Creating an effective PowerPoint presentation on a controversial topic isn’t easy. Your presentation will be seen by people who don’t share your views and some might even be passionate about the opposite point of view. You need a strategy to effectively get your point across.
To consider your presentation effective, you don’t need to convert everyone to your perspective. Some people might be persuaded in the moment, but others won’t be easy to sway. To successfully reach the people that can’t be swayed, you only need to communicate your position so it’s understood.
Regardless of your topic, here are some strategies for effectively presenting a controversial issue:
- Don’t create controversy just to stir the pot
Your presentation needs a clearly defined goal. What do you want to accomplish? Are you trying to persuade people to believe in certain ideals? Do you just want to educate your audience? Are you working for a cause you’re passionate about and want to gather support? Define your end goal before creating your first slide. Avoid creating controversy just to rile people up.
Controversial presentations intended to cause a stir aren’t effective and you might even get in trouble. For instance, in 2017, first-year members of Dartmouth’s women’s swimming team were hazed and instructed to create sexually provocative PowerPoint presentations. The whole team got suspended for three meets. There was no purpose to their presentations.
On the other hand, a faculty senate member from the University of Houston created a controversial and upsetting PowerPoint slide advising professors to drop certain controversial topics from their curriculum. The slide suggested armed students might get angry and shoot them.
The slide was a response to the passing of bill SB 11, which requires public colleges to allow students and faculty with conceal carry permits to carry on campus. The slide was highly controversial, but the creator, Jonathan Snow, said the intention was to “encapsulate the danger to academic freedom posed by the new [Texas] law.”
Know the difference between using controversy to stir the pot and using controversy to share an important message. And if you need a biology tutor, there are plenty of great resources.
- Master the basics of PowerPoint first
Controversial topics like politics and religion can put people in a state of agitation, and while you can’t make everyone understand or agree with you, you can create a presentation that leaves people with opposing views feeling respected. It all begins with creating a visually appealing, professional presentation.
Your presentation slides should be simple, clean, and clear. The typography should be simple, readable, and elegant when appropriate. The style of your presentation will directly affect your credibility, and you need credibility when presenting a controversial topic.
Professionally crafted PowerPoint slides create a sense of calm. Avoid cluttered slides, bright colors, and other elements that will only serve as a distraction. There is a definite strategy to creating effective slides for any topic. No matter how long you’ve been using PowerPoint, if you haven’t taken an official course to learn from the pros, you’re missing out. PowerPoint seems easy once you learn the basic controls, but a course from Nuts and Bolts Speed Training will teach you the strategies to create presentations quickly with slides that are easy to update and manage in the future.
- Stick to the facts and clearly label your opinions
Effectively communicating on a controversial topic isn’t difficult, but it does require a commitment to sticking to the facts. Start by presenting as much information as possible – data, scientific studies, and even anecdotal experiences are all great ways to support your argument.
When presenting your opinions, make sure you clearly state they are your opinions. Explain how you arrived at your conclusion, but don’t present opinions as facts.
Also, avoid demeaning opposing views at all costs. You’ll lose attention and credibility.
- Open up a discussion
After you’ve presented a controversial topic, it’s important to open up the floor to have a discussion. Chances are, you’ve ruffled some feathers and others may have questions. You can’t leave people hanging with a need to express themselves and no outlet. They’ll feel suppressed and incomplete with the topic.
- Challenge opposing views, but don’t dismiss people
When you’re passionate about your position, it’s hard to listen to arguments in direct opposition to your views. However, you (and your position) will be seen as rational if you simply challenge ideas rather than dismissing people.
To pick up more tips on how to challenge ideas rather than people, check out these Guidelines for discussing controversial topics published by the University of Michigan. The tips are aimed toward students but apply universally.
Aim to make people think
You can’t change everyone’s mind with a single presentation. However, the right strategy will get people to think about your position instead of dismissing you all together.
