Just like many college and high school students, you might have already been asked to create an excellent presentation. Now, there is a catch here because not everyone is aware of the different types of presentations available.
Have you chosen the right type? Which one will work for your assignment?
The purpose of our helpful guide is to teach you about different presentation types and introduce this information in a well-structured and easy-to-understand format. Let’s get some facts:
- Choosing correct presentation style influences efficiency and accessibility.
- It helps to earn better grades because your purpose is always seen.
- The audience will value it if you choose a correct writing and design approach.
A successful presentation radiates confidence and effectively conveys all the key points, whether you are speaking for training purposes or using visual aids to enhance your message.
If you wish to create visually engaging slides, the structure and styles are what make them successful. It is like the startup screen in Windows OS or the famous sound when you start your MacBook Pro!
Learn how to classify presentation types: dimensions and formatting to consider
In most cases, students should focus on 2-3 axes of classification. They include your aims and the purpose, the target audience, the context itself, and the duration.
The length of your interactive presentation should be neither overly long nor too short.
When you consider these vital parameters for your logical flow, it becomes easier to learn when and what type to pick. Considering these aspects is essential before you explore the types of presentations we have prepared for you.
Core types of presentations: definitions and student examples
The different types are just like communication skills — you have to know how to use them correctly to keep your audience engaged. When you have a compelling narrative, it is essential to know what to include in your interactive slides and when to limit yourself to a visually appealing presentation. The answer to all these questions lies in learning about the types of presentations for students, which offer valuable insights.
Informative presentation
- Definition: The purpose is to inform and educate your target audience. The main idea is not to persuade, but to provide information and let people decide for themselves without pushing them to take sides.
- When to use: It is recommended to use it for lectures, descriptions of topics, and cases of evaluation or execution reports. It must employ professional communication methods to capture the audience’s attention with compelling evidence. Consider them as little textbooks where each slide carries valuable information.
- An example to consider: a student presents the results of their research in the field of Sociology or Nursing in the classroom environment. It is possible to use interactive tools in your presentation template to show not only your writing skills but also to add compelling visuals.
TIP: If you know all the right words, but do not know how to create slides, consider the PowerPoint presentation writing services by EduBirdie. Since not everyone is born a designer, you may ask an expert to do the work for you, right when and how you need it.
Persuasive or Argumentative presentation
- Definition: You must persuade your audience to change its mind or to call for a particular action. It is useful to add good examples that will help people relate. In a presentation format, it may be statistical slides or a list of proven facts that can be used.
- When to use: It fits very well for school debates, a project proposal, or a business presentation. If you are on a school team and need to make your point, using this type is one of the best solutions.
- An example to consider: Think of a group of students that presents some idea for a startup for a business course or an environmental protection project. Adding a personal connection will be helpful for the audience’s understanding of the challenges endured. It will also leave a lasting impression!
Demonstrative/How-to presentation
- Definition: Like most presentations, it serves the purpose of teaching others how something is done, using logical reasoning and precise language to explain complex concepts in simpler terms. They also aim to encourage participation. The use of relatable examples is encouraged to show progress reports as the steps are taken.
- When to use: Think about lab sessions, master classes, or technical courses. If you need to provide a process, it may help as well.
- An example to consider: A student may demonstrate how to use a static software application or correctly install a specific mobile app. A personal example always provides an emotional connection, which is why using personal anecdotes can be helpful. This type is one of the most popular in the business world.
Instructional/Training presentation
- Definition: It aims to convey a clear value proposition and help individuals enhance their understanding of specific skills. Such presentations must be broken into digestible segments and are typically examples of short presentations. They help to learn with a strong emotional appeal. With the help of various persuasive techniques and business meetings. The use of interactive elements is recommended.
- When to use: Think of academic workshops, training sessions, and a series of lectures. It is also good to tell a personal story.
- An example to consider: It may be a presentation training for new university students. It may help plan one’s future or learn about the next presentation. It is usually a mixture of spoken words and Google Slides that creates a logical sequence. This is why the information presented is usually condensed and shortened to maintain a concise influence.
TIP: It is essential to consider PowerPoint slide dimensions to ensure that your instructions are not cut off or appear too vague. It is always beneficial to test things in advance, especially when instructing others.
Sales or Pitch presentation
- Definition: The primary purpose is to present unique selling points as you focus on the most effective presentation approaches. You have to sell ideas, products, or services. All the powerful tools, such as PPT presentations, come into play here as you consider the audience’s interests and utilize all the possible visual elements. Such presentations serve a purpose to sell and are always intended as sales presentations.
- When to use: Some examples include business courses, an idea competition, or a startup pitch. It may also be suitable for commercial projects.
- An example to consider: For instance, a group of students may present a business plan to investors or create an online mobile app shop for college students.
Motivational/Inspirational presentation
- Definition: The trick here is to motivate, influence, and stimulate your audience. You can combine different presentation styles here and use body language to tell a personal story, then use an instructive presentation. Similarly, you can create PowerPoint presentations to present specific ideas visually. As long as you hold an audience interaction, it should work to the best of the audience’s engagement!
- When to use: Consider student gatherings, conferences, introduction speeches, scholarship awards, and various ceremonies. In a certain sense, the formatting is similar to a demonstration presentation, as it requires presenting information in a compelling and narrative-driven manner.
- An example to consider: For example, your high school or college may have a leadership club. Consider a presentation that discusses the leadership qualities that students may possess, or share a story about your members. Depending on your presentation formats, the length may vary, especially if you aim for motivational presentations with strong visuals!
Report or Status Update presentation
- Definition: Out of many types of presentation techniques, this one stands for a report about the progress of someone’s work (or your own), a list of results, achievements, or metrics. It requires strong presentation skills and a progress presentation template to start with.
- When to use: It is typically used for project courses, internship experiences, research groups, and similar settings. To create an impactful presentation, consider organizing key points in a list format.
- An example to consider: Think about a group of students who present a presentation about the course of a project that a teacher or a college professor has requested. It is also considered a sub-genre of a demonstrative presentation, as it requires showing one’s progress.
Virtual or Remote presentation
- Definition: The primary difference with this type of presentation is that it takes place online and focuses on online audiences. It may also include a sales presentation, but in an online format. The presence of strong communication skills is essential here.
- When to use: It is primarily used in fields such as online education, webinars, hybrid learning courses, web meetings, and blog streams, among others. It is often used for instructional presentations and in cases where maintaining high audience engagement is challenging.
- An example to consider: A perfect example is a Zoom meeting or online conference with numerous interactive elements. The use of body language is still important, as online presentations serve the same purpose. An addition of a personal story always helps!
TIP: Since most people only know how to create a PowerPoint presentation, the use of VR/AR solutions will require additional skills. Make sure to talk to one of our experts if you need any kind of assistance or guidance!
Emerging or hybrid presentations
At the same time, you may meet emerging presentation types like PechaKucha, Ignite, interactive live poll presentation types, or VR/AR presentations.
⏱️PechaKucha presentations consist of 20 automatically timed slides, each displaying for 20 seconds. Such presentations are extremely brief, typically lasting around seven minutes. They are mostly visual and have very few words or spoken content. They are useful for those quick stories that you have to tell!
🎤Ignite presentations are similar and last approximately 5 minutes, featuring 20 slides. They focus on 15 seconds for every slide and represent a performance rather than a typical lecture. Creating something related to environmental protection or anti-bullying campaigns can produce a strong cinematic effect.
📊Interactive live poll presentations help keep the audience engaged and can be quite helpful when you want your audience to participate. It may be useful for a pitch presentation or when you want to create persuasive presentations based on instant feedback.
Indeed, the use of Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality is quite complex and requires excellent presentation skills! Out of all existing types of presentations, it is probably the most interesting to consider. Find someone with good technical skills and consider factors such as resolution, formatting, and duration to prevent overheating of your equipment.
Which presentation type will work the best for YOU? Decision guide for students
Although it is not possible to predict which presentation will work for you, a handy method is to ask yourself the following questions:
- What is your aim? Do you need to inform or persuade someone?
- Who is your audience? Are they on the same course as you? Is it a teacher or some external stockholders?
- What is the format and duration? Do you need five minutes or go over twenty minutes? Do you plan to use online or offline presentation solutions?
- What are your skills and available resources? Do you need to use any demonstration materials? How many people will participate as your listeners?
| Question |
YES |
NO |
| Do I wish to persuade my audience? |
Choose a persuasive presentation. |
Choose informative presentations or any other suitable type. |
| Do I plan to show how something is done? |
Choose demonstrative presentations. |
Any other type. |
| Do I need to show progress reports? |
Choose Report or Status Update type. |
Other types may help. |
| Do I aim to motivate and influence people with a personal example? |
Select a motivational presentation solution that evokes an emotional appeal. |
Consider different types of presentations. |
| Do I provide instructions? |
Consider using an instructive presentation. |
Other types of presentations may apply to your case. |
| Do I need to sell something fast? |
A pitch presentation will help you achieve success. |
If no sales are planned, consider alternative types of presentations. |
When learning how to create an impactful presentation, always ask yourself one of these questions and consider your primary goals first. Whether it’s a pitch presentation, sales, or the use of visual aids when creating a training presentation, analyzing your intentions always helps. Your personal evaluation and creation of a preliminary roadmap are among the most powerful tools available today.
Best presentation choice practices for each type
No matter which presentation solution you choose, the most important thing is to focus on:
- your structure;
- correct use of slides;
- the speed of the frames;
- interaction with your audience;
- use of appropriate fonts;
- all the technical aspects.
It is always beneficial to test all these aspects in advance with a trusted circle of people.
🎬For example, when you create a Demonstration presentation, the golden rule is to use less text on your slide. The more audio and video visuals you add, the better your final perception will be.
🗣️Likewise, if you use a Persuasive presentation, it is recommended to apply strong arguments and have a call-to-action. The use of helpful facts can also be beneficial.
📘The Instructional presentations must have step-by-step guidance to explain the process. Good structure always comes first!
We advise keeping a few basic rules in mind as you prepare any PPT:
- Remember that different types of presentations require specific lengths.
- Do not make your slides run too quickly, and avoid repeating information already presented in the text.
- It is advisable to utilize interactive elements whenever possible.
- Add more examples, and don’t be afraid to incorporate some aspects of an instructive presentation into your template.
Following these guidelines helps your slides stay clear, engaging, and easy for the audience to follow.
Frequent student mistakes when choosing or delivering presentations
Just like in any type of academic writing, most students often make mistakes. Some of the typical ones include:
- Choosing the wrong type for your presentation. For example, you act as if you need a sales pitch while you aim to motivate people to stop doing something. This type of call-to-action is not always correct!
- You miss the purpose of your audience and forget to explain unknown concepts, leaving most people confused and lost. It is even helpful to make a slide with a glossary or add some audio elements to it.
- Poor presentation structure, characterized by the use of low-quality visuals that change too frequently. Make sure to learn how to make PowerPoint presentation attractive and appealing. These skills will help you narrow things down and avoid making everything look poor.
- Lack of information or too much information on the same slide. It is best to strike a balance, considering the duration of each slide and the time allocated for the presentation. Remember that many slides may include too much or too little information to keep people engaged.
- The lack of adjustment to a specified format online. One must understand that hybrid techniques must incorporate the “best of both worlds.” If you want to keep things in an online format, your presentation must fit within.
A common example of a typical presentation mistake is when a student chooses an informative presentation but must also persuade the audience. This way, people simply learn about something, but do not hear and see enough arguments to become persuaded. As a result, the impact is weak and does not help people take sides or enhance understanding.
Final thoughts and the next steps to consider
As long as you choose the correct presentation method, you can achieve your academic goals. It is a key to making your presentation successful and powerful!
Of course, you have to keep things logical and allow people to follow you. Some students find it challenging to achieve, which is why we aimed to explain all the possible options available to you and provide you with helpful, practical examples.
If you are still unsure about which type to choose, you can always approach one of EduBirdie’s online experts for guidance. We are ready to assist you 24/7 and know how to make each presentation stand out and impress! Just send us a message and let us know what needs to be done. We are certain that we can find an affordable and impressive solution together!
