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The Advantages and Disadvantages of PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a quick and easy way to organize ideas and information, but can encourage the creation of presentations that lack substance.

Learning Objectives

Name the advantages and disadvantages of using PowerPoint

Key Takeaways

Key Points

• PowerPoint is regarded as the most useful, accessible way to create and present visual aids; others believe it has its own mind-set which forces presenters to spend countless hours thinking in PowerPoint and developing slides.
• Advantage—easy to create colorful, attractive designs using the standard templates and themes; easy to modify compared to other visual aids, such as charts, and easy to drag and drop slides to re-order presentation.
• Advantage—easy to present and maintain eye contact with a large audience by simply advancing the slides with a keystroke, eliminating the need for handouts to follow the message.
• Disadvantage—speakers create slides so they have something to present rather than outlining, organizing, and focusing on their message.
• Disadvantage—the linear nature of PowerPoint slides forces the presenter to reduce complex subjects to a set of bullet items which are too weak to support decision-making or show the complexity of an issue.
• Disadvantage—basic equipment required to present. You will need to have a computer and projection equipment in place to display the slides to the audience.

Key Terms

• PowerPoint: [noun] an electronic slide presentation created and presented using the program [verb] to communicate to [an audience] by electronic slides
• bullet points: Bulleted items – known as bullet points – may be short phrases, single sentences, or of paragraph length; used to introduce items in a list.

Advantages and Disadvantages of PowerPoint

PowerPoint—Advantage or Disadvantage for the Presenter?

PowerPoint is the most popular presentation software. It is regarded by many as the most useful and accessible way to create and present visual aids to the audience.

On the other hand, others believe it has created its own mind-set which forces presenters to spend countless hours thinking in PowerPoint and developing slides. A political party has even formed to ban PowerPoint in Switzerland. Depending on one’s perspective, it seems that many advantages could easily be viewed as disadvantages.

Using PowerPoint: When used correctly, PowerPoint is a helpful program for creating an engaging presentation.

Look over the list below to see where you stand—with or against PowerPoint.

Advantages

Design

• Quick and easy: the basic features are easy to master and can make you appear to be organized, even if you are not.
• Simple bullet points: it can reduce complicated messages to simple bullet points. Bullet points are a good basis for a presentation and remind the speaker of main points and the organization of the message.
• Easy to create a colorful, attractive design: using the standard templates and themes, you can create something visually appealing,even if you do not have much knowledge of basic graphic design principles.
• Easy to modify: when compared to other visual aids such as charts, posters, or objects, it is easy to modify.
• Easily re-order presentation: with a simple drag and drop or using key strokes, you can move slides to re-order the presentation.

Finally, PowerPoint is integrated with other products that allow you to include parts of documents, spread sheets, and graphics.

Delivery

• Audience Size: PowerPoint slides are generally easier to see by a large audience when projected than other visual aids.
• Easy to present: you can easily advance the slides in the presentation one after another with a simple key stroke while still maintaining eye contact with the audience.
• No need for Handouts: they look good visually and can be easily read if you have a projector and screen that is large enough for the entire room.

Disadvantages

Design

• Design power pointless: gives the illusion of content and coherence, when in fact there is really not much substance or connection between the different points on the slides.
• PowerPoint excess: some speakers create presentations so they have slides to present rather than outlining, organizing, and focusing on the message.
• Replaces planning and preparation: PowerPoint is a convenient prop for poor speakers, as it can reduce complicated messages to simple bullet points and elevates style over substance.
• Oversimplification of topic: the linear nature of PowerPoint forces the presenter to reduce complex subjects to a set of bullet items that are too weak to support decision-making or show the complexity of an issue.
• Feature abundance: while the basic features are easy to use and apply, a speaker can get carried away and try to use all the features at once rather than simply supporting a message. Too many flying letters, animations, and sound effects without seeing much original thought or analysis can be a real issue. In many cases, the medium shoves the message aside.

Delivery

• Basic equipment required: you will need to have a computer and projection equipment in place to display the slides to the audience.
• Focus on medium, not message: Too many people forget that they are making a presentation first and that PowerPoint is just a tool.

Argumentation and Persuasion

Argumentation and persuasion are rhetorical modes used to convince others of an opinion, belief, or the merits of a course of action.

Learning Objectives

Determine the purpose and structure of argumentation and persuasion.

Key Takeaways

Key Points

• Argumentation and persuasion are both used to convince others of an opinion, belief, or the merits of a course of action.
• Argumentation uses logic and objective support to convince the audience of the veracity of an argument.
• Persuasion appeals to the emotions of the audience to convince them of the inherent value of a stance.
• There are appropriate settings in which to use both argumentation and persuasion.
• The decision to use either argumentation or persuasion [or both] will guide the writer as to the writing process and the selection of primary literary tools.
• There is a generally accepted structure for a persuasive/argumentative essay that allows within it the opportunity for creative expression.

Key Terms

• logos: A method of convincing people through logic and reason.
• ethos: A method of convincing the reader/listenerthrough the credibility of the writer/speaker.
• pathos: A method of persuading others by creating an emotional response in them.

Why, Oh Why?

When we decide to put an opinion out there, we’re doing it for a reason. Usually, the reason is that we want people to agree with our perspective and even take up the cause themselves. This is where you give your audience the why: why your point makes sense, why your suggested course of action is the best, why other ideas are not as sound, and why your thesis should be tattooed over their heart. Well, okay, maybe that’s going a little far.

Tattoos aren’t a bad example, though. Someone or something had to be pretty inspiring or convincing to get them to emblazon a symbol permanently on their body.

How can you be that convincing? There are two major strategies for answering the “why” of your thesis: arguing through logic and convincing through emotion.

Argumentation

We can think of a constructed “argument” not so much as an adversarial endeavor, but a search for the truth of a matter. Just as Supreme Court justices are charged with listening to all evidence before coming to a conclusion that will best serve the Republic, you may assume that your reader is seeking the most reasonable perspective to take, based on all the facts.

Your job, then, as the writer of an argument, is to present the reader with the arguments and evidence supporting both [or all] perspectives and reason out why your thesis is the most logical conclusion. The tone of such writing is dispassionate and objective; reason is king.

A common mistake about writing argumentation is presenting only the arguments that support the opinion you want your audience to adopt. That approach is less effective, because the reader’s mind naturally jumps to logical objections and counter-arguments, and if those doubts are not addressed, the reader remains suspicious and therefore unconvinced. When you contend with all the potential objections, however, the reader’s mind is satisfied and he or she can rest comfortably in your conclusion.

Another common error in argumentation is presenting a weakened argument for opposing opinions, in hopes that a cursory glance at and dismissal of the counter-arguments will satisfy the readers’ doubts. Most readers will see through this strategy, though, and lose respect for both the writer and the argument as a result. You want your thesis to be strong enough to stand up to strict critical scrutiny and demonstrate that strength in your argument.

For these reasons, argumentation is a rigorous endeavor. You usually won’t even begin to formulate a thesis for such a paper until you’ve done extensive research, because you’ll want to be well-educated on the topic before coming to any conclusions yourself. The good news is that your process in deciding what you believe is fodder for informing your audience: once you’ve done the discovery, you can lead your readers on the path you yourself followed to the conclusion that feels natural to you. If your own search was thorough enough, and if you express it clearly, your audience will be more likely to agree with you, or at least to respect your opinion.

Consider an argument, then, a sincere effort to find the “truth,” or at least the best option for the situation in question.

Tools for Argumentation

The most effective tool in argumentation is solid support for each aspect of the argument. You will create an ethos of credibility to the extent your reader finds you trustworthy. To this end, you will need to consider both the effectiveness of the source for making your point [whether it is a quote, facts, or data ], as well as the reader’s perception of the source of that information.

• Reliable research has certain markers that make it credible. In a quantitative study, for example, sample size is important to ensure the data is truly representative. Data saturation is a key in qualitative research. An example of unreliable research would be the claim, “Voted best fish taco in the world three years in a row!” Who voted? The kitchen staff? Though you don’t have to be a researcher yourself to make quality arguments, you need to learn where to look to find studies that are, in fact, reliable. Which brings us to the next point.
• You’ll also need to assess the perceived reliability of the source. Studies funded by cigarette companies on the effects of cigarette smoke are less likely to find deleterious effects than studies commissioned by the National Institutes of Health, or at least we might logically assume that. You’ll want to avoid any appearance of bias, along with any actual bias. If your reader perceives your sources as objective and reliable, he or she will trust you and be willing to follow your argument to its conclusion.

Persuasion

If you’re less “Dr. Spock” and more “Captain Kirk,” though, you might be more inclined toward persuading your audience to believe as you do. We’ve all had friends who can talk us into almost anything. How do they do that? They get us in trouble by effectively prodding our emotions.

Your intentions, of course, will be noble, but the technique works either way.

Persuasive writing is about convincing the reader that your opinion is the one he or she should adopt. The focus is on the opinion itself, rather than any counter-arguments, and the reader is led [or lured] step by step to feel increasingly more comfortable with the thesis. The tone can be more aggressive and passionate than in argumentation, because the writer is appealing to the reader’s emotions, rather than to the logical mind.

You’re in a plane for the purpose of skydiving with your daredevil buddy, but you’ve never done it before and you are hesitant to jump. Your friend doesn’t discuss the possibility of your leg breaking or the chute not opening. No, instead your friend talks of the thrill you’ll feel as you soar through the air, the confidence it will give you to have done something so daring, and the bragging rights you’ll have once you’re on the ground. There might be a statistic or two thrown in about how few people get hurt skydiving, and there may even be a warning about what you’ll feel like if you don’t jump, but mostly your friend is there to inspire.

Naturally, you jump.

How does one translate such prodding into writing? It’s all about conviction and anticipation. Your friend intuited your objections, but rather than mentioning them, simply countered with an affirmation of the thesis [jumping out of airplanes is great]. The benefits of believing this way are going to make all counterarguments obsolete, so rather than entertain those, we’ll just keep stepping up the emotional pressure to embrace the thesis.

Tools for Persuasion

The most effective tools in persuasive writing are examples and sensory images.

• Examples [illustrative stories] help your reader identify with someone experiencing the plight you describe. Identification with another being is a powerful pull on the emotions. “The homeless man, finding the shelter closed once again due to overcrowding, casts his eyes to the bustling sidewalk, hoping someone, anyone, will catch his eye and offer help, even if it’s only the feeling of connection to another human being.”
• Sensory images, unlike logic, appeal to our emotional center. Reading or hearing how something looks, tastes, smells, sounds, or feels can create a visceral response in us. “He sighs and shuffles off to the tattered old refrigerator box that provides little insulation from the icy ground and reeks of the garbage piled inches from his face.”

Choose Your Method

You may have come to the conclusion that an argumentative essay is a more sophisticated way of getting someone to see a particular perspective. It’s true that the argument is usually considered the more formal writing style, but there are cases in which pathos may be more appropriate than logos. How do you know which to choose?

• Audience – Know to whom your words will be directed. Are your readers more likely to be swayed by peer-reviewed research or emotional appeals?
• Occasion – There’s something to be said for gauging the right time for facts and the appropriate time for conviction. Are you writing a State of the Union address, where you’re hoping the audience will leap to its feet with applause every few paragraphs, or are you explaining to your board of directors why your company should go public in six months?
• Purpose – Similarly, you’ll want to keep the end-game in mind. Asking your readers to take an immediate action might require a different approach than asking them to permanently alter their belief system.

Here is an example of the use of a persuasive piece of writing. Do you think it would have been more effective as a logical argument?

The Black Panther Party’s 1966 Ten Point Program outlined demands and beliefs that the organization believed would begin to repair some of the damage of slavery and racism in the United States. Here is #5 from the “What We Want Now!” section [note that even the exclamation point hints at the persuasive nature of the argument]:

“We want education for our people that exposes the true nature of this decadent American society. We want education that teaches us our true history and our role in the present day society.”

Over a decade earlier, Thurgood Marshall had presented a petition along the same lines to the Supreme Court, only he chose to use argumention:

Although he raised a variety of legal issues on appeal, the most common one was that separate school systems for blacks and whites were inherently unequal, and thus violate the “equal protection clause” of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Furthermore, relying on sociological tests, such as the one performed by social scientist Kenneth Clark, and other data, he also argued that segregated school systems had a tendency to make black children feel inferior to white children, and thus such a system should not be legally permissible.

Though both pleas relate to offering a stronger system of education for people of color, the context for each assertion was different. One had as an audience the general public; the other, at least initially, spoke to court justices. The occasion of arguing before the Supreme Court required Marshall to make a formal and objective case, whereas the Black Panthers were seeking a dramatic shift in the public perception of the status quo. Marshall’s purpose was to build an argument that would stand up to scrutiny for decades or even centuries to come, in any instance of societal segregation, and while the Black Panthers would likely have agreed with that goal, their immediate purpose was to lift the veil of white privilege.

You might notice, though, that there are elements of persuasive language in Marshall’s argument: he speaks of “a tendency to make black children feel inferior,” which hints at pathos. The reason we wouldn’t categorize it as such, though, is because he is citing sociological data: he is presenting this tendency as a fact, not trying to manipulate the court’s emotions.

Similarly, the organization of the Black Panthers’ Ten Point Program might seem akin to a logical argument, but the content of “What We Want Now!” is grounded in ideas of right and wrong, rather than objective data.

So, impassioned plea or reasoned argument, let’s look at the steps to creation.

Steps to Creating an Argument

1. Consider your topic. What are some questions that come up for you about this topic? What do you expect to find as you research it? How might people disagree about the topic?
2. Research the topic. Find out what’s being said about the topic on both or all sides of the issue. Look at the primary writers or speakers championing each perspective and allow yourself time to marinate in each of their ideas.
3. Choose the perspective you agree with. Having read material representing each general idea about the topic, you will likely find yourself agreeing with one or another. Formulate a preliminary thesis statement based on your conclusions.
4. Go back to the literature to support your thesis statement, but be open to changing it if more information comes to light.
5. Identify each counterargument, finding the most cogent resources for each, and make your best argument against these using the most applicable and reliable sources to support your perspective.
6. Organize your paper in a way that will most effectively anticipate the reader’s mental journey through the topic.

Steps to Persuasion

1. Search your feelings for a response to the topic. What kind of emotions come up around it? What is your initial gut reaction to a statement for and a statement against the topic?
2. Decide what you want to convince others about concerning this issue. What feels meaningful to you concerning this topic? Create a thesis statement that reflects this desire.
3. Outline an argument based on what you believe and feel, then dive into the literature to find out what others have had to say on the topic. You’ll want to look at objections to your opinion as well as supporting evidence in order to anticipate your reader’s thought process, even if you won’t be including all of these references in your paper.
4. Find or create stories and sensory imagery that will speak to the reader’s emotions.
5. Organize your paper in a way that puts increasing pressure on the reader’s emotions. Often, this means beginning with imagery that orients the reader to the situation and then intensifying the pathos as you go. Keep counterarguments in mind as well, as you attend to organization.

If you are combining the approaches, you’ll want to create your paper based on the steps to creating an argument and then incorporate sensory imagery, stories, and impassioned pleas into the structure as appropriate — often in the introduction and conclusion.

Structure of the Argumentative and Persuasive Essay

While you can use argumentation and persuasion in any type of writing, a common venue is the essay, in which you’re asked to argue for or against a position.

While there are no hard and fast rules to structuring your essay, there are some generally accepted conventions that will give you a head start in creating your argument and allow you to focus on content.

Introduction

Think of the introduction as an inverted triangle; a funnel. You want to begin with a broad introduction to the realm of thought and end with a very specific thesis that the rest of the paper will prove. The purpose here is to capture the reader’s interest and quickly move him or her to an understanding of your point of focus.

• Introductory sentence. This is where you can spark your audience’s interest in the topic. You can use pathos here or make a bold statement of fact, either of which can serve as a “hook” to capture the reader’s attention.
• Linking sentence. Here, you narrow in on your topic more specifically. Again, you may choose to accomplish this through imagery, a statement of fact, or by simple explanation. By the end of this sentence [which could actually be as many sentences as you need to accomplish the task], your audience should know the problem you wish to address and why it’s important.
• Argument #1. Here, you’ll preview the first argument in favor of your thesis, which you’ll expound on in the first body paragraph. You haven’t stated your thesis yet; these three sentences will lead your reader to it naturally. So think of these three [or more] sentences as priming the pump for the rush of clarity that is your thesis statement.
• Argument #2. Again, this sentence is merely a statement of what you’ll expound on in the body of the paper: this time, in the second body paragraph.
• Argument #3. Here, you’re simply stating the argument for the third body paragraph.
• Thesis statement. The thesis statement should flow naturally out of the arguments [hence, the funnel analogy]. It should be clear, concise, and one-sided.

Body Paragraphs

Each of the paragraphs in the body of your paper will serve the thesis statement. Each of these paragraphs will have its own point to prove related to the thesis. A well-structured argument will grow stronger with each paragraph, whether the technique is argumentation or persuasion.

Each body paragraph [and three to five paragraphs for a body are the standard guideline] should contain

• A topic sentence. Also called a “sub-thesis,” the topic sentence is a main point that supports your thesis statement. You can refer to the thesis statement in this sentence to remind your audience how this main point relates to it.
• Evidentiary sentences. Here is where you offer evidence and explanations to support the veracity of the topic sentence. Rather than a simple listing of supporting evidence, though, you’ll want to form a coherent paragraph linking each item thoughtfully. Phrases like, “not only,” “therefore,” “in addition to,” and “moreover” are commonly found linking pieces of evidence in a body paragraph.
• Concluding sentence. Here, you will link the first topic sentence — the one you just gave evidence for — to the second topic sentence which you are about to introduce. Think of this sentence as a vital link of a chain. Without it, your audience will not be able to follow your line of thought. How does the point you just proved relate to the one you’re about to prove?

Counterarguments

In an argumentative essay, you can include counterargument paragraphs either directly after the main point they attempt to contradict [thereby getting the objection out of the reader’s mind right away], or you can entertain counterarguments in a series of body paragraphs after your main points supporting the thesis. The structure mimics the body paragraphs but instead of offering evidence for the topic sentence, you are offering evidence disproving the counterargument.

Persuasive essays generally do not entertain counterarguments.

Conclusion

Just as the introduction began broadly and ended with the specific point of the thesis, your conclusion will begin with the thesis and broaden. Ideally, it will also link back to the imagery or facts that began the introduction. Such linking works with the reader’s memory to create a satisfying feeling of completion.

• Restatement of the thesis. In this first concluding sentence, you remind the reader of the thesis statement you have now given evidence for. Common lead-ins for this sentence are phrases like, “It is clear now that…,” “We have seen how…” and “Given the preponderance of evidence…”
• Summary of the main points. Here, you’ll restate the main points of your argument. You can present them in a different way here than in the body of the paper, perhaps by combining them or incorporating them into a story or image.
• Broadening statement. This is where you can link back to the first sentence of the introductory paragraph. Has the sad image you led with found a happy ending with your thesis in place? Might the disturbing facts turn around based on following your main points?

Keep in mind that while you don’t want to sound like you’re following a script or a formula and simply plugging in your topic, using a structure can allow your creativity to shine by allowing you to focus on content.

Have fun with your argument! Play with the ideas until you feel a spark ignite. Come at it from various angles and surprise your reader with new perspectives. Arguing your position can be both effective and enjoyable— both for you and your audience.

Interactive Media

By

Rajeev Dhir

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Rajeev Dhir is a writer with 10+ years of experience as a journalist with a background in broadcast, print, and digital newsrooms.

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Updated December 05, 2021

Reviewed by

Khadija Khartit

Reviewed by Khadija Khartit

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Khadija Khartit is a strategy, investment, and funding expert, and an educator of fintech and strategic finance in top universities. She has been an investor, entrepreneur, and advisor for more than 25 years. She is a FINRA Series 7, 63, and 66 license holder.

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Fact checked by

Yarilet Perez

Fact checked by Yarilet Perez

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Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia journalist and fact-checker with a Master of Science in Journalism. She has worked in multiple cities covering breaking news, politics, education, and more. Her expertise is in personal finance and investing, and real estate.

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• Understanding Interactive Media

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