of the way is memorable and captivating.

When creating a digital presentation, there's more to it than just putting together a few slides.

You can make it real-pretty, but to make it truly effective you need to have a clear understanding of where you want to take your audience, and tailor your content accordingly.

Good presentation example

This example shows how interactive content can make a presentation that pulls you in and makes you feel part of the journey.

What should a presentation include?

Most decks contain the following 3 elements:

• Introduction (the objectives and agenda of your presentation)
• Main body (key talking points that you want to cover)
• Conclusion (followed by a single, actionable call to action)

The specific outline of your presentation will depend on your particular use case.

Check out our dedicated guides for particular business presentations:

• What to Include in a Pitch Deck (Slides 99% of Investors Want)
• 7 elements of a great sales deck structure
• What should a one-pager include?
• What does a marketing deck include?

How to start and how to end a presentation?

Start your presentation with a strong hook that captures your audience's attention and makes them interested in what you have to say.

You can end your presentation with a thank you slide, but that would be too bad. For your words to carry beyond the last slide you’ll need to give your audience the next step.

And so, you should end your presentation with a singular, clear call to action that inspires your audience to follow through on your message.

What are the essential building blocks of a successful presentation?

Almost everyone nowadays makes beautiful presentations. But that’s not enough to make them successful.

5 key elements that every successful presentation includes:

1. Compelling (human) story: Your presentation should tell a story that connects with your audience on a personal and emotional level, making your message relatable and memorable.

Here are 5 quick storytelling tips to deliver engaging presentations:

2. Clear structure: A clear structure helps your audience follow along and understand the flow of your presentation. This can be chronological, sequential, before-after, problem-solution-resolution, or any other simple and easy-to-follow structure.

3. Problem and solution: Your presentation should address a problem that your audience faces and offer a solution that your product or service can provide.

4. Actionable takeaways: Your presentation should leave your audience with actionable steps or insights that they can use to apply the information you've presented.

5. Supporting visuals (product demo) and data visualization (graphs, charts, and infographics): Using visuals to support your presentation can reinforce your message and help your audience retain the information you presented.

6 biggest mistakes to avoid when creating a presentation

It’s easy to forget that the presentation is for your audience rather than for you. You may want to tell them everything from A to Z, but they may only want to know ABC.

It’s even easier to take for granted that the things you understand are clear to others. But for them, these things are horribly complex (look up the curse of knowledge).

1. Using too much text: Overloading your slides with text can cause your audience to lose interest and detract from your main points. Keep your text to a minimum and use visuals to reinforce your key takeaways.

2. Going too much into detail: attention is a limited resource so you can’t fit everything in a single presentation. Tell your audience only what they really want (and need) to know. Avoid any technical details or complex jargon that does not contribute to the core of your message.

3. Neglecting interactivity: Failing to include interactive elements can cause your audience to disengage. Use polls, quizzes, and other interactive tools to keep your audience engaged.

4. Ignoring the power of storytelling: Telling a compelling story is critical to capturing your audience's attention and leaving a lasting impression. Use relatable stories and examples that support your key points.

5. Poor use of visuals: Using low-quality visuals, irrelevant images, or poorly designed charts and graphs can detract from your presentation and cause confusion. Use high-quality visuals that reinforce your key ideas and are easy to understand.

6. Lack of personalization: If you don’t tailor your presentation to your audience's needs, interests, and level of understanding, your message will fall flat. Make sure to consider your audience's perspective and adjust your deck accordingly.

You don't want your presentation to end up looking like this:

How to design a presentation?

Designing a presentation is a bit like decorating a cake - you want it to be visually appealing but also yummy to consume. You want it to leave your audience with a taste for more rather than a bad taste in their mouth.

Lucky for you there are practical steps for designing a presentation that truly wows your audience every time.

Practical presentation design tips:

1. Choose a color scheme: Just like choosing the perfect icing color for your cake, selecting a color scheme that complements your brand can make your presentation feel more coherent. Or, if you’re pitching to a client, you can use their brand colors instead in order to impress them.

2. Use high-quality images: Using high-quality images is like adding a layer of delicious, rich frosting to your cake. It makes your presentation more visually interesting and helps support your key message.

3. Use consistent fonts: Using consistent fonts throughout your presentation can make it easier to read. Stick to two or three fonts that complement each other and use them consistently.

4. Incorporate visual aids: Visual aids like colorful sprinkles and creative cake toppers can take your cake to the next level. Similarly, graphs, charts, and infographics can help break text patterns and, therefore, make your presentation more memorable.

Check out our use-ready slide design with every type of slide you can think of designed according to our tips and best practices.

Where to find presentation templates?

Scouring the web for presentation templates can be a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack - it's time-consuming, frustrating, and can leave you feeling a bit lost. Most designs available look dull and samey, and are not optimized for engagement.

But don't worry, we've got you covered! Here are the best interactive presentation templates for different use cases:

Choose template by:

What tools to use to create presentations?

Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all tool for creating a digital presentation. And with so many presentation tools out there, it can be hard to know where to start looking.

That’s why we've done the research for you - check out our article rounding up the best presentation software to pick the right one for your needs!

And, if you want to learn more about creating effective digital presentations, check out these posts:

• How to Make Effective & Impactful Presentations (12 Steps)
• How to Make a Multimedia Presentation (5 Easy Steps)

How to give a presentation?

Giving a presentation can be intimidating, but it's an excellent opportunity to showcase your knowledge and expertise. To deliver a successful presentation, you need to focus on engaging your audience, keeping their attention, and providing valuable information.

9 tips to help you give a memorable presentation:

1. Start with a strong hook

A strong opening is crucial to grab your audience's attention and pique their interest. Begin with a bold statement, a surprising fact, or a personal anecdote that relates to the topic of your presentation. This will immediately grab the audience's attention and make them want to listen to what you have to say.

2. Make your objectives and agenda clear

Engage your audience right from the start by letting them know what's in store for them. Outlining your objectives and agenda early on will keep your audience focused and ensure that they don't miss out on any crucial information. Let them know why it's important to pay attention to your presentation and what they can expect to learn from it. By doing this, you'll build anticipation and get them excited about what's to come!

3. Leverage storytelling

People love stories, and they are an effective way to connect with your audience. Use anecdotes, metaphors, and examples to illustrate your points and make your presentation more relatable. This will help the audience understand the concepts you're presenting and retain the information up to 60-70% better .

4. Ask questions, use humor, give simple directions that prove a point

Engage your audience by asking questions, using humor, and giving them simple tasks to perform that illustrate your point. This will keep their attention and make the presentation more interactive.

5. Direct the audience's attention

Use a pointer or built-in animation to draw the audience's attention to critical information. This will help them focus on what you're saying and avoid distractions.

6. Work on the delivery

Speak slowly and clearly, use positive language, and avoid reading from notes as much as possible. Use humor and engage with your audience to make the presentation more enjoyable. Ensure your body language is confident and relaxed, and maintain eye contact with your audience.

7. Add interactive elements

Incorporate interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or surveys to involve your audience and gather valuable feedback. This will make your presentation more engaging and ensure your audience retains the information presented.

8. Close with a CTA

End your presentation with a strong call to action (CTA). Inspire your audience to take the next step, whether it's signing up for a newsletter, buying a product, or visiting your website. Make it clear what you want your audience to do after the presentation.

9. Leave time for a Q&A session

Finally, leave ample time for a Q&A session. This will allow your audience to clarify any doubts and ask questions. It's also an excellent opportunity for you to engage with your audience and get valuable feedback on your presentation.

Create amazing digital presentations from templates

Creating a digital presentation that grabs your audience's attention and drives results may feel like a daunting task.

After all, a strong digital presentation can be the difference between leaving a lasting impression on your audience or falling flat and losing their attention.

It's like trying to teach a class without proper preparation - you're not giving your knowledge and expertise a chance to shine, and your audience might not retain the information you're presenting.

To make things easier, try using our customizable digital presentation templates that will help you create an engaging and impactful digital presentation in no time!

Where can I see examples of good presentations?

If you’re looking for real-life examples that drove results for other companies from different industry sectors, check out highly effective presentation examples by our clients .

Alternatively, if you want to see the best presentation examples that you can replicate to create your own, here are our dedicated guides:

• 10 Perfect Presentation Examples That Win Over Anyone
• 9 Unique Sales Deck Examples that Outsell the Rest
• 10 Top Pitch Deck Examples to Inspire Your Fundraising Efforts
• Top Product Presentation Examples That Wow Everyone
• Marketing Deck: What It Is & How to Make It Win (Examples)
• 6 Elevator Pitch Examples for Any Scenario (Ready for Use)

Where can I find good presentation templates?

If you’re looking for snazzy presentation templates, Storydoc should be your go-to place. We offer a fantastic selection of visually stunning designs to make your digital presentation pop.

All components have been designed with best practices in mind and optimized for engagement. Thanks to the built-in analytics panel, you can also check how your presentations perform in real-time.

Click on any of these categories to see the best presentation templates for your specific use case:

• One-pager templates
• Sales deck templates
• Pitch deck templates
• Business proposal deck templates
• Marketing decks templates
• Case studies templates
• Report templates
• White paper templates

What are common types of business presentations?

The most common types of business presentations are:

• Sales decks
• Pitch decks
• Business proposal decks
• Marketing decks
• Case studies

Is a presentation the same as a slideshow?

Technically, a slideshow is a type of presentation, but not all presentations are slideshows.

A presentation can take many different forms, from a speech to a product demonstration, and can use various tools, including slideshows, to deliver the message. So while a slideshow is certainly a popular choice for presentations, it's not the only option out there.

What is death by PowerPoint?

Death by PowerPoint is the phenomenon of boring, uninspired, and ineffective presentations that use an overabundance of bullet points, text-heavy slides, and monotonous delivery. It's a surefire way to put your audience to sleep and leave them counting down the minutes until your presentation is over.

To avoid death by PowerPoint, aim to create presentations that are visually engaging, incorporate storytelling, and use multimedia elements like images, videos, and interactive features. Remember, a presentation should be a tool to enhance your message, not a crutch to lean on.

What are common types of presentation delivery formats?

There are 5 popular types of presentation delivery formats to choose from:

• Powerpoint: A classic choice, PowerPoint offers a range of design and animation options to create static slide-based presentations.
• Google Slides : As a cloud-based tool, Google Slides makes it easy to collaborate with others in real-time. It's an excellent option for static team presentations and remote work situations.
• Keynote : Exclusive to Apple devices, Keynote is known for its sleek and elegant design options. It's an ideal choice for visually appealing presentations on Mac or iOS devices.
• PDF: For a simple, static, and easily shareable format, PDF presentations are a reliable option. They ensure consistent formatting across different devices and platforms.
• Storydoc : Taking presentations to the next level, Storydoc provides immersive and interactive templates that are sure to captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression.

What are common types of presentation speech formats?

There are 4 common types of presentation delivery formats:

• Memorized: In a memorized delivery, the presenter memorizes the entire presentation word-for-word and delivers it without notes. This format can be effective for short presentations or speeches but can be challenging to execute for longer presentations.
• Manuscript: In a manuscript delivery, the presenter reads from a written script or teleprompter. This format is great for delivering complex or technical information but can come across as less engaging.
• Impromptu: In an impromptu delivery, the presenter delivers a presentation without prior preparation or planning. This format is often used in situations like interviews or meetings and requires quick thinking and adaptability.
• Extemporaneous: In an extemporaneous delivery, the presenter delivers a presentation using notes or an outline, but not a fully scripted presentation. This format allows for flexibility and engagement with the audience while still maintaining structure.

Why is a presentation important for my business?

Here are the main reasons why presentations are essential for your business:

• Be the expert: Presentations provide a platform to showcase your expertise and share your unique perspectives with your audience, establishing you as a thought leader in your industry.
• Build connections: Presentations provide an opportunity to connect with your audience, building relationships that can lead to future business opportunities.
• Leave a lasting impression: An engaging and memorable presentation can leave a lasting impact on your audience, increasing brand awareness and improving message retention.
• Achieve your goals: Presentations can be used to achieve business goals, from generating leads to securing funding or closing deals.

How to measure the effectiveness of a presentation?

Measuring the effectiveness of a presentation is crucial to ensure it hits the mark with your audience and achieves its goals. Here are some ways to measure the effectiveness of a presentation:

Ask for feedback: Don't be afraid to ask your audience for feedback after the presentation, either through surveys or live feedback. This feedback can provide valuable insights into what worked well and what could be improved, helping you refine your approach for future presentations.

Monitor engagement: Keep a pulse on engagement metrics such as views, shares, or the average reading time if the presentation is delivered online. These metrics can give you a sense of the level of interest generated by the presentation and which parts resonated with your audience. Our own presentation maker comes with built-in analytics tracking and reporting .

Track business outcomes: If your presentation is designed to drive business results, track metrics such as lead generation, sales, or conversion rates to assess its effectiveness in achieving these goals.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

Perfect Presentation Examples That Win Over Anyone

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What is a Presentation? Definition and examples

A presentation involves talking in front of a group of people to explain an idea, system, process, recent performance, forecast, or other topic. The person who does the explaining is the presenter and may use visual aids to help convey his or her message more effectively.

Moscow State Technical University has the following definition of the term:

“A presentation is a formal talk to one or more persons that “presents” ideas or information in a clear, structured way. All presentations have a common objective: they are given in order to inform, train, persuade or sell”

An event with prizes or awards

The term may also refer to an event in which qualifications, prizes, or awards are formally given to people who have achieved or won them. Somebody in an office might say, for example: “Harold is retiring next week. There will be a small presentation tomorrow.”

This means that Harold’s colleagues and bosses will be there to celebrate his retirement, thank him for his good work, and possibly give him a goodbye present. Typically, in this kind of event, there are drinks and food.

Presentation of a product

In the retail business , the term refers to how a product is presented to customers, consumers, and prospects. A prospect is somebody who might well turn into a paying customer.

For example, in supermarkets, donuts and croissants are typically presented in attractive boxes to make them more desirable and enticing. Marketing and merchandising professionals often say : “When selling something, presentation is everything.”

If you are selling your home, you need to make it as attractive as possible for possible buyers. Perhaps you will paint the walls, get a gardener, and maybe redecorate the hall. A good presentation can help speed up the sale.

This article focuses on the meaning of the term when it refers to presenting information to an audience.

An effective presentation

To be effective, presenters must make the best use of their relationship with their audience. It is crucial to know the audience members well, including their needs, if you want to capture their interest and develop their understanding and cooperation.

The University of Leicester says the following about effective presenters:

“An effective presentation makes the best use of the relationship between the presenter and the audience . It takes full consideration of the audience’s needs in order to capture their interest, develop their understanding, inspire their confidence and achieve the presenter’s objectives.”

Here are some suggestions that will help you deliver effective presentations:

If you are passionate about your topic, your audience will notice and are much more likely to feel a connection with you.

The world’s best presenters all say that it is crucial to connect with members of the audience. The best way to do this is with passion.

What are their needs?

People have come to watch and listen to you to satisfy their needs, rather than to find out how much you know. Before you even start preparing your presentation, you must find out what their needs are.

SKILLSYOUNEED says the following regarding what you know and your audience’s needs :

“As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them.”

Preparation

The best presenters in the world make sure they have prepared thoroughly for each event. Just like a good play requires rehearsals, so does presenting information or ideas to a group of people.

If you can, practice on somebody or a small group of people. Perhaps the only volunteers you can find are members of your household. That’s fine; practice on them and ask for feedback.

If you talk too fast or keep scratching your head, you will probably not be aware, but other people will. It is best to find that out beforehand.

There are literally dozens of other components of a good presentation, such as:

• Having a strong opening.
• Editing your script ruthlessly.
• Using visual aids appropriately.
• Being yourself.
• Creating a structure that is easy to follow.
• Making eye contact.
• Distributing your eye contact equally.
• Keeping it simple.
• Projecting your voice effectively.
• Body language.
• Breathing properly.

Above all, make sure you enjoy it. If you don’t, your audience will soon realize, which is the kiss of death as far as presentations are concerned.

If you are ambitious regarding your career, eventually you will have to present to audiences. C-level executives, for example, have to do it all the time . A C-level executive is a top corporate officer in a business, such as a CEO, CIO, CFO, i.e., an executive whose job title begins with the letter ‘C’.

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Business Jargons

A Business Encyclopedia

Presentation

Definition : A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group, addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.

It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:

• Use of non-verbal cues.
• Facilitates instant feedback.

Business Presentations are a tool to influence people toward an intended thought or action.

Parts of Presentation

• Introduction : It is meant to make the listeners ready to receive the message and draw their interest. For that, the speaker can narrate some story or a humorous piece of joke, an interesting fact, a question, stating a problem, and so forth. They can also use some surprising statistics.
• Body : It is the essence of the presentation. It requires the sequencing of facts in a logical order. This is the part where the speaker explains the topic and relevant information. It has to be critically arranged, as the audience must be able to grasp what the speaker presents.
• Conclusion : It needs to be short and precise. It should sum up or outline the key points that you have presented. It could also contain what the audience should have gained out of the presentation.

Purpose of Presentation

• To inform : Organizations can use presentations to inform the audience about new schemes, products or proposals. The aim is to inform the new entrant about the policies and procedures of the organization.
• To persuade : Presentations are also given to persuade the audience to take the intended action.
• To build goodwill : They can also help in building a good reputation

Factors Affecting Presentation

Audience Analysis

Communication environment, personal appearance, use of visuals, opening and closing presentation, organization of presentation, language and words, voice quality, body language, answering questions, a word from business jargons.

Presentation is a mode of conveying information to a selected group of people live. An ideal presentation is one that identifies and matches the needs, interests and understanding level of the audience. It also represents the facts, and figures in the form of tables, charts, and graphs and uses multiple colours.

Related terms:

• Verbal Communication
• Visual Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Communication
• 7 C’s of Communication

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President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address March 7, 2024, to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol. (AP)

Facing a challenging path to reelection amid low favorability ratings and public wariness over the economy, President Joe Biden used his 2024 State of the Union address to take a fighting posture. He repeatedly drew contrasts with his presumptive Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, and occasionally sparred with GOP lawmakers in the audience.

"This is a moment to speak the truth, to bury lies," Biden said, referring to the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol  by Trump supporters who believed falsehoods that the 2020 election had been stolen. "Here's the simple truth: You can't love your country only when you win."

Biden didn’t say Trump’s name in his remarks, but he frequently invoked Trump’s record and  proposals, usually referring to him as "my predecessor." 

Some Republicans called out Biden from the floor. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., challenged Biden over the killing of University of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. An immigrant in the country illegally has been charged in Riley’s death.

Another Republican lawmaker, Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden, yelled , "Lies!" in response to Biden’s criticism of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., gave the Republicans’ response to the speech and we fact-checked that.  

In forceful terms, Biden framed himself as a protector and defender of Americans and their prosperity, touting pocketbook policies to ease student loan burdens and lower prescription drug prices.

Biden repeated calls for Republicans in Congress to approve aid to Ukraine, which is fighting an invasion by Russia. He also walked a fine line on the Middle East. He called for Hamas to free the Israeli hostages it continues to hold in Gaza — the families of some hostages were in the chamber for his address — but also announced a plan to build a temporary pier to expand humanitarian aid to Palestinians caught in the crossfire.

We fact-checked key statements on immigration, Trump, the economy, reproductive rights and crime.

Biden blamed Republicans for sidelining Senate border security bill 

For years, Republicans have blamed Biden for the historically high illegal immigration under his watch. Some Republicans wore red and white pins that said "Stop the Biden border crisis" in large capital letters. 

As Biden entered the House chamber, Greene  gave him a pin with text that said : "Say her name: Laken Riley," the University of Georgia student who was murdered. 

As he discussed border security and immigration, Greene interrupted Biden and challenged him to say Riley’s name. 

"Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal," Biden said, misstating Riley’s first name.

Some high-profile Democrats criticized him for using the phrase "illegal," which some argue is dehumanizing.

"He should have said undocumented," former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on CNN.

"Let me be clear: No human being is illegal," Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., posted on X. 

Biden also said it was Republicans’ turn to act and cooperate with him and Democrats on a border security bill. He blamed Republicans for sidelining a Senate immigration bill, which failed in a 49-50 vote, that he claimed was "the toughest set of border security reforms we’ve ever seen." 

Here’s some context missing from some of Biden’s comments on the bill.

"It would also give me and any new president new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming."

This needs context .

The proposal sought to enable the executive branch to block people from seeking asylum in between ports of entry if illegal immigration encounters reached certain levels. 

It aimed to change what happened when people reached the border, but that doesn’t mean people would stop showing up. Despite the emergency authority, the government’s ability to quickly remove people from the U.S. would still hinge on its resources, and other countries’ willingness to take back immigrants. 

"In short, there is no authority that Congress could pass that would allow for a ‘complete and total shutdown of the border,’" Theresa Cardinal Brown, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s senior adviser for Immigration and border policy previously told PolitiFact. "That's just not how borders work in any real sense. Especially not our border with Mexico."

"That bill would hire … 100 more immigration judges to help tackle the backload of 2 million cases."

The backlog number is higher — there are more than 3 million cases in immigration courts as of November 2023, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. The backlog grew by 1 million cases from November 2022 to November 2023.

The bill called for "4,300 more asylum officers and new policies so they can resolve cases in six months instead of six years now." 

On average, asylum cases in immigration court take more than four years to be resolved, according to a 2023 report published by the American Immigration Council, an immigrants’ rights advocacy group.

But the growing case backlog could increase that average.

In more than a dozen nameless references to his predecessor, Biden used partial quotes by Trump to draw policy contrasts on guns; Roe v. Wade; and Russian President Vladimir Putin and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

"Now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, ‘do whatever the hell you want.’ That’s a quote."

Trump wasn’t directly inviting Russia to do whatever it wanted to NATO allies. He was telling a story during a rally in South Carolina about what he said to an unnamed ally years ago. Trump claimed  he was tough on NATO and got results, misrepresenting several facts about the alliance and his record in the process.

"I got them to pay up," Trump said Feb. 10. "NATO was busted until I came along. I said, ’Everybody’s gonna pay.’ They said, ‘Well, if we don’t pay, are you still going to protect us?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not.’"

Trump added, "One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, ‘Well, sir, if we don’t pay and we are attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’ I said, ‘You didn't pay, you are delinquent?" He said, ‘Yes, let’s say that happened.’ No, I would not protect you, in fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they wanted. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills."

"My predecessor told the NRA he’s proud he did nothing on guns when he was president." 

Trump did say that, even though his record was more nuanced. Speaking at the National Rifle Association’s convention in Pennsylvania in February, Trump said , "During my four years, nothing happened. And there was great pressure on me, having to do with guns. We did nothing. We didn’t yield."

But in 2019, when Trump was asked what he had done about the gun problem, he said , "We’ve done, actually, a lot." Trump banned bump stocks, which let semi-automatic weapons fire dozens of bullets in seconds. He also supported a bipartisan effort to improve the background-check database and his administration prioritized gun-related prosecutions. However, Trump’s administration also tried to expand gun laws and regulations or block efforts to tighten them.

"After another shooting in Iowa recently … when asked what to do about it he said,  ‘Just get over it.’" 

Trump’s remarks were not in direct response to a question. Trump’s full remarks, which included sympathies for the victims, came at a January rally in Iowa after a sixth grade student was killed and several others wounded in a shooting at Perry High School. The shooter, 17, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot.

"I want to send our support and our deepest sympathies to the victims and families touched by the terrible school shooting yesterday in Perry, Iowa." Trump also said, "It’s just horrible, so surprising to see it here. But, ah, have to get over it, we have to move forward, we have to move forward. But to the relatives and to all of the people that are so devastated right now to a point they can’t breathe, they can’t live, we are with you all the way, we are with you and we love you and we cherish you."

"My predecessor came to office determined to see Roe v. Wade overturned. He's the reason it's overturned and he brags about it."

At a January town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, Trump said, "For 54 years, they were trying to get Roe v. Wade terminated. And I did it and I’m proud to have done it." Trump also said, "Nobody else was going to get that done but me and we did it, and we did something that was a miracle."

Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices that cemented the court’s conservative majority, which reversed the Roe decision in June 2022.

On Truth Social in May 2023, Trump said, "After 50 years of failure, with nobody coming even close, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade, much to the ‘shock’ of everyone."

Biden took a victory lap on the reduced inflation rate and other economic metrics. But a few of his talking points, including on "soaring" consumer confidence and cuts to the deficit, were exaggerated. 

"Inflation has dropped from 9% to 3% — the lowest in the world!"

The U.S. is doing better on managing inflation than most advanced industrialized nations are, but does not rank No. 1 internationally.

Biden is correct that the year-over-year inflation rate has dropped from 9%, a four-decade high,  in summer of 2022 to a little above 3% today amid sharp interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.

In December 2023, seven countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development  — Canada, Denmark, Italy, Latvia,Lithuania, the Netherlands and South Korea — had inflation rates lower than the U.S’. 

Twenty OECD member countries had higher inflation rates than the U.S., including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, each of which belongs to the G-7 of elite economies.

"Consumer studies show consumer confidence is soaring."

It depends on the measure.

Two long-running consumer confidence measures are released by the University of Michigan and the Conference Board, a business membership and research organization. 

Consumer confidence, as measured by the University of Michigan survey,, has climbed sharply since bottoming out in the summer of 2022, when inflation reached 9%, a four-decade high. However, the rating under Biden remains lower than it was for four of the past five presidents at the same point in their tenures.

Biden scores higher on the Conference Board survey, which is focused more on questions related to the labor market than inflation. 

The labor market has been a strength for Biden during his watch. And the Conference Board survey shows that consumer sentiment is now higher than it was under three of the previous four presidents at this point in their tenures.

"I’ve already cut the federal deficit by over a trillion dollars."

This merits asterisks. The deficit — the difference between federal spending and federal revenues — fell by $1.4 trillion between 2021, Biden’s first year in office, and 2022, his second year. That was a larger decline than any in any previous one-year span. 

However, this reduction stems largely from the phasing-out of pandemic era relief programs. Also, even at its reduced levels, the deficit remains higher under Biden than it was pre-pandemic. The deficit in 2022 and 2023 under Biden was higher than in each of Trump’s first three years, partly because of bills such as the 2021 American Rescue Plan, a pandemic recovery measure.

Biden: "There are 1,000 billionaires in America. You know what the average federal tax is for those billionaires? No? They’re making great sacrifices. 8.2%."

This is misleading . 

A White House report arrived at the 8.2% figure by including unrealized gains in the income calculations of the 400 richest U.S. families.

Currently, if people see their stock shares rise in value over time, those gains are not taxed until the shares are sold. If the shares are never sold, they aren’t taxed. Under current law — which Biden proposes to change — stocks may be passed to the next generation with little or no taxation. 

Economists and policymakers have long debated whether the government should tax unrealized gains. But Biden made it sound as if 8.2% was the standard tax rate billionaires pay today. It’s not: Unrealized wealth, unlike income, is not taxed today.

The actual average tax rate the top 1% of taxpayers pay is more than three times what Biden said: 25.6%, according to IRS data from 2019 . A more elite group, the top 0.001% — which in 2019 meant people earning about $60 million or more a year — paid 22.9%.

Another analysis, by the investigative journalism outlet ProPublica, found that the actual tax rate paid by 25 U.S. billionaires under current law is 16%, which is still about twice what Biden said.

Violent crime has declined recently in the U.S., and Biden largely took responsibility. "America is safer today than when I took office," he said, claiming that the year before he became president, "murders went up 30%, the biggest increase in history." 

Homicides did increase 30% in 2020, and it was considered the largest single-year jump in more than a century. But Biden ignored that the spike coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Touting his 2022 American Rescue Plan Act as "the largest investment in public safety ever," Biden pointed to the 2023 homicide rate: "Last year, the murder rate saw the sharpest decrease in history. Violent crime fell to one of its lowest levels in more than 50 years. But we have more to do."

Violent crime has decreased from 2020’s record highs, but this is because of a confluence of factors, experts said, some that are beyond Biden’s control.

Using data from hundreds of cities, criminologists estimated that 2023 homicides were down around 12% compared with 2022. The numbers are considered preliminary, but crime analysts say that if the final numbers remain the same, it would represent one of the largest single-year homicide declines since U.S. crime record-keeping began.

Despite the decline, data shows that the 2023 homicide rate is expected to be about 18% higher than it was in 2019, before the pandemic began.

Legislation such as the American Rescue Plan, which included funding for community public safety initiatives, and the 2022 Bipartisan Safer in Communities Act , which provided funding to help states implement "red flag laws" and put more limits on gun purchases, might have helped propel the downward trend, researchers said. Other contributing factors likely include an easing of the pandemic’s social disruptions and cities’ individual crime-reduction efforts in response to homicide spikes.

"The Alabama Supreme Court shut down IVF treatments across the state, unleashed by a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade."

On Feb. 16, the Alabama Supreme Court released a ruling that said frozen embryos should be considered children. 

The decision lacks the power to shut down in vitro fertilization treatments statewide. But it caused multiple clinics in the state to pause IVF treatments as they reviewed the decision and potential liabilities.

Since then, Alabama lawmakers passed legislation to shield IVF providers from civil or criminal liability in a rush to protect fertility treatments after backlash grew. Two clinics announced they were resuming operations after Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the law.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. — who had two daughters using in vitro fertilization — introduced a similar federal bill aimed at protecting IVF. But Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., blocked it Feb. 28, saying it was a "vast overreach that is full of poison pills that go way too far — far beyond ensuring legal access to IVF."

"If you, the American people. send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you: I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again." 

We continue to rate Biden's promise to codify Roe v. Wade Stalled . 

Biden called on Congress to help him achieve his 2020 campaign promise to codify Roe v Wade.

He can’t do it alone.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2022 to overturn Roe, ending nearly 50 years of federally protected abortion access.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023 , which would prohibit governmental restrictions on access to abortion. But it has no Republican co-sponsors and didn’t advance.

We have been tracking Biden's campaign promise to codify Roe v. Wade, one of about 100 promises on our Biden Promise Tracker . The lack of 10 Republicans to overcome an expected filibuster has stalled Biden's efforts on codification. That lack of a path forward continued even after Democrats kept narrow control of the Senate in the midterms.

Americans pay more for prescription drugs than anywhere in the world."

We rated a similar claim by Biden Mostly True.

American per capita spending on prescription drugs is nearly three times the average of other advanced, industrialized countries that comprise the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. A study by the Rand Corp ., a nonpartisan research organization, found that, across all drugs, U.S. prices were 2.78 times higher than the prices in 33 OECD countries.

The gap was even larger for brand-name drugs, with U.S. prices averaging 4.22 times higher than those in comparison nations. The U.S. pays less than comparable nations for unbranded, generic drugs, which account for about 90% of filled prescriptions in the U.S., yet make up only one-fifth of prescription drug spending. 

Researchers say factors including country-specific pricing, confidential rebates and other discounts can obscure actual prices, making comparisons harder.

Is former Rep. George Santos really allowed to sit among the people who expelled him in December?

The short answer is yes . 

PolitiFact Staff Writers Loreben Tuquero and Marta Campabadal Graus contributed to this report.

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Fact-checking Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address

Presentation Definition: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of contents, unraveling the presentation definition.

Presentation – a word frequently used in English, Spanish, Latin, French, and Arabic contexts, but what does it exactly mean? In this article, we delve into the definition of presentation , exploring its various facets and applications in different fields.

The Essence of Presentation: A Definition

What is a presentation.

A presentation is the act of presenting information or ideas to a group of people in a structured and deliberate manner, often with the aid of visual aids like PowerPoint, Keynote, or multimedia tools.

Presentations are a ubiquitous part of the professional, educational, and social landscape. The act of presenting, essentially communicating information and ideas to a group of people, has evolved significantly over time. This article explores the definition of a presentation, its various formats, the skills required to make it effective, and the nuances of a great presentation, all while weaving in an eclectic mix of keywords.

Historical Roots: From Latin to Modern Day

The Evolution from ‘Praesentātiō’ to ‘Presentation’

In its essence, a presentation is the act of presenting or displaying information or ideas to an audience. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “the action or process of presenting something to someone.” In Latin, the term stems from ‘praesentātiō’, denoting the action of placing before or showing. This definition has broadened in modern English to encompass various methods of showcasing information, whether it’s a business pitch, an academic lecture, or introducing a new product.

The term has its origins in Latin (‘praesentātiō’), evolving through various languages like French and British English, symbolizing the act of presenting, displaying, or giving something to others.

Types and Formats of Presentations

Diverse Formats for Different Needs

Presentations can vary in formats – from formal PowerPoint presentations to informal Prez (an informal abbreviation of presentation) discussions, each tailored to suit specific requirements.

Enhancing Presentation Skills: A Guide

Mastering the Art of Presentation

Presentations come in various formats, from the traditional speech to more contemporary multimedia showcases. PowerPoint, a widely used tool, allows the integration of text, images, and graphs to create visually appealing slides. Similarly, Apple’s Keynote offers tools for creating impactful multimedia presentations. The inclusion of visual aids, like graphs and charts, enhances comprehension and retention. For those interested in learning Spanish, Arabic, or French, incorporating these languages in presentations can broaden audience reach.

Effective presentation skills involve a blend of clear communication, eye contact , engaging visual aids , and a confident delivery. These skills are crucial in both business and educational settings.

Presentation in the Digital Age: Multimedia and Keynote

Embracing Technology for Impactful Presentations

In the era of digital communication, tools like multimedia presentations and Apple’s Keynote software have become indispensable for creating dynamic and interactive presentations.

The Art of Visual Aids: Graphs and More

Using Graphs and Visuals Effectively

Effective presentations often include graphs and other visual aids to convey complex information in an easily digestible format, enhancing the audience’s understanding.

Presentation in Different Languages

A Multilingual Perspective

The concept of presentation transcends languages, from English to Arabic , each offering unique nuances in the art of presenting.

Presentation in Literature and Culture

Presentation Copy and Beyond

The term also appears in literary contexts, such as a “presentation copy” of a book, and in cultural scenarios like a “breech presentation” in childbirth, where the baby is positioned to exit the birth canal feet first.

Effective Presentation: Tips and Techniques

Crafting an Impactful Presentation

An effective presentation is more than just delivering facts; it involves engaging storytelling, structured key points , and the ability to connect with the audience.

To deliver an effective presentation, certain skills are paramount. English, being a global lingua franca, is often the preferred language for presentations. However, the ability to present in multiple languages, like Spanish or French, can be a significant advantage.

Eye contact is a crucial skill, establishing a connection with the audience and making the presentation more engaging. Additionally, the ability to read the room and adjust the presentation accordingly is vital.

Incorporating Quizzes and Group Activities

Interactive elements like quizzes can transform a presentation from a monologue into a dynamic group activity. They encourage participation and can be especially effective in educational settings. Quizzes can also be used in business presentations to gauge audience understanding or to introduce a new product.

Presentation in Educational Contexts

Learning Through Presentations

In educational settings, presentations are used as a tool for teaching and assessment, often involving quizzes and interactive sessions to enhance learning.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Exploring Synonyms and the Thesaurus

The thesaurus offers a range of synonyms for ‘presentation,’ such as exhibition, demonstration, and display, each with slightly different connotations.

The Thesaurus and Vocabulary Expansion

Utilizing a thesaurus can enrich presentation language, offering synonyms and example sentences to clarify points. The ‘word of the day’ concept, often found in English learning resources, can be an interesting addition to presentations, especially in multilingual contexts.

Historical and Specialized Types of Presentations

The term ‘presentation’ also has specialized meanings. In historical contexts, a ‘presentation copy’ refers to a book or manuscript gifted by the author. In obstetrics, ‘breech presentation’ denotes a situation where the baby is positioned to exit the birth canal feet or buttocks first. Understanding these specialized definitions enriches the overall grasp of the term.

Presentation in Business: Introducing a New Product

The Role of Presentation in Business

In business contexts, presentations are crucial for scenarios like introducing a new product , persuading investors, or communicating with stakeholders.

Word of the Day: Presentation

Expanding Vocabulary with ‘Presentation’

In language learning, ‘presentation’ can be a word of the day , helping learners understand its usage through example sentences and pronunciation (notated as /ˌprez.ənˈteɪ.ʃən/ in English).

Key Points and Summarization

An effective presentation distills complex information into key points, making it easier for the audience to remember the most important takeaways. Summarization skills are critical in achieving this clarity.

Cultural Influences and Adaptations

The concept of presentations varies across cultures. In Arabic-speaking countries, the style of presentation might differ significantly from that in English-speaking contexts. The benefice of understanding cultural nuances cannot be overstated, as it can significantly impact the effectiveness of a presentation.

The Role of Technology

Technology, particularly multimedia, plays a pivotal role in modern presentations. From PowerPoint slides to advanced software like Keynote, the use of technology has revolutionized the way information is presented. The integration of videos, sound, and interactive elements makes presentations more engaging and memorable.

Eye Contact and Body Language

In delivering a presentation, non-verbal cues like eye contact and body language are as important as the spoken content. Maintaining eye contact with the audience establishes a connection and keeps them engaged. Similarly, confident body language can convey authority and enthusiasm.

The Art of Storytelling

A great presentation often resembles storytelling. It’s not just about relaying facts; it’s about weaving a narrative that resonates with the audience. This involves understanding the audience’s needs and interests and tailoring the content accordingly.

Innovation and New Products

Presentations are often the first introduction of a new product to the market. The effectiveness of these presentations can make or break the product’s success. Highlighting the unique features and benefits in a clear, compelling manner is crucial.

The Power of Presentation

Presentations are a powerful tool for communication and education. Whether in a formal business setting or an informal educational environment, mastering the art of presentation can lead to more effective and impactful communication.

1. Oxford English Dictionary

2. Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

3. Apple Keynote User Guide

4. Presentation Techniques in Educational Literature

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## Frequently Asked Questions About Presentations

### What is in a presentation?

A presentation typically includes a combination of spoken words and visual aids such as PowerPoint slides, graphs, or multimedia elements. It’s an organized way to convey information or ideas to a group of people.

### What is meant by giving a presentation?

Giving a presentation refers to the act of presenting information or ideas to an audience. This act, known in various languages including English, Spanish, and French as ‘presentation’ (or ‘praesentātiō’ in Latin), involves communication skills, visual aids, and sometimes interactive elements like quizzes.

### What makes a good presentation?

A good presentation effectively communicates key points, engages the audience through eye contact and clear speech (often practiced as a ‘word of the day’ in English classes), uses visual aids like graphs, and is well-structured. Effective presentation skills are crucial for this.

### What are the types of presentation?

There are various types of presentations, including formal business presentations (often using PowerPoint or Keynote), educational lectures, sales pitches for a new product, and informal talks. Each type uses different formats and approaches.

### What are the 4 parts of a presentation?

The four main parts of a presentation are the introduction, the main body, the conclusion, and the Q&A session. Each part plays a vital role in delivering an effective presentation.

### What are the three things that a good presentation should do?

A good presentation should inform, engage, and persuade or inspire the audience. It’s about more than just delivering facts; it’s an act of communication that can change perspectives or encourage action.

### How is a presentation linked with multimedia?

Presentations often use multimedia elements like videos, audio clips, and animated graphs to enhance the viewer’s understanding and engagement. Multimedia tools like PowerPoint and Keynote are widely used in creating dynamic presentations.

### How long should a presentation be?

The length of a presentation can vary, but it’s typically between 15 to 30 minutes. The duration depends on the context and the amount of information to be covered. It’s important to keep presentations concise to maintain the audience’s attention.

These answers incorporate various aspects of presentations, including their definition, formats, and the skills required, in multiple languages and contexts, as seen in resources like Oxford dictionaries and thesaurus.

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What is fake news? Definition, types, and how to detect them

A growing number of people use the internet to stay informed and share millions of posts, articles, and videos across platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The rapid adoption of social media has led to a rise in information-sharing among users, with fake news becoming a component of our digital daily routines. The spread of misinformation is in part attributed to social media failing to verify the authenticity of a news item . This makes it easy to share seemingly real images and videos which have been skillfully manipulated. It is now well-known that misinformation has a significant influence on public opinion and discourse .

In this article, we explain what fake news is and how you can detect false news reports quickly.

What is fake news?

What types of fake news exist, check the sender, verify photos and videos, check the imprint or authors, check the url, examples of fake news, what are the consequences of fake news on society, what are social media networks doing about fake news.

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The term fake news eludes to reports, images, and videos that are shared to purposefully spread misinformation i.e. information that is factually incorrect . These news items may appear authentic at first and attempt to attract attention, shock, or shape opinions. Fake news can be created by individuals or groups who are acting in their own interests or those of third parties. The creation of misinformation is usually motivated by personal, political, or economic agendas .

The sharing of fabricated news to shape public opinion on certain topics is not a recent phenomenon. Sensational headlines or political articles used to spread lies and propaganda have been around since the emergence of print media. In times of digital information exchange, fake news has become more of an online phenomenon that is difficult to control. Fake news can reach high levels of visibility in a short amount of time because it’s easy to share via social media and social bots .

Fake News : Fake news refers to false reports or misinformation shared in the form of articles, images, or videos which are disguised as “real news” and aim to manipulate people’s opinions. Fake news is spread by social media users and hidden social bots which comment on, repost, and retweet such news items.

Fake news is mostly used to manipulate public opinion for political or commercial gain. But false reports are also regularly used as part of sensational headlines in the form of clickbait , which aims to attract people to click through to linked websites and generate advertising income. Phishing attemps also use simulated information and abuse the trust of internet users. Seemingly authentic contact forms are used to collect personal user data for the purpose of identity theft . Other common phenomena are email hoaxes in the form of chain mail which threaten recipients with issues in case they fail to share an email.

These are four common types of fake news:

• Targeted misinformation: Fictitious piece of information shared for self-serving interests. Targeted misinformation is often directed at groups that are most susceptible to receiving this type of information and easily accept and share polarizing content without verifying its authenticity.
• Fake headlines: Headlines depicting fictitious facts to generate attention. These are regularly employed by less credible publications such as tabloid newspapers. Readers often quickly realize that the content of the article does not match the headline. Their titles are referred to as “clickbait headlines.”
• Viral posts: There’s a plethora of new articles and content on social media networks. As a consequence, users often do not take the time to authenticate posts. Because large social networks favor shares, likes, and followers, popular posts are shown more often in a user’s threat – even if that content is fake news.
• Satire: Satirical news pick up on current affairs and news items and mix them with fictitious, and often absurd events. Satire is often employed to raise awareness of social issues or criticize political wrongdoing. But there’s always the danger that humorous components go undetected and the pieces are considered to be true.

How to detect fake news?

Although lots of fake news appears believable at first, it’s also easy to debunk. If you follow a few of the methods described below regularly, it should become easy to distinguish real from fake news.

Verify the social media profile of a sender before you share a post . Ask yourself the following questions:

• How old is their social media account?
• Does the account have a blue verification mark?
• How many followers and friends does the account have?
• Which types of content are predominantly shared?

A new social media account with few friends/followers sharing sensational content could point to a social bot or internet troll.

Visual content can be quickly taken out of context . Watch out for location markers such as advertising signs, road signs, or car license plates, and check whether they match the image’s location. Another useful tool is a reverse image search using URL tools such as Tineye or Chrome extension Reveye . These can be used to verify when and in which context a picture was published for the first time.

Videos are more difficult to authenticate. Intelligent computer editing software allows users to create deepfake videos , which replaces faces in original videos. The YouTube DataViewer by Amnesty International can be used to find an original video .

Some websites contain imprints or information on copyright and authors. If this type of information is missing you should not trust the source of shared content.

Some types of fake news take on the design of well-known media brands to evoke trustworthiness. In this case, it’s advisable to verify a URL in a browser. Sometimes the only difference is a hyphen or the domain ending such as .net instead of .com .

Always check the date of a news piece and whether alternative media sources are reporting on the same issue. If no alternative trustworthy sources are available, it’s most likely fake news.

While some pieces of fake news are relatively harmless, others can cause significant damage because they foster anti-democratic thinking. Experts anticipate that fake news in combination with social bots have had a major influence on world events including the United Kingdom’s Brexit vote in 2016 and the United States presidential election in 2017. Here are three examples of “successful” fake news which influenced public opinion globally:

• AIDS conspiracy: Even before the digitalization of information, blind media trust was used to spread wrongful information. On behalf of secret services by the GDR and Soviet Union, West German media in the 1980s spread the news that the AIDS virus had been created by US secret service CIA. This is called a disinformation campaign.
• The Bitcoin scam: As cryptocurrencies gained popularity in recent years, the number of scams and fraudulent practices have increased. Alleged bitcoin trading platforms advertised their services using fictitious reviews by famous people to grow public trust. The reviews suggested high gains to potential investors.
• Fake news on immigration crisis: During the immigration crisis, many items of fake news were being spread to polarize the European public. In February 2017, for example, British newspaper “Daily Express” published an article claiming that Germany hoped to bring in 12 million migrants . This was later revealed untrue by the German investigative newsroom correctiv.org .

Once celebrated as a democratic medium, the World Wide Web has gained a bad reputation when it comes to the reliability of information. That’s because anyone can create, share, and manipulate information online. And with a growing majority of people using online media as their primary source, fake news presents a huge challenge. On the one hand, democracy thrives because of freely accessible information , which helps us understand political, societal, and economical connections. On the other hand, fake news fosters mistrust and skeptical thinking, and hinders discussions or conflict resolution.

More and more social media channels are reacting to demands for improved control measures when it comes to the spreading of fake news. However, each platform deals with fake news differently.

Twitter, for example, in May 2020, fact-checked a tweet by US president Donald Trump who shared non-verifiable claims about US postal votes.

In connection to the coronavirus crisis and many conspiracy theory videos emerging online, YouTube adjusted its community guidelines. These enable the platform to delete videos with fabricated content.

Facebook , on the other hand, works with around 50 independent fact-checking organizations such as The Pulitzer Center , American Journalism Project, or World Association of News Publishers . Posts that are found to be fake according to Facebook criteria are marked and become less visible in the news feed, and posts and adverts by politicians are being checked and verified too.

In June 2020, the EU Commission released new guidelines to fight misinformation through social media networks. As part of this guidance, social networks should share monthly reports on content and reach of fake posts and fake user accounts. Social media platforms are encouraged to fight actively misinformation by fact checking content.

Find out more about the dangers of social media in our dedicated article on the topic.

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What Is an Encore Presentation?

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking

Imagine you are at a concert; you are having your best time when the crowd realizes that the show is about to end. In unison, you scream “once more!” which compels the artist to perform a piece again. Now when a similar thing happens with a presenter when they have to present again, it is called an Encore presentation .

By Definition, an encore is an additional or extra piece that the artist performs after the end of their planned performance, purely out of public demand .

Encores are mostly performed after concerts or plays . The artist usually performs a small piece or a scene that is most liked by the audience. At times, the audience might demand a very particular thing that they would like to see again.

Now, all that discussion surrounds what encore performance is and that is something you might have come across through your tiresome google search as well.

But getting answers to the questions below is what might have been challenging. Fret not, we’ve got you covered!

So, what is an encore presentation? or how do you define an encore presentation? 

An encore presentation is when the data which was originally presented at some conference or event is reproduced and presented again to reach a larger audience .

The idea behind any encore is that it is usually demanded by the people . This also means that the presentation or performance was so good or informative that the people want more of it. So, essentially an encore is the appreciation for the presenter or performer by the audience .

These encore presentations are sometimes uploaded on openly accessible channels like YouTube or open drives which means that they are easy to access by everyone.

The presenter presents their topic by either sharing a PowerPoint or can even choose to give completely oral presentations.

Encore presentations also happen to be a crucial part of the reruns of various Tv shows and News channels wherein one informative episode is telecast at a time that is different from the usual telecast time for the show.

In fact for The Andy Griffith Show , the reruns were retitled by Andy of Mayberry to help the audience distinguish between the episodes airing on Primetime and the ones that were rerun.

Keep reading the blog to know more about Encore TV presentations

In short, defining Encore presentation in a sentence would be, 

An encore presentation is the reproduction of the data originally presented in a conference, event, or meeting to reach a larger audience.

Short History of Encore Presentations

In the 18th century, wealthy men would often demand a repetition of a song or scene to enjoy the piece yet again. This is where the word encore founds its existence which originates from the French word that means “Again.”

The first known encore performance was in the year 1786 during the premiere of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro wherein the encored pieces ended up doubling the time of the actual event!

However, within a couple of days, under the orders of Emperor Joseph II of Austria , there was a limit set to encore performances leading to today’s one to three pieces’ encore performances.

And believe it or not, at one point, encores were banned in northern Italy. They felt that the encore performances were less serious, focused more on individual artists rather than the band or opera, and carried with them the potential for public disorder.

Initially, Encore performances or presentations were carried out purely out of the public’s continued applause or request .

However, things have changed with time. Now bands or artists are accused of planning out the encores. They leave out the best pieces of their work for the end and savor the audience’s cry for those very pieces. It is believed that these days, encores are very rarely unplanned.

How is an encore presentation different from the original presentation?

Unlike encore performances, there isn’t a huge difference between the original presentation and the encore presentation. Encore performances are short or include only a part of the entire performance .

On the other hand, Encore presentations as stated are when the presenter puts forth the information, he/she/ they presented earlier at some event .

It isn’t practical to share a part of the presentation or a snippet of the presentation as the audience would not gain anything from it.

The idea of an encore presentation is the same as that of the original presentation. The only difference between the two is that while the original presentation is presented to a live audience , an encore presentation can be shared with the people through online forums like YouTube from where they can access the data at any time.

Is encore presentation an Adaptation?

Adaptation is when you add information or tweak information in your presentation.

So, let’s say somewhere in 2020 you presented on the topic “Bitcoin in India” and would like to present on the same topic in mid-2022. For the new presentation, you might want to update your presentation. This includes adding information on the new tax rules when it comes to cryptocurrencies that were passed in the Indian budget in the year 2022.

This adding of new information in your presentation is what you call adaptation.

So essentially, adaptation is when you present new information or interpretations with previously presented data.

Encore on the other hand is simply the re-presentation of previously presented data and interpretations . There isn’t room for adaptations in encore presentations.

How do you use an encore?

One of the major uses of encore presentations is to reach a wider audience or to present the same topic to a different audience . A couple of ways in which you can use encore presentations or you can give encore presentations are:

1. To present the same topic at a different conference

Quiet a few times, researchers end up presenting the same study to various related conferences as it gives them a chance to present their understanding to a larger crowd of intellectuals who would be able to gain from their presentation.

However, researchers or academic scholars are not the only ones who reuse their presentations and topics. Even marketers who would want to pitch their ideas or products may use the same presentation as making different presentations for each client or company might be very challenging.

2. To present the topic in a local language

Encore presentations or presenting your topic again can also be done when you want to reach the locals. It would require you to present again in a language that is suitable for your new audience.

In research conferences, you might ask a volunteer or add another remember who can present the topic for you. This holds true especially when you have to present a topic in the local language. In this way, the content and presentation stay the same but you see a change in the presenter.

3. To present the topic to a much larger virtual audience

Another way of carrying out an encore presentation is to present it to a virtual audience through a channel that is easily and widely accessible, like YouTube. Find an example of the same below:

This serves as the best option as

• You can reach a much larger audience
• The information stays with the audience
• They can access it at their convenience

This brings us to the next question,

Why is there an encore?

Encore presentations bring with them a couple of advantages. Without wasting time, let’s check out some of them!

Advantages of Encore Presentations

1. allows the speaker to reach more people.

As we have been discussing encore presentations help the speaker to reach a larger audience and help them present their ideas, interpretations, or products.

2. It stays with the audience

Encore presentations uploaded carried out through online portals like YouTube and university websites stay with the audience for a longer time and they can access them whenever they feel the need.

3. Gives the viewers a chance to learn and relearn

The presentations made over open, easy-to-access portals give the people a chance to learn from them. These are the people who have come across the presentations for the first time.

While it also helps give a new perspective to the ones who are already familiar with the topic or even the presentation.

Examples of Encore Presentations

1. tutorial encore presentation.

This type of encore presentation is very common on youtube. It tries to teach you how to do certain things. Check out the video below for an example of tutorial encore presentations.

2. Academic Encore Presentation

Academic encore presentations aim to provide theoretical understanding to the people. They are usually long and can be anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours long.

Check out the video below for an example of an academic encore presentation.

4. Research Encore Presentation

Research encore presentations include presentations of the same topic to different conferences or after publication in a journal.

The above video is an absolutely amazing example of not only a research presentation but it is also an encore presentation.

The speaker makes it very clear at the beginning of his presentation that the paper he was about to present had recently been accepted in one of the well-known journals.

5. Encore Presentation for entertainment

Encore presentations for entertainment would include encore presentations of movies, Tv shows, and performances like operas and concerts.

Encore performance

For Concerts and performances, encores usually include either performance of the artist’s best piece or the one that is demanded by the audience. Although encores are usually unplanned, it is believed that encores these days are already planned by the artist.

It is the last piece of their performance which also means that it is their most awaited performance for the night or the event.

You can try to relive the encore of one of Eminem’s concerts here:

Encore Presentations for TV

Encores for TV usually involve a rerun of the episode originally telecasted on Primetime.

An example of the same is the encore of Ophrah Winfrey Show where she interviews Michelle Obama.

How to give effective Encore Presentations?

By now we have understood what encore presentations are. Essentially you are just trying to reach out to a wider audience in order to familiarize them with your topic.

So in a sense just like presentations, it is important for you to deliver them effectively

The reason we focus on delivery here is that you would already have the script of your presentation ready!

Tips to Effectively Deliver Encore Presentations

1. rehearse.

One of the most crucial things about Encore presentations is the need to rehearse your presentation.

Agreed you have already presented the topic before and you are very confident! But practice and rehearsal will only help you give a fantastic encore presentation. Even you know we aren’t lying!

Try to present your speech in front of a camera or through zoom. You can also read it out loud or present it to your friends or family (provided they are willing to listen to you for the nth time!)

2. Opening Lines

Opening lines are very crucial especially if your encore presentation is a long one.

Try to take a minute to pause and observe the room. The reason is very simple it gives you an idea of who you are going to be talking to which might be very different from the audience you originally delivered your presentation to.

The second thing you can do is to start strong . But how do you start strong?

By beginning your presentation with something different like a quote, some statistical figure, or some fact. You can also try to question a very popular view or opinion.

To get a clearer idea of opening lines for your encore presentations check out the short video below:

3. Closing Remarks

Closing remarks are crucial for all kinds of presentations. It doesn’t matter if your encore is of 3-minutes , 10-minutes , or even 30-minutes .

Make sure you have a very impactful closing remark so that your audience can easily recall your presentation. A few ways you can make it impactful are:

• Fitting Remark : Summarize your speech in sweet, simple words.
• Motivational remark : Leaving the audience with a motivational quote or line.
• Expository Remark : Share your personal experiences or story that your audience can easily relate to.
• Contemplative remark : Giving the audience thought, idea, or view to think about.

Final Words

Encore Presentations are simply repetitions or presenting your topic again. This should ideally give you a little confidence boost as you have already given a presentation on the same before.

Although rehearsing constantly can only help you enhance your presentations more. This would mean that when you do actually give your encore presentation, you’ll have more grasp over your presentation which can help you reach your audiences in a more effective manner.

Think about it!

If the very meaning of encore is repetition and its literal synonyms are replay, repeat, and rerun then shouldn’t concerts or performances wherein the artist performs an absolutely different song or scene not even be called an encore for it steals its very meaning?

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International Women’s Day: What is it and why do we need it?

International Women’s Day is observed on 8 March every year. Image:  Unsplash/ThisisEngineering RAEng

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This article was first published in 2022 and updated.

• 8 March is International Women’s Day – devoted to celebrating the achievements of women and seeking gender equality.
• The campaign theme in 2024 is #InspireInclusion , while the official theme of the UN observance of the day is ‘ Invest in women: Accelerate progress ’.
• It will take another 131 years to reach gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023 .

Gender equality is central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) – and a perennial item on the Secretary-General's annual priority list.

SDG5 calls for the world to " Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls " by 2030.

Empowering women can boost economies and help the peace process, believes António Guterres, but it needs to happen faster.

"We are promoting women's full and equal participation and leadership in all sectors of society, as a matter of urgency," he told the UN General Assembly, outlining the agency's priorities on 7 February 2024.

It will take another 131 years to reach gender parity , according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023.

The continued fight for women’s rights is marked each year by International Women’s Day (IWD).

What is International Women’s Day and when did it start?

IWD takes place on 8 March every year.

It began life as National Women’s Day in the United States back in February 1909. The following year, at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin called for an international women’s day to give women a greater voice to further their demands for equal rights.

It was unanimously approved by the female attendees from 17 countries, including Finland’s first three women MPs. International Women’s Day was marked for the first time in March 1911 – and the date was fixed as 8 March in 1913. The UN celebrated it for the first time in 1975 and in 1996 it announced its first annual theme: "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future".

How is the day marked around the world?

International Women’s Day is celebrated as a national holiday by countries across the globe, with women often given flowers and gifts – and there are IWD events in major cities worldwide .

On 8 March 1914, there was a women’s suffrage march in London, calling for women’s right to vote, at which high-profile campaigner Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested.

In 2001, the internationalwomensday.com platform was launched to reignite attention for the day, celebrate women’s achievements and continue to call for gender parity.

On the centenary in 2011, sitting US President Barack Obama called for March to be known as Women’s History Month. He said: “History shows that when women and girls have access to opportunity , societies are more just, economies are more likely to prosper, and governments are more likely to serve the needs of all their people.”

The World Economic Forum has been measuring gender gaps since 2006 in the annual Global Gender Gap Report .

The Global Gender Gap Report tracks progress towards closing gender gaps on a national level. To turn these insights into concrete action and national progress, we have developed the Gender Parity Accelerator model for public private collaboration.

These accelerators have been convened in twelve countries across three regions. Accelerators are established in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico and Panama in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean, Egypt and Jordan in the Middle East and North Africa, and Japan and Kazakhstan in Asia.

All Country Accelerators, along with Knowledge Partner countries demonstrating global leadership in closing gender gaps, are part of a wider ecosystem, the Global Learning Network, that facilitates exchange of insights and experiences through the Forum’s platform.

Have you read?

In these countries CEOs and ministers are working together in a three-year time frame on policies that help to further close the economic gender gaps in their countries. This includes extended parental leave, subsidized childcare and making recruitment, retention and promotion practices more gender inclusive.

If you are a business in one of the Gender Parity Accelerator countries you can join the local membership base.

If you are a business or government in a country where we currently do not have a Gender Parity Accelerator you can reach out to us to explore opportunities for setting one up.

What is the theme of International Women’s Day in 2024?

Each year, there are effectively two different themes: one proposed as a campaign theme by the IWD website, which this year is #InspireInclusion , and the UN's official, which this year is " Invest in women: Accelerate progress ".

UN Women and the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs jointly publish an annual update on the progress towards SDG5.

In the latest – Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2023 – they reveal there's an "alarming" $360 billion annual deficit in spending on gender-equality measures.

UN Women has outlined areas that need joint action to ensure women are not left behind:

Investing in women: A human rights issue

"Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge. Investing in women is a human rights imperative and cornerstone for building inclusive societies. Progress for women benefits us all."

Implementing gender-responsive financing

"Due to conflicts and rising fuel and food prices, recent estimates suggest that 75% of countries will curb public spending by 2025 . Austerity negatively impacts women and crowds out public spending on essential public services and social protection."

Shifting to a green and caring economy

"The current economic system exacerbates poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation , disproportionately affecting women and marginalized groups. Advocates for alternative economic models propose a shift towards a green and caring economy that amplifies women’s voices."

Supporting feminist change-makers

"Feminist organizations are leading efforts to tackle women’s poverty and inequality. However, they are running on empty, receiving a meagre 0.13% of total official development assistance ."

What is the state of gender parity globally?

The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2023 found that, although the global parity score has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, "the overall rate of change has slowed down significantly".

The index benchmarks 146 countries across four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival and Political Empowerment) and tracks progress towards closing gender gaps over time.

Of the four gaps tracked, Political Empowerment remains the largest, with only 22.1% closed – a 0.1 percentage point increase on 2022.

The gender health gap: It's more than a women’s issue. Here’s why

Why clear job descriptions matter for gender equality, buses are key to fuelling indian women's economic success. here's why, what is the gender pay gap.

The gender gap in Economic Participation and Opportunity remained the second largest of the gaps, with only 60.1% closed so far (up slightly from 58% in 2022). The pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis is having a disproportionate impact on women .

The gender pay gap is the “difference between the average pay of men and women within a particular group or population” according to the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for equal pay in the UK.

Each year, the charity marks Equal Pay Day in the UK, the day of the year at which women stop earning relative to men. In 2023, that date was 22 November.

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License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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What is the new definition of extremism?

Michael Gove on a mission to 'push for more stringent measures to tackle extremism in the UK'

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Government plans to broaden its definition of extremism to try to tackle growing Islamist and far-right activity in the UK has sparked alarm among religious groups.

The current definition – "vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values" – was first set out more than a decade ago and is seen by ministers as "no longer being fit for purpose", said The Times ' policy editor Oliver Wright. Under plans expected to be announced next week by Communities Secretary Michael Gove, the definition would be updated to encompass any group or individual that promotes an ideology that "undermines the rights or freedoms of others".

The move follows Rishi Sunak's warning last week that British democracy is being targeted by extremists and by "forces here at home trying to tear us apart".

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What did the commentators say?

For "almost two decades" Gove has "made it his mission to push for more stringent measures to tackle extremism in the UK", said The National . Now he finally has his chance.

The updated definition comes with a series of new measures aimed at anyone whose actions more broadly "undermine" the country's institutions or values. Sunak has already pledged to "redouble support" for the anti-radicalisation Prevent programme and has called for universities to stop extremist activity on campuses. There are also plans to extend powers blocking people from entering the UK to include those preaching racism, incitement or using intimidation or violence to undermine the democratic process.

Broadening the definition is "significant", said Wright in The Times, "because groups or individuals deemed to be extremist by ministers can be excluded from government and council funding and barred from working with public bodies".

This might be a "necessary step", Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremism Project, told The National. But there is concern that it could inadvertently penalise mainstream Muslim groups, as well as organisations campaigning against gay marriage, transgender rights, environmental groups and even supporters of Scottish independence, said Scottish newspaper The National .

Officials have drawn up a list of organisations likely to be deemed extremist by the new definition, which include the Muslim Council of Britain, Palestine Action and Muslim Engagement and Development.

In response, the Muslim Council of Britain – whose charitable arm received more than three-quarters of its funding last year from Kickstart, a government scheme to get young people into work – asked whether the new definition "would also cover large swathes of the Conservative Party leadership who have directed divisive and hateful rhetoric against Muslims".

Senior government figures have warned the new definition will also "provoke tensions" with gender critical groups and other religious groups who campaign against issues such as abortion or gay marriage.

"It's going to be incredibly difficult," a government source told The Times . "You can see how, very quickly, small 'c' conservative groups will be hit with this."

Right-wing Tory MP Miriam Cates said that broadening the definition of extremism was a "slippery slope to the abolition of fundamental freedoms" and a "path to authoritarianism".

It "raises the prospect of unusual alliances emerging between those who might disagree on other issues but who are united by hostility to the proposals", said The Guardian .

"Reviewing the words and their operation in practice is a perfectly understandable reaction to recent events, but fraught with danger," said Ian Acheson, former director of community safety at the Home Office, in The Spectator .

"Redrawing the line between non-violent and violent extremism which the proposed review will seek to do risks inflaming tensions," he said. Go too far with expanding the list and you "risk criminalising 'harmful' thoughts and an assault on free expression and assembly vital to our democratic life".

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Irish PM concedes defeat in referendums about women's role in the home, definition of family

Leo varadkar says voters delivered 'two wallops' to the government.

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Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar conceded defeat Saturday as two constitutional amendments he supported that would have broadened the definition of family and removed language about a woman's role in the home were headed toward rejection.

Varadkar, who pushed the vote to enshrine gender equality in the country's constitution by removing "very old-fashioned language" and trying to recognize the realities of modern family life, said voters had delivered "two wallops" to the government.

"Clearly we got it wrong," he said of the two referendums held on Friday, which was International Women's Day. "While the old adage is that success has many fathers and failure is an orphan, I think when you lose by this kind of margin, there are a lot of people who got this wrong, and I am certainly one of them."

Opponents argued that the amendments were poorly worded, and voters said they were confused with the choices that some feared would lead to unintended consequences.

Gary Murphy, a politics professor at Dublin City University, said via email on Saturday that the results marked a setback for Varadkar, but "it is still unclear" if this would carry over to the general election, which must be held within a year.

A changing Ireland

The referendums were  viewed as part of Ireland's evolution from a conservative, overwhelmingly Roman Catholic country in which divorce and abortion were illegal, to an increasingly diverse and socially liberal society. The proportion of residents who are Catholic fell from 94.9 per cent in 1961 to 69 per cent in 2022, according to the Central Statistics Office.

The social transformation has been reflected in a series of changes to Ireland's Constitution, which dates from 1937, though the country was not formally known as the Republic of Ireland until 1949. Irish voters legalized divorce in a 1995 referendum, backed same-sex marriage in a 2015 vote and repealed a ban on abortions in 2018 .

The first question dealt with a part of the constitution that pledges to protect the family as the primary unit of society. Voters were asked to remove a reference to marriage as the basis "on which the family is founded" and replace it with a clause that said families can be founded "on marriage or on other durable relationships." If passed, it would have been the constitution's 39th amendment.

A proposed 40th amendment would have removed a reference that a woman's place in the home offered a common good that could not be provided by the state and deleted a statement that said mothers shouldn't be obligated to work out of economic necessity if it would neglect their duties at home.

It would have added a clause saying the state will strive to support "the provision of care by members of a family to one another."

'A hugely missed opportunity'

Siobhán Mullally, a law professor and director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University of Galway, said it was patronizing for Varadkar to schedule the vote on International Women's Day, thinking people would use the occasion to strike the language about women in the home. The so-called care amendment wasn't that simple.

While voters support removing the outdated notion of a woman's place in the home, they also wanted new language recognizing state support of family care provided by those who aren't kin, she said.

Some disability rights and social justice advocates opposed the measure because it was too restrictive in that regard.

• A woman's place is in the home? That's what Ireland's Constitution still says, but it may change
• Ireland votes overwhelmingly to repeal country's abortion ban

"It was a hugely missed opportunity," Mullally said. "Most people certainly want that sexist language removed from the constitution. There's been calls for that for years, and it's taken so long to have a referendum on it. But they proposed replacing it with this very limited, weak provision on care."

Varadkar said his camp hadn't convinced people of the need for the vote, never mind issues over how the questions were worded. Supporters and opponents of the amendments said the government had failed to explain why change was necessary or mount a robust campaign.

In terms of warning signs for the government ahead of the vote, Dublin City University's Murphy pointed to an apparent "general apathy of the campaign which failed to energize the electorate to any degree."

Government 'misjudged' mood: senator

"The government misjudged the mood of the electorate and put before them proposals which they didn't explain and proposals which could have serious consequences," Sen. Michael McDowell, an Independent who opposed both measures, told Irish broadcaster RTE.

Labour Party Leader Ivana Bacik told RTE that she supported the measures despite concerns over their wording but said the government had run a lacklustre campaign.

The debate was less charged than the arguments over abortion and gay marriage. Ireland's main political parties all supported the changes, including centrist government coalition partners Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and the biggest opposition party, Sinn Fein.

One political party that called for "no" votes was Aontú, a traditionalist group that split from Sinn Fein over the larger party's backing for legal abortion. Peadar Tóibín, the leader of Aontú, said the government's wording was so vague it would lead to legal wrangles, and most people "do not know what the meaning of a durable relationship is."

• Analysis Once seen as Ireland's Justin Trudeau, progressive credentials of Leo Varadkar now in doubt
• Nationalist party Sinn Fein wins the most seats in Northern Ireland Assembly for 1st time

Opinion polls had suggested support for the "yes" side in both referendums, but many voters on Friday said they found the issue too confusing or complex to change the constitution.

"It was too rushed," said Una Ui Dhuinn, a nurse in Dublin. "We didn't get enough time to think about it and read up on it. So I felt, to be on the safe side, 'no, no' — no change."

Murphy said that "all the evidence from referendums in the past shows that if the electorate is confused about what a referendum is about, then it will vote no."

"In that context, the blame lies squarely at the door of the government," he said.

With files from CBC's Geoff Nixon

Related Stories

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International Women’s Day 2024 theme

The Government of Canada’s theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024 is Invest in women: Accelerate progress .

It’s a call to action and a reminder that gender equality is one of the most effective ways to build healthier, more prosperous, and more inclusive communities.  

We all have a role to play in building a future where everyone can reach their full potential.  

It is time to act – because women’s success is everyone’s success.

Check out the Ministerial statement and video from the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, to mark International Women’s Day 2024.

Ways to get involved

• Follow us on  Twitter ,  Facebook ,  LinkedIn , or  Instagram .
• Share our social media posts on March 8 and the days leading up to this important date, or start a conversation using our social media shareables below with the hashtags #IWD2024 and #InvestInWomen.
• Use the International Women's Day 2024 background below during your virtual meetings.
• Explore the  Women in Canadian History: A Timeline  showcasing the achievements of Canadian women in various fields such as politics, sciences, and the arts.
• Consult the  Gender equality timeline  for an overview of gender equality milestones in Canada.
• Watch  Heritage Minutes  videos on inspiring Canadian women.

International Women’s Day 2024 digital toolkit

Download these visuals and use them on your website, social media channels or virtual meetings.

Download all visuals  (ZIP – 22 B File size) or choose the content that is most important to you based on your needs.

(1) Select the image

On a PC: Right-click on the image you want to download. On a Mac: Hold down the Control key (Ctrl) and click on the image you want to download. On a mobile device: Tap and hold the image you want to download until the menu appears.

(2) Choose “Save as”

The options on the contextual menu will vary, depending on which web browser you’re using. Some browsers may say “Save as” while others may say “Save image as” or “Save picture as.”

(3) Rename the file (optional)

A dialogue box will open, giving you the opportunity to change the file name or keep it as is.

(4) Choose a destination folder

Specify a location to save the downloaded image and click “Save.”

Image featuring three women from various ages and ethnic backgrounds on a lavender coloured, cloud-like background. The Canada wordmark is in the bottom left corner.

Use this banner for your web or intranet content.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn

Image featuring three women from various ages and ethnic backgrounds as well as this year’s theme "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress" on a lavender coloured, cloud-like background. The name of the day “International Women’s Day 2024” is in the bottom right corner, and the Canada wordmark is in the bottom left corner, also on the lavender coloured background.

Use this image for your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn content.

Image featuring three women from various ages and ethnic backgrounds on a lavender coloured, cloud-like background. This year’s theme "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress" appears on the background in the top left corner. The name of the day “International Women’s Day 2024” is in the bottom right corner, and the Canada wordmark is in the bottom left corner, on the lavender coloured background.

Use this image for your Instagram content.

Virtual meeting background

Image featuring three women from various ages and ethnic backgrounds in the top right corner on a lavender coloured, cloud-like background. This year’s theme "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress / Investir en faveur des femmes: accélérer le rythme " appears on the background in the top left corner. The name of the day “ International Women’s Day 2024 / Journée internationale des femmes 2024” is in the top right corner under the image featuring three women, and the Canada wordmark is in the bottom left corner, on the lavender coloured background.

Use this background during your virtual meetings.

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