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Better Presentations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks

by Jonathan Schwabish (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 187 ratings
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Whether you are a university professor, researcher at a think tank, graduate student, or analyst at a private firm, chances are that at some point you have presented your work in front of an audience. Most of us approach this task by converting a written document into slides, but the result is often a text-heavy presentation saddled with bullet points, stock images, and graphs too complex for an audience to decipher―much less understand. Presenting is fundamentally different from writing, and with only a little more time, a little more effort, and a little more planning, you can communicate your work with force and clarity.

Designed for presenters of scholarly or data-intensive content, Better Presentations details essential strategies for developing clear, sophisticated, and visually captivating presentations. Following three core principles―visualize, unify, and focus―Better Presentations describes how to visualize data effectively, find and use images appropriately, choose sensible fonts and colors, edit text for powerful delivery, and restructure a written argument for maximum engagement and persuasion. With a range of clear examples for what to do (and what not to do), the practical package offered in Better Presentations shares the best techniques to display work and the best tactics for winning over audiences. It pushes presenters past the frustration and intimidation of the process to more effective, memorable, and persuasive presentations.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0231175213
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0231175210
  3. Publisher
    Columbia University Press
  4. Publication date
    November 15, 2016
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    9 x 7 x 0.5 inches
  7. Print length
    200 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Many smart people often become selfish idiots when they give a presentation. Jon's much-needed book is a must read for just about anyone asked to share some slides. -- Seth Godin, author of Really Bad Powerpoint

Do us all a favor: read this book before your next presentation. From font size to data visualization, Schwabish guides you through creating a presentation that will both hold your audience's attention and effectively deliver information. -- Susan Dynarski, University of Michigan

Modern scholars spend many hours a week watching or giving presentations; every one of us should be forced to practice the wisdom of Jonathan Schwabish's wonderful short book. I thought I had mastered this craft and imposed my mastery on others, but I learned so much from Better Presentations that from now on, I'll just say "Read the book!" -- Robert E. Hall, Stanford University

Your work can shape the future only when others understand you. You can show how your ideas matter if you master the fundamentals of communication, and this book shows how to do just that. -- Carmen Simon, author of Impossible to Ignore

If you are a scientist or scholar who doesn't care about designing beautiful slides for your presentations, you are doing it wrong. Elegance, clarity, and good visual composition make your messages understandable. In this concise book, Jonathan Schwabish outlines simple but essential rules of design and data visualization that anybody can benefit from. Apply them, and I guarantee that you will never again see a bored face in your audience. -- Alberto Cairo, University of Miami, author of The Truthful Art: Data, Charts, and Maps for Communication

Data visualization has provided a new set of powerful tools to help analysts communicate their ideas more clearly and effectively. Jon Schwabish helped to pioneer the use of these tools in the policy community, and Better Presentations is full of valuable insights that teach his approach to others. Both new and experienced analysts would benefit immensely from reading this book. -- Douglas Elmendorf, former director of the Congressional Budget Office

About the Author

Jonathan Schwabish is a senior research associate at the Urban Institute's Income and Benefits Policy Center. He is also a member of the Institute's communication team, specializing in data visualization and presentation design. He has published widely in economics journals, including the National Tax Journal, the Journal of Human Resources, and the Journal of Economic Perspectives. He is the coauthor, with Robert Haveman and Andrew Bershadker, of Human Capital in the United States from 1975 to 2000: Patterns of Growth and Utilization (2006). He can be found on Twitter at @jschwabish.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Columbia University Press (November 15, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 200 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0231175213
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0231175210
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 1 year and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 7 x 0.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 187 ratings

About the author

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Jonathan Schwabish

Jonathan Schwabish

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Jonathan Schwabish is an economist, writer, teacher, and creator of policy-relevant data visualizations. He is a senior research associate and data visualization specialist at the Urban Institute and publishes a blog and podcast at his site PolicyViz.com, where he helps people improve the way they process, visualize, analyze, and present their data and research. His tutorials, remakes, and interviews with data visualization and presentation experts speak to scholars, policy wonks, and anyone with a data story to tell. He is on Twitter @jschwabish.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
187 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book an excellent resource for improving presentation skills, providing practical guidance. Moreover, the book is easy-to-implement and well-organized, with one customer noting it's divided into approachable chapters. Additionally, they appreciate its narrative quality, with one review mentioning it's highly relatable and backed by great visuals.

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23 customers mention "Presentation skills"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an excellent resource for improving presentation skills, providing practical guidance and breaking down the components of a presentation.

"...he makes, walking the reader through various choices to make the presentation more clear, concise, legible, and impactful...." Read more

"...I can attest these strategies do work very well. I already feel my presentations are indeed better because of the suggestions I have used so far...." Read more

"I bought this book in May, right as my semester was ending. It was so insightful, that I finished it the day I received it in the mail...." Read more

"I found this book very useful -- it's mercifully short and gets right to the point, with easy-to-implement, practical tips...." Read more

9 customers mention "Ease of use"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to use and implement, with one customer highlighting its simple framework for approaching presentation design, while another appreciates its design tips for non-designers.

"...Jon does an excellent job laying out an easy-to-follow framework for approaching presentation design, from overall flow to simple tweaks anyone can..." Read more

"...consistent and engaging palettes, choosing fonts, and many other design tips for non-designers...." Read more

"...-- it's mercifully short and gets right to the point, with easy-to-implement, practical tips...." Read more

"...Includes intro to color theory and design aspects that will make your presentations more effective..." Read more

3 customers mention "Narrative quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the narrative quality of the book, finding it highly relatable, with one customer noting it is backed up by great visuals.

"...I've found his book to be highly relatable for those working in social sector programs and would recommend it to anyone looking to rock their next..." Read more

"...He writes in a very readable and enjoyable way -- succinct and incisive...." Read more

"...The author provides clear explanation and techniques backed up by great visuals...." Read more

3 customers mention "Organization"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the organization of the book, with one mentioning that it is divided into approachable chapters.

"...divided into approachable chapters..." Read more

"This book is great--well organized and tells you both what not to do and what to do to fix your presentations...." Read more

"Great book that is clearly written and well-organized...." Read more

Want people to listen to you talk?
5 out of 5 stars
Want people to listen to you talk?
As an IT person who sits in on many PowerPoint presentations, I cannot stress enough the need to read this book, practice your presentation, and know your audience. This book gets you moving in the right direction, with a clear understanding of what motivates\engages an audience. Lose the audience and you are just blowing hot air. Take the time to think your presentation through, do a dry run with someone unfamiliar with the topic, get real feedback and make your presentations memorable!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Troy M
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for implementers and researchers looking to rock their next presentation
    Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    As a visual analytics advisor at a large public health company, "Help me fix my slide deck!" is one of the most common requests I get from colleagues. "Fixing" a slide deck isn't just about making better looking visualizations (though they certainly help): Better Presentations hits the sweet spot between presentation structure, design, and delivery, and makes what can feel like a daunting skill to master immensely accessible.

    Jon does an excellent job laying out an easy-to-follow framework for approaching presentation design, from overall flow to simple tweaks anyone can make to a slide to make it easier for your audience to connect to your story. Unlike many other presentation and visualization design books that focus primarily on examples from business (sales, profit, KPIs, etc.), I've found his book to be highly relatable for those working in social sector programs and would recommend it to anyone looking to rock their next big presentation.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • one
    5.0 out of 5 stars Should be called EXCEPTIONAL Presentations
    Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a must read for anyone who uses charts, graphs, or other data in their presentations. It breaks down every decision you need to make with regard to color, shape, density, etc. and provides clear guidance. Jon provides fantastic examples of each point he makes, walking the reader through various choices to make the presentation more clear, concise, legible, and impactful. He writes in a very readable and enjoyable way -- succinct and incisive. He also provides a number of resources for making consistent and engaging palettes, choosing fonts, and many other design tips for non-designers. All in all, this book is essential to making EXCEPTIONAL presentations, not just better presentations.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Kelley Ridings
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very useful presentation enhancements
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    If you make a lot of presentations using PowerPoint or other visual presentation software, this book will likely provide a bevy of very useful information to you. I found myself using the suggestions in the presentations I was making even as I read the book. I can attest these strategies do work very well. I already feel my presentations are indeed better because of the suggestions I have used so far. I look forward to adopting many other of these concepts as well.

    On the downside, this book doesn’t have the most captivating writing. While if you’re looking for great content, this book will meet likely meet your expectations, but if that content must be wrapped in engaging text, perhaps look elsewhere.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Truly excellent, immediately useful
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this book in May, right as my semester was ending. It was so insightful, that I finished it the day I received it in the mail. I implemented several of the techniques into my summer course and it was very well-received. This is an excellent book for anyone that frequently presents. I'm an academic, so I "present" 30+ times per semester. The tips in this book, combined with the website, make it an extremely useful resource. I usually keep it close by, but it's currently with a colleague -- as word spreads, I imagine I may need to order another copy. :)
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  • Rachel in Washington
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gets right to the point, with practical tips
    Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I found this book very useful -- it's mercifully short and gets right to the point, with easy-to-implement, practical tips. Probably most helpful for researchers who present at conferences, like me.

    Edit: I just got back from a conference where I used these tips in my presentations, and I got SO much positive feedback. It was crazy. Suddenly I have a reputation as being a good presenter! Pretty amazing. I think people see so many dry, text-heavy, not-practiced presentations at conferences, that people who make a little effort really stand out. Yeah, so anyway, buy this book!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Brad Humphreys
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for making presentations
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I saw several Tweets praising this book a few months ago and immediately ordered the book. Very glad I did. I am constantly giving presentations (classes, seminars, conferences, meetings) and am always on the lookout for advice on how to improve my presentations. This book is an amazing resource on presentations. A gold mine of tips and suggestions. The advice is soup to nuts. Presentation structure, slide layout, color, typeface, everything. Chock full of great practical advice. Highly recommended - I made all my graduate students get a copy.
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  • Ayesha Bhimdiwala
    3.0 out of 5 stars A book worth a try!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2018
    This book is what I really wish to read and prepare myself to better my skills.
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  • Bailey
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful
    Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    - easy to read
    - includes color examples of typical versus better presentation practices
    - divided into approachable chapters

    Includes intro to color theory and design aspects that will make your presentations more effective

    Great for anyone who has ever or ever will give a powerpoint presentation (which is nearly everyone).
    I'm a PhD trainee and give many presentations.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Mark Edwards
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book will change the way you present. Forever.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    After my first plunge into this book I took to Twitter to say "I think that this book is about to change the way I present forever. Have scrawled so many thoughts and ideas based upon the first twenty pages alone".

    It is a brilliantly presented resource. Many of the suggestions are things many of us have heard before, but they are put across in a way that underlines their importance and uses real examples to demonstrate why they are useful.

    Since reading this book I have delivered two major corporate presentations. I've implemented a number of the ideas that Schwabish advocates and begun to reap the rewards already. I feel so much more relaxed presenting content that I know works better for my audience, and that means that both the content and the delivery are improved upon.

    I've returned to it a number of times since the first read, as a reference guide.
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  • moy m.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Guia completa
    Reviewed in Spain on October 2, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Excelente guia para hacer presentaciones, describe y analiza los programas para éstas, da consejos sobre tipografía, color, contenido y expresión verbal y no verbal. Muy útil para quienes dan presentaciones ya sea con números o texto.
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  • Giovanni maz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interessante
    Reviewed in Italy on February 16, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Interessante
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  • もも
    4.0 out of 5 stars プレゼン初級者向け
    Reviewed in Japan on November 2, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    プレゼンについて右も左も分からない方、あるいはなんとなくプレゼンをしてしまっている方が読者、と筆者は想定していると思います。話しの作り方、スライドの作り方（ここに最も多くのページが使われている）、話し方について簡潔にまとめられています。単に「スライドはこう作れ」だけではなく、悪いスライドをどうやって良いものを修正するかを実演（？）してあるので、要点が分かりやすいと思います。ただ、ある程度プレゼンを出来る方が、さらなる向上を目指して買うとガッカリしてしまうと思います。また、練習がどれだけ大切かをもっと熱く語ってもいいのではないかとも感じました。
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  • Blake Shaffer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best presentation advice I’ve ever received
    Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book should be a must have for every grad student out there learning how to create better presentations. I just finished grad school and wish I had come across this sooner. Rather than clichés and vagaries, it offers practical and concrete advice that you can immediately apply to improve both the style and impact of your presentations. I am far more confident in my presentations having incorporated elements from this book.

    I will be recommending this book to all new scholars (and casually hinting at it to some old ones...)
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