​Step 1. Learn the key principles. 

1. Build your talk on messages (not topics). 
2. Support these messages with visual evidence (not bullet lists).
3. Explain this evidence by fashioning words on the spot. 

A talk built on key messages is more focused than a talk built on topics. Moreover, audiences understand visual evidence more readily than they do bullet lists. Third, a speaker who fashions sentences on the spot (after planning and practice) is much more engaging and appears much more confident than a speaker who reads bullet lists. Using these principles, the assertion-evidence structure makes your presentation more focused and better understood. In addition, you will project more confidence. For evidence of these claims, please see our research page.

Step 2. Download our template to create slides
​for an assertion-evidence talk.
Before opening our PowerPoint template on your computer, write down the main messages on your next talk (please note that a message is a complete sentence). The messages should tell a coherent and compelling story about your work. Use each message as a sentence headline for the slides. Support those headlines with visual evidence and place secondary details into the notes pages of the slides. At the end, critique your slides using the following checklist.

Step 3. To boost your confidence, practice delivering
​your assertion-evidence talk.
Because there are no bullet lists to read, the assertion-evidence structure demands more preparation from the presenter. In essence, you flesh out the story of your work by explaining the visual evidence. This increased role for you the speaker increases your credibility because rather than reading from the slide, you show ownership of the content. One tip is to use the notes page of each slide as a place for your speaking notes and reference citations. That way, you can distribute those notes pages as an effective handout. Another tip is to seek feedback on a practice run of the talk from a colleague.