The Importance of Supporting What You Say

Too many times speakers give presentations without supporting their “I think” statements. The inclusion of evidence (statistics, quotations, illustrations, and visual aids) can increase your credibility and boost your audience’s comprehension and retention of what you say. In order to assist you in your quest to build your credibility and presentation skills, here are some guidelines for incorporating evidence into your talks.

• Ask yourself if your evidence is necessary. Decide if your information will prove an assertion, clarify a concept, reinforce an idea, or create a more memorable presentation.
• Make sure that your evidence is accurate and current. If you cite the population of Las Vegas, use a current statistic as the population is growing by 100,000 people each year.
• Use an appropriate amount of evidence. You don’t want to give a presentation with just “I think” statements, but you also don’t want to overload your audience with too much evidence.
• Be prepared to identify the source of your evidence. It will increase your credibility to know the source of your supporting material.
  

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