Why you shouldn’t read from your PowerPoint slides

If you’re a presenter hopefully you already know that it’s a common mistake to pack slides full of words, and then read from your PowerPoint slides. It’s tempting to many to “need” all those words as a script. But if the audience can also read that script, then why are you there? Indeed, unless the audience is pre-school, it’s likely they can read for themselves. Reading to them can be seen as annoying and slightly insulting.

Should you read from your PowerPoint slides?

Well no. Of course not. Yet still “we all do it”. You see people read much faster than they speak, so when faced with a slide full of text, most of your audience will focus on speed-reading any text, essentially leaving you talking to yourself. Here’s the thing: People can’t read and listen at the same time.

When a person reads they will be listening to their own internal voice, and quickly too as we do read fast. So a presenter speaking the same text much more slowly, immediately becomes out of sync with the audience’s internal voice. End result: the presenter ends up being more of a distraction than a help.

Or, the audience doesn’t bother reading, because they assume it will be the same content that is spoken… Good for listening, but of course – if that happens, then why did you bother putting the text on the screen anyway?!

You could forgive people for thinking that receiving the message in two ways, on screen and verbally, will help to reinforce it, but actually the exact opposite is true. Visuals and a voice is a far stronger communication tool than reading text and listening.

Visuals trump all the senses for learning

Therefore, if you want the audience to understand and remember your words, present just one, short, clear statement per slide. And include a visual which explains and clarifies it. You and the audience should be able to read the statement in a matter of seconds. Then focus on attaining a deeper understanding through the visual and your spoken words. If you need notes to help you, no problem, but keep your notes to yourself, not on the screen.

Indeed, if you (cleverly) use the Notes Area in PowerPoint for additional information (instead of using the screen space) – then you will have an option to share that information in the Notes Area with the audience afterwards by printing the Notes View to PDF. These can be designed to look really professional as well. We have some examples of this – just ask!

Read this blog for further tips on how to reduce cognitive load in PowerPoint.

Or this article about dual channels and cognitive theory of multimedia learning.

So to sum up, the answer to “Should you read from your PowerPoint slides”  is 100% no.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why shouldn’t I read from my PowerPoint slides during a presentation?

Reading from your PowerPoint slides can be counterproductive because the audience can read much faster than you can speak. This often results in them speed-reading the text and losing attention to your spoken words. It can make you, as a presenter, seem redundant and even annoying, as people can’t effectively read and listen at the same time. Instead, use visuals and short, clear statements to support your spoken message.

How can I avoid the temptation to read from my PowerPoint slides?

To avoid reading from your PowerPoint slides, keep text to a minimum and use the Notes Area in PowerPoint for any additional information you might need. This way, you can have detailed notes for yourself without overwhelming your audience with text. Focus on creating slides with one short, clear statement and an accompanying visual that supports your spoken words, enhancing understanding and retention.

What should I do if I need a script or notes during my presentation?

If you need a script or notes, use the Notes Area in PowerPoint. This feature allows you to have detailed notes that only you can see during the presentation. After the presentation, you can share these notes with your audience by printing the Notes View to PDF, ensuring they receive all the information without distracting them during the talk.

Isn’t it helpful to present information both visually and verbally by reading from your PowerPoint slides?

Contrary to what might seem logical, presenting information both visually and verbally by reading from your PowerPoint slides is not helpful. It actually creates a cognitive overload, making it harder for the audience to process and retain information. People process visuals and spoken words more effectively than reading text while listening. Therefore, it’s better to use visuals to reinforce your spoken message rather than reading from your slides.