How to create a PowerPoint Presentation

Where do you start Click on the icon on your screen that resembles the one on the below.

The PowerPoint Screen Have a look at the screen above as we talk about the different features available on PowerPoint.

The view menu If you begin by clicking on the view menu and then on the toolbar menu it gives a list of the different toolbars available. The most common ones are the standard, formatting and drawing toolbars.

The Toolbar The top of the PowerPoint screen highlights some of the different features available on your slides. PowerPoint uses icons to represent these features, e.g a disc for saving. Look on the far right hand side where you can see the following icon You use this icon when you want to start a new slide.

The standard toolbar The standard toolbar allows you to cut, paste, create tables, save etc

Formatting and Drawing These are the other two most commonly used toolbars. The drawing toolbar usually sits along the bottom of the screen and allows you to draw shapes, insert pictures and word art etc. The formatting toolbar allows you to alter the font, type in italics, bold etc

The File Menu The file menu controls the file. It allows you to: Open a new file Save your file Print your file Change the settings on your page And finally it allows you to exit the programme

The Apply Slide Layout After you have clicked on the new slide menu this layout appears on the right of your screen. It allows you to change the content of your slide with regards to the position of text and graphics. In this instance I have used a slide with a title, text on the left and graphic on the right. I obtained this by pressing the following icon.

Formatting your slides The background, texts, styles that you may use in a presentation can be altered by using the formatting menu. Left click on the word format and the menu will drop down. Come down to slide design and left click again.

Formatting cont Watch what happens on the right of your screen. PowerPoint will throw up a list of the many different features or schemes that come under this menu. The menu opposite is the animations scheme. On the next slide is the design templates scheme.

Designing Templates This menu enable you to select the background, font, and smaller graphics you may wish to use. You can choose your own colours etc but the template ensures consistency from one slide to the next.

The main screen The main screen is where we do most of our work. It is what is called a wysiwyg (wissiwig) screen – this means what you see is what you get.

Adding graphics or charts Look at the little icon on the screen. It gives you the option of inserting tables, charts, images, animations or movies. You just have to click on the right icon to insert the graphic you require.

Other features As well as these many features you can insert sounds and make a presentation more lively and colourful. Have a go at creating your own presentation. You can select a topic of your choice – make it as interesting and as professional as possible. Good Luck!!