How NOT to give a PowerPoint Presentation by Ryan M Blanck, MA

What NOT to do (slides): use a color palette that makes your slides unbearable to look at.

What NOT to do (slides): use too many fonts, or use fonts that are difficult to read and never use Comic Sans (just don’t)

What NOT to do (slides): attempt to dazzle your audience with animations and sound effects animation was cool like 20 years ago, but not so much anymore.

What NOT to do (slides): fill your slide with a crap-ton of text that is so small that not even the people sitting in the from row can see it. your slides should only have a minimal amount of text on them. think of the text as the main points of your presentation, and then you will explain the subpoints of your presentation to your audience verbally. or think of the text on the slides as the left column in a page of Cornell notes. again, the text provides the main points, you explain the subpoints. filling your slides with all this text causes distraction (and eye strain) for your audience. they will be too busy trying to read the text that they can’t and won’t be listening to what you say. remember, the slides are a visual aid, they are not meant to make the presentation for you.

What NOT to do (slides): fill your slides with a bunch of large images that overwhelm the memory of the computer and take forever to load.

What NOT to do (slides): use images that are of poor quality

What NOT to do (slides): have missspleled wrods its vary impotent too prove-reed you’re twerk, end knot re-lye on Otto cornet.

What NOT to do (presentation): read directly from the slides

What NOT to do (presentation): sound disinterested in what you are talking about.

What NOT to do (presentation): sit down, lean against the wall or podium, have bad posture, etc.

What to do (slides): use colors and fonts that are pleasing to the eye use text sparingly to introduce key ideas and information use high-quality, relevant graphics to illustrate key ideas proofread the text on each slide

What to do (presentation): use note cards (if necessary) to help you remember what to say speak confidently walk around a bit as you present; own the stage make eye contact with your audience rehearse your presentation