This document provides tips for effectively using charts, posters, and flip charts to present information. Some key points include: - Charts and posters can be used to attract attention, develop ideas, present information to groups, and highlight key points. Effective designs use large, legible lettering and emphasize important words. - When making a flip chart, first create a miniature outline and organize content across multiple pages with a title, subject definition, explanation, and summary. - Other chart types include pinboard, sentence holder, and word strips. Proper letter sizing is important for visibility from a distance. - When creating posters, use attractive yet simple lettering and block letters in a contrast

1. How to Use Charts and Posters
Charts and posters can be paper or cardboard. Staple • Use large lettering that can
used effectively in a post. The sheets together, or fasten with easily be seen.
goals of Exploring, the Explorer lightweight bolts and thumb-
The following tips can
Motto, or the desired outcomes screws. If the flip chart is not
help you make your lettering
of a particular activity could be self-supporting, tie it to the top
attractive and legible:
listed on a chart or poster. of a stand, an easel, or a mov-
Presentations and officer reports able chalkboard. You can impro- — Use wide-tip marking pens.
may also make use of posters or vise a stand by using the back of
— Use plastic stick-on letters.
charts. In particular, charts and a chair or an upended table.
posters are used to — Use lettering patterns or
• Attract and hold attention Suggestions for stencils to trace letters.
Effective Flip Charts — Emphasize or underline
• Develop an idea
• First, write out your flip key words.
• Present information to small chart in miniature. — Use colored marking pen-
groups
It’s a good idea to write cils, watercolors, art
• Highlight key points out the flip chart in miniature markers, or highlighting
form while you are planning markers to emphasize
• Review and preview
it. Changes or corrections can key points.
• Add variety to discussions easily be made before you — Use one idea per page.
• Speed learning make the actual chart. Orga-
nize your papers as follows: — Don’t crowd too much on
• Increase retention any page.
— Designate the first page as
the title page. — Prepare a cue sheet.
Making a Flip Chart
— Define the subject on the To provide the presenter with
Excellent flip chart pads are a cue sheet, duplicate in minia-
second page.
available commercially, or you ture on the back of the preced-
can make your own with a tablet — Use the following pages to ing page what the audience is
of newsprint, an artist’s pad, or explain the subject. seeing. Then, you can stand
sheets of construction paper, slightly behind the flip chart,
— Demonstrate that your
newsprint, or brown wrapping face the audience, and explain
explanation is sound.
paper. If the paper is not in pad what the audience sees.
form, reinforce the top of the — Summarize and ask for
sheets with a double fold of action on the last page.
HOW TO USE CHARTS AND POSTERS 1

2. Other Types of Charts • Decide on the Use letters 11⁄4” high,
desired effect. 3
⁄16” thick if 15–30 people
Besides flip charts, there are 25 feet away.
are other kinds of charts you Decide on the effect you
Use letters 11⁄2” high,
might find useful: want to create—funny, dra- 1
⁄4” thick if 30–60 people
matic, serious, or factual.
are 45 feet away.
• Pinboard chart Use letters 3” high, 1⁄2”
• Try different ideas.
Word strips or sentence thick if 60–100 people are
strips rest on pins stuck in a Brainstorm at least five 75 feet away.
pinup board. ideas, and put them down on
scratch paper. • Try out color and
• Sentence holder chart illustrations.
• Use attractive and
Word strips rest in a shal- — Color adds interest to
legible lettering.
low pocket made from card- posters. Use colored ink or
board and fastened to a — Block out the chart using poster paint to fill in
board. lightly penciled guidelines. letters.
— If you aren’t an artist, use — Select colors that contrast
• Folded word chart plastic stick-on letters or sharply with the back-
Word strips are folded in pressure-sensitive letters, ground color.
the center and then opened trace lettering patterns, or
— Cut out pictures from
during the presentation. use letter stencils. This
magazines.
saves a lot of time.
• Strip chart — Trace pictures from maga-
— Use plain, block letters.
zines.
Strips of paper are used Make them a little taller
to hide the points until time than they are wide. — Pictures or diagrams from
to show them. magazines can be enlarged
— Don’t squeeze the letters
by using an opaque pro-
together or place them too
Making Posters jector.
far apart.
— Make the main idea the
You don’t have to be a sign — Avoid fancy or difficult-to-
largest and brightest.
painter or an artist to make read lettering.
good posters. Follow these
— For letter sizes, follow this • Use white space effectively.
simple rules, and your posters
guide:
will carry a terrific punch:
Use letters 1” high, 1⁄8”
thick if 10–15 people are
• Select the main idea.
10 feet away.
Jot down a few simple
words that explain it.
HOW TO USE CHARTS AND POSTERS 2