Handout GuideLines

Participants expect facilitators to possess a level of presentation and training skills that includes well-prepared handouts. Despite exceptional content, seasoned facilitators can receive negative evaluations due to poorly designed or unreadable handouts, or handouts that do not match the education program.

Please refer to these handout guidelines to ensure your handouts meet our handout preparation and submission criteria.

All conference session handouts will be accessible from the conference Website beginning approximately October 4, 2010 to registered attendees. 
Printed Handout Material
      ·         ARMA will provide a one to two-page printed Job Aid for all education programs.

·         Printed handout books will be provided only to registered Pre-conference attendees.  These materials will not be provided online. 

·         Printed handouts will be provided only to workshop attendees.

If you prefer, you may bring your own handout copies.  However, you must submit a copy of your handouts for our review prior to making your own copies. ¹

Handout Checklist

q     Handouts are due September 1, 2010.¹   Deadline extended!!

q     Review your edited description and learning objectives before creating your handouts!

q     Handouts are strongly encouraged for all sessions and seminars, except panel discussions.

q     Handout are not restricted to a particular format. If your handout contains copies of PowerPoint slides, use no more than two slides per page. This allows room for participants to take notes, and ensures the slides are large enough to be legible.  Handouts with more than three slides per page will be returned for revision.

q     Your handout must match your education program. Create a handout that captures the key points and themes of your session or seminar; limit the use of PowerPoint slides.

q     Job Aids. Include a one to two-page job aid that captures key points and addresses your learning objectives—the learner should be able to use the job aid as a resource back on the job.  ARMA will provide a one to two-page printed Job Aid for all education programs.

q     Include examples/case studies/forms. Participants often refer to the examples to use as templates for solving their problems. Including forms discussed in the course provides the participants with a guide to follow or to adapt for their use.

q     Include a list of useful references or additional resources such as books, web addresses, articles, etc.

q     The first page of the handout must include: course title; education code; facilitator name(s), and learning objectives for your course.

q     Number pages in the lower right corner, including the cover page.

q     Use simple fonts—for example, san serif fonts such as Arial, Tahoma, or Verdana.

q     Printing handouts. Most participants will print handouts in black and white. Your handout does not need to be created in black and white; however, it MUST be legible when printed on a black and white printer.

q     Print a test copy of your handout from your computer to a black and white printer to ensure that reproduced documents are legible and correct. Illegible handouts will be returned to facilitators for revision.²

q     Upload your handouts to the ARMA International Website. Document Naming: LastNameFirstInitial_FirstThreeWordsoftheFile_EducationCode_YYYY-MM-DD  Example:  HohmanC_ADayIn_M02-345_2009-07-15

q     Don’t include everything.  Participants do not need to know everything about a topic to achieve learning objectives.  In fact, many facilitators saturate the learner with excessive information, resulting in a lack of attention to key points and a rapid loss of retention due to information overload. 

q     Promotional material, price, and product listings are not acceptable. ³

q     If your handout does not meet our criteria, it will be returned to you for editing.

Handout Specifics

¹ Handout Due September 1, 2010 Deadline extended!!

If you make and bring copies of your handout to your session (ARMA does not reimburse facilitators for the cost of reproducing their handouts nor will we reproduce handouts on site). Closer to the conference, we will tell you how many participants your classroom will seat— if you bring handouts to conference, you will need to bring copies for a full room. Because conference participants do not pre-register for courses, we use the room capacity to gauge the potential number of participants your course may draw.  Sessions can draw up to 600 participants.  If you bring your own handouts, please submit a copy of your handout for our review. 

² Legibility

Take into consideration that the classrooms do not have the best lights for reading small print. Our biggest complaints from conference participants are regarding poorly created or illegible PowerPoint slides and handouts. Illegible handouts will be returned to the facilitator for revision.

³ What is “Promotional”?

Unless specifically designated, ARMA International programs are noncommercial forums. Under no circumstances should the Association podium be used as a place for direct promotion of a facilitator’s product, service, or monetary self-interest. This does not apply to Expo-related sessions. 

Examples of appropriate behavior that is not considered promotional:

·          Identify your company when you introduce yourself.

·          Alert your audience to any of your books that are available at the ARMA Book Store or if you are doing a book signing at the Book Store. 

·          Put your business card on the table in the back of the session room for participants to take.

If you have any concerns, please ask us.