Presentation summary slide

What is a summary slide for?

A summary slide helps you bring together the main conclusion you want your audience to remember and the important findings that support it at the end of a presentation. Rather than retelling the entire presentation, choose information that directly relates to the main message. Don’t present a new claim as a conclusion if it isn’t supported by the presentation.

In this guide, “summary slide” refers to a brief closing slide at the end of a presentation. In academic research presentations, a conclusion section can sum up the study’s main takeaways and, when appropriate, address broader implications, limitations, or future directions. This approach is consistent with the conclusions and future directions sections described in Oberlin College’s guide to research presentations. The UW Symposium’s presentation preparation guide also gives an example of a common presentation structure that includes a conclusion and closing. Not every presentation needs to follow the same structure; adapt it to your purpose and content.

Choose the main message and supporting evidence

Before you start drafting, try writing your main conclusion in a single sentence. Then identify findings that are actually included in the presentation and help explain this message. Instead of adding every detail of the method or every secondary result, focus on what’s needed to explain the main conclusion.

These questions may help you choose what to include:

• What is the presentation’s main conclusion or message?
• Which findings support this message?
• Is there a worthwhile next step related to the purpose of the presentation?

These aren’t a required template, but practical questions for reviewing your draft. If information doesn’t support the main message or help the audience understand the conclusion, consider leaving it off the slide. If you include a next step, connect it to the conclusion presented. Don’t write a recommendation as if it were a proven result.

Build a three-part outline

One useful flow is main conclusion → supporting findings → next step, if applicable. State the main conclusion briefly and make it easy to spot; add the findings that support it underneath. If appropriate for the presentation’s purpose, then specify a recommended action. This isn’t a fixed rule that every presentation must follow, but one option for organizing the content.

When writing a next step, be as clear as possible about what you’re recommending. For example, if the scope allows, you could say “Evaluate two implementation options at the next meeting” instead of “More research should be conducted.” Don’t assume who is responsible or when it will happen if that hasn’t been established. If the step is still a recommendation, make that clear. If there’s no suitable next step, you can end with the main conclusion and findings.

Example: internal communications survey

Hypothetical example: A team is presenting a survey on how employees keep track of internal announcements. The percentages below are made up for illustrative purposes only; they aren’t real survey data.

Main message: The distribution of announcements across different channels may make it harder to find up-to-date information.

Summary slide outline:

• Conclusion: The distribution of announcements across different channels makes it harder to find up-to-date information.
• Supporting findings: In the hypothetical survey, 60% of participants said they looked for announcements across multiple channels, and 45% said they had difficulty finding the latest announcement.
• Possible next step: The communications team could evaluate a pilot plan for a centralized announcement feed.

The next step here is a recommendation; the example survey results don’t prove that such an approach would be effective. In a real presentation, compare figures and statements with your original data; if important for interpreting the results, also explain the study’s scope and participant information in an appropriate place. Replace the example with verified findings from your own presentation.

Review the text and visuals

Try to keep the bullets brief and focus on a single idea in each one. Make sure the main conclusion, findings, and any recommendation are easy to distinguish. You can create visual hierarchy with font size, color, or separate sections; these are options for organizing the message, not required design rules.

Consider using a chart if it would make a finding from your presentation easier to understand. Explain what it shows and check that the data match the conclusions you presented. Don’t add a visual just to fill the slide. Oberlin’s guide recommends limiting text and using large, readable visuals on slides for oral presentations. The UW guide also emphasizes focusing on key information and limiting text on slides. Apply these recommendations in the context of your presentation.

You can also review your font and color choices for consistency with the other slides. For more information about readability, see choosing resolution for presentation slides and aspect ratio in presentations.

Check that it works with the closing

Check whether the main message on the summary slide aligns with the takeaways in the presentation’s conclusion section. The slide can reinforce the point you want your audience to remember, but it shouldn’t needlessly repeat earlier sections of the presentation. If you’re using a Q&A or thank-you slide, decide where the summary fits in relation to them based on the presentation’s purpose. To consider the role of the introduction, see designing a presentation introduction slide.

Final checklist

• Does the main message align with the conclusion reached in the presentation?
• Does each finding help explain or support the main message?
• Has a new claim been added that isn’t supported by the presentation?
• If there’s a next step, is it clear that it’s a recommendation and how it relates to the conclusion?
• Have the data been checked against the original materials?
• Are the text and any chart clear in the context of the presentation?
• Is the summary slide suitable for the presentation’s closing?

Frequently asked questions

How many findings should I include on a summary slide?

The sources here don’t recommend a specific number of findings. Choose findings that support the main message; consider leaving details that would clutter the slide in earlier sections of the presentation.

Can I introduce a new recommendation on a summary slide?

You can include a recommendation related to a conclusion explained in the presentation, as long as you clearly identify it as a recommendation. Don’t present a new claim that isn’t supported by the presentation as if it were proven in the closing; if needed, review the relevant section first.