in creating your
Power Point Slides
Effective PowerPoint
presentations
Are
You
Excited
By
Animations, sound
and
Clip art
In PowerPoint?
PowerPoint Slide
Highlight key points or reinforce what the
facilitator is saying
Should be short and to the point, include only
key words and phases for visual,
reinforcement
In order for your presentation to fit on most
screens, text and images should be placed
within 95% of the PowerPoint slide. This
action safe area is seen in the next slide.
PowerPoint Layout
Layout continuity from frame to frame
conveys a sense of completeness
Headings, subheadings, and logos should
show up in the same spot on each frame
Margins, fonts, font size, and colors should be
consistent with graphics located in the same
general position on each frame
Lines, boxes, borders, and open space also
should be consistent throughout
Using PowerPoint
Do:
1. Check that you have booked all the equipment
you need well before your talk.
2. Plan what you want the audience to see and don't
crowd the screen.
3. Use an appropriate font.
4. Use a good colour contrast for background and
image, and project it to check.
5. Give handouts with details, which wouldn't be
clear on the screen.
6. Rehearse with all your visual material and the
equipment you will be using.
7. Always have backup in case of disaster.
Don't:
1. Show paragraphs or long sentences on the
screen.
2. Use fussy and distracting backgrounds.
3. Overdo punctuation: very little is needed in
a visual aid.
4. Use over-complicated diagrams, which the
audience won't be able to see clearly.
5. Use unnecessary and distracting
movement on the screen.
6. Watch the computer screen instead of the
audience.
7. Assume that you can use the equipment
without trying it out.
The outline
1st or 2nd slide should
have an outline
Follow outline for your
presentation
Place main points on
outline slide
Slide layout
Use point form, not complete
sentences
Maximum of six points per slide
Avoid wordiness: key words only
Slide layout
This page contains too many words for a
presentation slide. It is not written in point
form, making it difficult both for your
audience to read and for you to present
each point. Although there are exactly the
same number of points on this slide as the
previous slide, it looks much more
complicated. In short, your audience will
spend too much time trying to read this
paragraph instead of listening to you.
Slide layout
Showing one point at a time will:
focus attention on one point
prevent reading ahead
help keep your presentation focused
Slide layout
Do not use distracting animation
Do not go overboard with the animation
Use consistent animation
Slide layout
Slide transitions should not be distracting
Be consistent with transitions never
Random
Worst effects
Checkerboard or Comb
Fonts good
Use different size to show hierarchy
the title font is 36-point
the main point font is 28-point
this font is 24-point
Fonts - bad
If you use a small font, your audience wont be able to read what you have written
Spacing - bad
If you have a set of points
space them out on the slide
rather than in one corner
Spacing - good
If you have a set of points
space them out on the slide
rather than in one corner
Colour - good
Use a font colour that contrasts
sharply with the background
Use colour to reinforce the logic of
your structure
Use colour to emphasise a point
But only use this occasionally
Colour - bad
Dont use non-contrasting font colours
Using colour for decoration is
distracting and annoying
Using a different colour for each point
is unnecessary
Using a different colour for secondary
points is also unnecessary
Background - good
Use a simple background
Use backgrounds that contrast with
text/imagery
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
Use graphs rather than just charts and
words
Data in graphs is easier to comprehend
and retain than raw data
Trends are easier to visualise in graph
form
Graphs
January February
Blue Balls
20.4
27.4
Red Balls
30.6
38.6
March
90
34.6
April
20.4
31.6
Graphs
Items Sold in First Quarter of 2002
100
90
80
70
60
Blue Balls
Red Balls
50
40
30
20
10
0
January
February
March
April
Graphs
100
90
90
80
70
60
Blue Balls
50
Red Balls
38.6
40
34.6
31.6
30.6
27.4
30
20.4
20.4
20
10
0
January
February
March
April
Other features
choose pictures
that highlight your
point
use a screen
capture if
appropriate
On the day
Conclusion slide
Use an effective and strong closing
Use a conclusion slide
Conclusion
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
Make It
Big
Font Size
The larger, the better. Remember, your slides
must be readable, even at the back of the
room.
Font Size
Combining small font sizes with bold or
italics is not recommended:
This point could be lost. Century Gothic Font, Bold, Italic, 14pt.
No one will be able to read this. Gill Sans Font, Condensed Bold, 12pt
Dont !
This is Arial 12
This is Arial 18
This is Arial 24
This is Arial 32
This is Arial 36
This is Arial 44
This is Arial 12
This is Arial 18
This is Arial 24
Too Small
This is Arial 32
This is Arial 36
This is Arial 44
7 ft
Fonts
Font Style Should be Readable
Recommended fonts: Arial, Tahoma,
Veranda
Fonts
Dont !
FONTS
Keep It Simple
Styles
While hard work and good ideas are essential to success, your
ability to express those ideas and get others to join you is just
as important. Much of this verbal expression will be one on
one or in small groups, but periodically you will be involved
in more formal and public speaking in front of larger numbers.
If this thought makes you nervous, you are not alone. Many
speakers lack the skills and confidence to make effetcive
presentations. We have all been victims of speakers who put
us to sleep. Despite knowing how ineffective many speakers
are, many of us have found that, despite the best intentions,
we havent fared much better. We knew the topic and the
ideas were written down, but the presentation still didnt go
well. Was it the way you delivered the presentation? Was it
because the audience didnt seem interested?
Italics
Used for quotes
Used to highlight thoughts or ideas
Used for book, journal, or magazine titles
Use a Template
Use a set font and color
scheme.
Different styles are
disconcerting to the audience.
You want the audience to focus
on what you present, not the
way you present.
!
Limit Animation
Use the same animation
throughout the entire presentation
Using more than one can be very
distracting
The audience will only see the
animation and not the message
youre trying to get across
Dont
Bam!
Limit Animation
!
Use the same animation
throughout the entire presentation
Using more than one can be very
distracting
The audience will only see the
animation and not the message
youre trying to get across
Do
!
Too distracting !
Make It Clear
Make It Clear
(Capitalisation)
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE DIFFICULT
TO READ
Upper and lower case letters are
easier
Sanserif
Z
Serif
clear
busy
Do !!
Dont!
Colors
Reds and oranges are highenergy but can be difficult to
stay focused on.
Greens, blues, and browns are
mellower, but not as attention
grabbing.
Reds and Greens can be difficult
to see for those who are color
blind.
Green on Blue
Dark Yellow on
Green
Purple on Blue
Orange on Green
Red on Green
Dont !
Colors
White on dark background should not
be used if audience is more than 20 ft
away.
This set of slides is a good example.
You can read the slides up close.
The further away you get, the harder it
is to read.
This is a good color combination if
viewed on a computer.
A dark background on a computer
screen reduces glare.
Colors
Large Hall Events
Dont
Orange on Blue
Do !
Background Colors
Remember: Readability! Readability! Readability!
Size implies
importance
Dont !
8
Dont !
10
4/19 Fri
109
4/22 Mon
112
Change to mountingDo
cup !control
4/23 Tue
134
4/24 Wed
155
4/25 Thur
165
4/26 Fri
174
Dunedin
Wellington
January
11,532,234 14,123,654
3,034,564
February
1,078,456 12,345,567
16,128,234
March
17,234,778
6,567,123
16,034,786
April
16,098,897 10,870,954
7,940,096
May
8,036,897 10,345,394
14,856,456
June
678,095
4,123,656
8,890,345 15,347,934
18,885,786
8,674,234 18,107,110
17,230,095
September
4,032,045 18,923,239
9,950,498
October
2,608,096
9,945,890
5,596,096
November
5,864,034
478,023
6,678,125
December
12,234,123
9,532,111
3,045,654
July
August
16,184,345
Too detailed !
Christchurch
Dunedin
Wellington
January
11
14
February
12
16
March
17
16
April
16
10
May
10
14
June
Much Simpler
16
15
18
August
18
17
September
18
October
November
December
12
July
Falling Leaves
Too detailed !
Falling Leaves
Much Simpler
Good Graph
These are examples
of
good graphs, with
nice
line widths and good
colors.
Do !
Don
t
Mode A
Mode B
Mode C
30
20
10
North Europe
America
Australia
Do !
Illustrations
Use only when needed, otherwise they
become distracters instead of
communicators
They should relate to the message and
help make a point
Ask yourself if it makes the message
clearer
Simple diagrams are great communicators
Do !
Dont !
Be Progressive
Mode of Instruction
Individual
Constructive
Tools
Social
Constructive
Tools
Guided
Inquiry
Informational Tools
Individual
Instructive
Tools
Social
Communicative
Tools
Direct
Instruction
Individual
Pair
Complexity of Interactions
Group
Mode of Instruction
Individual
Constructive
Tools
Guided
Inquiry
Social
Constructive
Tools
Informational Tools
Progressive &
thus focused
Individual
Instructive
Tools
Social
Communicative
Tools
Direct
Instruction
Individual
Pair
Complexity of Interactions
Group
Understanding Technology
Mouse
I/O Error
Main Storage
CPU
Function key
Software
Floppy disk
Backup system
Understanding Technology
Mouse
I/O Error
Main Storage
CPU
Function key
Software
Floppy disk
Backup system
Seriffontsaredifficulttoreadonscreen
Sanserif fonts are clearer
Italicsaredifficulttoreadonscreen
Normal or bold fonts are clearer
Underlines may signify hyperlinks
Instead, use colors to emphasise
Bullets
Keep each bullet to 1 line, 2 at the most
Limit the number of bullets in a screen to 6,
4 if there is a large title, logo, picture, etc.
This is known as cueing
You want to cue the audience on what
youre going to say
Cues are a a brief preview
Gives the audience a framework to build upon
Bullets (con.)
If you crowd too much text, the
audience wont read it
Too much text looks busy and is hard to
read
Why read it, when youre going to tell them
what it says?
Our reading speed does not match our
listening speed; hence, they confuse
instead of reinforce
Points to Remember
Do not do this!
Points to Remember
Keep bullet points brief
Use the same background for
each slide
Use dark slides with light
colored text in large hall
events
Do !
Dont
YOU
Do not use the media to hide you
The audience came to SEE you
The media should ENHANCE the
presentation, not BE the presentation
If youre only going to read from the slides,
then just send them the slides!
Remember, only you can prevent
Death by PowerPoint
Be Consistent
Be Consistent
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
Be Consistent
Be Consistent
Be Consistent
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
Be Consistent
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
Confusing differences!
Be Consistent
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
Be Consistent
Differences draw attention
Differences may imply importance
Use surprises to attract not distract
These distract!
In Summary
Big
Simple
Clear
Progressive
Consistent