Using Speaker Notes and Handouts

Speaker notes can help you:

• remember what you want to say during your presentation
• keep your slides focused on key points rather than full sentences
• practise your talk more effectively
• provide extra context when slides are shared or reviewed later

Exporting slides as PDFs or handouts can help when:

• you need to submit slides to Turnitin, MyLearningSpace, or another platform
• you are sharing slides with your tutor, classmates or audience
• you need to provide slides with notes for marking or accessibility purposes

Watch out for these common problems when using speaker notes and handouts.

• Not using speaker notes at all. Trying to fit everything onto your slides can lead to cluttered, text-heavy slides.
• Writing full paragraphs or scripts in speaker notes. Notes should support your presentation, not replace it word for word.
• Forgetting to check assignment requirements. If speaker notes are required for submission, leaving them empty could lose marks.
• Formatting notes poorly. Long blocks of text without bullets, spacing or line breaks are harder to use.
• Not testing Presenter View. If you have never used it before, it can be awkward in a live presentation.
• Forgetting to include handouts or notes when needed. Some assignments or audiences may require slides with notes or a handout version.
• Not checking the exported file. Speaker notes, handouts and PDFs can look different after export, so always open the final version before sharing or submitting.

Check that:

• speaker notes are being used for prompts, reminders or explanation rather than a full script
• slides stay focused on key points rather than detailed text
• any required speaker notes are included
• notes are clearly formatted and easy to follow
• Presenter View has been tested if you are presenting live
• the PDF or handout version looks correct before you share or submit it
• accessibility has been checked before sharing or submitting the final version