What are Handouts?                                     

Handouts are basically sheets of paper with information on it; this information would be on the topic which the speaker would be explaining to the class. Handouts can look very appealing at times and sometimes not, this entirely would depend on the speaker or who has created the handouts itself. These handouts can incorporate images, photos and pictures which would blend in and help emphasize the certain information being explained. Therefore, it would be important that an individual would take their time to format and rearrange anything if necessary. Handouts are intentionally created so hopefully the audience will be able to catch up and understand information which was not clarified. Though a majority of the time handouts would normally appear as a white sheet of paper, there is no colour restriction to how the handout may look. Handouts can be potentially designed and formatted in any way possible. Creativity would be a good skill needed in order to do this. Below I will go into detail about the pros and cons of this certain visual aid.  

 

Handouts Pros                         

We will now be discussing all of the pros that this certain visual aid has to provide. Well to begin with, do we even need handouts? And if yes, what makes them so great? These are common questions that can tend to unfold in a person’s mind, so what makes this visual aid so popular? For one, handouts have a tendency to create audience participation, and they also are very easy to maintain and update (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). Handouts can also enhance remembrance since the audience is using the handouts as reference material (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). Creating handouts are also very inexpensive to make, and can very easily depict lots of information (Get Ahead, 2000-2005, para.5). Below, I will go into detail about the cons of using handouts.

Handouts Cons                

Above, we have covered all of the pros of handouts and what their benefits are when used. So now we know the pros but what are the cons? What are the problems that come across using handouts? Well for one, there is an increased risk of the speaker’s material being copied; another problem among handouts is that it can be difficult to transport (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). Aside these issues, handouts can also create the chance where the speakers might lose the audience’s attention (Guffey, M.E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P., 2011, p.496). Therefore, we must keep in mind, although it helps to provide information it does not guarantee that the speaker would not lose the audience’s attention. Besides these issues, there is also a chance that they make very little impact, and maybe even seen as a distraction rather than as a helpful reference (Get Ahead, 2000-2005, para.5).

Conclusion

In conclusion, I personally believe that this visual aid is a great choice for students. Though I believe that it is a great option, this does not determine it is a right choice for everyone. I feel that in this situation we should consider the audience’s point of view. For example, suppose you are a professor and you have a small class of fifteen students, you would want to figure out if the students in your class find handouts helpful when listening to a presentation. At the end of the day this may or may not help, as there is no perfect method of presenting information.

REFERENCES

1. Guffey, M.E, Rhodes, K. & Rogin, P. (2011). Business Communication. 1120 Birchmount Road, Toronto, Ontario, M1K 5G4: Nelson Education.     

2.  Mayank, J. (1999-2013). How to Make a Handout for School. Retrieved from      http://www.ehow.com/how_8302821_make-handout-school.html

3. Get Ahead. (2000-2005). Advantages and disadvantages of visual aids. Retrieved from http://www.getahead.uk.com/gwpr07-advantages-of-visual-aids.htm