How to do a great Power Point Document

The Principles 1. The audience should focus on YOU, not the screen 2. Keep it simple! Both text and visual layout 3. Use pictures on as many slides as possible Pictures can reinforce your point. 4. Avoid distracting visual tricks.

#1: The audience should focus on YOU You tell the story – Bring the information to life The software is just visual support – Illustrate a point – Reinforce key ideas It’s all about communication – Give people info in a way they can get it.

#2: Keep your text simple and short People read faster than you can talk. – When they’re reading, they’re not listening Keep each line SHORT – Phrases, not sentences – One line of prose per idea Not too many words per slide – If the letters get smaller as you type  a clue!

You need to avoid too much clutter on the screen, especially when you’re doing something complicated like a specific history topic If your bullet points are too long, – People will be SO busy reading… or trying to read… your lengthy writing that they won’t hear a word you have to say. It’s hard for you to see, too, which complicates matters when you’re presenting. Plus, something that looks like this is almost impossible to understand. I mean, really, who can read this from a distance at 7:45 in the morning? What are we, Supermen? You get the point, right? Keep your text simple and short.

Visuals: keep them very simple. 1. Pick a simple slide design Use dark letters on light background. “Reversed-out” type is harder to read; fatiguing Just because Microsoft gives it to you does NOT mean it’s good!

This is reversed-out type: light letters on a dark background It gets hard on the eyes after a while. Plus, pictures can be hard to focus on against a dark background

Keep all your visuals simple 1. Pick a simple slide design Use dark letters on light background. “Reversed-out” type is harder to read; fatiguing A little bit of decoration is helpful Help your audience focus on the words

Keep your slide design simple… A plain white screen looks cold, so use some color or decoration But… be careful. Too much decoration is distracting

These are images from other classes I’ve taught through the years. Also, my summer vacation. Great stuff, huh? Too much decoration is distracting

Even something like this Can make your words hard to see Don’t make your audience work this hard… You want them focusing on your message, not struggling to read your slides.

#3: Use pictures as often as you can This is a VISUAL medium… use pictures. Give the source for every picture. How to do it: – The software gives you a lot of options They don’t work well, in my experience. – Type the text in the normal area: a text box. – Select the box and drag it to fit ½ the screen – Paste the picture into the other half of the screen – Use a new text box and paste in the URL.

Short bullets: harder, with pictures Only part of the screen is available Critical: BALANCE words and picture – Two lines per bullet. If you have too many words, – Break into two slides. Source:

#4: Avoid distracting visual tricks. 1. Only the simplest animation! If you overdo the animation, Then people watch that It distracts them from your content You really don’t want that 2. Pick one QUICK animation scheme Use only one.

#4: Avoid distracting tricks. 3. Only use cartoons, video or music if it makes a point Those things are fun, but can be distracting. This is a serious project Present it seriously… respect your own work! Watch your timing – Rule of thumb: One slide per minute.

Summary Presentation software is a TOOL – It helps you do a job – Let it support you. Keep the focus on what you have to say 1. Audience should focus on YOU, not the screen 2. Keep the text simple and short 3. Use pictures on as many slides as possible 4. Avoid distracting visual tricks