Five Common PowerPoint Mistakes Western Oregon University (and how to fix them)

1. Too Much Text  Shoot for three or four bullet points per slide.  Use phrases that summarize your points.  Make sure the text is easy to read from across the room. Big blocks of text are difficult to read in a PowerPoint presentation. Instead:

1.Select the image. 2.Hold down the shift key. 3.Click and drag from the corner. 2. Distorted Images If you place an image on your slide, don’t stretch it. Resize it proportionally. Here’s how:

3. Too Busy  Use one or two fonts throughout.  Use a consistent background.  Use a minimal amount of effects, and use the same ones throughout.  Use blank space to create balance. A PowerPoint with too much variety can be hard to watch. Instead, a consistent look is key:

4. Too much focus on slides  Do not simply read the slides. They are there to summarize, not replace, your presentation.  Look at your audience, not your PowerPoint.  Avoid standing behind your computer as much as possible. Remember, if you are using PowerPoint while giving a presentation, you are the presentation, not PowerPoint.

5. Inappropriate Graphics  Use graphics appropriate for the tone and style of your presentation.  All images should emphasize rather than distract from your point.  If a table or graph can’t be read effectively in PowerPoint, consider giving it as a handout. It’s good to use images and graphics to spice up your presentation. However,