

The rationale for using bullets is not to read word for word from a slide, but rather to have a few key words that trigger a presenter to further describe a key point. Speakers have a tendency to use bullet points on a slide to prompt one to refer to a larger context of information. 5, 6 For example, major sports events, the weather, or other similar connections between cultures could serve to comfortably relax a speaker and make a fairly simple connection with the audience during formal presentations and informal conversations alike. Or perhaps learning about local events may provide for an opportunity to better connect with the audience. Topics that may be viewed as controversial or inappropriate may include politics, human rights, or other aspects of the culture that differ from one's own. Learning about such events can offer insight as to topics that one may want to avoid as part of an opening or closing line. Reading the local news of a region online may provide tips related to current events. It can be helpful to express a familiarity with a country, region, or professional culture during a presentation. Even properly pronounced words can lead to confusion. Speaking slowly, clearly, and with complete sentences that avoid the use of American slang will make the presentation much easier for an international audience to process. Individuals with an interest in the content, and especially those who are not able to keep up with the speed of the presentation as a result of the difficulty in language interpretation, will often take photos of each slide. It is also helpful to use larger fonts that are more easily seen, especially in a large room.

With English as a second language, it may take individuals longer to process the definitions of the words and the entire context of each statement. It is best to limit bulleted slides to no more than 3 lines. 4 It is recommended to keep the title of the presentation short and use clear and concise objectives. In some Latin American countries, the color yellow has a strong negative connotation, although typically a bright yellow font text on a dark blue background is usually pleasing to one's eyes. 2 Unusual background graphics are not encouraged, as they merely serve to make it more of a challenge for non–English-speaking participants to read the text. It is always best to keep things simple and think conservative, using dark background colors and a bright (white or yellow) font color. For a platform presentation, it is likely that some form of audiovisual aid will be used.
