EXCEL COMMUNICATION CENTER
THE SCRAP METHOD: A GUIDE TO CREATING
ELECTRONIC PRESENTATION SUCH AS
POWERPOINT AND PREZI
Most of us are familiar with the technology used to create PowerPoint and Prezi electronic
presentations, but does that mean we know how to effectively create these presentations ourselves
using this technology? The SCRAP method focuses on basic design principles and applies them to
the creation of visual aids. The SCRAP method is easy to use and understand and will help you
create more professional and engaging
visual aids.
S
-
SIMPLICITY
This letter of the SCRAP acronym tells us to keep things simple. Slides that are overloaded with
text, clip art, colors, sounds, and/or movement are a distraction to the audience and can
decrease the overall effectiveness of the presentation. Here are some basic principles to guide
you in simplifying your PowerPoint/Prezi slides:
• Limit the amount of text you include on a single slide. The more words a speaker puts on
a slide, the more the audience’s attention is directed to reading the text instead of
listening to the speaker. If the speaker must include bullet points, they should use
keywords
instead of full sentences.
• A picture is worth a thousand words. Where possible, use images instead of text.
Photos and graphs may be a better way of communicating specific information than
bullet points. Images provide concrete references for your audience and keep them
engaged in the presentation.
• Avoid using animations, colors, and sound unless they serve a specific purpose
during the presentation. Again, these distract the
audience from the presentation.
• Less is more. Whether it’s images, graphs, or text, less is better. Too much of anything
can be overwhelming to an audience.
C-
CONTRAST
Contrast refers to “the differences that affect what viewers notice and what gives a design more
energy” (Morreale & Thorpe, 2013). Contrast can refer to any design element, such as color or text
font. Incorporating contrast into your slides can help an audience more quickly identify what
information is most important and where they should be directing their attention. Some basic
principles for contrast are:
• When selecting background colors and designs for slides, follow this simple rule: for a light
background, use dark text color. For a dark
background, use lighter text color.
• Avoid monochromatic colors (colors that are similar to each other) in images and text when
EXCEL COMMUNICATION CENTER
Revised/Updated: October 2017 Approved by: ENA
Adapted from: Allgood, E., & Ebersol, T. (Eds.). (2017). COMM 2100 public
speaking: A workbook for student success. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead Press.
designing your slides, as these tend to blend in with one another.
R-REPETITION
Repetition refers to reusing certain design elements throughout the entire PowerPoint or Prezi
slides. Font type, size, and orientation, color schemes, and spacing all help to create a cohesive look
to an electronic visual aid. Once you decide on a specific element, stick with it for the
entire
presentation.
A-ALIGNMENT
This technique involves the process of aligning text and images on the screen. Alignment is a
small detail that makes a big difference in the overall professionalism of your slides. Placement
of text and objects should look intentional, not as if they were just cut and pasted into a slide.
Some basic guidelines for using this technique are:
• If you use more than one photo on a slide, enlarge or shrink each photo so that they are
the same size on the screen.
• Align all text on a screen with itself; meaning, if there are multiple lines of text on a
slide, make sure they are indented the same
amount of space.
• Balance the amount of white or empty space when placing text and images on the slide.
P
-
PROXIMITY
The term proximity refers to how close together or far apart items are from one
another.
Proximity helps viewers determine what goes with what. When
designing your slides, grouping
information together or separating certain pieces of information from others can help an
audience determine what to pay attention to or the relationship between pieces
of information.
Resources:
Sherwyn P. Morreale & Janice G. Thorpe, (2013). Public speaking 3.0.
Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
