Tips for Creating Effective and Interesting PowerPoint Presentations Research, Content, and Delivery Plan your research carefully using online and electronic resources. Focus on CONTENT Your goal is to introduce the information to be covered, present the relevant information, and summarize the content at the end. Analyze your audience. o Who will be there? o WIIFM (What is in it for me?) o What does the audience know about the topic? Practice your slide show. Speak slowly, clearly, and project your voice to the audience. Show enthusiasm for and interest in your topic. Time your presentation to make sure you’re in the appropriate time length. (PowerPoint’s Rehearsal feature lets you time your presentation.) Slides
First slide should include your presentation title and your name. Use design templates or create your own. When creating your own, use the same color background for each slide. Use colors that work well together. o Use a light background with dark text o Use a dark background with light text o Text may look readable on the computer screen but be unreadable when projected on the overhead in the classroom. Use transitions for each slide and be consistent. Use animation sparingly during the presentation. 3S rule for slide development o Simple o Specific o Sequential Use only one idea on each slide. Use consistent wording on each slide. Balance each slide appropriately. (Don’t allow too much “white” space) Remember sounds, animation, and pictures do not make the presentation, you do!
Text Provide only key points on your slides; do not attempt to put your entire talk on the slides, you can always use the extra information as narrative. 7 words per line; 7 lines pre slide is a good general rule—nouns and verbs rather than sentences. Text should be size 18 pt minimum to be readable (24 pt is best). Use upper and lower case—DO NOT USE ALL UPPERCASE AS IT IS HARD TO READ To emphasize fonts, use bolds, italics, or color.
Be consistent with the look and style of text for titles, bulleted points, and sub points. Use only fancy fonts for titles. Use a sans serif or simple font for text. Do not use more than three types of fonts per slide.
Other Features Use clip art, autoshapes, pictures, charts, tables, and diagrams to enhance presentation content. Use a chart or graph to present statistics. Vary the slide layout (Bulleted list, two column text, text & chart, etc.) Treat viewers to the unexpected; but not all the time.