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APA formatting for PowerPoint

This quick guide can be used to assist students in creating a PowerPoint presentation with
APA standards formatting. It is important that student have good knowledge of how to write a
research paper with APA standards formatting. The following steps are ONLY to be applied to a
presentation utilizing the APA standards format.
1. Font on PowerPoint Slides
a. Font is Calibri which is MS PowerPoint default font or any other Sans-Serif font,
like Arial. NO Serif Fonts like Times New Roman
b. Size must be 20pt or larger, able to be read from at least 50 feet from the screen or the
back of the room, whichever is longer
2. The title slide is similar to the title page of an APA Paper
a. Presentation Title, Presenter(s) Name, and Name of the Institution. On three lines
maximum, centered horizontally and vertically on the first slide of the presentation
3. Use a footer for a Presentation
a. Date of the presentation in the flush left in the footer
b. Presentation abbreviated title in the center of the footer
c. Presentation slide number in the flush right footer position
d. Slide numbering begins on the title slide and it is slide 1
e. Do Not Use Running head
4. The Abstract for a presentation is a quick list of the presentations subtopics
a. The slide after the title slide should be titled with the title of Abstract and have a
brief list of subtopics
b. Generally a maximum of five easy to read lines in addition to Abstract title is used
5. In-text Citations and References are similar as for a paper using APA format
a. (Authors Last name, Year, Page Number)
b. Paraphrased In-Text citations should be placed in a separate text box near the bottom
on the slide
c. Direct Quote In-Text Citations should be placed directly after the quote, on the same
bullet or line
6. Last slide is the References Slide
a. Follows the same APA format requirements as those for a paper
b. Title of the slide is References
a. No bullets or numbers for each reference
b. Alphabetical order by authors last name, NOT in the order of appearance
7. Group Presentation Only
a. Title slide put the group name as the author
b. Put transition slides with section titles and the group members name

More information can be found at:

Ellen, Stephanie, eHow Contributor. (2012) Demand Media, Inc. How to Make a PowerPoint
Presentation Meet the APA Format. Copyright 1999-2012.
http://www.ehow.com/how_6661431_make-presentation-meet-apa-format.html Reviewed
June 1, 2012
T9bailey. (2012) How to Format your Power Point Presentation to APA Format with Bailey. YouTube
Video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnuhpn4xN2I Reviewed June 1, 2012

College of Graduate Studies Coleman University Created June 2012