ITV Graphics

Guidelines for Using ITV Graphics

Use the following tips to create clear, well-organized and legible ITV presentations

Make sure printed visuals fit within a 3X4 ratio. This is a horizontal format three units high and four units wide. Test your presentation on the monitor to ensure all information is viewable

Use large bold text for ITV overhead
Use simple sans serif fonts – minimum 26-point, 32-36 is usually easier to read
avoid using all uppercase; it's harder to read
Keep the text and fonts consistent throughout the presentation; left-aligned is usually best
Keep the background and color consistent throughout the presentation
Shoot for no more than 20-25 words per graphic
Highlight important information in a consistent manner throughout the presentation – bold, italic, color (try to avoid excessive underlining – it’s harder to read)

More about Color

Use colors in the middle of the spectrum, and those that provide a contrast. Dark background and light letters works well for ITV. Yellow on blue presents a clear, readable image – avoid using red and green together (not enough contrast and hard for colorblind people to read).

Green Serif Text on Red Background Yellow Sans Serif Text on Blue Background
Limit colors to 2-3 compatible colors per visual – too much color can cause confusion
Check your color choice on the monitor – it may look different than it does on the computer screen

Want to experiment with colors for your web site or presentations? Click on the compass to access an interactive Color Chart.

Close the Color Chart window to return to this page.

Divide and organize long lists
Use concise bulleted information – use key words and phrases only (Rule of 7)
Use parallel lists

Don’t try to present spreadsheet data on the TV monitors – use a handout instead.
Allow time for viewing graphics; 3-4 seconds for non-text material, text takes longer.
Use clip art to reinforce ideas, but don’t use the clip art that comes with your word program – everyone has already seen it. Use something new! A good place to start looking for new clip art is on the Animations and Graphics page.
If using video/audio tapes, keep clips short. Remember the Rule of 20.

Keep your presentation simple and well-organized
Use white space around images
Create a path for the eye; make something dominant
Divide the space in an interesting way – for more on this, see the Rule of Thirds
Add ideas sequentially – one idea at a time. You can use the "appear' function in PowerPoint.
Use transitions; images, speaker notes
Instead of passive voice, use active voice
Use a consistent slide layout and design
Highlight key words to help reader scan and identify important info

PROOFREAD your presentation! You can cut and paste your text into a word processing program if your presentation program doesn't have an editor. Ask colleagues to proofread in a quid pro quo arrangement, or assign it as an in-class English exercise. The point is -- misspelled or missing words and grammatical errors diminish the students' perception of your competence as a teacher and the quality of your course.

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