How to structure any presentation

No matter what your topic’s about, there are effective ways to set up your presentation structure. A well-delivered presentation is memorable, logical, and will impart your knowledge and expertise to your audience. And research backs this up: audiences retain information that’s in a properly structured presentation 40% more accurately than without an order. Learn how to structure your presentation and get the most out of presentation software, while making the most impact.

Why follow a structure?

The most compelling presentations follow a logical narrative. You begin with establishing a foundation, introducing your thesis statement, and then diving into your points.

Tell your story with captivating presentations

Powerpoint empowers you to develop well-designed content across all your devices

Learn more

If this structure seems familiar, that’s because it mimics the five-paragraph essay that uses the same narrative form, except in a written versus visual context.

“Whether it’s humorous, academic, or a little of both, it’s best to keep your title concise and therefore memorable: your subtitle can expand on more details.”

Start with an accurate, concise title

In your opening slide, your title, subtitle, and any other descriptions will introduce your topic to your audience. Whether it’s humorous, academic, or a little of both, it’s best to keep your title concise and therefore memorable; your subtitle can expand on more details.

If you choose, you can include a summary of your presentation as a preview of what your audience can expect and the points you aim to cover. This can touch on how long the presentation will last, what the audience will learn, and what anticipated questions you may be expecting. You can easily place this information into a table of contents in PowerPoint.

Introduce yourself to your audience

The first slides of your presentation should explain to the audience why you’re here, and why you’re the most qualified to explain this topic. Perhaps you had previously written persuasive papers on the subject or you’re the project lead on this role. A brief biographical statement with highlights to your career or expertise, punctuated by bullet points, will go a long way into touching upon your qualifications.

Bring the topic into the fold

Next, you’ll be introducing your topic to your audience—which will be an overview of the angles you’ll explore in this presentation. Discuss your thesis statement in the form of your presentation’s purpose: do you aim to refute a common misperception, or persuade the audience towards a certain way of thinking? Discuss the potential challenges to your thesis statement, and know that later in the presentation, you’ll be addressing these issues head-on in order to make your argument airtight.

State your argument in the main body

The main body of your presentation will be the bulk of your presentation, and you can make this section as long as it needs to be in order to get your point across to your audience. No matter what approach your presentation takes, it will consist of bullet points, images, and multimedia. Visual aids go a long way to helping your audience retain information, and PowerPoint makes it easy to insert images and videos into your slides.

Begin with statements that are short, memorable, and impactful. Then, back these up with facts and evidence from your research: The key to successful sourcing applies to essay research as well as presentations. Be sure to place enough separation between distinct ideas into their own slides, as too much information in one slide can become overwhelming and therefore more easily forgotten.

Sum everything up in your conclusion

To help your audience retain what they’ve learned, make sure to sum up all the key points of your presentation. Your conclusion should be brief and to the point. Make sure you don’t bring up any new information in your conclusion.

Be sure to answer questions

At the end of most presentations, there is time for questions and answers. Here, you can dive into detail with specific concerns your audience might have, while using this time as a chance to reflect your own expertise.

Be sure to budget enough time (approximately 5 to 10 minutes) for this portion, depending on the subject and response. Your audience will likely appreciate this chance of interaction, and by addressing any questions they might have, you can reinforce the merits of your presentation on a personal level.

Presentations might be difficult, but developing a well-structured presentation can impart confidence—which will be helpful in reducing the anxiety that comes with public speaking. For more tips on how to deliver a winning presentation, check out Microsoft 365.