I find it amusing the fact that cue cards are an essential part of the training of junior public speakers and debaters, yet you will never hear it mentioned when experienced public speakers are involved.

One reason for using cue cards is that it takes emphasis off memorisation and puts it on delivery. Young speakers do not necessary have to memorise their speech but they should be at least very familiar with it so that cue cards become only a backup when their memory lapses.

Because of cue cards, junior speakers can concentrate more on areas such as delivery, body language and voice projection. These areas of public speaking are much more important than the ability to memorise a speech, thus explaining why cue cards are used.

One of the reasons for not using cue cards is that it hinders your connection to your audience. Every time you glance at your cue cards, you break your connection with them. As a speaker, if you do this excessively, you will not be able to develop any sort of relationship with your audience; therefore your speech will be falling on deaf ears

Another reason for not using cue cards in public speaking is the fact that a novice speaker will read their cue cards, rather than use them as an aide. What we want the speaker to do is a public speech, not a "public read".

My personal opinion is that all new speakers, regardless of age, should use cue cards to help them with their public speaking. The first few times speaking in front of a large audience are the hardest; therefore, we need to give the new speaker as much help as possible. Also cue cards help stop nervous or excessive hand movements as usually both hands are holding the cards trying to disguise the shaking.

As to the issue of experts using cue cards, I am not totally against it, but I think that they should be able to memorise their speech, therefore they shouldn't require cue cards. If they want to write some notes down about what they want to cover so they don't forget everything, then write a page of notes and place them on a lectern or table, rather than carry a set of cards. Expert public speakers should use both hands to help them emphasise salient points during their talk and cue cards will hinder this.

So cue cards are a useful tool for beginner speakers, but they should gradually be disposed of, as the speaker gets more experienced, otherwise cue cards will become a nuisance and a hindrance to public speaking success.