TECHNICAL WRITING November 29, 2013

Today Gestures. Making effective PowerPoints.

Effective PowerPoints

This: Do not attempt to put all the text, code, or explanation of what you are talking about directly onto the slide, especially if it consists of full, long sentences. Or paragraphs. There’s no place for paragraphs on slides. If you have complete sentences, you can probably take something out. If you do that, you will have too much stuff to read on the slide, which isn’t always a good thing. Like the previous slide, people do not really read all the stuff on the slides. That’s why it’s called a “presentation” and not “a reading” of your work Practice makes perfect, which is what gets you away from having to have all of you “notes” in textual form on the screen in front of you. Utilize the Notes function of PowerPoint, have them printed out for your reference. The audience doesn’t need to hear the exact same thing that you are reading to them. The bullet points are simply talking points and should attempt to summarize the big ideas that you are trying to convey If you’ve reached anything less than 18 point font, for God’s sake, please: Remove some of the text Split up the text and put it on separate slides Perhaps you are trying to do much in this one slide? Reading a slide is annoying. You should not simply be a text-to-speech converter.

vs. This: PowerPoint slides should be: - Simple and clean. - Easy-to-read - Facilite to the presentation.

Presentation Media (i.e., ppt.) These are integral to presentations: - Supplements verbal information. - Helps the audience follow the presentation. - Clarifies information (i.e., figures, visuals).

But… It is important to remember: - The screen is not a script. Don’t overload on text. - ppt. format is different than written documents. Short, simple text and visuals are used. - Clarity is essential. Proper format, font, and layout.

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Contrast

The reason why this issue of movie violence is an important issue to me I think violence in all forms in wrong. Showing children examples of violence can only have negative consequences. Parents need to control their children’s viewing.

Contrast Violence continued to get more extreme over time. What used to be shocking is now funny to some.

Contrast You need to be careful with contrast. Bad color choices affect visibility.

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Contrast - Generally, dark text on light background. - Light text on dark background: - acceptable, but potentially difficult to see. - Be careful if doing this. i.e., black background and white text =

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Contrast - Generally, dark text on light background. - Light text on dark background: - acceptable, but potentially difficult to see. - Be careful if doing this. i.e., black background and white text =

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Background - Use a single background. - Background is your stage. - Don’t change the stage!

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Background - Use a single background. - Background is your stage. - Don’t change the stage!

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Background - Use a single background. - Background is your stage. - Don’t change the stage!

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Background - Use a single background. - Background is your stage. - Don’t change the stage!

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Animation - Keep it basic. - The medium is not the message, the information is. - Your audience is not a group of children. Unnecessary!

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Balance - Do not center bullet points. - Make them line up. - Or it will be confusing.

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Balance - Left-aligned. - Lined-up. - Easy to follow.

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Balance - Or slightly indented. - Still lined-up. - Still easy to follow.

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Balance (visuals) Centered graphics leave little room for text.

Basic Rules: PowerPoint - Place graphics off-center. - More room for text. - Better balance. - More pleasing to the eye. - Left placement leads the eye to the text. Balance

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Font and color - Same rules as documents. - See visual design ppt. - Use at least 18-point font - 24-point – 36-point - Standard font type. -Times New Roman. - Arial

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Avoid text overload Having too much text on the screen can defeat the purpose of using PowerPoint. The slides begin to look like a jumble of text, making slides difficult to read and unrecognizable from each other. People will either try to read everything or copy everything down or they will lose interest. List only the key points. If you have more info to include use more slides or create handouts.

Basic Rules That You Must Have to Have a Good PowerPoint Presentation That Everyone Can Understand One of the most common mistakes in creating a presentation is to place too much information on the screen. This can cause the reader to become distracted from the speaker…just like you are now. Audiences are much more receptive to the spoken word.

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Bullet Points - Generally, stick to 2 levels of bullet points - This is still legible How many Levels of Hierarchy do You think You need * To express - Your point?

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Speelchick How samrt will poeple thikn yuo are? Watch for: there/their/they’re too/to/two its/it’s CHECK YOUR SPELLING

Basic Rules: PowerPoint Figures - Follow the guidelines in the U.N. reading. - Generally, 1 figure per slide. - Text is not necessary. - Except titles.

Figures - Good

Figures - Bad

Figures - Terrible

PowerPoint Text - You want to keep the text simple. - You should start bullet points with verbs if verbs are involved. - The active voice is the voice that should be used. - If you have key nouns, just use the key noun (it doesn’t need a sentence). - It is a good idea to keep your sentences short, 5 – 7 words maximum when possible. - Keep the number of bullet points to 5 maximum.

Vs.

PowerPoint Text - Keep the text simple. - Start bullet points with verbs. - Use active voice. - Key nouns - Sentences: 5 to 7 words. 5 bullet points max.