PowerPoint Dos and Don’ts Freshman Focus February 2011

What is the purpose of a PowerPoint? To provide your audience key points To use visuals to enhance what you speak Should not be “everything”

With that in mind… DO NOT Script it. Read it. Make yourself useless. DO Offer bulleted ideas. Fill in the details orally. Be able to explain and interpret.

The Little Details about CONTENT DO NOT A probation officer works with people who have been convicted of crimes and helps them make sure that they are following the requirements of what the court has ordered them to do. This involves meeting with clients, visiting their homes, and attending court with them. It isn’t just about making sure the criminal follows the rules, it is also “to help reintegrate offenders back into society” so they can have jobs and be productive citizens (Job Description par. 2). Typically, a probation officer works a 40-hour week, which may include referring “offenders to employment services to help them find work” or helping with “gaining access to medical care, counseling, education, and social services” (par. 3). In order to become a probation officer, a person must usually hold a “bachelor’s degree in social work, criminology, or a related field” (Education and Training par. 1). Typically, a starting salary for this job is about $47,000 a year (Earnings). By the end of their career, a probation officer might earn as much as $60,000 a year (Earnings). DO Works with people convicted of crimes. Meets with clients. Visits homes.

The Little Details about CONTENT DO NOT A probation officer works with people who have been convicted of crimes and helps them make sure that they are following the requirements of what the court has ordered them to do. This involves meeting with clients, visiting their homes, and attending court with them. It isn’t just about making sure the criminal follows the rules, it is also “to help reintegrate offenders back into society” so they can have jobs and be productive citizens (Job Description par. 2). Typically, a probation officer works a 40-hour week, which may include referring “offenders to employment services to help them find work” or helping with “gaining access to medical care, counseling, education, and social services” (par. 3). In order to become a probation officer, a person must usually hold a “bachelor’s degree in social work, criminology, or a related field” (Education and Training par. 1). Typically, a starting salary for this job is about $47,000 a year (Earnings). By the end of their career, a probation officer might earn as much as $60,000 a year (Earnings). DO 40 hour week Bachelor’s Degree Starting: $47,000/y Peak: $60,000/y

The Art of BULLETS Use parallel construction- consistent structure Avoid complete sentences Capitalize the first letter, always Use consistent endings Keep it to one line of text per bullet Limit quantity to 5 to 7 bullets per slide

The Art of ART Remember the purpose of the PowerPoint Don’t blind your audience or give headaches Don’t distract them Keep them both reading AND listening

The Art of ART Remember the purpose of the PowerPoint Don’t blind your audience or give headaches Don’t distract them Keep them both reading AND listening

The Art of ART Remember the purpose of the PowerPoint Don’t blind your audience or give headaches Don’t distract them Keep them both reading AND listening

The Art of ART Remember the purpose of the PowerPoint Don’t blind your audience or give headaches Don’t distract them Keep them both reading AND listening

The Art of ART Remember the purpose of the PowerPoint Don’t blind your audience or give headaches Don’t distract them Keep them both reading AND listening

The Art of ART Remember the purpose of the PowerPoint Don’t blind your audience or give headaches Don’t distract them Keep them both reading AND listening

The Art of ART Remember the purpose of the PowerPoint Don’t blind your audience or give headaches Don’t distract them Keep them both reading AND listening

The Art of ART Choose simple backgrounds Use high-contrast foreground and background – Light colored text on dark background – Dark colored text on light background Avoid overly vivid neons or day-glows

Choosing Fonts Keep it simple Avoid complex or stylized fonts DO USE: Calibri Times New Roman Arial Comic Sans Or other simple fonts… DO NOT USE: Script fonts Stylized or Peculiar Fonts Stylized fonts Iconic fonts

Using Graphics/Clip Art Ensure it has a purpose Avoid cutesy distractions Include no more than one image Integrate images into the presentation – Do not say “and now here are some pictures”

Making it Move with Animations Keep it simple Animate whole lines at once –n–not letter by letter Prevent seasickness When in doubt, leave it out

Your Career PowerPoint Good grade! Well-prepared presentation Easy to complete PowerPoint Thoroughly completed packet Well-written paragraph