what is the mode of presentation

The 8 Types of Presentation Styles: Which Category Do You Fall Into?

Updated: December 16, 2020

Published: September 24, 2018

Types of Presentations

• Visual Style
• Freeform Style
• Instructor Style
• Coach Style
• Storytelling Style
• Connector Style
• Lessig Style
• Takahashi Style

Everyone on the internet has an opinion on how to give the “perfect” presentation.

One group champions visual aids, another thinks visual aids are a threat to society as we know it. One expert preaches the benefits of speaking loudly, while another believes the softer you speak the more your audience pays attention. And don’t even try to find coordinating opinions on whether you should start your presentation with a story, quote, statistic, or question.

But what if there wasn’t just one “right” way to give a presentation? What if there were several? Below, I’ve outlined eight types of presentation styles. They’re used by famous speakers like Steve Jobs and Al Gore -- and none of them are wrong.

Check out each one and decide which will be most effective for you.

Types of Presentation Styles

1. visual style.

What it is: If you’re a firm believer slides simply exist to complement your talking points, this style is for you. With this speaking style, you might need to work a little harder to get your audience engaged, but the dividends can be huge for strong public speakers, visionaries, and storytellers.

When to use it: This style is helpful when speaking to a large audience with broad interests. It’s also great for when you need to throw together slides quickly.

Visual style presenter: Steve Jobs

2. Freeform Style

What it is: This impromptu style of presenting doesn’t require slides. Instead, the speaker relies on strong stories to illustrate each point. This style works best for those who have a short presentation time and are extremely familiar with their talking points.

When to use it: Elevator pitches, networking events, and impromptu meetings are all scenarios in which to use a freeform style of speaking. You’ll appear less rehearsed and more conversational than if you were to pause in the middle of a happy hour to pull up your presentation on a tablet.

Freeform style presenter: Sir Ken Robinson

3. Instructor Style

What it is: This presentation style allows you to deliver complex messages using figures of speech, metaphors, and lots of content -- just like your teachers and professors of old. Your decks should be built in logical order to aid your presentation, and you should use high-impact visuals to support your ideas and keep the audience engaged.

When to use it: If you’re not a comfortable presenter or are unfamiliar with your subject matter (i.e., your product was recently updated and you’re not familiar with the finer points), try instructor-style presenting.

Instructor style presenter: Al Gore

4. Coach Style

What it is: Energetic and charismatic speakers gravitate towards this style of presenting. It allows them to connect and engage with their audience using role play and listener interaction.

When to use it: Use this presentation style when you’re speaking at a conference or presenting to an audience who needs to be put at ease. For example, this style would work well if you were speaking to a group of executives who need to be sold on the idea of what your company does rather than the details of how you do it.

Coach style presenter: Linda Edgecombe

5. Storytelling Style

What it is: In this style, the speaker relies on anecdotes and examples to connect with their audience. Stories bring your learning points to life, and the TED’s Commandments never let you down: Let your emotions out and tell your story in an honest way.

When to use it: Avoid this style if you’re in the discovery phase of the sales process. You want to keep the conversation about your prospect instead of circling every point or question back to you or a similar client. This style is great for conference speaking, networking events, and sales presentations where you have adequate time to tell your stories without taking minutes away from questions.

Storytelling style presenter: Jill Bolte Taylor

6. Connector Style

What it is: In this style, presenters connect with their audience by showing how they’re similar to their listeners. Connectors usually enjoy freeform Q&A and use gestures when they speak. They also highly encourage audience reaction and feedback to what they’re saying.

When to use it: Use this style of presenting early in the sales process as you’re learning about your prospect’s pain points, challenges, and goals. This type of speaking sets your listener at ease, elicits feedback on how you’re doing in real time, and is more of a dialogue than a one-sided presentation

Connector style presenter: Connie Dieken

7. Lessig Style

What it is: The Lessig Style was created by Lawrence Lessig , a professor of law and leadership at Harvard Law School. This presentation style requires the presenter to pass through each slide within 15 seconds. When text is used in a slide, it’s typically synchronized with the presenter’s spoken words.

When to use it: This method of presentation is great for large crowds -- and it allows the speaker to use a balance of text and image to convey their message. The rapid pace and rhythm of the slide progression keeps audiences focused, engaged, and less likely to snooze.

Lessig style presenter: Lawrence Lessig

8. Takahashi Style

What it is: This method features large, bold text on minimal slides. It was devised by Masayoshi Takahashi , who found himself creating slides without access to a presentation design tool or PowerPoint. The main word is the focal point of the slide, and phrases, used sparingly, are short and concise.

When to use it: If you find yourself in Takahashi’s shoes -- without presentation design software -- this method is for you. This style works well for short presentations that pack a memorable punch.

Takahashi style presenter: Masayoshi Takahashi

Slides from one of Takahashi’s presentations:

Whether you’re speaking on a conference stage or giving a sales presentation , you can find a method that works best for you and your audience. With the right style, you’ll capture attention, engage listeners, and effectively share your message. You can even ask an  AI presentation maker  tool to create presentations for you in your preferred style

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15 Essential Presentation Techniques for Winning Over Any Audience

• The Speaker Lab
• April 13, 2024

Table of Contents

Ever found yourself standing before an audience, your heart racing? That’s the moment when knowing effective presentation techniques can prove to be your unwavering ally. But what are presentation techniques? And what makes them so powerful? In this article, we’re going to answer those questions.

Before we can talk about presentation techniques, though, we first have to talk about good communication. The power of effective communication isn’t just in what you say. It’s how you say it; it’s in those deep breaths that steady nerves, and in maintaining eye contact. It’s about turning a room full of strangers into an engaged audience hanging onto your every word. When it comes to public speaking, real success comes from mastering non-verbal cues to punctuate our words and using visual aids not as crutches but as tools for engagement.

As you hone your communication skills, you will begin to form effective presentation techniques. Expect rough patches as you get the hang of things, but view them as mere footholds propelling you towards your ultimate triumph. Keep pushing forward.

Mastering Presentation Techniques for Impactful Delivery

Presentation techniques are more than just standing in front of a crowd and talking. They’re about making connections, telling stories that resonate, and leaving your audience with something to remember you by.

Elements of an Effective Presentation

For your presentation to resonate, ensure the visuals are straightforward and supportive, rather than distracting. Your message should be concise yet powerful enough to stick. And let’s not forget engagement; keeping your audience on their toes is key.

• Visuals: Keep them simple but impactful.
• Message: Make every word count.
• Engagement: Interact with your audience, ask questions, make them think.

We’ve all seen those slides crammed with text or charts. When you make your slides, don’t cram information, because nobody wants to squint at tiny fonts or decipher complex graphs while trying to listen to you speak. This resource suggests focusing on clarity and simplicity when designing slides—advice worth taking.

Strategies for Delivering a Successful Presentation

To deliver a knockout presentation, start strong. Grab attention from the get-go with an intriguing fact or story related directly back into the topic at hand. Maintain eye contact across the room so everyone feels included in the conversation. Finally, end on a memorable note, either with a call to action or insight gained during the time together. Leave them wanting more information and eager to learn about the subject matter discussed today.

• The opener: Hook your audience with a relevant fact or anecdote.
• Maintain connection: Eyes up, engage everyone around.
• Closing remarks : Last chance for impact–what’s your mic drop?

As author Lilly Walters once said, “The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.” This quote reminds us that the true goal of any speech is the understanding achieved between the speaker and the listeners.

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Engaging Your Audience with Nonverbal Communication

As the name implies, nonverbal communication denotes all of the ways you communicate without using words. This includes eye contact, body language, and facial expressions. Although nonverbal communication might not be the first presentation technique that comes to mind, it’s nevertheless a very powerful tool to have in your arsenal. Let’s take a look.

The Power of Eye Contact, Body Language, and Facial Expressions

Making eye contact isn’t just about looking someone in the eye; it’s about forging a connection. Aim for brief moments of eye contact across different sections of your audience throughout your presentation. Establishing fleeting eye connections across diverse audience segments fosters a sense of trust and keeps them hooked, all while ensuring no one feels on edge.

Body language is similarly important. Stand tall with good posture; it exudes confidence even when you feel nervous. As you grow more confident, mix up standing still with moving around subtly. This dynamic shift holds attention better than being rooted to one spot or nervous pacing. Use your hands to gesture naturally as you speak—it adds emphasis and keeps things lively.

If there’s one thing people can spot from miles away, it’s insincerity. So let those facial expressions match your words. Smile when you share something amusing, and furrow your brow when diving into serious stuff. After all, it’s not just what you say but how visually engaged and passionate you appear while saying it that counts.

Tying these elements together helps you deliver impactful, memorable talks. When done right, folks will leave feeling more connected, understood, and fired up by your presentation, all thanks to your techniques.

Designing Compelling Presentation Materials

Knowing how to design engaging presentation materials is one technique you can’t do without. Far from mere embellishments, these implements are crafted to hammer your message home. Hence, it’s vital to select these aids with great care and discernment.

Tips for Creating Effective Slides

When it comes to crafting slides, think of each as a billboard advertisement for your idea. You want it clear, impactful, and memorable.

• Keep it simple : One idea per slide keeps confusion at bay and attention locked in.
• Use bullet points : Break down your points so your audience can track.
• Pick a font size : Generally speaking, bigger is better.
• Use color : Harness colors that pop without blinding anyone; contrast is key.
• Use images with purpose : A good picture or chart can help illustrate your point, but keep it relevant and don’t overdo it.

With a few helpful visuals, your presentation can go from good to great. For more on creating slides, check out this link here .

Handling Questions and Interactions Professionally

For some speakers, it’s not the presentation itself that makes them nervous—it’s the Q&A session that follows. This is the moment where you get to shine or stumble based on how well you handle those curveballs from your audience. If you want to round off your presentation well, you’re going to want to learn a few techniques for fielding these questions. Let’s look at a few ways of doing this.

Preparing for Audience Questions and How to Address Them Effectively

Below are six techniques that will help you address audience questions effectively.

• Listen Up : The first rule of thumb is to listen like it’s a superpower. When someone throws a question at you, don’t just hear them out—really listen. Demonstrating this level of attentiveness not only conveys your respect but also affords you a brief moment to collect your ideas.
• Stay Calm : You’ve got this. Even if a question catches you off guard, take a deep breath before diving into your answer. No one expects perfection, but showing confidence matters.
• Practice Beforehand : Before presentation day arrives, think about potential questions folks might ask and prep some responses in advance. Practice makes perfect, after all.
• Vary Your Techniques : Not every question needs an essay as an answer; sometimes short and sweet does the trick. Mix up how detailed or brief your answers are depending on what’s asked.
• Show You Care : If you ever get a question that leaves you stumped, say so honestly—but add that magical line: “Let me find out more and I’ll get back to you.” Then actually do it.
• Appreciate Audience Curiosity : Remember that the reason you audience is asking questions is because they’re interested. So no matter what questions you get, keep engaging with enthusiasm.

Go forth with confidence, knowing not only can these moments boost credibility—they make connections too. So next time when facing down those queries remember to listen hard, stay calm & always engage warmly. With these techniques under your belt, answering audience questions after your presentation will feel much less daunting.

Techniques for a Memorable and Effective Presentation

No matter what topic you cover in your presentation, you can easily add in a story, and more likely than not you can add a little humor too. Together, these two presentation techniques are perfect for making your speech memorable.

Incorporating Storytelling into Your Presentation

One great technique for making your presentation stick is telling stories. Stories have the power to touch people profoundly, especially when they depict relatable experiences. So, when you’re up there presenting, kick things off with a story that ties into your main message. It could be personal, something from history, or even an anecdote that gets your point across. Stories are not just fluff; they’re the glue of your presentation. They make complex ideas digestible and memorable.

Using Humor to Connect with the Audience

Another great way of engaging your audience is by using humor. But here’s the deal—use humor wisely. Keep it tasteful and tied closely to the content at hand so it enhances rather than detracts from your message.

• Pick universal themes everyone can relate to.
• Avoid anything potentially offensive.
• Tie jokes back to your key points to make them relevant.

If humor isn’t your thing, or you’re worried about your comedic timing, it’s perfectly okay to skip the jokes. Especially if you’re new to public speaking, humor can be hard to nail immediately. But as you grow and hone your presentation techniques, consider stretching yourself a bit. By starting small, you can practice using humor to connect with your audience. That is your goal, after all—to leave a positive, memorable impression on your audience.

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Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

For some speakers, stepping in front of a crowd to speak causes immediate anxiety. But fear not! Conquering public speaking anxiety is entirely within your grasp.

Techniques to Manage Stage Fright and Boost Confidence

First off, feeling nervous before taking the stage is completely normal. Even Mark Twain admitted, “There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” So take that flutter in your stomach as a sign you care deeply about delivering value to your audience. In addition, consider the following tips as you prepare to hit the stage.

• Breathe Deep: Before stepping up, take some deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Feel every muscle relax with each exhale.
• Mind Over Matter: Visualization is key. Picture yourself nailing that presentation, because if you can see it, you can achieve it.
• Keep It Simple: Stick to what you know best; this isn’t the time for surprises or untested waters.
• Pace Yourself: Speak slowly but surely—there’s no rush here.

Believe it or not, acting relaxed often leads to actually being relaxed. Remember when we said mind over matter? Well, it applies here big time. The power pose backstage might just be what turns those nerves into excitement.

So next time you feel stage fright coming on, fight back with these techniques. With these tricks up your sleeve, you’re more than ready. So go ahead, breathe deep, and step onto that stage. You’ve got this.

Using Different Presentation Methods to Engage Your Audience

While learning styles is “ little more than urban myth ,” presenting your material in a variety of ways is a great technique for engaging your audience. By switching it up, you increase your chances of explaining something in a way that clicks with individual audience members. This is especially helpful for more complex topics that might be hard to grasp.

There are three main ways of presenting your material to your audience: through visuals, audio, and hands-on activities.

• Visuals: Use slides packed with images, graphs, and bullet points.
• Audio: Tell stories, play audio clips or engage in discussions.
• Hands-on Activities: Include activities or demonstrations that allow audience members to participate physically.

Making sure everyone gets something from your presentation means considering these techniques when planning content. Not only can incorporating various methods increase audience engagement, but it can also elevate your presentation from decent to memorable.

Essential Tips for First-Time Presenters

Stepping onto the stage or logging into that webinar platform as a first-time presenter can feel nerve-wracking. But fear not! With these tips on how to dress appropriately, arrive early, and make your presentation shine, you’ll be ready to confidently nail that presentation.

Dress Appropriately

Your outfit is your armor. Choose something professional yet comfortable. Whether it’s in-person or online, dressing one notch above what you expect your audience to wear usually hits the sweet spot. Aim for solid colors that won’t distract your audience.

Arriving Early

If possible, arrive at the venue before your audience does. This gives you time to settle in, test any tech gear like microphones or projectors, and take those deep breaths. This extra time also lets you chat with early birds. By connecting with people before taking center stage, you can ease nerves significantly.

Making Presentation Time Count

You only have the audience’s attention for so long. Keep an eye on the clock as you present, but avoid rushing through content. It especially helps to pause after key points, letting information sink in. Your end goal? Leave you’re audience wanting more. You’ll know if you succeeded based on the number of questions you get during the Q&A.

So there you have it—the techniques you need to deliver an engaging presentation. By honing nonverbal communication, like eye contact and posture, you can captivate your audience with your energy. And visual aids? They’re not just ornamental; they help bolster your point and drive it home.

We also learned that tackling audience questions is not an art reserved for the eloquent few but a skill sharpened by preparation and presence. While it takes a little work to nail good storytelling and well-timed humor, the ultimate outcome is worth it.

So while standing before an audience may set your heart racing, know that arming yourself with knowledge and technique can transform not just your presentation, but you yourself. So don’t be afraid to try your hand at these skills; in doing so, you build your own confidence and become a better speaker in the process.

• Last Updated: April 11, 2024

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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Different types of presentations

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Meghan Ryan July 29, 2022

Before you start building a presentation, you need a good structure. Ask yourself the purpose of your presentation – why are you getting in front of your audience? Are you trying to convince them to care about an issue and take action? Who are you speaking to – colleagues, customers, or investors? Asking yourself these questions will help you start to determine the type of presentation and structure it accordingly. Read on to discover different types of presentations and how to structure them.

Persuasive presentations

What is a persuasive presentation.

A persuasive presentation is one that tries to convince the audience to accept a certain position and to take action. It uses facts, logic, and emotion to help the audience understand the impact of a certain situation and see it from a different perspective.

How to make a persuasive presentation

• Start your presentation off strong and make the first 30 seconds of your presentation count. This presentation type needs a good hook that draws the audience in and starts getting them invested in the topic.
• Introduce the problem that needs to be solved and compare it with your solution.
• Build a narrative around your solution. Use evidence, back up your ideas with statistics and findings, and use emotion to pull your audience through the narrative. You should be building to a strong conclusion at this point.
• End with a summary of your points and relate them back to the actions that your audience takes.

This type of presentation requires confidence. Show that you feel passionate about your topic and believe in your solution to your audience. They need to feel trust in you to follow your ideas. Rehearse your presentation, but not to the point that you have every single line memorized. You want to sound authentic, not as though you’re rattling off facts and figures.

Persuasive presentation examples

Some of the most common types of persuasive presentations are product or business pitches, but there are so many more out there. Seeing how someone persuades their audience might give you some inspiration, so here we’ve compiled a few of our favorite examples of this type of presentation.

Watch this product pitch by Thriftplan, a workspace-saving solution helping companies retain their talent and employees manage their long-term savings.

This presentation on deforestation shows the effects that deforestation has had on the planet and introduces ways to become a “tree hugger” and combat it:

Learn more about what goes into an effective persuasive speech by reading our article on the topic.

Informative presentations

What is an informative presentation.

An informative presentation is a type of presentation that is just there to provide information. Unlike a persuasive presentation, you’re not necessarily delivering it to get your audience to take action or change their minds. This type of presentation is often analytical. It may just “report the facts,” but you might also want to include some analysis of the information.

How to make an informative presentation

• This type of presentation needs to be about a specific topic, so research your topic thoroughly. Whether that means gathering data from your team or colleagues, or going to the library or interviewing experts, you’ll want to take every step you can in order to seem like an expert in front of your audience.
• Consider your crowd and write this presentation type for them. If your audience knows a lot about your topic, you can skip some of the background information, like when you deliver a report to your team. A teacher will want to go into much more detail if they’re preparing a lesson plan, though.
• Write a thesis statement and organize the presentation around that. This will help you structure all the data and information that you’re discussing, rather than just doing a data dump.
• End on a call to action. This type of presentation is of course different from a persuasive presentation, but it’s good practice to give your audience something to do with the information you just presented.

Informative presentation examples

You have likely come across this type of presentation often throughout your workday. Here’s one by Devin Banerjee describing parental leave policies in the financial sector.

Motivational presentations

What is a motivational presentation.

Motivational speaking might be one of the most enviable types of presentations for people. Motivational presentations can turn a mere story into an inspiring tale. Very similar to a persuasive presentation, a good motivational presentation will convince you to do something, rather than just waiting for it to happen. It has a clear purpose, often pulling from a personal story written for a specific audience, and inspires the audience to make a change in their lives.

How to make a motivational presentation

• Know your purpose. This is important for any type of presentation, but none more so than for this presentation type. You need to know the purpose of your presentation and build upon a singular message.
• Understand your audience and write your content for them.
• Start your presentation with a strong hook, like a question, a personal story, or a compelling statistic.
• Include a personal narrative or a story that your audience can closely relate to. This helps them understand the core message of your presentation and feel more compelled to take action at the end.
• Conclude your presentation with a call to action. Your audience is motivated to make a change, so they need an outlet to do so.

Motivational presentation examples

There are so many motivational presentations out there, and many of them live here on Prezi. Look at this presentation on climate change, which compels you to take action and combat climate change on your own.

Instructive presentations

What is an instructive presentation.

An instructive presentation provides specific directions to accomplish a task. It might be a little longer than most types of presentations because you’ll need to discuss it step by step. In the end, your audience should walk away from this type of presentation more informed and with a new skill.

How to make an instructive presentation

• Determine exactly what you want your audience to learn at the end of your presentation. This type of presentation goes beyond just sharing facts. People want to learn how to do something, so make sure you have a clear idea of what that is.
• Map out the steps. Be clear about all ideas and information that is packed into your presentation.
• Have an understanding of your audience’s level of knowledge. Are they an informed audience or fresh to the topic you’re presenting? This type of presentation will be different depending on the audience you’re with.
• Use visuals and examples throughout your presentation so people new to the topic can more easily follow along.

Instructive presentation examples

Teacher Nucleo Vega teaches how to play and understand eighth-note subdivisions in his instructional video:

For even more examples of instructional presentations, read our article on the best instructional videos on Prezi.

Training presentation

What is a training presentation .

A training presentation is like a lesson that uses pictures and talking to teach something. People use it to help others learn about a specific topic or how to follow a certain process. It’s like a teacher’s tool to share information, show examples, and make sure everyone understands. You might see these types of presentations in school, at work, or in workshops to help people get better at something or understand new subjects. 

How to make a training presentation

• Start by clarifying the main goal of your presentation. Are you teaching a new skill, explaining a process, or sharing important information? Understanding your purpose will help you structure your content effectively.
• Consider who your audience is and what they already know about the topic. Tailor your presentation to their knowledge level, interests, and needs. This will make your training more relevant and engaging.
• Structure your presentation logically with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Use headings, subheadings, or an outline to create a coherent flow of information. Make sure your key points are easy to follow.
• Use visuals like images, charts, and diagrams to complement your text. Visuals help explain concepts and make your presentation more visually appealing. However, keep visuals simple and uncluttered to avoid overwhelming your audience.

Discover more insights and tips on online training and Prezi’s impact.

Training presentation examples

This Prezi on effective onboarding for PMs is a great example of a training presentation. It goes into detail about onboarding methods. This would be useful training material for product managers or their supervisors looking to provide instructional advice when taking on a new role. 

Status update presentation

What is a status update presentation .

A status update presentation typically includes information about what has been done, what is currently being worked on, and any challenges or issues that need attention. It’s a way for a team or organization to communicate openly about the state of their projects and ensure everyone is on the same page. These types of presentations are often given in meetings to keep stakeholders informed and make decisions based on the project’s progress.

How to make a status update presentation

• Clearly communicate the specific timeframe covered in your status update, whether it’s a weekly, monthly, or project milestone report. This ensures your audience understands the context and timeline of the information presented.
• Identify and focus on the most relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for your project, such as completion rates, milestone achievements, or budget status. These metrics should succinctly convey the essential aspects of your project’s progress.
• Employ charts, graphs, or visuals to illustrate progress effectively. Visual representations, like Gantt charts depicting project timelines and task dependencies, aid in conveying complex information clearly and concisely.
• Proactively address potential risks or challenges that may impact the project’s timeline or goals. Clearly communicate any issues and provide mitigation strategies to demonstrate transparency and preparedness in managing project uncertainties.
• Clearly outline the next steps for the project and assign responsibilities. Summarize key action items, including upcoming milestones, tasks, and deadlines, to make it easy for your audience to understand what requires attention or action in the upcoming period.

Example of a status update presentation

The structure of this Prezi provides a comprehensive year plan. It includes dynamic segments that offer a creative outlet for setting goals. The presentation covers setting goals, tracking progress, and getting started with your plans, which also makes a great base structure for a well-rounded status update presentation.

Pitch presentation

What’s a pitch presentation .

A pitch presentation is like a quick talk where someone explains their business idea, product, or service to persuade others to get on board. It shows why the idea is good, who it helps, and how it can succeed. People often use these types of presentations when they want support, financial investments, or to team up with others. They share key details about the problem their idea solves, who it’s for, and why it’s a great opportunity. The goal is to grab the audience’s interest and convince them it’s worth backing or investing in. You often see these types of presentations in startups or when someone is trying to get support for a new project.

How to make a pitch presentation

• Start with a strong intro to grab attention. Clearly state the problem your idea solves, keeping it brief and impactful.
• Explain the problem your idea tackles and introduce your solution. Keep it straightforward, emphasizing how your idea provides a solution.
• Present info about the market opportunity, including target audience, market size, and relevant trends. Use data to show that there’s a real need for your solution.
• Highlight your idea’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Clearly state the benefits your solution offers, focusing on what makes it stand out.
• End with a clear call to action. Summarize key points and provide a way for your audience to follow up or get involved.

Remember, keep it simple, engaging, and tailored to your audience’s interests and needs. Discover more tips on how to create a successful pitch presentation and investor pitch deck .

Pitch presentation examples

The Elevator Pitch Prezi is a good example of a pitch presentation. The presentation starts by stating the problem and then providing a solution, ending with a call to action – which is great for persuading potential investors. Discover more good sales pitch examples in this article.

Crisis communication presentation 

What’s a crisis communication presentation .

A crisis communication presentation is like a talk that happens when there’s a serious issue or emergency. It’s a way to share important information and updates with people who need to know—like employees, stakeholders, or the public. In these types of presentations, you’d cover what the crisis is, what steps are being taken to deal with it, and what the next moves are. It’s about keeping everyone informed and on the same page during challenging times. The goal is to be transparent, provide clarity on the situation, and let people know what’s being done to handle the crisis. It’s a crucial tool in managing and addressing unexpected and difficult situations.

How to create a crisis communication presentation

• Identify the nature of the crisis and tailor your message to the concerns of your specific audience.
• Your presentation should address what happened, its impact, ongoing resolution efforts, and preventive measures for the future. Keep the language simple and direct.
• Demonstrate understanding and empathy for those affected. Maintain transparency about the situation, including uncertainties, and commit to providing updates.
• Anticipate and prepare for potential questions, including difficult ones, to maintain control of the message.
• Support your message with helpful visuals like charts or timelines. Practice delivering your presentation confidently, with attention to non-verbal cues like body language.

By combining these elements, you can create a sense of trust with your audience and convince them you’re handling the situation effectively. Remember, honesty is key when it comes to these types of presentations. 

Prezi for all types of presentations

Prezi is a presentation platform that stands out for its dynamic features, making it ideal for various presentations. Its unique zooming user interface allows presenters to create visually engaging presentations, moving easily between ideas and topics.

The versatility of Prezi enables presenters to convey various moods and emotions effectively. Whether you’re delivering a corporate report, an educational lesson, or a personal story, Prezi’s array of templates and design options can be tailored to fit lots of different types of presentations. This flexibility means that your presentation aligns perfectly with your content, from serious and formal to playful and informal.

Moreover, different types of presentations require different presentation styles. Learn about presentation styles and explore what suits best for you and your presentation type by watching the following video.

Prezi Video

Prezi Video adds another layer of engagement by allowing you to present live alongside your content virtually. This feature is particularly useful in today’s hybrid work environments, as it fosters a more personal connection with your audience. With Prezi Video, you can interact with your visuals in real-time, creating a more immersive experience across all types of presentations. This blend of visual storytelling and live presentation helps to keep the audience engaged and improves the overall impact of your message.

Prezi’s AI text editing tool

Creating Prezi presentations just got even easier! With Prezi’s AI text editing tool , you can easily create all types of presentations in less time. This feature helps you shorten, expand, highlight, and summarize content to help you communicate your ideas better. It simplifies the process by offering relevant suggestions, making it easier to create cohesive presentations. 

Prezi with all its accessible features makes it easy to create content for any industry, from different types of business presentations to classroom and learning environments, Prezi’s versatility makes it a great platform for all. 

Final thoughts on different types of presentations

There are a lot of types of presentations out there, but they’re only effective if you understand the structure of each and utilize the structure to your advantage. Find more examples of presentations in our presentation gallery , or check out Prezi to start creating your own presentation today.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

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7 Types of Presentations You Should Be Using Right Now [Including Templates]

Written by: Olujinmi Oluwatoni

Presentations are no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have skill for professionals.

Whether you're pitching to clients, providing updates to your team, or submitting management proposals, presentations are a necessity.

In fact, 70% of employed Americans admit that presentation skills are critical for career success.

However, specific presentation scenarios require a different approach to effectively communicate unique ideas. To create an excellent presentation, you need to choose the presentation type suitable for the specific context, audience and purpose of the presentation.

In this article, we will discuss the 7 types of presentations you should be using now to drive your point home effectively, depending on your goal, audience and context. We've also included 12 amazing presentation templates you can customize in minutes.

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below.

Table of Contents

Benefits of using different types of presentations, what are the different types of presentations, 12 presentation templates you can use right now.

• Using different types of presentations helps you to adapt to different settings, improves audience interest and response, enhances the quality of presentations and increases the likelihood of recognition and promotion.
• The different types of presentations include; Educational, Instructional, Motivational, Persuasive and Problem-solution presentations. You can also create presentations to show progress or sell a product or service.
• With the help of Visme's presentation software and customizable template collection, you can easily create different types of professional presentations.

Understanding the different types of presentations and using them in the right situations will set you up for success.

Here are some benefits of using different types of presentations.

You Can Adapt to Different Settings

The type of presentation you use in an educational or academic setting is not the same one you'd use if you were trying to sell a product or pitch to an investor. Being able to effectively create a presentation for a specific setting can be beneficial in different professional settings.

Improves Your Audience's Interest and Response

Understanding who your audience is can guide you in picking the appropriate presentation type. Once you get this right, you'll be able to grab the attention of your audience from the onset and get a better response at the end of your presentation.

Improves the Quality of Your Presentations

Knowing what type of presentation to use for a specific audience and setting really improves your presentation and communication. With this, you're able to constantly deliver excellent presentations, get recognized and even get promoted!

If you want to know more about how to deliver excellent presentations, check out this guide that talks about it in detail!

Projecting the outcome of your presentation can help you choose what type to prepare.

For example, at the end of your presentation, do you want your audience to be more inspired? More informed? Or equipped with knowledge on what to do next?

Having clear objectives will guide you in deciding what type of presentation to use.

Let’s dive straight into the seven different types of presentations.

Educational

As the name implies, the purpose of an educational presentation is to ‘educate or inform’ people about a topic.

Usually, this type of presentation is used in settings where your audience is unaware or relatively new to the topic being discussed. Thus, your goal is to enlighten your audience and increase their understanding of the topic. Questions such as “What is”, “How to” and “Why is” are answered in detail.

The educational presentation type combines a lot of definitions, data analysis, or more analytical projections to break down complex topics to a specific audience. So a lot of tables, charts and graphs are used where necessary.

Take a look at this example below:

To effectively educate your audience, this educational presentation template has a good mixture of these elements:

• Definitions
• Differences
• Quotes from industry professionals
• Statistics and reliable data
• Charts, tables and more!

While preparing your educational presentation, remember that there may be a lot of questions or discussions at the end. Since you’re introducing a relatively new topic, your audience may need further clarification at some point, so ensure you create room to accommodate them.

Nevertheless, educational presentations are usually delivered over a long period of time and can be found mostly during training, workshops, academic environments and more.

Use this type of presentation if you’re reporting research findings, educating employees on new policies or processes, or teaching customers how to use or maximize your product.

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Instructional

The instructional type of presentation is very similar to the educational presentation. Both presentation types address “how to” questions. However, the purpose of the instructional presentation is to communicate precise directions.

Unlike an educational presentation that gives the audience free will to apply the new information learned, instructional presentations focus on passing step-by-step instructions that the audience is required to follow.

For example, in the instructional presentation template below, more emphasis is placed on how marketers or salespeople should write a perfect call-to-action (CTA).

What makes this presentation template stand out is the use of multiple examples to drive the points across. That way, you’re not just teaching your audience how to do something. You’re also showing them with examples and visual aids.

This type of presentation can come in handy when teaching a new skill or giving direction to your team on how to go about completing a task. At the end of the instructional presentation, your audience should feel confident and equipped with enough knowledge to perform the task.

Keep in mind that visual aids, relevant examples and scenarios can help boost the understanding of your audience. Be sure to incorporate this into your instructional presentation.

Use the instructional presentation type when you’re teaching a step-by-step process or answering a “how to” question with specific guidelines or commands.

Motivational

The motivational presentation type is a popular type of presentation usually seen during Ted talks, conferences, or even networking events.

The goal is to inspire your audience to see things clearer and take action based on a renewed mindset.

Motivational presentations usually incorporate storytelling and humor to pique the interest of their audience and gain their trust till the end. This type of presentation thrives in a more relaxed setting and doesn't necessarily need to run for a long time.

At the end of your motivational presentation, your audience should be inspired or convinced to make a change to how they usually approach a situation.

Your goal is not to force them to take action in a certain way but to guide them through a series of concepts that will propel them to make a personal decision to change.

An important thing to note when preparing this presentation is the need to foster an emotional connection with your audience from the onset.

So don't be scared to use personal anecdotes or draw from personal experiences.

Take a look at this Tedtalk by Shankar Vedantam which has garnered over 2 million views since it was published last year. Shankar began his presentation with a personal story that immediately drew the interest of his audience.

One thing we can learn from Shankar’s approach is the principle of less text, more visuals.

He delivered his presentation in an engaging manner that appealed to the emotions of his audience. The excellence of Shankar's presentation got him a standing ovation at the end of the speech. Take a cue from Shankar's presentation and make your motivational presentations more visually and emotionally appealing.

You can tweak any of our presentation templates for different purposes. Here’s an example of a great multipurpose template:

If you’re looking to influence the thoughts, actions, or decisions of a group of people, persuasive presentations work.

You can utilize this persuasive style if you want your audience to embrace a new point of view and take action in that regard. But the solution you’re offering won’t just be based on hearsay. You should introduce data, facts, statistics and more to inspire conviction and confidence in your audience.

Salespeople use persuasive presentations to communicate their client’s pain-point and to present their solution as the best fit. These presentations answer the questions “why” and “what’s the best way out.”

This women empowerment presentation template fits perfectly in this category. It explains the true meaning of women's empowerment and showcases the background and history.

It then shows principles backing up their cause from a recognized organization. Lastly, it answers questions like “Why is women's empowerment important”? And “how can I empower women”?

In your presentation, you can convince your audience to prioritize the education and empowerment of women globally by addressing these questions.

To convince your audience to take action, it's important to position your solution as the superior option and highlight its advantages.

Problem-solution

Unlike the persuasive presentation, where you are trying to convince your audience of the best solution, the problem-solution presentation is slightly different. It discusses various solutions that may benefit your audience and back them up with suggestions.

The main purpose of this type of presentation is to facilitate the decision-making process.

While presenting, you may comprehensively discuss the problem, the cause, the negative impacts and more. You’ll then list the various solutions that will serve your audience and expand on each one to aid better decision-making.

The solutions must be backed up by research or relevant data, including a pros and cons list. Try to project an overall angle on each solution in order to equip your audience with adequate information.

This type of presentation can be used in workplace settings where employees or managers present various solutions to challenges that may sprout occasionally. Thus, the company's leadership has ample information and options to make the best move for the company.

Let’s consider this problem-solution presentation template below:

This presentation begins by exploring the problem the audience faces: finding a home. It lists all the various pain points home buyers or renters have, building a connection with the audience.

After discussing the problem, two options or solutions are presented to the audience. However, there’s a recommendation so the audience can make a well-informed decision.

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The progress presentation delivers updates or progress on a task, project, or goal to a specific audience.

This presentation type aims to enlighten your audience and bring them up to date with the processes that have taken place on a given project. It combines a report, discussion and future projections into the presentation and is usually delivered during a task or project.

The progress presentation can include the current status of the project , important metrics, the problems and how they were addressed and the agenda for completion.

You can also discuss if any deadlines need to be extended or goals need to be refined. The benefit of the progress presentation is that everyone involved in your project can get acquainted with your progress and offer help or solutions along the way.

A great example of this presentation type is the shareholder presentation template.

This progress presentation template updates the company’s shareholders on their current assets, yearly performance revenues and key performance indicators.

This way, shareholders can see the improvement from past years and the current effort the company has made so far to increase its revenue and assets.

Shareholders regain confidence in the company and those who need further clarification are given the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation.

Your progress presentation should always include an overview of the project, task, or company you are sharing progress on.

Don't assume everyone knows what you have been doing. So take your time to explain the concept behind the project before you show your audience your progress.

Selling a Product or Service

If you think you need a separate type of presentation to sell your product or service, you’re absolutely right. And here it is!

You can use this type of presentation if you are trying to sell a new product or gather customer feedback about your product or service. It takes a deep dive into what your product or service is, why it was created, a step-by-step process on how to use it and how your product serves your audience.

What makes this type of presentation stand out is the active demonstration involved in the presentation. You could have live props of your product, including various scenarios where your product is used and demonstrate how your product is utilized in those instances.

If you don't have live props, you can include pictures, videos and other demonstrative material so that your audience can relate and picture themselves using your product, which boosts sales.

It’s best to go all out when you’re using this type of presentation because if you don’t viciously promote your product or service, who will? Utilize body language and gestures when presenting in order to keep the attention of your audience.

This quick recipe product presentation template perfectly fits into this type of presentation.

It first presents a problem that the audience can resonate with and goes on to showcase an ideal client or persona for the product. By giving your ideal customer a name and a face and describing their pain point, your audience can easily relate to them and adopt your solution.

This presentation template gives a step-by-step guide on how to use the product and answers some frequently asked questions in the presentations.

Include a review of your product's features and benefits, with a good CTA after your presentation. This will increase the response rate and prompt your audience to enquire more or purchase your product.

Here are 12 professionally designed presentation templates you can customize right away!

But first, let’s hear what one of our customers has to say about Visme:

I love to present concise information (i.e. sweet and easy) both for PC and mobile devices. Therefore, Visme is great and the learning curve was very manageable. Templates are inspiring. Once in a while I browse through them and use bits and pieces from good looking templates”

Wolfgang H.| Adjunct Professor

Let’s get to the templates.

1 Effective Study Techniques Presentation Template

Expose new study techniques to your students using this stunning presentation template.

This template falls under the educational presentation category. This is because it gives the audience detailed information about concepts that are relevant to them.

The use of high-quality vector icons and vibrant colors makes the presentation slides visually appealing. Remember, your students are learning something new and complex for the first time. Try to make your educational presentation fun, simple and easy to understand.

2 Product Training Interactive Presentation Template

Here we have another educational presentation template that answers a “How to” question.

Use this template to educate your customers on how to effectively use your product, app, tool, or platform to solve their business needs.

This presentation template is fun and engaging because it includes interactive features in its design. You can create an interactive presentation that stands out with popup icons, clickable links and more!

Instead of scheduling meetings, you can instantly produce presentations with Visme's presentation studio and let your audience see them whenever they choose. This can save time for remote teams by lowering the number of hours needed for meetings.

3 Onboarding Presentation Template

This onboarding presentation template is the perfect way to inform your new hires of the key personnel and processes in your company while also instructing them on the first things they need to focus on.

The simple design portrays a calm and inviting layout. This template also creates room to include pictures and visual aids which will boost your employee’s understanding.

This instructional presentation template provides a simple list of important documents that your new employee needs to submit to you, informs them on the office hybrid setup and gives clear instructions on daily reporting times.

This is a perfect instructional presentation template you can customize for your onboarding presentation right away!

4 Instagram Sponsorship Interactive Presentation Template

Who said presentations had to be serious all the time? Host your live training or webinar with this lively instructional presentation template!

This template utilizes colors and pictures that resonate with the intended audience. If you want to customize this template to suit your brand or workshop, you can utilize Visme’s huge library of high-resolution photos and videos.

With a step-by-step process, you can teach your audience exactly how to get sponsored on social media, the best posting times and even the optimal number of hashtags to use in each post.

At the end of your presentation, your audience will leave your workshop with confidence and knowledge to achieve their sponsorship goal.

5 Luxury Safari Presentation Template

If you’re looking to create awareness regarding a cause and inspire others to participate, this is a great presentation template to use.

This template highlights various wildlife, adventures and memorable experiences waiting to happen. It utilizes more photos than words, giving you the opportunity to present from your heart and connect with your audience.

At the end of your presentation, your audience will be motivated to take action toward sustaining wildlife and being an active part of it.

Every great motivational presentation ends with a clear CTA. Do this to ensure you’re guiding your audience to the right places after they’ve been motivated to drive a cause.

6 Charity Presentation Template

Use this template to convince your audience of the importance of their generosity to their immediate community. Show them how giving benefits them the most and present channels where they can give.

If you can’t find the perfect picture that supports your cause, you can check out Visme’s AI graphics generator and have specialized graphics generated for your presentation.

7 Home Appliance Presentation Template

Display your product as the best solution for your client's needs with this home appliance presentation template.

Begin your presentation by exposing the hidden pain points of your customer and how it is impacting their day-to-day living. Back up your findings with research or statistics to help them see the danger of continuing with their problem.

Your customers should know you really care about their pain and want to offer a solution that’ll be of great help to them.

With this template, you can present strong points for your product and even include a tutorial or demonstration video in the presentation! Showcase all the benefits of your product and even offer an incentive or discount to persuade people to buy your product!

8 SEO Tool Product Presentation Template

This interactive and engaging presentation template is perfect if you want to persuade potential customers to use your tool or app to solve their SEO or tech needs.

This presentation template doesn't just state the problem but poses it in question form. It presents statistics that inform the customers of what they’re really missing out on.

Engaging with your customers in this manner simplifies the process of persuading them to utilize your app since they feel like they are making the decisions independently.

Need to be on the move and still meet your presentation deadline? Not to worry, with Visme’s app, you can always create your presentations and collaborate with your team members on the go.`

There are also various ways you can connect with your customers when discussing their pain points and offering solutions. You can check out this guide that shares 29 killer presentation tips to remember for your next presentation.

9 Affordable Housing Non-Profit Presentation Template

Discuss the different solutions that aid affordable housing with this professionally designed presentation template.

This template begins with a problem statement. Here, you can outline your vision or problem statement that guides you to offer various solutions or partner with various organizations for the same cause.

Expand on each solution by presenting stats, quotes from recognized authorities and benefits of each one.

10 Business Development Presentation Template

Showcase your company as the best solution for your client’s needs with this stunning business development presentation template. This template has a clean layout that makes information easy to read and understand.

Highlight your company’s strength, team and history to create a connection with your clients and gain their confidence.

This template also displays the specific services your company offers along with the pricing system. This helps them to make more informed decisions. You can also recommend the best price based on your customer’s needs and budget.

Allow team members to share feedback and make comments on your presentations using Visme’s collaboration feature, ensuring that everyone is on page.

We highly recommend Visme for creating your presentations. However, if you’re still unsure, you can take a look at this article which compares some of the best presentation software .

11 Cryptocurrency Presentation Template

If you own an investment institution or a cryptocurrency firm, then you can use this presentation template to bring your team or clients on board with the current industry rates and trends.

You can update your clients on the following

• Current market cap
• New cryptocurrencies that have entered the market, as well as
• Promising growth trends and projections.

Easily project big data with various charts, graphs and tables in your presentation with Visme’s data visualization tool for better assimilation by your clients.

12 Lifestyle Product Presentation Template

Effectively sell your lifestyle products or services to potential customers using this amazing product presentation template.

Your goal here should be to highlight the best features of your product and the numerous advantages.

This template does justice to that by first engaging the audience in a series of questions that make them aware of a problem. It then talks about the current solution the customer is using but highlights shortcomings.

Ensure to give room for any queries that may arise during or after your presentation and also include a clear CTA that will guide your customers to where and how they can purchase your product.

Use Visme for All Your Presentation Needs

Choosing the right type of presentation will not only help you retain your audience's attention but also drive your point home effectively.

We are confident that with the knowledge you've gained from this guide, you'll be able to deliver your next presentation with ease and success.

If you are ready to start creating amazing presentations and engaging documents, Visme has everything you need.

Visme's presentation software makes it easy for anyone to design and customize presentations, even without graphic design experience. Apart from creating presentations, Visme also provides numerous solutions for project management, sales, marketing, training, HR and more.

Sign up for your Visme account and start creating excellent presentations and visual content today.

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About the Author

Olujinmi is a Content writer for Visme who creates human-first SEO content. She loves helping businesses smash their ROI goals with strategic content development and optimization. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her composing songs.

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Deciding the Presentation Method

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There is much to consider in deciding on an appropriate presentation method.

This page assumes that you have already prepared your presentation , or at least decided on the key messages that you wish to get across to your audience, and given at least some thought to how to organise your material .

On this page, then, we focus on the mechanics of your presentation method: how you will present.

This includes using sound systems, how to manage visual aids, how you stand, and how much interaction you want with your audience.

What Helps you to Decide your Presentation Method?

In making a decision about your presentation method, you have to take into account several key aspects. These include:

The facilities available to you by way of visual aids, sound systems, and lights. Obviously you cannot use facilities that are not available. If you are told that you will need to present without a projector, you’re going to need to decide on a method that works without slides.

The occasion. A formal conference of 200 people will require a very different approach from a presentation to your six-person team. And a speech at a wedding is totally different again. Consider the norms of the occasion. For example, at a wedding, you are not expected to use slides or other visual aids.

The audience, in terms of both size and familiarity with you, and the topic. If it’s a small, informal event, you will be able to use a less formal method. You might, for example, choose to give your audience a one-page handout, perhaps an infographic that summarises your key points, and talk them through it. A more formal event is likely to need slides.

Your experience in giving presentations. More experienced presenters will be more familiar with their own weak points, and able to tailor their preparation and style to suit. However, few people are able to give a presentation without notes. Even the most experienced speakers will usually have at least some form of notes to jog their memory and aid their presentation.

Your familiarity with the topic. As a general rule, the more you know about it, the less you will need to prepare in detail, and the more you can simply have an outline of what you want to say, with some brief reminders.

Your personal preferences. Some people prefer to ‘busk it’ (or ‘wing it’) and make up their presentation on the day, while others prefer detailed notes and outlines. You will need to know your own abilities and decide how best to make the presentation.  When you first start giving presentations you may feel more confident with more detailed notes. As you become more experienced you may find that you can deliver effectively with less.

Some Different Methods of Presentation

Presentation methods vary from the very formal to the very informal.

What method you choose is largely dictated by the occasion and its formality: very formal tends to go with a larger audience, whose members you do not know well. Your role is likely to be much more providing information, and much less about having a discussion about the information.

Form Follows Function

It’s not going to be possible, for instance, to present to 200 people from a chair as part of the group, because most of your audience will not see or hear you. You need to apply common sense to your choice of presentation method.

Audience Participation

While much of your presentation method will be dictated by the event, there is one area where you have pretty much free rein: audience interaction with you and with each other.

It is perfectly feasible, even in a large conference, to get your audience talking to each other, and then feeding back to you.

In fact, this can work very well, especially in a low-energy session such as the one immediately after lunch, because it gets everyone chatting and wakes them up. It works particularly well in a room set out ‘café-style’, with round tables, but it can also work in a conference hall.

The key is to decide on one or two key questions on which you’d welcome audience views, or on which audience views could improve your session. These questions will depend on your session, but it’s always more helpful to invite views on:

• Something that you haven’t yet decided; or
• Something that the audience is going to do themselves.

For example, you might ask people to talk to their neighbour and identify one thing that they could do to put your speech into action when they return to work and/or home. You can then ask four or five people to tell you about their action points.

Handling your Notes

You also have a choice over how you manage your text, in terms of notes. For more about this, see our page on Managing Your Notes in a Presentation .

The Importance of Iteration

You will probably find that deciding on the presentation method means that you need to change or amend your presentation.

For example, if you want to include some audience participation, you will need to include that in your slides, otherwise, you might well forget in the heat of the moment.

Fortunately, revisiting your presentation in light of decisions about how you will present is probably a good idea anyway. It will enable you to be confident that it will work in practice.

Continue to: Managing your Presentation Notes Working with Visual Aids

See also: Preparing for a Presentation Organising the Presentation Material Dealing with Questions

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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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84 Types of Conference Presentations

Conference presentations take many forms. Before submitting an abstract to a conference, be sure to consider what kind of presentation you want to make. Below, we discuss some common presentation types:

• Traditional Paper/Oral Presentation : This is the standard oral presentation (usually 15 minutes plus additional time at the end for questions) where one or more speakers (joint-presenters) share research results, completed works, innovative concepts, theoretical application, methodologies or tools.
• Student Presentation : These are similar to the traditional paper/oral presentations described above, but with an emphasis on students work. By providing a separate avenue for students to share their work or labelling the presentation as “students”, the pressure can be lessened. Sometimes, students have separate sessions, but other times, they are grouped with other paper presentations. If this is the case, the presentation is usually identified as student presentations in the program.
• Poster Presentation : This is a less formal opportunity to share your work in a visual format. We discuss this in greater depth later in the chapter.
• Panel Presentation : This is where multiple speakers present their perspective on a common issue usually for 60 to 90 minutes. While many students prefer to present posters or shorter oral presentations, if a group of students have a common research interest or concern, they can apply to a conference to present on a panel. The speakers are responsible for coordinating the panel and assigning roles (such as moderator). Each speaker on a panel is usally given at least one individual question as well as an introductory and closing remark.
• Roundtables : are similar to panel in the sense that a group of discussants seated around a table comment on a theme. Roundtable presenters bring targeted questions to pose to participants at the table in order to learn from and with those attending. It is quite unlikely that you will present your work on a roundtable, but you can check out conference websites if you wish to learn more (see Box for a list of potential conference).
• Lightning Round-Tables : These are opportunities to network by briefly summarizing your work to a small audience (usually in 15 minutes or less) followed by an interactive discussion. Discussants will then move to another table and repeat the procedude. This provides the opportunity to get more intimate connections for other participants and attendees.

In addition to the above presentations, at conference, you will likely see expert lectures , keynote addresses and debates . These are presented by established academics in the field so we will not discuss them. However, it is a great idea to go to these presentations at conferences. For the rest of the chapter, we will focus on oral presentations and posters because these are what you will most likely present at conferences. If you wish to submit an abstract for other presentation types, be sure to discuss it with your advisor, supervisor or mentor.

Practicing and Presenting Social Research Copyright © 2022 by Oral Robinson and Alexander Wilson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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6 Most Effective Presentation Styles

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking

Have you ever been an audience member who was not wholly involved in a speech or a speaker who discovered their audience dozing off? Both scenarios have the potential to be disheartening and fruitless.

What can you then do to improve the effectiveness of your presentation?

There are various styles in which you can present your content. Out of a plethora of choices, some of the most effective ones include – the Visual, Storytelling, freeform and instructor style of presentation. Each of them has their own set of methods and guidelines, however, they are known to be extremely beneficial and are used by speakers all over the world.

What is a Presentation Style? 

Let us first take a brief look at what a presentation style is before moving on to the most effective techniques that you can use.

A Presentation style is a way of giving a presentation orally. In other words, a particular presenting type is an approach you adopt or employ to deliver your content. There are numerous presenting styles or methods you can use when giving public speeches or presentations such as –

• Visual Presentation Style
• Coach Presentation Style
• Instructor Presentation Style
• Lessig Presentation Style

Out of hundreds of methods and ways, there are a few that are more effective and yield better much better results when used appropriately. They include –

1. Visual Style 

The visual presentation style uses visual components to support the verbal subject. In other words, this approach uses charts, photos, graphs, and other visual aids in addition to speaking to assist the audience in visualizing and comprehending the material.

Advantages of Using a Visual Presentation Style 

The relevance and effectiveness of visual and verbal communication are well known, making the visual style of presentation one of the finest to adopt. This is also a remarkably effective strategy as it aids the audience in more easily understanding complicated or in-depth talking points. When used in conjunction, visual and verbal communication aid in better understanding and retention.

How Can You Use a Visual Presentation Style? 

If you plan to use this style in your upcoming presentation, then these are some steps you can follow-

1] Be thorough with your content  – it is essential to know your content well to prepare visuals related to it. 

2] Pick up only the key points and add them on slides  – key pointers can be one sentence that conveys the primary information you want to share. 

3] Use graphs or charts to convey numbers or statistics  – Simply saying numbers can confuse consumers. Therefore, charts and graphs make it easier to comprehend when you speak about them.

4] Include relevant pictures or videos in each slide or alternative ones  – Using images and videos can be beneficial because they give your audience something to look at while you speak, which helps them understand and retain what you are saying.

Things To Avoid When Using a Visual Presentation Style

Now that you know how to use a visual style, it is equally imperative to be mindful of a few common mistakes so that you do not make them. 

1] Slides only complement your speech  – do not put-up paragraphs and read from them. It will only bore the audience and disengage them from it. Instead, only add critical words or phrases on which you can verbally elaborate. 

2] Don’t use a fancy unreadable font  – a visually presenting slide does help but using a fancy font will only make it not understandable. Thus, it is crucial to stick to standard readable fonts and sizes.

3] Don’t rush through  – just because you have a slide that allows people to read and understand some of the content does not mean you can speed up. Allocate sufficient time to each topic so that the audience has time to grasp and understand. 

Example of a Speech That Uses a Visual Presentation Style 

Wondering what a visual presentation style looks like? Check out this video where Steve Jobs introduces Mac Air to the world. This is an apt video showcasing what a visual presentation should be like!  

2. Storytelling Style

The storytelling style of presentation is a method where the speaker uses anecdotes and examples to connect with the audience. This technique is among the greatest and most effective because it enables the audience to relate to another lay person’s experiences, thereby allowing them to understand the practicality and reality of the topic. 

Advantages Of Using a Storytelling Style

Using a storytelling style allows you to –

1] Share real-life experiences on the topic , letting people know its practicality. For instance, if your topic is “optimism and positivity in life,” you can offer examples of how being positive has benefited you in various circumstances and examples of how things have gone when you haven’t been hopeful.

2] It allows the audience to provide their input , which helps you understand if the audience is grasping the message you want to convey. This is a subtle yet constructive way of engaging the audience and gaining feedback.

3] It also permits for an informal and naturally flowing talk . Most of the speeches are very structured and formal. Even though this has a construct, you can adapt it to the conversations and knowledge of the audience.

How To Use the Storytelling Presentation Style? 

Using the storytelling method also requires backend work. If you wish to adopt this style for your upcoming presentation, here are steps that you can follow – 

1] Develop the structure of your speech  – first, it is helpful to write down the topic and each subtopic you will cover. 

2] Include relevant stories, anecdotes, and experiences  – once you have the overall flow of your speech, then you can fill the relevant gaps with your own stories and experiences. 

3] Keep some time for an audience input  – allocate 1-2 minutes wherein you take the backend and allow the members from the audience to comment or share their experiences that are relevant to the topic. 

Things to avoid when using the storytelling method 

Every method has specific pointers to be careful of, and storytelling is no exception. Here make sure to – 

1] Not make it like a formal delivery  – Try not to overly formalize and grandiloquent it since this will take away from the storytelling element.

2] Only share the positives  – Sharing real experiences is one benefit of the storytelling technique. Thus, use this approach to communicate the topic’s applicability by outlining its advantages and disadvantages.

Here is a video of Andrea Gibbs, who talks about “The Power of Storytelling” by sharing anecdotes and experiences from her personal life. 

The storytelling format is much popular among motivational speakers who use personal experiences to motivate people for the better.

3. Connector Style 

The connector style of presenting, as its name suggests, includes the speaker establishing a connection with the audience. This indicates that the speaker actively engages the audience by asking frequent follow-up questions and seeking meaningful feedback. Speakers widely use this strategy to strengthen connections with audiences by demonstrating how they all are similar.

Advantages Of Using a Connector Style of Presentation 

The connector style of presentation, much like the storyteller, has a lot of benefits. Among the many, the most important ones include – 

1] It allows you to establish a deeper connection with the audience , which helps you understand them and if they can comprehend the message you want to convey. 

2] The audience is able to participate actively . Usually, the audience only listens passively, but this format allows them to respond and express their opinions, keeping them actively engaged the entire time. 

3] You can receive immediate feedback . In most other presentation methods, this perk is not present. It’s beneficial to get insightful feedback because it enables you to comprehend your audience’s viewpoint and adapt your information for contextual understanding. Furthermore, it enlightens you as to which areas require more effort. 

Guidelines While Using the Connector Presentation Style 

1] Start with a personal story or connecting activity that grabs the audience – this method helps keep the audience engaged from the very start. 

2] Practice nonverbal gestures – keeping eye contact with the audience, smile, and use your hand gestures to convey your presence and complete attention to the audience. 

3] Cater to the audience throughout – this form of presentation means that you and the audience are entirely involved. Thus, keeping a check on them is of utmost importance. Keep checking if they are interested and if not, include relevant activities to gain their attention back. 

Things to Avoid When Using the Connector Style 

When using the connector style, do not take up most of the time telling self-stories or doing self-talking. It is vital to keep your content brief but meaningful while allowing the audience to give their inputs and viewpoints on it. 

1] Don’t read from scripts or recite the information . Keep the content naturally flowing like a back-and-forth conversation that can be moulded as per the answers and feedback of the audience.

2] Don’t use visuals to complement your talks. The connector style relies primarily on you and your stories, so don’t use graphics to convey any messages unless they are some pictures to show on a relevant topic. 

Many speakers use the connector style because it helps them connect deeply with the audience, when used correctly, it does allow the speaker to develop meaningful relations with the audience and convey relevant and helpful messages.

4. Instructor Style 

Many presenters adopt the instructor style of presenting when educating their audience on a challenging or complicated subject. To simplify a complex issue so that the audience may more readily grasp, this method entails the use of well-known phrases, figurative language, metaphors, and pictures.

Advantages of the Instructor Style of Presentation 

The instructor presentation style is more formal, like a teacher or professor delivering a lecture. But this format, for reasons of its own, is beneficial because –

1] It allows you to logically explain the subject with the help of relevant visuals, examples, and supplements. For example, if you take up the topic of “Investing in your 20’s”, you can start by explaining what an investment is, the types of investments available, pros and cons of each etc. while supporting it with relevant videos, stats, and graphics.

2] When used correctly, the method can be highly persuasive as it builds decks in a logical order and uses impactful visuals as evidence to support the ideas. Continuing the same example, if you logically go on explaining and supporting, most of the audience will have been convinced to make some sort of investments.

3] Lastly, this method allows you to educate and aware the audience appropriately . You can use your knowledge and skills on the subject matter to convey the message effectively. If you have personally had some experiences, this method allows you to share them to help the audience become aware.

Things to Avoid When Using the Instructor Style of Presentation 

When employed improperly, this formal presentation can prevent a speech from succeeding. As a result, it’s crucial to use the procedure correctly by avoiding the following:

1] Skipping the basics on the assumption that the audience will already know – it is essential to start and cover the basics and then make your way up to the complex topics.

2] Don’t only go on speaking from one topic to the other – even though there isn’t a lot of audience participation, including small segments with quizzes and discussions to know if the audience understands the content. 

3] Don’t use jargon or complex language to communicate – the topic might be challenging to comprehend. Hence, you should avoid using difficult words or jargon that people are largely unaware of. Instead, using straightforward and basic terms will be beneficial. 

The instructor style is much used by a famous speaker  Al Gore  who advocated and educated people on climate change. This is one video where you can see the effective use of instructor presentation style. 

5. Takahashi Style 

Named after its creator, Masayoshi Takahashi, Text is the main component of a Takahashi presentation. It is a technique that employs simple visuals, mainly large block fonts. A Takahashi presentation doesn’t include charts, photos, or pictures, just a few essential big font words. 

Advantages of using a Takahashi Presentation Style 

There are several benefits that make it desirable to adopt this highly distinctive style. Some of them include –

1] The speaker can easily elaborate on a topic because the slides, which have a few essential key phrases, provide the audience with brief information beforehand.

2] The slides include simple and unambiguous phrases concerning the speaker’s topic, preventing any distraction or deviance from the subject.

3] It combines the two essential components of a presentation—clear, concise text and eye-catching visuals—making it ultimately beneficial for everyone’s use. 

Guidelines when using a Takahashi Presentation Style 

If you want an actual Takahashi presentation, there are some key pointers to keep in mind – 

1] Do not include text more than needed – make sure to add a few words or a maximum of 2 sentences. Anything beyond that will make it crowded and messy, and unappealing to the audience. 

2] Keep the slides simple – an authentic Takahashi presentation is black and white to avoid distraction. Therefore, it is best to avoid any colours and stick to this standard format. 

3] Keep the font as large as possible – once you have put the content on the slide, make sure to increase the font as much as it can fit best on the slide. The reason is that large fonts attract attention and can embed the core messages in the reader’s mind. 

If you found this method interesting and want to learn more about it, tap on this video where Luminita Florea tells you all about the Takahashi style of presentation. 

6. The Lessig Style

Much similar to the Takahashi Method, The  Lessig Presentation Style has been inspired by the work of Stanford law professor, Lawrence Lessig. This style employs the use of a single word, short quote, or photos that are in sync with the speaker’s speech. 

Advantages of using The Lessig Presentation Style

1] Each slide in a Lessig presentation concentrates on one concept or topic. This makes it simple for the audience to understand and absorb each idea separately. 

2] This presentation method functions like a movie, with each slide presenting succinct information for only 10 to 15 seconds. Because of its conciseness and pace, this style works well in keeping the audience hooked to the content. 

3] This method allows for much better retention and memory because of dual coding, i.e., via the visual and verbal mode of communication. More often than not, the word or quote put up is read aloud by the speaker, allowing the audience to hear and see it, thus etching a strong memory for the same. 

Guidelines to remember when using the Lessig Presentation Style

This minimalistic presentation has much to be careful of. Some of the important guidelines include – 

1] Not more than a word or quote – it is important to keep the slides less with only a key word or quote or picture in rare cases.  Adding more than that will take away the essence and quality of the Lessig Style.

2] Use contrast – since the slide contains just one word, quote or picture it is important to highlight and enlarge it so that it doesn’t skip the eye of the audience in any way. Although this kind of presentation allows you to use colour, using a standard black and white is recommended. 

The Lessig style of presentation is one of the most effective and captivating approaches, and many presenters use it in their speeches. Tap below to see an example of such a presentation and its effect! 

Regardless of the style you choose, there are several styles that you should absolutely avoid using because they could make your presentation go awry. Tap on this video where we tell you exactly what to styles you have to say a BIG NO to.

Presentations are an integral part of the professional life. Whether you are a professional speaker or a corporate employee, or a teacher, every role will at some point require you to present, persuade or educate an audience. It is thus helpful to know about some of the most effective styles so that you can make the most of them in your next presentation!

We hope that this article has helped you learn the most effective presentation styles, ways to adopt it and pitfalls to avoid!

Happy Presenting!

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10+ Types of Effective Presentation Styles (Top Methods for 2024)

Do you need to make a presentation but aren't sure where to start? A good place to start is to choose your presentation style. 

After you've chosen your presentation style, choosing the template that you want to use will be easier.

In this article, you'll learn all about different kinds of presentations. You'll also discover when to use each type of presentation as well as some of the pros and cons of each.

Plus, we'll examine some professionally designed templates that work well with some types of presentations . And we'll sure some extra resources to help you learn more about presentation methods.

Let's get started!

What Is Presentation Style?

Are you asking what is presentation style? If you're planning a presentation, don't forget to consider presentation techniques and methods as part of your preparation.

Presentation style is how you give your presentation orally. When delivering public speeches or public presentations there are many different styles or ways in which you can give your presentation. 

In this article I'll cover over ten different presentation formats. I'll also give you the pros and cons of each style to help you choose which one's best for you.

But first, let's look at some great professionally designed template options that'll complement any presentation style.

Find Great PowerPoint Presentation Templates on Envato Elements

You may wonder why use a template? Making a PowerPoint presentation can take a lot of time. And it doesn’t always turn out looking how you want it to. Using a template in your presentation saves you time and ensures that your presentation turns out looking professional.

 Professionally designed templates already have presentation layout choices included. All you've got to do is add your information into the presentation layout and you're done. Templates can be easily edited to customize for your needs.

With a professionally designed template, you save time because the details are already taken care of. Designs that might take you hours to create (and wouldn't look half as good) are already there.

To find good templates, go to Envato Elements. You'll pay a low monthly fee to get unlimited access to download PowerPoint templates, graphics, images, fonts and much more.

5 Great PowerPoint Presentation Templates from Envato Elements

Here's a hand-picked list of great PowerPoint presentation templates from Envato Elements. They'll help you with many different types of business presentations:

1.  Minimalism Clean PowerPoint

Minimalism Clean PowerPoint has over 50 unique slides. Easily edit this template to suit your needs. This template is a multipurpose template. Use it for many different presentation purposes.

2.  PRESTIGE - Multipurpose PowerPoint V126

Prestige comes with 150 total slides and 30 unique slides. This template also comes with five color schemes to choose from. Easily add an image to the template by dragging and dropping the image into the image placeholder.

3.  NEXTZONE - POWERPOINT TEMPLATE

NextZone is a versatile PowerPoint template. This template comes with five premade color schemes. NextZone has a nice modern design that's professional looking.

4.  Strom PowerPoint Template

The Strom PowerPoint Template comes 30 modern slides. This template includes infographics and a picture placeholder. Strom PowerPoint Template comes with five color schemes to choose from.

5.  Koba PowerPoint Presentation

Koba PowerPoint Presentation template comes with over 100 unique slides. Icons, infographics and mockup devices are included with this template package. The Koba PowerPoint Presentation is a flexible template. Use it for many different presentation purposes.

Now, let's dive into our look at effective presentation styles.

10+ Different Types of Effective Presentation Styles

Here are more than ten common different effective presentation styles:

1. Visual Presentation Style

The visual style is great for anyone who wants to use your presentation to complement the main points of your speech. This visual presentation technique is perfect for people who have many important talking points. 

To use this technique, include a visual of what you are talking about in your presentation. You can also put graphs and charts in your presentation. 

Steve Jobs often used the visual presentation style. You can see an example of this in the YouTube video below:

Notice the visuals on the giant screen behind Jobs.

Here are some pros and cons of the visual presentation method:

Pros : The visual presentation technique is helpful if you've got a large audience. The visuals will let the audience see what you're discussing in your presentation. This style is great if you're discussing a product or something similar.

Cons : The visual presentation technique isn't for someone who doesn’t need visuals to explain what they're talking about. 

2. Coach Presentation Style

The coach presentation style is for energetic and charismatic speakers. This presentation style is a great style to use with an audience who needs to be sold on an idea. This presentation style works best if the presenter doesn't need to get into details.

Pros : The coach style allows you to connect with your audience using role-play and listener interaction. Use this style to sell an idea or sell a product. The coach-style is a great style to use in a conference type setting.

Cons : The coach-style of presentation isn't suitable if you're a naturally quiet person. In this style you don't go into details, instead, you're communicating the big picture. If you need to get into the details of what you're presenting, you might want to explore other styles.

3. Instructor Presentation Style

The instructor presentation method is great to use when you've got a complex subject to discuss. With this form of presentation high impact visuals help you get your point across to the audience. 

This presentation style is appropriate for anyone who is great at presenting and is comfortable with their subject. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore often used this presentation method. If you want to use this presentation method, be sure to consider:

Pros : The instructor type of presentation is great if you like to use metaphors and figures of speech to help you make a point. This style is also appropriate for people who want to use impactful visuals to further your points.

Cons : The instructor type of presentation isn't meant for short presentations. A lot of preparation time will go into making or finding high impact visuals.

4. Freeform Presentation Style

The freeform presentation method doesn't use slides. This style of speaking is very impromptu. This presentation style is great for a presenter who has a short speech and knows their presentation points well. 

Here are some pros and cons of this technique:

Pros : The freeform presentation style is great for an impromptu meeting where you don’t have much time to prepare. This presentation style can also be used at networking events.

Cons : With this presentation technique if you don't know your subject matter very well it can make you seem unorganized. Freeform presentation style is better if you've got a short presentation time.

5. Storytelling Presentation Style

The storytelling type of presentation relies on stories and examples to make points in their presentation. This style is suitable if you've got a lot of time to present your topic. 

This type of presentation style is also appropriate for networking events and conferences. This presentation technique often has a question and answer session at the end of the presentation. A speaker who uses this presentation technique is neuroanatomist and author, Jill Bolte Taylor.

As you listen to the presentation, take note of the various stories that the speaker uses. By telling stories from her own life, Taylor captures the audience's attention. Here are the pros and cons of the storytelling presentation style:

Pros: The storytelling style allows you to connect with your audience through stories. With this style of presenting, it's okay to get emotional. The emotion helps you connect with your audience better.

Cons: The storytelling style is not for you if you don’t have anecdotes to tell. You also need to leave time for a question and answer session. If you don’t have time for a question and answer session, then explore other styles.

6. Connector Presentation Style

In this type of presentation, audience feedback is highly encouraged. The speaker will try to connect to the audience through their similarities. This presentation technique applies to sales presentations.

Some of the pros and cons of the connector presentation style include:

Pros : This style is great if you want immediate feedback on your presentation. The connector form of presentation typically includes a question and answer session with the audience.

Cons : In the connector form of presentation, the speaker must have similarities with their audience. If they don’t have similarities with the audience, then they're not connecting with them. This style also isn't for you if you don’t want immediate feedback on your presentation.

7. Persuasive Presentation Style

The persuasive form of presentation is where the presenter is trying to persuade the audience to their point of view. A sales pitch presentation is an example of a persuasive form of presentation. 

In a persuasive speech connecting with the audience through a similar experience or through emotion helps the audience relate to the speaker. If you're planning to use a persuasive presentation style, consider:

Pros : The persuasive presentation style is great if you use your hands a lot while speaking. This style is also great if you're selling a product.

Cons : If you don't need to persuade the audience of something, then you'll want to look into other styles. This presentation style is for people who are more experienced in presenting sales pitches or presentations.

8. Interactive Presentation Style

The interactive presentation method requires the speaker to interact with the audience in some way. The presenter can connect with the audience by passing out speaker notes or an outline before the presentation. 

The speaker could also interact with the audience by using a whiteboard or host a webinar. This style helps keep the audience engaged with what the speaker is saying. 

Here are the pros and cons and this presentation technique:

Pros : The interactive style of presentation lets the speaker pass out copies of their slides beforehand. This allows the audience to follow along with the presentation and fully absorb the information. It also gives the audience a place to jot down a few notes or questions.

Cons : The interactive presentation style is better with complicated subjects. If your subject matter is too simple the audience may not have anything to discuss.

9. Lessig Presentation Style

The Lessig presentation style was created by Lawrence Lessig, a professor of law and leadership at Harvard Law School. This presentation method requires that the presenter only spends fifteen seconds on each slide. If there's text on the slide it's the speaker’s exact words. 

This style of presentation is great if you've got to present to a large audience. The rapid pace of this presentation style can keep the audience focused and engaged.

As Lessig speaks, you'll see how quickly he moves through the various slides. Also, notice the slides that contain what he says, word-for-word.

Pros : The Lessig style of presentation is great for a presentation where you've got a lot of talking points to get through in a short period of time. 

Cons : The Lessig style is for experienced presenters. If you don't have a lot of experience presenting you may want to try a different style. This style is also not for you if your presentation requires charts and graphics.

10. Educational Presentation Style

The educational type of presentation is for a speaker who is teaching the audience. Use this style if you're demonstrating a new product. You can teach the audience about the new product you're selling or offering.

Pros : The educational presentation style is fitting if you've got videos and other visuals to show your audience. You also can put extra information on the slides that you may not verbally discuss.

Cons : It may take a while for the audience to listen to you. If you've got more than one subject to discuss it can be too confusing for the audience.

11. Data Scientist Presentation Style

The data scientist presentation style relies on facts, data, analysis, and statistical information to backup and explain their main talking points. This type of presentation is perfect when you need to pitch the idea and back it up with factual claims. It works really well in a business setting when your audience is more interested in hard data rather than storytelling.

Pros: The data scientist's presentation style helps prove a point and persuade your audience. It also helps break down complex data into a more visually appealing presentation formats.  

Cons: Be sure to include other types of slides in your presentation too. Otherwise, your presentation can come off as dry if it has nothing but data.

5 Quick Tips To Help You Choose Your Presentation Style

So now that you know different presentation formats, it’s time to settle on one. But which presentation style should you choose? Here are five quick tips that'll help you decide which presentation style would be best for your presentation: 

1. Consider the Topic of Your Presentation

First, consider the topic of your presentation. Are you presenting a body of work or are you trying to educate your audience?

This can be the single most important factor in helping you decide which presentation style to use. 

Be PowerPoint Presentation Template works well with different topics.

2. Consider Your Audience

You also need to consider your audience. Are you presenting a brand new group of people or does your audience consist of people who already know you?

If you’re presenting to a brand new audience, it’s a good idea to opt for the interactive or connector presentation styles. This ensures your audience remains engaged throughout the entire presentation. 

3. Decide On Your Call To Action

Your call to action or the purpose of your presentation is another important element to keep in mind. If you’re trying to raise brand awareness a coach or storytelling presentation would work well. But if you’re trying to secure funding or get your audience to buy your product, educational, persuasive or data scientist presentation styles might work better. 

The B2B Marketing And Sales PowerPoint Template has several effective slides that can be used for call to action slides.

4. Combine Different Styles for a More Effective Presentation

All the presentation styles above are highly effective when you’re giving a very targeted presentation. But you can also make your presentation more effective by combining different presentation styles. 

5. Save Time With a Template

No matter which presentation style you choose, start with a professional template. Not only will most of the work be done for you when it comes to design and content type, but your presentation will also look polished and unique.

Ciri PowerPoint template has a professional and clean look suitable for all kinds of presentations.

Learn More About Different Types of Presentations

Are you still wondering about presentation methods and effective presentations styles? We've got a wealth of resources on presentations and presentation methods. Here are a few tutorials you may want to review:

You may also want to download a copy of our free eBook that explains how to make a business presentation:

Download a Premium PowerPoint Presentation Template Today!

In this article, you read about different presentation techniques . So, you should be ready to start your presentation. Choose one of the presentation techniques that's best for you. Then, download a PowerPoint presentation template today to save time and ensure a professional presentation .

Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Brenda Barron . Brenda is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+.

Memory-based modes of presentation

• Original Research
• Open access
• Published: 08 April 2024
• Volume 203 , article number  116 , ( 2024 )

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• François Recanati   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8642-2954 1  

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To deal with memory-based modes of presentation I propose a couple of revisions to the standard criterion of difference for modes of presentation attributed to Frege. First, we need to broaden the scope of the criterion so that not merely the thoughts of a given subject at a given time may or may not involve the same way of thinking of some object, but also the thoughts of a subject at different times. Second, we need to ‘relativize’ the criterion of difference to particular subjects in particular situations. Thanks to these revisions, we can make sense of Evans’ notion of a dynamic mode of presentation that persists through time despite lower-level changes. A dynamic mode of presentation is a complex mode of presentation involving several epistemically rewarding relations to the reference successively (in contrast to composite modes of presentation, which involve several epistemically rewarding relations simultaneously). I show how this idea can be cashed out in the mental file framework, and how, in that framework, we can provide a straightforward answer to the question: when is a mode of presentation based on a memory M the same as the mode of presentation based on the perception P from which the memory derives? The answer appeals to the distinction between anchored and unanchored memories.

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1 Modes of presentation: the criterion of difference

Frege’s distinction beween sense and reference rests on the following observation. Two linguistic expressions may refer to the same thing, as a matter of fact, yet a subject who fully understands these expressions may fail to realize that they do. What this shows, according to Frege, is that what a subject grasps when she understands an expression is the sense of that expression, rather than directly its reference. The sense of an expression corresponds to the way in which the reference is presented when that expression is used. Two expressions (e.g. ‘Cicero’ and ‘Tully’, or ‘the morning star’ and ‘the evening star’) may refer to the same thing yet present that thing differently, under different aspects. In such a case, a linguistically competent subject may fail to realize that the expressions refer to the same thing. What is transparent to the subject (what she grasps) is the sense of the expression, but the reference remains opaque to the extent that it depends upon worldly facts beyond the subject’s knowledge.

In the analytic tradition the following ‘criterion of difference’ for modes of presentation (senses) is standardly ascribed to Frege:

Two coreferential expressions ‘ a ’ and ‘ b ’ are associated with distinct senses, i.e. present their common reference in two distinct ways, if a rational subject could assent to ‘ a is F’ and simultaneously withhold assent from, or reject, ‘ b is F’.

A situation in which a rational subject accepts contradictory predications regarding what is in fact one and the same object is known as a ‘Frege case’ (Fodor, 1994 ). The criterion of difference uses the possibility of such cases to diagnose distinctness in sense among coreferential expressions.

The formulation of the Fregean criterion I have just cited is roughly that given by Gareth Evans ( 1982 ). Evans points out that the criterion of difference for modes of presentation derives from Frege’s criterion of difference for thoughts:

The thought associated with one sentence S as its sense must be different from the thought associated with another sentence S’ as its sense, if it is possible for someone to understand both sentences at a given time while coherently taking different attitudes towards them, i.e. accepting (rejecting) one while rejecting (accepting), or being agnostic about, the other. (Evans, 1982 : p. 19)

This criterion itself ‘rests upon the principle that it is not possible coherently to take different attitudes towards the same thought’ (Evans, 1981 , 1985 : p. 308).

In a footnote, Evans makes an interesting observation. He points out that Frege’s criterion of difference for thoughts would give incorrect results if we substituted ‘anyone’ for ‘someone’, that is, if we said that the thoughts expressed by two sentences are distinct if it is possible for anyone to understand both sentences at a given time while coherently taking different attitudes towards them. The substitution is illegitimate, Evans points out, for the following reason:

The thought expressed by ‘Hesperus if F’ is distinct from the thought expressed by ‘Phosphorus is F’, but it is not true that anyone who understands the two sentences can take different attitudes to them. For example, it is not true of someone who knows that Hesperus if Phosphorus. (Evans, 1982 : p. 19, fn 19) Footnote 1

In other words, not all rational subjects are in a situation such that it would be coherent for them to ascribe contradictory properties to one and the same object presented under two distinct modes of presentation. Such an ascription would be incoherent for any subject who is aware of the identity. But to establish, via the criterion of difference, that two coreferential expressions are associated with distinct modes of presentation, it suffices that some rational subject (some rational subject or other) could coherently make these contradictory predications. Footnote 2

The sense of a linguistic expression is the way it presents its reference, but the distinction between the thing referred to and the way it is presented is not restricted to language. It applies to silent thought as well. The object we’re thinking about is one thing and the way we are thinking of it is another. There are different ways of thinking of a given object, and they deserve the label ‘modes of presentation’, whether or not they are linguistically expressed. We should therefore reformulate the criterion of difference for modes of presentation so as to make it independent of language. The following formulation, due to Stephen Schiffer, gives us what we need:

If a minimally rational person x believes a thing y to be F (…) and also believes y not to be F, then there are distinct modes of presentation m and m’ such that x believes y to be F under m and disbelieves y to be F under m’ . (Schiffer, 1978 : p. 180)

2 Reference through memory

Sometimes we remember an object we previously encountered and have a thought about it. In such a case the thought is about the object we remember, and a particular ‘way of thinking’ of the object seems to be involved: we think of the object through our memory of it. The relevant way of thinking seems to be different from another way of thinking involving perception rather than memory. Thus, in (1) and (2) below, the speaker expresses thoughts that involve a memory-based mode of presentation and a perception-based mode of presentation respectively:

I wonder what sort of bird that was [based on the memory of an event that took place the previous year]

I wonder what sort of bird that is [based on current perception]

The demonstrative ‘that’ is the same in (1) and (2), but it is associated with distinct modes of presentation. In (1) the demonstrative is what Evans calls a ‘past-tense demonstrative’, one that is associated with a memory-based mode of presentation (Evans, 1982 : pp. 135, 306). Footnote 3

Contrary to what the contrast between (1) and (2) may suggest, grammatical tense is not essential to distinguish one type of case from the other. No grammatical feature is essential, arguably: one and the same sentence containing a demonstrative can be used to express a thought involving either a perception-based or a memory-based mode of presentation. Thus consider the following examples:

That banana was in the fridge

That banana is in the fridge

Sentence (3) is in the past tense, but the demonstrative phrase ‘that banana’ need not be a past-tense demonstrative associated with the memory of a certain banana: it may also be an ordinary demonstrative associated with the current perception of a certain banana. (Imagine the subject is holding a banana and, based on its felt temperature, judges: ‘that banana was in the fridge—it’s pretty cold’.) Conversely, sentence (4) is in the present tense, but the demonstrative phrase ‘that banana’ need not be an ordinary demonstrative associated with the perception of a certain banana; it may also be used to refer to a particular banana the speaker remembers, and of which he conjectures that it is now in the fridge.

The distinction between perception-based and memory-based modes of presentation is fairly intuitive. It’s one thing to think of an object as the object we are currently perceiving, and another to think of it through the memory trace left by an earlier perception. But can we establish that the two modes of presentation are distinct by appealing to the Fregean criterion of difference? That is the question that matters for us now.

To establish, by means of the Fregean criterion of difference, that that banana memory and that banana perception are distinct modes of presentation, we need to consider a situation in which a rational subject takes conflicting attitudes towards thoughts that differ only by the substitution of one mode of presentation for the other. If such a situation is possible or imaginable, then, by the Fregean criterion, the modes of presentation are distinct. That is indeed what we find: we can easily imagine a situation in which the subject remembers a certain banana and suspends judgment as to whether that banana has ever been in the fridge, while, at the same time, perceiving (what is in fact) the same (unrecognized) banana and judging, on the basis of its felt temperature, that that banana was in the fridge shortly before.

In this case there is a memory (call it M) and two perceptions: the perception P1 that is the source of the memory and the perception P2 which is simultaneous with the memory. By the criterion of difference we can establish that the mode of presentation based on M and the mode of presentation based on P2 are distinct modes of presentation; and we can do so because the two modes of presentation (that based on M and that based on P2) are simultaneously deployed, in such a way that the criterion of difference can apply. As Dickie and Rattan point out, ‘[The criterion of difference] is synchronic and intrapersonal – it deals in rational engagement between the attitudes that a single subject has at a time’ (Dickie & Rattan, 2010 : p. 146). It follows that it can only be invoked when the conflicting attitudes at issue are simultaneous. In the case of M and P2, the simultaneity condition is satisfied, but it is not in the case of M and P1. So we cannot establish that the mode of presentation based on M is distinct from the mode of presentation under which the subject thought of the banana when she initially encountered it , during episode P1; for these modes of presentation (that based on P1 and that based on M) are not simultaneously deployed. P1 takes place first, and M follows later.

A similar problem famously arises with ‘today’ and ‘yesterday’. It seems that to think of a certain day as ‘today’ and to think of it the next day as ‘yesterday’ are two different ways of thinking of one and the same day. But the fact that these are distinct modes of presentation of the day in question cannot be established by appealing to the Fregean criterion (Evans, 1981 , 1985 : pp. 307–308). The criterion of difference cannot do its work unless someone is able simultaneously to entertain the thoughts expressed by, for example, ‘Today is fine’ and ‘Yesterday was fine’, with ‘today’ and ‘yesterday’ referring to the same day. But there is no way in which a subject can think of a single day both as ‘today’ and as ‘yesterday’, at the same time. So there is no way in which we can check whether a rational subject thinking of a single day d both as today and as yesterday at the same time could or could not hold conflicting attitudes towards the thought expressed by means of ‘today’ and that expressed by means of ‘yesterday’.

Not only can we not establish the distinctness of the modes of presentation in these cases by appealing to the criterion of difference. There are also reasons to believe that the relevant modes of presentation (that associated with ‘today’ and that associated the next day with ‘yesterday’, or that based on P1 and that subsequently based on M) are actually the same mode of presentation persisting through time . Thus Frege wrote:

If someone wants to say today what he expressed yesterday using the word 'today', he will replace this word with 'yesterday'. Although the thought is the same, the verbal expression must be different in order that the change of sense which would otherwise be effected by the differing times of utterance may be cancelled out. (‘Thoughts’, in Frege, 1984 : p. 358)

For Frege, ‘the thought is the same’, when you think of a certain day as ‘today’ and when, the following day, you think of it as ‘yesterday’. Evans made a similar claim. He argued that temporal thoughts such as ‘Today is fine’ (tokened on a certain day) and ‘Yesterday was fine’ (tokened the next day) are ‘cross-sections of a persisting belief state which exploits our ability to keep track of a moment as it recedes in time’ (Evans, 1981 , 1985 : p. 310). It follows that.

A subject on d 2 is thinking of d 1 in the same way as on d 1 , despite lower level differences, because the thought episodes on the two days depend upon the same exercise of a capacity to keep track of time. (Evans, 1981 , 1985 : p. 311)

Ninan ( 2015 ) also argues that, in such cases, the modes of presentation are the same despite lower-level differences. This is a controversial position, Footnote 4 of course, but we cannot use the criterion of difference to settle the issue, because the simultaneity condition is not satisfied.

3 Making the criterion of difference diachronic

To overcome the limitation I have just pointed out (i.e. the fact that the criterion of difference only applies when the simultaneity condition is satisfied), two distinct strategies offer themselves.

The first strategy consists in imagining extraordinary circumstances in which the relevant modes of presentation can be simultaneously deployed. Think of the movie Groundhog Day : the main character, Phil Connors, is trapped in a time loop forcing him to relive the same day (February 2, Groundhog Day) repeatedly. The first time this happens, Phil comes to realize that the day he is currently living through is not a fresh day but the same day as the previous day. In these admittedly strange circumstances, Phil can think of the day in question both as ‘today’ and as ‘yesterday’, at the same time. He can also doubt the identity and ascribe to the current day properties (like the fact that he himself remembers living through February 2) that the previous day did not possess. By the Fregean criterion of difference, that imaginable situation is sufficient to establish that the yesterday -mode of presentation and the today -mode of presentation are distinct modes of presentation.

Another, more easily generalizable strategy consists in avoiding such far-fetched (and possibly incoherent) examples and explicitly lifting the simultaneity condition built into the criterion of difference. Thus, in the forthcoming paper I have just mentioned (see footnote 4), I formulated two variants of the criterion, a synchronic variant that applies to simultaneous cases and a diachronic variant that applies to non-simultaneous cases:

Synchronic variant m and m’ are distinct modes of presentation if the following conditions are satisfied: (a) it is possible for a subject simultaneously to believe of a given object, thought of under m , that it is F, and to hold a conflicting attitude (e.g. disbelief) toward the thought that results from substituting m’ for m ; (b) that is possible without irrationality on the subject’s part. Diachronic variant m and m’ are distinct modes of presentation if the following conditions are satisfied: (a) it is possible for a subject to believe of a given object, thought of under m , that it is F, and at a later time to hold a conflicting attitude (e.g. disbelief) toward the thought that results from substituting m’ for m in the initial thought; (b) that is possible without change of mind on the subject’s part. (Recanati, forthcoming, Sect. 5).

Using the diachronic variant, we can easily establish that the yesterday -mode of presentation and the today -mode of presentation are distinct modes of presentation. It has been observed (by Tyler Burge) that

It is possible to believe what is expressed by ‘Today is Friday’ and (without in any ordinary sense changing one's mind) doubt what is expressed by ‘Yesterday was Friday,’ even though ‘yesterday’ and ‘today’ (in their different contexts) pick out the same day. (Burge, 1979 : p. 402)

By the diachronic variant of the criterion of difference, that epistemic possibility, whose existence can hardly be disputed, shows that ‘today’ and ‘yesterday’ express distinct modes of presentation.

To be sure, as Evans emphasized, that epistemic possibility is ruled out if the subject has ‘kept track of time’. Only a temporally confused subject can, on a certain day, believe what is expressed by ‘Today is Friday’ and the following day, without changing one's mind, doubt what is expressed by ‘Yesterday was Friday.’ But, as Evans himself pointed out in the footnote I quoted before, the epistemic possibility invoked by the criterion of difference must only be a possibility for some rational subject (here, the confused subject); it need not be an epistemic possibility for every rational subject. Just as a subject who knows that Hesperus is Phosphorus cannot, without irrationality, ascribe contradictory properties to Venus thought of as ‘Hesperus’ and to Venus thought of as ‘Phosphorus’, a subject who has kept track of time cannot, without changing his mind, doubt what is expressed by ‘Yesterday was Friday’ if the previous day he accepted ‘Today is Friday’.

4 Campbell’s criterion

The criterion of difference only gives us a sufficient condition for distinctness among modes of presentation. Another criterion has been put forward, however. Campbell’s criterion, as I will call it, provides a sufficient condition for identity among modes of presentation.

There is a well-known distinction between two types of coreference relations between singular terms. Coreference is said to be ‘de facto’ if it is possible for a rational and linguistically competent subject not to realize that the singular terms refer to the same thing. That is what happens when the singular terms are associated with distinct modes of presentation of what turns out to be the same object. By contrast, coreference is ‘de jure’ if it is not possible not to realize that the singular terms refer to the same object (Recanati, 2016 , 2020 , 2021 ). That is the type of coreference relation that is instantiated, for example, between an anaphoric pronoun and its referential antecedent, as in: ‘Roderick i was a philosopher. He i was extremely well-read.’ Anyone who understands the discourse knows that the pronoun and its antecedent corefer (if they refer at all).

When two coreferential singular terms a and b (construed as tokens which may or may not be of the same type) are coreferential de jure in this manner, it would be irrational to accept that a is F and b is G while not accepting that a single object is both F and G (existential conjunction). The subject is therefore entitled to embrace that conclusion, without having to appeal to an additional identity premise such as ‘a  =  b’ . That inference pattern (‘ a is F; b is G; therefore, something is F and G’) is what Campbell calls ‘Trading on coreference’ (TC). For example, in the table below (from Recanati, 2012 : p. 48), the left-hand column is an instance of TC:

In the left-hand column the two occurrences of the name ‘Cicero’ are de jure coreferential, so TC is allowed: the two premises directly support the conclusion. In the right-hand column, the coreference is de facto and an additional premise (‘Cicero = Tully’) is needed to reach the conclusion.

The example I have just given may suggest that, for TC to be licensed, the token singular terms must of the same type. But that is not the case. The first example of coreference de jure I gave, where the relevant singular terms are an anaphoric pronoun and its antecedent, also licenses TC:

Roderick is a philosopher. He is extremely well-read. Some philosopher is extremely well-read.

According to Campbell what makes TC possible is not type identity but the fact that the two singular terms ‘have the same sense’:

We have to separate two types of case. In the first, we trade directly upon co-reference, moving directly to the conclusion. (…) It seems to me that we can do this just when the two tokens have the same sens e. In the second type of case, when the tokens do not have the same sense, it would not be legitimate to move directly to the conclusion. (Campbell, 1987  : pp. 275-76; emphasis mine).

This gives rise to Campbell’s criterion—a criterion for sameness of sense:

Campbell’s criterion If two token singular terms allow ‘trading on coreference’ (TC), they have the same sense.

This criterion seems not to be subject to the limitations which affect the standard (synchronic) version of the criterion of difference. Thus Campbell gives an example in which his criterion applies even though the simultaneity condition is not satisfied:

A man sitted in a wasp-filled garden may see a wasp and think ‘That wasp is F’. Some time later, having lost track of the first wasp in the meantime, he may see a wasp and think, ‘That wasp is G’. Even if it is in fact the same wasp that is in question, our subject surely could not infer directly from those two judgments that ‘there is something that is both F and G’. The transition would have to be mediated by a further premise, to the effect that it was the same wasp on both occasions. (Campbell, 1987 : p. 278)

Now imagine that the subject has kept track of the initial wasp, rather than lost track of it:

If (…) one does succeed in keeping track of a particular wasp over time, (…) and makes the judgments, ‘That wasp is F’ and ‘That wasp is G’, then one must know immediately that it is the same thing that is in question. (Campbell, 1987 : p. 285)

In this case TC is possible:

That wasp is F

That wasp is G

Therefore something is both F and G

By Campbell’s criterion, we can therefore conclude that, when the subject keeps track of the initial wasp, he keeps thinking of it in the same way throughout the perceptual episode. In other words, the two occurrences of the demonstrative phrase ‘that wasp’ in (1) and in (2) carry the same sense, in such a case, even though they occur at different times.

5 When the criteria conflict: relativizing the criterion of difference

The subject who has kept track of the wasp does not doubt that the wasp he is seeing is the wasp he has seen a moment before: the identity is presupposed , so the subject can unreflectively trade on coreference. By Campbell’s criterion, that establishes that the two successive occurrences of the demonstrative phrase ‘that wasp’ carry the same sense even though they occur at different times. But if we appeal to the criterion of difference, understood according to what I called the ‘absolute’ interpretation (footnote 2), we have to say that the modes of presentation are different because another subject, or the same subject in a different context , might doubt the identity of the wasp seen at different times during the episode. So Campbell’s criterion and the criterion of difference thus interpreted give conflicting verdicts, and we can’t simply use them to complement each other. We need to adjudicate between them.

The same conflict arises in synchronic cases. Suppose I hold a banana in my hand while looking at it. I judge:

That banana is cold (based on touch). That banana is yellow (based on vision).

Since it is obvious to me that the banana I feel in my hand is the banana I see, TC is allowed and I can move directly to the conclusion:

Something is yellow and cold.

This suggests that the two occurrences of the demonstrative phrase ‘that banana’ are associated with the same mode of presentation (by Campbell’s criterion). That mode of presentation presumably is a multi-modal mode of presentation involving both vision and touch. By the criterion of difference, however, the modes of presentation are distinct, because a rational subject with different epistemic dispositions might doubt (rather than take for granted) that the seen banana is the same as the touched banana.

The source of the conflict is the following. For the criterion of difference as I have interpreted it so far, what matters are the epistemic dispositions of some rational subject or other (‘absolute’ interpretation). Even if we are talking about a situation in which it is taken for granted that a  =  b (e.g. that Hesperus is Phosphorus, or that the seen banana is the touched banana, or that the initial wasp is the current wasp), the fact that some rational subject or other might doubt the identity is sufficient to establish that the modes of presentation are distinct. For example, the fact that some subject might have lost track of the wasp is sufficient to establish that the modes of presentation associated with the two successive occurrences of the phrase ‘that wasp’ are distinct (even for the subject who has kept track). There are distinct modes of presentation (in an absolute sense, i.e. for every subject) provided some subject can doubt the identity. Campbell’s criterion, however, is primarily concerned with the epistemic dispositions of a particular subject in a particular context (‘relativized’ interpretation). For someone who takes it for granted that Hesperus = Phosphorus, or that the seen banana = the touched banana, or that the wasp at t 1  = the wasp at t 2 , the mode of presentation associated with the two singular terms is the same, notwithstanding the fact that some other subject might doubt the identity.

I conclude that we can’t both accept Campbell’s criterion and the criterion of difference as initially interpreted: if we accept Campbell’s criterion, as I believe we should, we must re-interpret the criterion of difference so as to substitute the perspective of a situated subject for the perspective of some rational subject or other. In other words, we need to relativize the criterion of difference. Such relativization is what I advocated in the forthcoming paper I already alluded to twice:

To say that the subject could , at a single time, both assent to ‘ a is F’ and withhold assent from, or reject, ‘ b is F’, is to say that doing so (assenting to ‘ a is F’ while rejecting ‘ b is F’) would be compatible with the subject’s actual dispositions . Now a subject who presupposes identity (as in the TC examples) has no disposition to doubt whether e.g. the seen glass is the touched glass. To be sure, the subject can come to doubt that it is the same glass, but only at the cost of changing her dispositions. Should such a change occur, the subject would no longer be disposed to trade upon coreference. So doubt is always possible, in an absolute sense (Millikan, 1997 : p. 517), but that shows nothing regarding the subject’s actual attitudes and whether she is thinking of the object under one or two distinct modes of presentation. What is relevant to there being a single or distinct modes of presentation is the possibility of doubt (or of conflicting attitudes) compatible with the subject’s actual dispositions . (Recanati, forthcoming, section 6)

That change of perspective is also what Campbell himself explicitly advocates:

What matters, in applying these tests, is whether the subject actually does make a division in the perceptual information he is receiving. The mere possibility of such a division does not show one is actually in a position to ask whether ‘this glass (perceived now) is identical to that glass (perceived a moment ago)’, for example. (…) The principle being mishandled (…) is surely this: If the subject actually does make a division in his perceptual information, so that he can raise the question whether it is the same thing that is in question, then we have two different modes of presentation. (Campbell, 1987 : pp. 284-85)

If, as recommended by both Campbell and myself, we focus on the perspective of a particular subject at a particular time, then the question, whether the modes of presentation are distinct, is raised with respect to that particular subject. The answer may be yes for one subject, but no for another subject. If the subject we are concerned with (in Campbell’s example) has lost track of the initial wasp, then, even if the subject’s thought at t 2 concerns the same wasp as her thought at t 1 , TC is not allowed: an identity premise is necessary to infer the existential conjunction. In such a case, Campbell says, the modes of presentation are distinct (and the coreference is only de facto). If the subject has kept track of the initial wasp, however, the same mode of presentation recurs and TC is allowed.

6 Composite modes of presentation

Consider the banana example once again. The fact that some rational subject might doubt that the seen banana is the same as the touched banana establishes that, for that subject, the visual mode of presentation that banana vision is distinct from the haptic mode of presentation that banana touch . On the other hand, a subject who unreflectively takes it for granted that the seen banana is the touched banana can trade on coreference and reason as follows:

[TC-banana] That banana is cold (based on touch). That banana is yellow (based on vision). Thus, something is yellow and cold.

This establishes, by Campbell’s criterion, that the two occurrences of the phrase ‘that banana’ are associated with the same mode of presentation for that subject. Which mode of presentation is that? It is arguably neither the visual mode of presentation nor the haptic mode of presentation but a multimodal (visuo-tactile) mode of presentation, associated with both premises in the above piece of reasoning. That third mode of presentation can be seen as a composite mode of presentation resulting from the fusion of the first two but distinct from each of them. On this analysis it is true that the visual mode of presentation and the haptic mode of presentation are distinct for the subject who does not presuppose the identity, but it is also true that there is a single, multimodal mode of presentation that is instantiated twice in [TC-banana], in conformity to Campbell’s criterion.

The same type of analysis involving composite modes of presentation applies, though a little less straightforwardly, to the allegedly diachronic instance of TC which Campbell discusses:

[TC-wasp] (1) That wasp is F (judgment made at t 1 ) (2) That wasp is G (judgment made at t 2 , while keeping track of the initial wasp) (3) Thus, something is both F and G

Let us call P1 the perception occurring at t 1 and supporting the judgment in (1), and P2 the perception occurring at t 2 and supporting the judgment in (2). A rational subject could doubt the identity of the wasp seen at t 1 and of the wasp seen at t 2 . For such a subject, the demonstrative phrases respectively occurring in (1) and (2) are associated with distinct perceptual modes of presentation respectively based on P1 and P2. Such a subject would not be disposed to trade upon coreference. But consider a subject who is disposed to trade upon coreference, as in [TC-wasp]. Campbell’s criterion dictates that, for that subject, the modes of presentation associated with the demonstrative phrases respectively occurring in (1) and (2) must be the same. What is the mode of presentation in question?

It is tempting to say that the relevant mode of presentation is a dynamic mode of presentation of the sort postulated by Evans when he claims that the subject who thinks of the current day as ‘today’ thinks of it under the same mode of presentation the following day when he thinks of it as ‘yesterday’. If the subject has kept track of the initial wasp, arguably, the same mode of presentation persists from t 1 to t 2 , and that is why TC is allowed. That is the view Evans and Campbell actually hold: the subject who at t 1 has a thought about a wasp she perceives thinks of the wasp under the same dynamic mode of presentation a moment later (at t 2 ) when she perceives it again provided she hasn’t lost track of it in the meantime.

The notion of a dynamic mode of presentation is important, and I will have more to say about it in the next section; but I don’t think we need it to account for TC as it occurs in [TC-Wasp]. The notion we need, I think, is merely that of a composite mode of presentation. The mode of presentation which the subject who trades upon coreference associates with both occurrences of the demonstrative phrase ‘that wasp’ in [TC-wasp] is such a composite mode of presentation, based on both the perception P2 of the wasp taking place at t 2 , and on the memory M of the wasp seen at t 1 . That memory is the trace left by P1 at t 2 . The subject takes it for granted—presupposes—that the wasp currently seen (at t 2 ) is the wasp seen a moment before (at t 1 ) and remembered. The way the subject thinks of that wasp therefore blends elements derived from the first encounter (at t 1 ) and retained in memory together with elements derived from the current perception (at t 2 ). The key point is that in [TC-wasp] both occurrences of the demonstrative phrase ‘that wasp’ are associated with that composite mode of presentation. That is what makes TC possible.

This analysis raises a prima facie objection. By Campbell’s criterion, the demonstrative phrases respectively occurring in premises (1) and (2) of [TC-wasp] must be associated with the same mode of presentation. I have just said that the mode of presentation in question is a composite mode of presentation based on P2 and M, where M is the memory left by P1 at t 2 . But premise (1) is supposed to be a judgment made at t 1 on the basis of the perception P1 occurring then. So the mode of presentation associated with the phrase ‘that wasp’ in the judgment occurring at t 1 cannot be a composite mode of presentation involving P2 and M, since both P2 and M only come into the picture at t 2 .

To dispose of that objection, we have to realize that [TC-wasp] is a piece of reasoning which, like all pieces of reasoning, must be construed as taking place at a particular time (Recanati, 2016 : p. 77). The time in question is the time when, on the basis of the premises, the subject derives the conclusion. In [TC-wasp], the subject can only derive the conclusion at t 2 since, before t 2 , the second premise was missing. So the reasoning takes place at t 2 , and involves two premises. The first premise tokened at t 2 is the judgment initially made at t 1 on the basis of P1 and preserved through memory . The second premise tokened at t 2 is the judgment made at t 2 on the basis of P2. The perceptual judgment made at t 1 and the reasoning subsequently taking place at t 2 can be represented as follows:

That wasp is F (judgment made at t 1 on the basis of P1)

That wasp is/was F (updated version, at t 2 , of the judgment initially made at t 1 )

That wasp is G (judgment made at t 2 on the basis of P2)

Thus something that is/was F is G

Since at t 2 the subject presupposes that the wasp perceived is the wasp remembered, the way the wasp is thought of at t 2 is simultaneously based on the current perception P2 and on the memory M left by P1. That composite mode of presentation is deployed in both premises tokened at t 2 . So there is a difference between the subject’s thought at t 1 , which involves a mode of presentation of the wasp based on P1, and the thought that serves as first premise in the reasoning taking place at t 2 . The first premise of the reasoning is what the subject has retained, at t 2 , of the initial judgment made at t 1 . As I put in Mental Files in Flux , where I discuss these matters at length,

What the subject has retained is not the initial thought itself, but a variant that results from updating the initial thought (the thought held at t 1 ). (Recanati, 2016 : p 77).

The difference between the initial thought (at t 1 ) and the updated thought (at t 2 ) is a difference in the way the wasp is thought about: at t 1 it is thought of under a perceptual mode of presentation based on P1; at t 2 , however, it is thought of under a composite mode of presentation based on M (the memory of P1) and P2 simultaneously.

7 Dynamic modes of presentation

As I have just shown, we do not need the notion of a dynamic mode of presentation persisting through time to deal with [TC-wasp], given the ultimately synchronic character of the inference at stake (which inference takes place at t 2 ). Still, the notion of a dynamic mode of presentation seems to be what we need to account for the relation between a perceptual mode of presentation instantiated at a given time t 1 and the corresponding memory-based (or memory + perception-based) mode of presentation occurring at a later time t 2 .

There are two types of case to consider: the cases in which, in the interval from t 1 to t 2 , the subject ‘keeps track’, and the cases in which the subject doesn’t. The former are the cases in which the modes of presentation instantiated at t 1 and at t 2 appear to constitute a single dynamic mode of presentation persisting through time.

As we have seen, the diachronic version of the criterion of difference establishes that ‘today’ and ‘yesterday’ are associated with distinct modes of presentation for a subject who has lost track of time. Such a subject can, as Burge puts it, ‘believe what is expressed by Today is Friday and (without in any ordinary sense changing one's mind) doubt what is expressed by Yesterday was Friday , even though ‘yesterday’ and ‘today’ (in their different contexts) pick out the same day’ (Burge, 1979 : p. 402). But no such verdict can be reached for a subject who has kept track of time: such a subject cannot , without changing their mind, doubt what is expressed by ‘Yesterday was Friday’ if the previous day they accepted ‘Today is Friday’. This suggests that there is a single, dynamic mode of presentation of Friday that persists from Friday to Saturday when the subject keeps track of time. That is indeed Evans’ conclusion. Likewise, for Campbell, a subject who keeps track of the wasp from t 1 to t 2 arguably thinks of the wasp under the same dynamic mode of presentation throughout. If Evans and Campbell are right, there are dynamic modes of presentation that persist through time despite what Evans describes as ‘local’ or ‘lower-level’ differences between the way the subject thinks of the object at t 1 and the way she thinks of it at t 2 . On this picture, the difference between the various ‘epistemically rewarding relations’ Footnote 5 to the entity thought about count as lower-level differences which do not affect the (numerical) identity of the dynamic mode of presentation.

Assuming they exist, what are dynamic modes of presentation? Are they a variety of composite modes of presentation? I don’t think they are, but they are interestingly similar to composite modes of presentation. Both composite and dynamic modes of presentation are ‘complex’ modes of presentation, based on several epistemically rewarding relations. A composite mode of presentation is based on several epistemically rewarding relations to the reference simultaneously . The subject presupposes that the various relations in question are relations to one and the same entity. A dynamic mode of presentation is based on several epistemically rewarding relations to the reference successively . As time unfolds, the subject presupposes that he keeps tracking the same entity, despite changes in the contextual relations to that entity. Thus, the subject who has kept track of the wasp and thinks of it at t 2 thinks of it under a composite mode of presentation that embodies the presupposition that the wasp seen at t 2 is the wasp seen at t 1 and remembered. That composite mode of presentation, based on both the memory M of the wasp seen at t 1 and the perception P2 of the wasp seen at t 2 , is clearly distinct from the mode of presentation exclusively based on P1 through which the subject initially thought of the wasp at t 1 ; yet, owing to the presupposition, the perceptual mode of presentation instantiated at t 1 retrospectively counts as the initial stage of a dynamic mode of presentation that persists at t 2 when the subject thinks of the wasp under the composite mode of presentation.

8 Anchored and unanchored memories

To understand the contrast between the cases in which the subject ‘keeps track’ and operates with a single, dynamic mode of presentation, and the cases in which the subject ‘loses track’ and operates with distinct modes of presentation, we can usefully appeal to the mental file framework (Recanati, 2012 , 2016 ).

Think of the wasp example. At t 1 the subject perceptually encounters a wasp (P1), and thinks of it under a mode of presentation based on P1. In the mental file framework the mode of presentation is viewed as a mental file which the subject opens at t 1 , and in which she stores the information gained through P1. At this point there are two options: the subject may either keep track of the wasp, or lose track of it. If the subject keeps track, the same mental file will come to host new information gained via the subject’s contextually changing relation to the wasp. For example, at t 1 the subject observes that the wasp is F, and at t 2 , seeing it again, she observes that it is G. The mental file stores both items of information (and TC is possible). The successive perceptual acts P1 and P2 are distinct, but the mental file remains numerically the same, and this embodies the subject’s presupposition that one and the same entity is being tracked throughout. Note that, at t 2 , the subject does not merely perceive the wasp, as she did at t 1 ; she also remembers the wasp seen at t 1 , so the relation to the wasp at t 2 involves both perception (P2) and memory (M). In other words, the same mental file, based on P1 at t 1 , is based on M + P2 at t 2 , yet it remains numerically the same mental file. That is why I spoke of a ‘contextually changing relation’ to the wasp. The fact that the mental file remains the same despite the relational change in question corresponds to the idea of a dynamic mode of presentation persisting through lower-level changes.

If the subject loses track of the wasp, then when she encounters it again at t 2 she will not store the information gained through P2 in that same mental file, but will open a new mental file based on P2. File duplication here embodies the lack of the presupposition of identity corresponding to the continued deployment of the same mental file. The subject may well conjecture that the two wasps are (probably) the same: unless the identity is presupposed and unreflectively taken for granted, the second perceptual encounter will give rise to a new file-opening event.

Let us now turn to the question: when (and why) is a mode of presentation based on a memory M the same dynamic mode of presentation as the mode of presentation based on the perception P from which the memory derives? A tentative answer in terms of mental files can be offered. The perception P launches a mental file which stores information gained through the perceptual relation. When the object gets out of sight, the thinker’s relation to the reference evolves: the subject remembers it instead of perceiving it. As long as the memory is ‘anchored’, i.e. associated with the body of information initially derived from the perception , this guarantees the persistence of the (dynamic) mode of presentation. Sometimes, however, an episodic memory occurs to the subject ‘unanchored’, i.e. dissociated from the mental file launched by the perceptual event from which the memory derives. Footnote 6 If, in such conditions, the subject wants to think about the reference of the free-floating memory, she has to open a new mental file for whatever it is she is remembering . For example, suppose the thinker has an isolated memory about a long-haired student with an accent, without having any idea who the student in question was, where and when she met him, etc. She will then think of him as ‘that student’, where this corresponds to a semi-descriptive mode of presentation based on the unanchored memory: ‘that student’ here means the student from which this memory derives . If, after a memory search, the subject eventually remembers who the student was, she will re-connect the memory with the mental file initially launched by the perceptual event. The memory will be (re-)anchored, and that will enable the subject to get rid of the new, semi-descriptive mental file and think of the student through the old file.

The answer to the question, then, is this. A mode of presentation based on an anchored memory is the same dynamic mode of presentation as the mode of presentation based on the perception from which the memory derives. (That is the normal case.) A mode of presentation based on an unanchored memory is distinct from the mode of presentation based on the perception from which the memory derives. What guarantees the unity of a dynamic mode of presentation despite the lower-level differences constituted by the changing relations to the reference is the body of information (the mental file) which is normally preserved and transmitted from perception to memory.

A referee has offered an alternative construal of the case I have just discussed. Instead of contrasting the two types of memories in terms of whether or not they are associated with the mental file initiated by the perception from which the memory derives, the referee says we should construe both types of memory as ‘anchored’, that is, as associated with a mental file stemming from the perceptual event the memory originates from. What distinguishes the allegedly ‘unanchored’ memories is the fact that ‘the thinker’s recollections have been fractured, i.e. the thinker recollects some things but not others’. For example, the thinker recollects that the remembered individual was a student, had an accent, had long hair, but not who he was nor where she met him etc. But then, the referee points out,

If the thinker recollects some things about the student but not others, it means that she presently has two memory files M1 and M2, both anchored in her past perception P, though one of the memory files is more anchored because most of the information from P is there and only little information is in the other.

On this construal there is a continuum of cases (some memories are more anchored than others) rather than a dichotomy between anchored and unanchored memories; so we can’t use the dichotomy to answer the question: when is a mode of presentation based on a memory M the same as the mode of presentation based on the perception P from which the memory derives, and when is it not ?

But I want to maintain that the dichotomy exists, and I propose to cash it out in phenomenological terms. A free-floating (unanchored) memory comes with a ‘metacognitive feeling’, akin to that involved in the famous tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon. Footnote 7 That feeling, which I take to be characteristic of unanchored memories, is that of having lost access to the associated mental file . That feeling triggers, on the part of the thinker, a search which gives rise to questions such as: ‘who is/was that student?’ Since the mental file launched by the perceptual event from which the memory derives is inaccessible, it cannot be deployed to think about the student in framing the question. Rather, the subject thinks about the student via a special-purpose mental file which, as Evans puts it, individuates its object ‘by its role in the operations of the informational system’ (Evans, 1982 : p. 128): the object of inquiry is thought of as that which the memory is a memory of . This semi-descriptive mode of presentation corresponds to a temporary mental file which is bound to disappear as soon as the missing mental file is retrieved (assuming it ever is).

This is not to deny that there may be cases of confusion in which, as the referee suggests, a perceptual event gives rise to two distinct memory files, both of which inherit (part of) the content of the perceptual file. Footnote 8 Such cases would be cases of ‘fission’, where the successor to the mental file initially launched by the perceptual event is not a single memory file but a pair of files, as if there had been two distinct events. Footnote 9 But this is not the phenomenon I am talking about in this section.

9 Conclusion: revisiting the criterion of difference

In this paper I have suggested a couple of revisions to the standard criterion of difference for modes of presentation attributed to Frege. First, we need to broaden the scope of the criterion so that not merely the thoughts of a given subject at a given time may or may not involve the same way of thinking of some object, but also the thoughts of a subject at different times. To that effect, borrowing from earlier work of mine, I put forward a dynamic variant of the criterion of difference:

m and m’ are distinct modes of presentation if the following conditions are satisfied: it is possible for a subject to believe of a given object, thought of under m , that it is F, and at a later time to hold a conflicting attitude (e.g. disbelief) toward the thought that results from substituting m’ for m in the initial thought; that is possible without change of mind on the subject’s part.

Using that variant, we can establish that the yesterday -mode of presentation and the today -mode of presentation are distinct modes of presentation, thanks to Burge’s observation that.

To be sure, only a temporally confused subject can, on a certain day, believe what is expressed by ‘Today is Friday’ and the following day, without changing their mind, doubt what is expressed by ‘Yesterday was Friday.’ if the subject has ‘kept track of time’ that epistemic possibility is ruled out. But this does not matter if one interprets the criterion of difference in the absolute way, as is standardly done. According to the absolute interpretation, the epistemic possibility invoked by the criterion of difference must only be a possibility for some rational subject (here, the confused subject); it need not be an epistemic possibility for every rational subject, not even for the particular subject whose thought is undergoing analysis. Just as a subject who knows that Hesperus is Phosphorus cannot, without irrationality, ascribe contradictory properties to Venus thought of as ‘Hesperus’ and to Venus thought of as ‘Phosphorus’, a subject who has kept track of time cannot, without changing their mind, doubt what is expressed by ‘Yesterday was Friday’ if the previous day they accepted ‘Today is Friday’. Still the fact that some rational subject might ascribe contradictory properties in this manner suffices to establish that the modes of presentation are different (even for the enlightened subject we are considering).

The second revision I advocated consists in giving up the absolute interpretation in favour of a different interpretation of the criterion of difference (one initially put forward by John Campbell): the ‘relativized’ interpretation. According to that interpretation, the epistemic possibility invoked by the criterion of difference must be compatible with the actual dispositions of the situated subject we are considering . The fact that the possibility evoked by Burge is ruled out if the subject has kept track of time means that, for that subject (in contrast to the temporally confused subject), the modes of presentation associated with ‘today’ and ‘yesterday’ are the same.

In this framework, a subject who knows that a  =  b (e.g. that Hesperus is Phosphorus, or that the seen banana is the touched banana) thinks of the referent under a composite mode of presentation, based on several epistemically rewarding relations to the reference simultaneously. The Hesperus/Phosphorus mode of presentation is such a composite mode of presentation, as is the visuo-tactile mode of presentation of the banana. These complex modes of presentation are distinct from ‘simple’ modes of presentation such as the Hesperus and the Phosphorus modes of presentation, or the visual mode of presentation and the haptic mode of presentation in the banana case.

By adopting the relativized interpretation of the criterion of difference, and the distinction between simple and complex modes of presentation, we can make sense of Evans’ notion of a dynamic mode of presentation that persists through time despite lower-level changes (Evans, 1981 , 1985 ). A dynamic mode of presentation is a complex mode of presentation based on several epistemically rewarding relations to the reference successively. I have shown how this idea can be cashed out in the mental file framework, and how, in that framework, we can provide a straightforward answer to the question: when is a mode of presentation based on a memory M the same as the mode of presentation based on the perception P from which the memory derives? The answer appeals to the distinction between anchored and unanchored memories.

In closing, I would like to mention the possibility of retaining the standard (‘absolute’) interpretation alongside the relativized interpretation of the criterion of difference, instead of construing them as exclusive of each other. (See Recanati, 2016 : pp. xiv–xvii for an early suggestion to that effect.) First, however, we need to distinguish between modes of presentation construed as types, as tokens, and as occurrences.

Token modes of presentation are the modes of presentation actually deployed in the thought of a particular, situated subject. The same token mode of presentation may be deployed several times by the subject in thinking of a given object, as in the instances of coreference de jure I mentioned earlier. In a train of thought such as that expressed by the anaphora-involving discourse ‘Roderick is F; he is G’, there are two occurrences of the same (token) mode of presentation, associated both with the antecedent name and with the anaphoric pronoun. The relativized version of the criterion of difference applies to token modes of presentation: two occurrences count as distinct token modes of presentation, rather than as occurrences of the same token mode of presentation, if the subject in whose thought they occur could, without changing her actual epistemic dispositions (and, in particular, her presuppositions), ascribe contradictory properties to the object respectively thought of under these modes of presentation.

Now, token modes of presentation are tokens of a certain type; for example, the token mode of presentation deployed twice by the subject in [TC-banana] is a token of a composite type, based on both vision and touch. When it comes to types (as opposed to tokens) the criterion of difference applies in its standard, unrelativized interpretation. Two modes of presentation m and m’ count as distinct types if some subject or other could (without irrationality, or without changing her mind in the diachronic cases) ascribe contradictory properties to some object respectively thought of under tokens of these modes of presentation. In this framework we can maintain that e.g. the today -mode of presentation and the yesterday -mode of presentation are two distinct types of mode of presentation, while acknowledging that, in the mind of a subject who has kept track of time, the same token mode of presentation is expressed by the subject’s use of ‘today’ on a certain day and by his use of ‘yesterday’ on the following day.

Evans credits Benacerraf for this observation. I am indebted to Matheus Valente and Victor Verdejo for drawing my attention to that important footnote.

The idea that the relevant subject is ‘some subject or other’ corresponds to what I call the absolute interpretation of the criterion of difference. It contrasts with another possible interpretation, to be argued for in Sect. 5: the relativized interpretation. According to the relativized interpretation, two coreferential expressions ‘ a ’ and ‘ b ’ are associated with distinct senses for some particular subject if that subject could assent to ‘ a is F’ and simultaneously withhold assent from, or reject, ‘ b is F’. Here the relevant subject is not ‘some subject or other’ but a particular subject in a particular epistemic situation.

As a reviewer pointed out, it might be more appropriate to call them memory demonstratives, in order to make room for a distinction between memory tenseless judgments (e.g. ‘that man was a philosopher’) and memory tensed judgments (e.g. ‘that man was drenched’): both involve memory demonstratives, the reviewer suggests, but the former are ‘less temporal’ than the latter (so the memory demonstratives they involve don’t deserve the label ‘past-tense demonstrative’). I leave that issue aside and refer the interested reader to Campbell 2002 , chapter 6, where the relevant distinctions are drawn.

See Recanati (forthcoming) for a critical discussion of Ninan’s argument.

Perception, memory, testimony count as epistemically rewarding relations, as do indexical relations such as the relation you hold to a place when you occupy that place, or the relation in which you stand to an individual when you are that individual. See Recanati ( 2012 , 2016 ).

Speaking of ‘the’ perceptual event from which the memory derives presupposes that a memory has a unique perceptual antecedent. As the lead guest editor of this issue pointed out, that presupposition has been questioned (Debus 2007 , Liefke forthcoming 2021 , Openshaw 2022 ), on the grounds that not all experiential remembering is ‘episodic’ and concerns a unique, specific event: some memory representations (in particular, memory representations of individuals) are built up by repeated exposures over time. Here, however, I am only concerned with genuinely episodic memories. (According to Perrin et al. ( 2020 ), episodic memories are distinguished by a specific phenomenological feature which they call ‘the feeling of singularity’. As they put it, ‘episodic memories (…) typically represent singular events (…). So, it seems important to include singularity among the components of the content of episodic memory. The content of many episodic memories is formed of an imagistic content plus a certain phenomenology. (…) Our suggestion is that the singularity feature of remembered events can be conveyed by phenomenology’ (Perrin et al., 2020 : p. 4).).

On metacognitive feelings, see e.g. Koriat ( 2000 ), ( 2007 ), Proust ( 2007 ), ( 2013 ), de Sousa ( 2009 ), Dokic ( 2012 ).

The two memory files M1 and M2 evoked by the referee in reinterpreting my ‘student’ example are such that only one of them is consciously accessible; while the case of confusion I am now evoking would be a case in which the two distinct memory files at stake are both consciously accessible.

The possibility of such cases invoving fission shows that dynamic ‘sameness’ is not identity in the strict, Leibnizian sense (Recanati 2016 : 84–86): the twin memory files which result from ‘splitting’ the initial file launched by the perceptual event cannot both be identical to that initial file, since they are distinct from each other. Leibnizian identity is transitive but, as in the case of personal identity (see Prosser 2019 for the analogy), the relation of dynamic continuity seems not to be. (We can restore transitivity, hence a strict reading of ‘same dynamic mode of presentation’, by explicitly ruling out cases of fission.).

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Acknowledgments

I am indebted to John Campbell, Michael Murez, James Openshaw, Matheus Valente, Jean-Baptiste Rauzy, and two reviewers for their helpful comments.

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Recanati, F. Memory-based modes of presentation. Synthese 203 , 116 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-024-04531-0

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Memorization

The memorization method is a form of speech delivery that involves fully memorizing a speech, from start to finish, before delivering it. This method of delivery allows a speaker to move around the stage or platform and maintain eye contact with the audience without relying on a script or notes. For speakers who deliver their speeches by memorization, add inflection to the voice and keep notes nearby to avoid forgetting an important key point.

The impromptu speech is spur-of-the-moment, with little to no time to prepare for this type of speech. For this method, you may be asked to give a few remarks, or share your thoughts with the group. The important thing to remember with this type of speaking is to know your main point, limit your thoughts to two to three ideas, and wrap it up with a conclusion. If you can think well enough on your feet, your conclusion will connect to your opening remarks or main idea. Impromptu speeches are best kept brief.

Extemporaneous

The extemporaneous method is ideal for most speaking situations. While it requires a great deal of preparation, it allows for great flexibility for the speaker, often delivering a much more engaging speech. For this method, a speaker will organize a speech with notes or an outline, and practice the delivery, but not word-for-word. A speaker may highlight key points in the speech and memorize a few portions of the speech, but will also speak in a more conversational tone. The extemporaneous method of delivery gives a speaker the flexibility to deliver a speech in a natural manner while maintaining eye contact and engaging an audience.

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• Westside Toastmasters: The 4 Delivery Methods
• Four Types of Speech Delivery

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mode of presentation

Meanings of mode and presentation.

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(Definition of mode and presentation from the Cambridge English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

• Examples of mode of presentation

Word of the Day

come out of your shell

If you come out of your shell, you become more interested in other people and more willing to talk and take part in social activities, and if someone brings you out of your shell, they cause you to do this.

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

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How to Login Use Teams on the web Join a meeting in Teams Join without a Teams account Join on a second device Join as a view-only attendee Join a breakout room Join from Google Schedule a meeting in Teams Schedule from Outlook Schedule from Google Schedule with registration Instant meeting Add a dial-in number See all your meetings Invite people Meeting roles Add co-organizers Hide attendee names Tips for large Teams meeting Lock a meeting End a meeting Manage your calendar Meeting controls Prepare in a green room Share content Share slides Share sound Apply video filters Mute and unmute Spotlight a video Multitasking Raise your hand Live reactions Take meeting notes Customize your view Laser pointer Cast from a desktop Use a green screen Join as an avatar Customize your avatar Use emotes, gestures, and more Get started with immersive spaces Use in-meeting controls Spatial audio Overview of Microsoft Teams Premium Intelligent productivity Advanced meeting protection Engaging event experiences Change your background Meeting themes Audio settings Manage attendee audio and video Reduce background noise Voice isolation in Teams Mute notifications Use breakout rooms Live transcription Language interpretation Live captions End-to-end encryption Presenter modes Call and meeting quality Meeting attendance reports Using the lobby Meeting options Record a meeting Meeting recap Play and share a meeting recording Delete a recording Edit or delete a transcript Switch to town halls Get started Schedule a live event Invite attendees organizer checklist For tier 1 events Produce a live event Produce a live event with Teams Encoder Best practices Moderate a Q&A Allow anonymous presenters Attendee engagement report Recording and reports Attend a live event in Teams Participate in a Q&A Use live captions Schedule a webinar Customize a webinar Publicize a webinar Manage webinar registration Manage what attendees see Change webinar details Manage webinar emails Cancel a webinar Manage webinar recordings Webinar attendance report Get started with town hall Attend a town hall Schedule a town hall Customize a town hall Host a town hall Use RTMP-In Town hall insights Manage town hall recordings Cancel a town hall Can't join a meeting Camera isn't working Microphone isn't working My speaker isn’t working Breakout rooms issues Immersive spaces issues Meetings keep dropping Share slides in Microsoft Teams meetings with PowerPoint Live PowerPoint Live in Teams gives both the presenter and audience an inclusive and engaging experience, combining the best parts of presenting in PowerPoint with the connection and collaboration of a Microsoft Teams meeting. When you’re the presenter, you have a unique view that lets you control your presentation while staying engaged with your audience, seeing people’s video, raised hands, reactions, and chat as needed. And if you’re an audience member, you can interact with the presentation and personalize your viewing experience with captions, high contrast slides, and slides translated into your native language. Here’s how it works:   Tip:  Are you an audience member? Jump down to learn more about how you can interact during the presentation. Presenter view Present your slides If you're in PowerPoint for the web, select Present > Present in Teams . Your slides will appear in the Teams meeting, with your Notes next to them. Navigate through the slides Use the navigation arrows to go forward and backward. Use the thumbnail strip to jump ahead or backwards. Select Go to slide to see a grid view of all slides in the presentation. Select one to jump to it. Stay connected to the audience One of the benefits of using PowerPoint Live to present instead of sharing your screen is that you have quick access to all your meeting tools you need to engage with the audience and to read the room in one view. This is especially true if you’re presenting from a single screen. Turn Chat on or off to view what your audience is saying. See audience reactions and raised hands in real-time. Change the Layout of your presentation and choose how your live camera feed appears in your presentation, like Standout or Cameo . It helps the audience read your non-verbal cues and keeps them engaged. Use the Laser pointer , Pen , Highlighter , or Eraser to clearly reference items on your slides. Audience view As an audience member, you’re able to personalize your experience without affecting anyone else. Try these options to find what works best for you: Note:  If presenters don't want people to be able to independently navigate through a PowerPoint file they are sharing, use the  Private view  toggle to turn it off. Click any hyperlink on slides to get more context right away. Interact with videos on slides to adjust the volume or jump to a timestamp and consume it at your own pace. Use a screen reader to get full access to the slide content. Switch to a high contrast view to make the slides easier to view if you have low vision. Select More options > View slides in high contrast . Your viewing experience will be at a higher fidelity, letting you see crisp text and smooth animations. PowerPoint Live also requires significantly less network bandwidth than typical sharing, making it the best option when network connectivity is a problem. Independent magnifying and panning You can zoom in and pan on a presentation slide without affecting what others see. Use your mouse, trackpad, keyboard, touch, or the Magnify Slide option as applicable.  To zoom in or out on a slide, do any one of the following:  Hover over the slideshow and pinch or stretch on trackpad. Pinch or use the stretch touch gesture (on a touch-enabled device). Press the + or – keys. Hover over slide, hold down Ctrl key and scroll with mouse wheel. In the More Actions menu, click the + or – buttons. To pan around your slide, do any one of the following: Press the arrow keys. Click and drag using a mouse. Click and drag on a trackpad. Use one finger to touch and drag (on touch-enabled device). When done zooming and panning, press  Esc to reset your screen.    Important:  PowerPoint Live is not supported in Teams live events, CVI devices, and VTC devices. If you're using Teams on the web, you’ll need Microsoft Edge 18 or later, or Google Chrome 65 or later, to see the presenter view. Presenter view is hidden by default for small screen devices but can be turned on by selecting More options below the current slide and then Show presenter view (or by selecting the sharing window and then pressing Ctrl+Shift+x). Meetings recordings won’t capture any videos, animations, or annotation marks in the PowerPoint Live session. When you share from Teams, the PowerPoint Live section lists the most recent files you've opened or edited in your team SharePoint site or your OneDrive. If you select one of these files to present, all meeting participants will be able to view the slides during the meeting. Their access permissions to the file outside of the meeting won't change. If you select Browse and choose to present a PowerPoint file that hasn't been uploaded to Teams before, it will get uploaded as part of the meeting. If you're presenting in a channel meeting, the file is uploaded to the Files tab in the channel, where all team members will have access to it. If you're presenting in a private meeting, the file is uploaded to your OneDrive, where only the meeting participants will be able to access it. Need more help? Want more options. Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more. Microsoft 365 subscription benefits Microsoft 365 training Microsoft security Accessibility center Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge. Ask the Microsoft Community Microsoft Tech Community Windows Insiders Microsoft 365 Insiders Was this information helpful? Thank you for your feedback. Category: Xbox Games Showcase Reinventing A Mad World: Why Gears of War: E-Day Represents the Future of the Series Check out the brutal new trailer for Gears of War: E-Day , unveiled today during the Xbox Games Showcase   Gears of War: E-Day is an origin story that depicts the horror of Locust invasion on Emergence Day through the eyes of Marcus Fenix  Developers at The Coalition share further details on how this long-awaited origin story is being built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5  Gears of War: E-Day was unveiled in a surprise announcement during the Xbox Games Showcase today, alongside an explosive trailer that takes us all the way back to Emergence Day. The trailer introduces us to this defining moment in the Gears of War series that sees the fearsome Locust make themselves known with a brutal ambush from below against the world of Sera. Here, we’ll follow younger versions of the series’ original heroes, Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago, as they begin their fight against the Locust invasion. This event is the catalyst for everything we know and love about Gears of War, and I caught up with developers at The Coalition to find out why now is the perfect time to tell that story.   Speaking to Creative Director Matt Searcy and Brand Director Nicole Fawcette, I find that the vibe inside The Coalition is ecstatic – the team is absolutely thrilled to finally be sharing E-Day with the world. Over the last few years, the studio has remained purposefully quiet but continuously busy, wrapping up Gears 5 , shipping its Hivebusters DLC and Gears Tactics , all the while adapting to the Covid pandemic and its changes to how studios are run. During that time, the shift in rhythm allowed the team some time to reflect, figuring out what they, and fans, were truly passionate about in order to find the next great Gears story.   “We realized that a lot of the words we use to describe the franchise were what our fans also use, phrases like brotherhood, brutality, pathos, awe,” says Searcy. “Why E-Day?  That’s the moment it all comes together. It’s the heart of the Gears universe. Everything that happens is shaped by this day.”   Fans of those mainline Gears of War games can expect to feel at home with how Gears of War: E-Day feels. The Coalition is working to recreate and improve the series’ trademark third-person action, charging between cover in life-or death situations, all set within an explosive campaign that combines satisfying gameplay and emotive, character-led storytelling. However, all this is told through a modern lens, and rooted in groundbreaking technology, giving The Coalition room to really build out those elements. It’s a careful balance – a classic Gears of War game that feels authentic next to the original, but with truly next-gen tech behind it.  “It’s going to feel like a new Gears game, because that’s what it is,” Searcy says. “It’s us revisiting the tone and the feeling of what makes Gears great, but we’re tapping into new techniques, new processes, and new technology that’s going to make the gameplay feel better than ever. It’s going to be awesome, a game that feels both truly new, and authentically Gears.”   Bringing the Monsters Back Gears of War: E-Day is set 14 years before the events of the original Gears of War and tells the story of the first Locust emergence on Sera. As the game unfolds, we’ll get to see how an ill-prepared world responds to a threat like the Locust. The Coalition are being very intentional to recast the Locust not simply as foes but as living nightmares. These aren’t your typical alien or zombie videogame antagonists; they’re mysterious, formidable creatures that dwell beneath the earth, tapping into our deepest fears. “The design brief was pretty simple,” explains Searcy. “Locust are the ‘monsters under the bed.’ What would happen to the people of Sera in seeing this overwhelming army of monsters and trying to figure out…what are you going to do?”  Studio Art Director Aryan Hanbeck explains further, “When players experience E-Day , they see the monsters through the eyes of those encountering them for the first time.” The design team prioritized redefining the Locust Drone, which had slowly become mere cannon fodder as the series progressed. “We transformed the drone into something fearsome, physically intimidating, and utterly brutal,” Hanbeck notes, highlighting its enhanced status just behind Marcus and Dom in the announce trailer. “Getting the drone right was crucial; everything else with the Locust we’re scaling up from there.”  A Tale of Origins   The E-Day reveal trailer wastes no time in reintroducing us to Marcus, as he engages in a brutal struggle with the aforementioned Locust Drone. However, unlike our previous outings with him, this is the first time that the seasoned horde-sawing soldier we all know has faced off against an enemy like this. You can feel the strain and helplessness as he jousts with this inexplicable monstrosity – before finally fending it off not with his Retro Lancer, but a nearby television set. It’s this flavour of raw, personal brutality and desperation that The Coalition seeks to capture in Gears of War: E-Day – Marcus, and the world around him, are not yet equipped for this level of threat.   The eagle-eyed fans among you may have also noticed that the MK 1 Lancer that Marcus briefly wields in the trailer features a detachable bayonet – it’s not the chainsaw-equipped gun we know from the wider series.     Fawcette confirms to me that E-Day is a “story of many origins,” including the Chainsaw Lancer, but opts to keep the specifics of those stories to herself for now. Suffice it to say, we’re not just learning how Marcus and Dom came to be the heroes we know in E-Day.    “[The Chainsaw Lancer] doesn’t currently exist in that period… but it’s not a Gears game if you’re not chainsawing Locust!” Fawcette laughs.  Fans will also immediately recognise the trailer’s inclusion of ‘Mad World’, the Tears for Fears track famously covered by Gary Jules and used in commercials for the original Gears of War games. Composer Adam Lastiwka has masterfully reimagined the iconic “Mad World” track for the Gears of War: E-Day trailer, crafting an original instrumental that enhances Gary Jules’ haunting cover and aligns perfectly with the game’s darker, grittier themes.   This instrumental cover plays out as Marcus and Dom gaze out into the Locust-decimated ruins of the city – a callback to the profound emotional depth of the landmark 2006 commercial. Unlike typical video game promotions of its time, this ad stood out by portraying its hero as vulnerable and isolated, sharply contrasting with the over-the-top marketing norms of that era.  “Re-licensing the music was just the beginning,” Fawcette remarked. “The original Mad World commercial resonates because it portrayed a heroism rooted in vulnerability, not invincibility. We wanted to explore all the elements that made that ad memorable and impactful.” This reflection shaped the approach, ensuring the trailer did more than just evoke nostalgia. “Our goal was to explore and reinvigorate the foundational ideas of the series.”  As Marcus teeters on the edge in a fierce close-quarters battle with the Locust, he swiftly outsmarts the Drone by planting the Lancer into the wall, disengaging the bayonet and downing his foe with a kill shot. He takes a moment to recuperate, before plummeting through the floorboards to what would presumably be his death at the behest of a giant emergence hole. We’ve not seen E-Holes since Gears of War: Judgement and watching this cavernous void swallow up an entire building with ease is particularly terrifying. However, in this moment, we see the reveal of a young Dom Santiago reaching out to help him up, and for longtime fans, it’s an emotional homecoming like no other.   The Beginnings of Brotherhood   This story is of course, told from the perspectives of a much younger Marcus and Dom. While the pair are seasoned veterans of the Pendulum Wars (the human conflict taking place before the series begins), this is a wholly new threat for the pair to navigate: “The best Gears games have these super emotional themes around shared burden, belonging, trust and loyalty, and Marcus and Dom have a really interesting relationship going into E-Day ,” Searcy says.    To give some background context leading into the story of E-Day , Marcus and Dom are connected through Dom’s older brother, Carlos, who died on the battlefield with Marcus. The pair were best friends, so Marcus and Dom are in the early stages of forming a kinship over a shared loss and navigating those emotions together.   “We’re telling the origin story of Marcus and Dom and their bond… this is the bond that defines the franchise,” Searcy adds. “They’re not the characters we know from Gears 1 to 3 . They don’t have 10 years of fighting the Locust between them. When the game opens, there’s supposed to be peace on Sera, and they’re trying to figure out life without this person they both loved.”   “People are going to see the formation of this brotherhood that is so iconic to Gears.”   Dealing with the new Locust threat becomes the more pressing concern for the two friends over the course of E-Day , but those emotional beats will still course through the story as you play. Fawcette says this is particularly exciting:   “They are a lot more vulnerable, and I think that’s a really modern take on those two characters,” Fawcette explains. “There’s a weight they carry between them, and that creates a really interesting tension as they navigate their own relationship.   “You have this intimate story set amid this wider backdrop of what’s happening on this apocalyptic day. I think, for fans, it’ll be really compelling to dig deep and explore their bond and how it changes over time.”   From The Ground Up    Key to The Coalition’s vision is that, in another nod to the original game, E-Day won’t just be a marvel of gameplay and storytelling – but of technology, too. Game development has come a long way since the first Gears of War game and The Coalition, equipped with Unreal Engine 5, is prepared to take full advantage of this evolution to set new standards in technical prowess.   When the original Gears of War launched, its “Mad World” trailer was nothing short of a revelation. Rendered entirely in-engine, it set a new benchmark for what gamers could expect directly from their gameplay experience—a rarity at a time when the chasm between cinematic trailers and actual game graphics was notably wide. Epic Games’ use of their own Unreal Engine not only showcased their confidence in the game’s visual and performance capabilities but also boldly declared the engine’s power.   The Coalition is honoring this legacy with the Gears of War: E-Day reveal trailer, powered by Unreal Engine 5.   “With the advancements in Unreal Engine 5, the leap in technical capabilities is tremendous,” explains Kate Rayner, Studio Technical Director at The Coalition. This includes over 100 times more environment and character details than Gears 5 , hardware raytraced lighting, reflections and shadows, next generation destruction and gore, and cutting-edge animation technology, to name just a few of the countless improvements that will make Gears of War: E-Day an unrivalled visual experience.   “Our ambition is to, once again, set a new standard in technical excellence,” Rayner adds. “We have fully modernized Gears from the ground up, infusing the DNA of Gears with the full capabilities of modern gaming technology. Every character, environment, and animation in ‘ Gears of War: E-Day ‘ has been completely rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, allowing us to portray the Gears universe with unprecedented detail and fidelity.”   “The original ‘Mad World’ trailer made a real statement by using in-engine footage. We’re pushing that even further with Unreal Engine 5,” Rayner continues. “Our goal with the announcement trailer was to highlight our commitment to pushing the boundaries of both storytelling and technology in gaming.”  Fawcette adds: “When you look at Marcus and Dom from the original games, they’re big beefy tanks, exaggerated in their design. As you’ve seen in the trailer, you can see how these guys have really come to life as human characters [in E-Day].”   The Future of Gears      Of course, this isn’t the end of other ongoing stories in the Gears series – the team is content with the stories told in Gears 4 and Gears 5 and is by no means abandoning them, but the collective passion for such an iconic origin story was simply too great to ignore. The story of E-Day and the origins of Marcus and Dom are such powerful, pivotal events that The Coalition couldn’t wait to tell it.    “We’re super proud about Gears 4 and Gears 5 and the stories that were told,” Fawcette adds. “We’re not retreating from that storyline in any way. But in [this] moment, we had an opportunity to write our next step, and this one just felt too good to miss.”   It’s also important to note that E-Day is not a spin-off, it’s a completely new entry to the mainline series, set earlier in the timeline. The events of the game not only serve as an exciting origin tale of two beloved characters, but it also adds detail and context to this period that will resonate through stories that will follow. In E-day, the Locust are not foes that our characters are accustomed to fighting. They are mysterious, formidable and overwhelming – an unforeseen horror that Marcus, Dom, and the rest of Sera must learn to deal with before it’s too late. Everything that happens in E-Day will shape the future of Gears of War for the better.   This is the Gears of War story you’ve always wanted to hear, and it’s going to be incredible. To keep up to date with ongoing news about Gears of War: E-Day, follow @GearsofWar on X.    Services & Software Apple's WWDC Presentation Changed My Mind About iOS 18. Here's Why I have questions about some features, but otherwise I'm looking forward to the OS. Apple software beta tester, "Helps make our computers and phones work!" - Zach's grandparents Before Apple announced iOS 18 on Monday at their Worldwide Developers Conference , I wasn't looking forward to the next iPhone operating system. I've tested dozens of iOS versions and numerous features , but the rumored iOS 18 features didn't spark excitement for me. Leaks pointed to the implementation of generative artificial intelligence, which made me dread the OS. I hoped I was wrong about iOS 18 -- that it would offer some useful new features people have been asking for -- and it appears my wish came true. Apple mentioned a few new features that I didn't find compelling, or even necessary, because you could already do some of these things. But overall, when Apple's iOS 18 presentation was over, I was impressed. I'm looking forward to the operating system's fall release, because I'm sure I'll use some of these changes for years to come. More from WWDC WWDC 2024: Everything Apple Announced WWDC 2024 Live Blog: iOS 18, AI, Siri and More Apple Intelligence Brings New iPhone Features, ChatGPT Integration Here are some iOS 18 features from the presentation that I'm looking forward to -- and a few I probably won't use much. Home and lock screen customization Thank you, Apple, but also, it's about time. I've wanted both of these options for a while, and I wasn't anticipating getting them simultaneously. I've always felt weird about setting my wife or dog as my background just to have the Instagram or Spotify icons plastered over their faces. I've grouped apps in folders and hidden some icons in the App Library so they wouldn't obstruct my background. But with iOS 18, I won't run into that issue, because I can arrange my icons around my background. I've also wanted to change my lock screen's functions since Android introduced this ability in 2023 . I don't need a camera function on my lock screen when I can just swipe right to access my camera. And I really don't need my flashlight to turn on when I put my phone in my pocket. It wasn't clear what functions would be available for the lock screen, but I'd probably get more use out of Quick Notes. Control Center gives you more… control Control Center is an iPhone feature that I would best describe as wonky. It feels crammed with controls I don't necessarily need, and I can't remove or adjust them. Adding controls is cumbersome and just makes the feature feel even more bloated. But when Apple showed how iOS 18 lets you customize your Control Center layout and gives you additional Control Center screens, I was excited. I'll be able to take the bloat from Control Center and spread it out across multiple screens. Easily adding controls also makes this a feature I'll likely get more use out of moving forward instead of throwing my hands up in frustration. Along with the home and lock screen, it feels like Apple is finally listening to people's desires to customize their iPhone's display features to better suit their needs and wants. I'm so excited for these Messages upgrades I didn't think I'd be thrilled for new and different ways of sending messages to people, but here we are. Apple announced that iOS 18 will let you schedule messages to send later, add text effects to emphasize words or phrases, and it'll upgrade your Tapbacks -- Apple's version of Reactions. It's like Apple read my mind about what I wanted in Messages and then sprinkled in a little more.  First, scheduling messages for later has been at the top of my wish list for years. I've done shift work and had an unusual sleep schedule for over a decade, so while most people are wide awake at 7 p.m. I'm in bed, and vice versa for 4 a.m. I don't want to wake people up with messages, and I appreciate when people show me the same courtesy. Next, I didn't know I wanted text effects, but I really do. I have a lot of feelings and am easily excitable, and I want to make sure that comes across in my messages. I want to bold and italicize words to emphasize things. I want emojis to nod on screen to show my enthusiasm for something. And most of all, I want the person on the other end of my messages to feel how excited I am for something and sometimes caps lock JUST DOESN'T DO THE TRICK. Finally, I welcome more Tapbacks. The six current reactions -- heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, "Haha," exclamation points and question mark -- can be confusing for some people or signal the end of a chat for others. You can use stickers to access the full range of emojis to react to messages, but the sticker would usually block part of the message. More reactions will hopefully help communicate a person's emotions quickly and succinctly and not leave as much up for interpretation. There was also a short mention of RCS coming to iPhones. I know a lot of people are excited about the feature, but personally I'm indifferent to it. My messages go through without RCS. I know a lot of Android users are happy about this change, but I could have gone another five years without it on my iPhone, and I probably wouldn't have noticed.  State of mind in Journal Your iPhone's Journal app gets a few upgrades with iOS 18. I regularly journal, and it wasn't until Apple's mention yesterday of this new feature in the Journal app that I realized I only really recount what I did during the day. My entries are mostly a way to remember what I did. But rarely have I ever delved into how I felt during those moments I'm writing about. So I'm excited about this Journal upgrade that allows me to more meaningfully reflect on my own mental state by asking me how I'm feeling. Yeah, it's not the most flashy or intuitive in any way, but I'm hoping it will help me keep track of my internal and external well-being. Game Mode was a welcome surprise Over the past couple of years, I've started gaming more and more on my iPhone 14 Pro . Subscriptions to Apple Arcade and Netflix Games , as well as connecting my Xbox controller to my iPhone, have made this transition to mobile gaming easy. With Game Mode, background activity is minimized, which means I can hopefully play a little longer without fear of my iPhone dying or my game being interrupted by a slew of notifications. That also means better frame rates and lower latency for Bluetooth connected devices, like controllers, all of which should make gaming smoother on my iPhone. I'm not going to say your iPhone will be your new favorite gaming console, but it could be a great travel companion if you want to game on the go but don't have extra room for a Switch, Steamdeck or other handheld console. iOS 18 features I probably won't use much There were a bunch of features Apple announced at WWDC that I don't think I'll get a whole lot of use out of, but others might.  New app privacy features Keeping apps off your home screen feels redundant since you can already remove apps from your home screen and find them in your App Library . Locking your apps could provide an extra layer of security in case your iPhone gets stolen, but having to unlock your phone and then your apps might feel cumbersome. I could also see locking apps being useful for people with children who want to keep their kids out of certain apps, but then we wouldn't get those fun videos of babies running around with their parent's phone, and I'm not willing to give up those national treasures. More Mail categories I see the utility in having separate categories for your emails to keep newsletters, ads and other messages neatly organized, but I don't get enough emails on a daily basis to make this a big deal for me. I could see this being useful for someone with a work phone, though. Topographic maps in Maps If I were a hiker, or lived in a hilly region, I'd probably be more excited about this. But the extent of my hiking experience is walking trails in Gatlinburg, Tennessee every few years, and my neighborhood is flat. Yeah, hiking is fun every now and then, but I like my home. It's where my things are. Tap to Cash This makes me nervous because what happens if someone takes my iPhone and quickly sends themselves money from my Apple Cash? It's unclear what kind of safeguards will be in place to prevent someone from doing this, but hopefully Apple's thought of this and is ahead of me. Revamped Photos app I don't take enough photos for this to affect me, but I'm also unsure if this was necessary. People can already create their own albums, the Photos app already creates memories around things like events and places you visit, and the app already organizes photos based on days, months and years. While Apple said it redesigned and retooled the app, it sounds like the company just rebranded the app's features. Apple Intelligence I have no desire to use any of these features outside of trying them once to see what they do. Creating Genmojis sounds like a novelty. I don't use Siri regularly nor do I anticipate using it more in the future, and why would I want my iPhone to summarize messages or generate a message to send? If my line of work didn't give it away, I like reading and writing. iOS 18 can't get here soon enough Despite not being thrilled by some of iOS 18's new features, I'm still counting down the days until its release in the fall. And I'm so excited for it because it upgrades the things I use regularly, and I can see myself using those new features for a long time.  I'm always looking at my home or lock screen, so being able to customize it -- while not novel -- will give me more of a sense of ownership over my iPhone. I use Messages almost every day, and it sounds like the upgrades to the app will positively impact the way I communicate with others. Even Game Mode is a welcome addition for my iPhone as I rely on it more for gaming. And while I don't regularly use some of the features being upgraded in iOS 18, others will likely enjoy those features and upgrades and get plenty of use out of them. Here's hoping iOS 18 lives up to the hype. For more on Apple, you can check out everything the company announced at WWDC 2024 , all the features in iOS 18 and how to download the iOS 18 developer beta now. Services and Software Guides Best iPhone VPN Best Free VPN Best Android VPN Best Mac VPN Best Mobile VPN Best VPN for Firestick Best VPN for Windows Fastest VPN Best Cheap VPN Best Password Manager Best Antivirus Best Identity Theft Protection Best LastPass Alternative Best Live TV Streaming Service Best Streaming Service Best Free TV Streaming Service Best Music Streaming Services Best Web Hosting Best Minecraft Server Hosting Best Website Builder Best Dating Sites Best Language Learning Apps Best Weather App Best Stargazing Apps Best Cloud Storage Best Resume Writing Services New Coverage on Operating Systems We Inspire the World to Play Press Release Details Nothing hits like ea sports™ madden nfl 25 with all-new boom tech gameplay. BOOM Tech’s Physics-Based Tackling System Brings True-to-Life Motion & Physical Outcomes to Madden NFL 25 Gameplay on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC Pre-Order* Now to Get Early Access to Madden NFL 25 and its Refreshed Presentation, Rebuilt Franchise Experience,** and Much More REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and EA SPORTS™ today revealed EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 25 with experiences on PlayStation®5, XBOX Series X|S and PC that ensure nothing hits like Madden NFL 25 when it launches worldwide on August 16. The newest iteration of FieldSENSE™ and all-new BOOM Tech** – a dynamic physics-based tackling system that unlocks the reengineered Hit Stick and a new level of ball carrier control – allows players to dominate the gridiron like a bonafide NFL superstar. Completely revamped visuals and presentation on PS5®, XBOX Series X|S and PC, including two additional commentary teams, deliver new levels of NFL authenticity and immersion through every mode of play, and players will receive more post-launch live service updates across the game than ever before. Players can experience all-new BOOM Tech when Madden NFL 25 launches worldwide on August 16. (Photo: Business Wire) “It’s been incredibly rewarding to grow the Madden NFL experience alongside our players the past two years, and we’re excited to deliver even more of the control, depth and immersion they’re looking for in Madden NFL 25 ,” said Mike Mahar, Senior Production Director, Madden NFL . “BOOM Tech has been multiple years in the making and represents the most impactful FieldSENSE improvement yet, and combined with a new audio and visual experience across the game plus deepened modes and increased customization, Madden NFL 25 will look, feel and sound different.” Madden NFL 25 gameplay on PS5®, Xbox Series X|S, and PC brings new levels of control to players through FieldSENSE™ upgrades powered by BOOM Tech, plus signature styles and new mechanics with ball carriers, catching and pre-play, and a focus on football fundamentals within blocking, playbooks, and more: Physics-Based Tackling : Cut loose and attack the ball with powerful Hit Sticks, Cut Sticks, trucks, dives, and stiff arms with more control and realism than ever. A new data-driven physics system considers timing, momentum, weight, speed, strength, and player ratings to inform 1-on-1 ball carrier impact for a wider variety of explosive and authentic physical outcomes. Reloaded Hit Stick: Bring power in every phase of the game. The re-engineered Hit Stick uses a timing-based mechanic to provide more control determined by your angle of impact, stick skill, and accuracy for cut sticks, big hits, and trucks, with more realistic physical movements and results. Ball Carrier Control: Run the rock with unparalleled confidence and command with the new Ball Carrier Balance and Recovery System. Feel the impact of every hit and experience the thrill of breaking tackles like never before with more realistic and dynamic ball carrier experience. Absorb big hits, regain your balance, and continue the drive, all based on the intensity of the collision and the ratings of the players involved. Foundational Football: The latest additions to FieldSENSE™ deliver increased authenticity in all three phases of the game – offense, defense, and special teams – to celebrate and reward fans' love of the NFL. New team-specific plays from some of the NFL's most innovative play-callers bring enhanced strategy and gameplay variety, including the new NFL hybrid kickoff. Signature pre- and post-snap animations deliver a new level of immersion, and all-new skill-mechanics for ball carriers, receivers, and defenders provide players with ultimate control across the field. A new era kicks off in Madden NFL 25 with a refreshed, deepened feature set that brings players closer to NFL action than ever before, and live game modes provide engaging ways for all football fans to play throughout the year. Just some of the enhancements on PS5®, Xbox Series X|S and PC include: Presentation: Play by play never sounded so good with two additional commentary teams – Mike Tirico & Greg Olsen, and Kate Scott & Brock Huard – across the game plus fresh pregame montages, camera angles, environments, Super Bowl celebrations, and immersive audio that looks, feels, and sounds different at every level. Franchise: Recharged Franchise mode provides a rebuilt NFL Draft night experience featuring Roger Goodell, a redesigned Franchise Central that delivers dynamic storylines and strategic insights, and more ways to customize your team and season on the Team Builder website. Superstar Mode: Customize your avatar with new archetypes, faces, hair, tattoos, and more. Utilize new Combine drills to grow your avatar, then dominate The League, show off in Showdown, and collect rewards in year-round live events and dynamic seasonal experiences. Ultimate Team™: Build the ultimate roster with more customization options that simplify lineup adjustments and include new challenge types, Solo Seasons, and fresh playbook content every update. Collect rewards with refreshed content all year long, and experience new ways to play including events that feature a 6v6 arcade-like experience. Online H2H : Climb redesigned leaderboards by playing competitive seasons and mastering the new ranked structure in head-to-head divisions. Progress through divisions to gauge success; only the best of the best will qualify for a spot in the elite Top 100 division (on PS5®, Xbox Series X|S and PC). Fans who pre-order the Madden NFL 25 Deluxe Edition * today will receive a number of perks including 3-day early access, 4600 Madden Points, and much more, while the EA SPORTS™ MVP Bundle † on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S includes the deluxe editions of EA SPORTS™ College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25, with 3-day early access and a multitude of additional benefits across both titles when you pre-order. EA Play ‡ members will get a 10-hour Early Access Trial starting August 13. EA Play Pro members will enjoy unlimited access to the EA Play Pro Edition* of the game, and get up to 6,000 Madden Points, Player and Strategy Items and more. All EA Play members can score rewards such as monthly Ultimate Team™ Packs, as well as receive 10% off Electronic Arts digital content including game downloads, Season Passes, and DLC for certain titles. More Madden NFL 25 details will be unveiled in the coming weeks so stay tuned to the Madden NFL website and social media pages ( Instagram , Twitter , TikTok and YouTube ) for the latest news and announcements. *Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/games/madden-nfl/madden-nfl-25/game-disclaimers for details. **BOOM Tech, FieldSENSE™, Superstar mode, and updated features described here only available on PS5®, Xbox Series X|S and PC versions. †Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/games/ea-sports-football-bundle/disclaimers for details. ‡Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. See EA Play Terms for details. For Madden NFL 25 assets, visit: EAPressPortal.com . Madden NFL 25 is developed in Orlando, Florida and Madrid, Spain by EA SPORTS and will be available worldwide August 16 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, PlayStation®4, PC via EA app for Windows, Steam® and Epic Games Store. About Electronic Arts Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers. In fiscal year 2024, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FC™, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and EA SPORTS F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news . EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS FC, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Titanfall, and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. Category: EA Sports Nathan Edwards PR Manager [email protected] Investor Contact --> Andrew Uerkwitz, Vice President, Investor Relations Electronic Arts 209 Redwood Shores Parkway Redwood City, CA 94065 [email protected] Quick Links Quarterly Earnings Calendar and Events SEC Filings Annual Reports 2023 Impact Report Stockholder Outreach Email Alerts To opt-in for investor email alerts, please enter your email address in the field below and select at least one alert option. After submitting your request, you will receive an activation email to the requested email address. You must click the activation link in order to complete your subscription. You can sign up for additional alert options at any time. At Electronic Arts Inc., we promise to treat your data with respect and will not share your information with any third party. You can unsubscribe to any of the investor alerts you are subscribed to by visiting the ‘unsubscribe’ section below. If you experience any issues with this process, please contact us for further assistance. By providing your email address below, you are providing consent to Electronic Arts Inc. to send you the requested Investor Email Alert updates. * * Email Alert Sign Up Confirmation Online Service Updates User Agreement Privacy and Cookie Policy (Your Privacy Rights) 173 COMMENTS 8 Types of Presentations You Should Know [+Examples & Tips] CREATE THIS PRESENTATION. 2. Persuasive presentation. If you've ever been swayed by a passionate speaker armed with compelling arguments, you've experienced a persuasive presentation . This type of presentation is like a verbal tug-of-war, aiming to convince the audience to see things from a specific perspective. The 8 Types of Presentation Styles: Which Category Do You Fall Into? 3. Instructor Style. What it is: This presentation style allows you to deliver complex messages using figures of speech, metaphors, and lots of content -- just like your teachers and professors of old. Your decks should be built in logical order to aid your presentation, and you should use high-impact visuals to support your ideas and keep the audience engaged. The 6 types of presentation (And why you need them) In this article, we will take a look at 6 such types of presentations and when and why you need them. 1. Informative Presentations. This is the most common type of presentation, be it in an educational setting or business or corporate setting. 15 Essential Presentation Techniques for Winning Over Any Audience Keep it simple: One idea per slide keeps confusion at bay and attention locked in. Use bullet points: Break down your points so your audience can track. Pick a font size: Generally speaking, bigger is better. Use color: Harness colors that pop without blinding anyone; contrast is key. How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide] Apply the 10-20-30 rule. Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it! 9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule. Simplicity is key. What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them) Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images. You'll make presentations at various ... Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills This is not surprising. Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way. For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget ... Discover different types of presentations Pitch presentation examples. The Elevator Pitch Prezi is a good example of a pitch presentation. The presentation starts by stating the problem and then providing a solution, ending with a call to action - which is great for persuading potential investors. Discover more good sales pitch examples in this article. What is a 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 ... How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there. Follow these steps: Signal that it's nearly the end of your presentation, for example, "As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…". Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation - "In this speech I wanted to compare…". 5. 7 Types of Presentations You Should Be Using Right Now ... Quick Read. Using different types of presentations helps you to adapt to different settings, improves audience interest and response, enhances the quality of presentations and increases the likelihood of recognition and promotion. The different types of presentations include; Educational, Instructional, Motivational, Persuasive and Problem ... PDF Fregean Senses, Modes of Presentation, and Concepts theory of modes of presentation.4 Despite this absence of theory, Forbes introduces ([1987], 8; and [1990], 548) the variablesα,β,...to range over senses and uses the uninterpreted notation αˆ F to indicate that α is a mode of presentation which has somehow combined with the sense of the predicate 'F' to form a complex sense or Fregean ... Deciding the Presentation Method You will probably find that deciding on the presentation method means that you need to change or amend your presentation. For example, if you want to include some audience participation, you will need to include that in your slides, otherwise, you might well forget in the heat of the moment. Fortunately, revisiting your presentation in light of ... Presentations considering your purpose and audience Presentation on the research done within your school/discipline, to a group of visiting academics. Photo by Product School on Unsplash. This is an informative presentation to a group of experts ... What is Presentation? Definition, Parts and Factors 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. 84 Types of Conference Presentations Poster Presentation: This is a less formal opportunity to share your work in a visual format. We discuss this in greater depth later in the chapter. Panel Presentation: This is where multiple speakers present their perspective on a common issue usually for 60 to 90 minutes. While many students prefer to present posters or shorter oral ... 6 Most Effective Presentation Styles involves using images, graphs, charts and other visuals to complement the speech. 2. Storytelling. involves using stories, anecdotes and experiences to connect with the audience. 3. Connector. involves frequent interaction via QnA's and feedbacks to connect with the audience. 10+ Types of Effective Presentation Styles (Top Methods for 2024) Here are more than ten common different effective presentation styles: 1. Visual Presentation Style. The visual style is great for anyone who wants to use your presentation to complement the main points of your speech. This visual presentation technique is perfect for people who have many important talking points. Memory-based modes of presentation A dynamic mode of presentation is a complex mode of presentation involving several epistemically rewarding relations to the reference successively (in contrast to composite modes of presentation, which involve several epistemically rewarding relations simultaneously). I show how this idea can be cashed out in the mental file framework, and how ... Four Methods for Delivering Oral Presentations Memorization. The memorization method is a form of speech delivery that involves fully memorizing a speech, from start to finish, before delivering it. This method of delivery allows a speaker to move around the stage or platform and maintain eye contact with the audience without relying on a script or notes. MODE OF PRESENTATION collocation Examples of MODE OF PRESENTATION in a sentence, how to use it. 18 examples: Familiarity with the music or with the mode of presentation is also important. - Objectively, it… language Mode of presentation: (Darstellungsart) There are two modes of presentation to be found in pieces of literature: the panoramic and the scenic modes. The panoramic mode is employed when the author summarizes several events, whereas scenic mode is used when the author describes scenes in great detail. Modes of Presentation: 1) Extemporaneous 2) Manuscript 3) Impromptu 4 Modes of Presentation - Free download as Powerpoint Presentation (.ppt), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or view presentation slides online. This document discusses different modes of presentation including extemporaneous, impromptu, manuscript, and memorization. It provides details on each mode such as extemporaneous involves little preparation while impromptu is more "spur of the moment." Share slides in Microsoft Teams meetings with PowerPoint Live Present your slides. If you're already in a Teams meeting, select Share and then under the PowerPoint Live section, choose the PowerPoint file you're wanting to present. If you don't see the file in the list, select Browse OneDrive or Browse my computer. If your presentation is already open in PowerPoint for Windows or Mac, go to the file ... Reinventing A Mad World: Why Gears of War: E-Day Represents the Future Speaking to Creative Director Matt Searcy and Brand Director Nicole Fawcette, I find that the vibe inside The Coalition is ecstatic - the team is absolutely thrilled to finally be sharing E-Day with the world. Over the last few years, the studio has remained purposefully quiet but continuously busy, wrapping up Gears 5, shipping its Hivebusters DLC and Gears Tactics, all the while adapting ... Apple's WWDC Presentation Changed My Mind About iOS 18. Here's Why With Game Mode, background activity is minimized, which means I can hopefully play a little longer without fear of my iPhone dying or my game being interrupted by a slew of notifications. Viewing PDFs and viewing preferences, Adobe Acrobat In Full Screen mode, only the document appears; the menu bar, toolbars, task panes, and window controls are hidden. A PDF creator can set a PDF to open in Full Screen mode, or you can set the view yourself. Full Screen mode is often used for presentations, sometimes with automatic page advancement and transitions.. The pointer remains active in Full Screen mode so that you can select links and ... WELCOME TO MADDEN NFL 25 Live Game Modes. Whether you like to team up with friends, go solo, or take on the best competition, there is a Madden NFL mode for you. Last season, the addition of Crossplay made these modes even more accessible. With the addition of Crossplay to Franchise last holiday season, all the top modes are now compatible in Madden NFL 25. Electronic Arts Inc. Completely revamped visuals and presentation on PS5®, XBOX Series X|S and PC, including two additional commentary teams, deliver new levels of NFL authenticity and immersion through every mode of play, and players will receive more post-launch live service updates across the game than ever before. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech study thesis