I think PowerPoint slides are very helpful when giving a speech. Personally, if someone is talking to me for a long time, I will get tired and lose focus. I like having slides in the back because it gives credibility to their work and gives me a physical example of what they are talking about, so I can connect them in my brain and it will make more sense. Slides with data and main points on them makes me connect the dots after I zone out and miss some important information. It's a guarantee that I zone out because I have a lot going on in my brain at once all the time.
I totally agree with liking a physical example of what a speaker is talking about! It also helps me stay more focused and attentive to what the speaker is saying.
I totally agree. I think that having a PowerPoint to look at when you get tired of only listening to the speaker is super helpful, and a way to keep your audience's attention.