How to Properly Create a PowerPoint Presentation
William L. Rogers
Hardeeville Middle School
Hardeeville, SC
Important Points To Consider
• Make the Presentation interesting for yourself and the audience.
• Make sure the presentation is information needed by the audience.
• Make sure you keep your information accurate and useful.
Important Points To Consider
• Use 1-2 slides per minute of your presentation
• Write in list form, not complete sentences
• Include 3 - 4 points per slide
• Avoid wordiness: use key words and phrases only
Important Points To Consider: (2)
• Keep the Presentation clear – stay focused on your assigned task!
• Ensure your pictures match the content you are discussing.
• Do not place too much information on any one slide. (Example next slide)
The European Renaissance(Example of a bad slide)
• In the arts and sciences as well as society and government, Italy was the major catalyst for progress during the Renaissance: the rich period of development that occurred in Europe at the end of the Middle Ages. Because of the number of different fields in which it applied, ``Renaissance'' is a word with many layers of meaning. Accordingly, Renaissance painting cannot signify any one common or clearly definable style. As Gothic painting had been shaped by the feudal societies of the Middle Ages, with its roots in the Romanesque and Byzantine traditions, Renaissance art was born out of a new, rapidly evolving civilization. It marked the point of departure from the medieval to the modern world and, as such, laid the foundations for modern Western values and society.
Presenting Goals
• Once you have a well-designed presentation, you must work with it during your speech.• DO NOT READ THE TILES!
• What speaker says matches slides
• Slides change in sync with speaker
Presenting Goals
• Slides should not distract from speaker
• No technical difficulties!
• Keep audience engaged with speaker
Example of a Good Slide
• Show one point at a time:• Will help audience concentrate on
what you are saying
• Will prevent audience from reading ahead
• Will help you keep your presentation focused
Fonts - Good• Use at least an 18-point font• Use different size fonts for main points and
secondary points• this font is 24-point, the main point font is 28-
point, and the title font is 36-point• Use a standard font like Times New Roman
or Arial
Fonts - Bad• If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written
• CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ
• Don’t use a complicated font
Color - Good• Use a color of font that contrasts sharply
with the background• Ex: blue font on white background
• Use color to reinforce the logic of your structure• Ex: light blue title and dark blue text
• Use color to emphasize a point• But only use this occasionally
Color - Bad• Using a font color that does not contrast with
the background color is hard to read • Using color for decoration is distracting and
annoying.• Using a different color for each point is
unnecessary• Using a different color for secondary points is also
unnecessary• Trying to be creative can also be bad
Background - Good• Use backgrounds such as this one that are
attractive but simple
• Use backgrounds which are light when possible
• Use the same background consistently throughout your presentation
Background – Bad• Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to
read from• Always be consistent with the background that you
use
Graphs - Good• Use graphs rather than just charts and words
• Data in graphs is easier to comprehend & retain than is raw data
• Trends are easier to visualize in graph form
• Always title your graphs
Graphs - GoodItems Sold in First Quarter of 2002
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
January February March April
Blue Balls
Red Balls
Graphs - Bad
January February March AprilBlue Balls 20.4 27.4 90 20.4Red Balls 30.6 38.6 34.6 31.6
Graphs - Bad
20.4
27.4
90
20.4
30.6
38.6
34.631.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
January February March April
Blue Balls
Red Balls
Graphs - Bad• Minor gridlines are unnecessary
• Font is too small – cannot read it!
• Colors are illogical – makes graph confusing
• Title is missing
• Shading is distracting
Spelling and Grammar
• Proof your slides for:• speling mistakes• the use of of repeated words• grammatical errors you might have make
Errors in Delivery
• Even with a great presentation, the speaker can cause confusion and misery for the audience! Practice, practice, practice!• Do not just read the tiles to the
audience – shows you did not
Prepare for the presentation.
Serious Delivery Errors• Reading the slides to the audience (Boring!)
• Not changing slide when speaking on the next topic
• Blocking the screen
• Not talking loudly enough
Serious Delivery Errors• Taking too long • Complex fonts used are not on the computer • Broken links • Too fast = Switching slides before audience
can read the slide
Questions ?????• Do you have any questions?
• Remember – NO questions about our topic are “stupid” ones• The goal is to give you what you need to
succeed – the rest is up to you!
Irritating Mistakes
• Too slow = Same slide up too long
• Wandering away from the topic
• Not making eye contact with audience
• Using a light pointer that is too small or dim to show well on the screen
Conclusion• Use an effective and strong closing
• Your audience is likely to remember your last words
• Use a conclusion slide to:• Summarize the main points of your
presentation• Suggest future avenues of research
Questions??• End your presentation with a
simple question slide to:• Invite your audience to ask questions• Provide a visual aid during question
period• Avoid ending a presentation abruptly
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