How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Signposts

Techniques > Public speaking > Speaking Tips > Signposts

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Signposts are words, phrases and indicators that give the audience a clue as to the forthcoming content.

Numeric signposts

Numeric signposts use ordinal numbers (first, second, etc.) to indicate sequence and the transition to a new item.

Signification signposts

Signification signposts provide indications of elaboration that show what things mean (or signify), such as 'for instance' or 'as an example'.

Signal signposts

Signal signposts provide indications of stop points, such as 'finally' or 'in conclusion'.

Example

First I will discuss dancing, secondly I will talk about singing (such as a capella) and finally, I will cover poetry.

Discussion

When people are listening to a presentation, it something seems as if they are being driven down a strange road. Whilst they will get there in the end, it helps a lot if somebody tells them what the road ahead will be like.

Signposts within a presentation are like signposts on the road, warning the users of what is coming ahead. They also indicate transitions, where the presentation will be broken down into parts and will change direction.