2. Tips for Using PowerPoint Effectively
Mrs. Tayloe
Myrtle Grove Middle School

3. Why do we use PowerPoint?
To make a speech
clearer
more effective
more interesting
PowerPoint Slides should
enhance a speech/presentation
reinforce the speaker’s points
support the speaker and his/her message
NOT overwhelm an audience!

4. Top 12 Mistakes People Make with Multimedia Presentations
from “Twelve Mistakes Made when Creating PowerPoint Slides and How to Correct Them” by Jim Prost
Prost, Jim. "Creating PowerPoint(R) Slides by Jim Prost." Fripp & Associates - Experts in Business Communications
04 Feb <

5. Mistake #1
Forgetting that with Multimedia Presentations, what you see is NOT always what you get
Solution:
The colors and shades you see on your computer screen will not look the same when projected on a screen. Try to project your presentation for preview before you present to your audience.

6. Creating slides that are hard on the eyes or even impossible to read
Mistake #2
Creating slides that are hard on the eyes or even impossible to read
Solution:
Think in contrasts! Use dark background colors and light colored type or light colored backgrounds and dark colored type.

7. Selecting inappropriate colors for slides
Mistake #3
Selecting inappropriate colors for slides
Solution:
Color can incite emotions! Unusual shades of red, brown, yellow and green can put your audience on edge throughout your presentation (this is not a good idea unless that is your intention!). Red is considered a “hot” color and should only be used as an accent color.

8. Choosing difficult to read fonts
Mistake #4
Choosing difficult to read fonts
Solution:
Helvetica and Arial are good fonts to use. Microsoft frequently uses Times New Roman but that font projects like “dot matrix” text. Sans-serif fonts (like Arial and Helvetica) look much better when projected.

9. Putting shadows on text
Mistake #5
Putting shadows on text
Solution:
Putting a shadow on text makes the text difficult, if not impossible, for an audience to read. Putting a shadow on a textbox will automatically put a shadow on the text included in the textbox. Keep it simple and plain but attractive!

10. Not letting your audience know where you are
Mistake #6
Not letting your audience know where you are
Solution:
Put slide numbers on slides so that your audience members can refer to them.

11. Starting your presentation before you are introduced
Mistake #7
Starting your presentation before you are introduced
Solution:
I recommend putting a blank slide as your first slide in your PowerPoint presentation. This way your title slide will not appear before you do!

12. Selecting more than two or three fonts
Mistake #8
Selecting more than two or three fonts
Solution:
In any one presentation, two or three fonts are all that you need. Again, keep it simple and plain but attractive.

13. Mistake #9
Using all the bells and whistles to show how good you are with the presentation software
Solution:
Be consistent! Whatever you do on one slide, do on all slides. For example, use the same fonts, coloring, animation, transitions, etc. across all slides. And do not use every element available in any one presentation.

14. Creating a printout that is unreadable
Mistake #10
Creating a printout that is unreadable
Solution:
To ensure a clearly printed copy, go to the “View” menu and select “Grayscale.” Look at your slides in this view because this is how they will print on a black and white printer. If you see a solid black box or element, text, etc. right click on that element and select the grayscale view and change it to black and white.

15. Creating animations that don’t work
Mistake #11
Creating animations that don’t work
Solution:
When you create a slide, the order in which you add each element is the order in which those elements will animate when you show the slide show. Got to the “Slide Show” menu and click on “Custom Animation.” You can click on each element and add the wanted effect and select the order in which the object will animate in the custom animation sidebar. Again, keep it simple.

16. Each slide in a presentation appears to be different
Mistake #12
Each slide in a presentation appears to be different
Solution:
When creating a new presentation, go to the Master Slide and format the text both for color and font, what animations should occur, add the slide number and any other element you want to appear on each slide.

17. Additional Tips for Effective PowerPoint Presentations
from “Tips for Making Effective PowerPoint Presentations” by Susan Allison
Allison, Susan. "Tips for Making Effective PowerPoint Presentations." Kinesiology Department at Boise State University.
23 Jan <

18. Tip #1
Use the slide master feature to create a consistent and simple design template.
It is fine to vary the content presentation (i.e. bulleted list, 2 column text, text and image), but be consistent with other elements such as font, colors and background.

19. Tip #2 Simplify and limit the number of words on each screen.
Use key phrases and include only essential information.
Keep it simple!

20. Tip #3 limit punctuation avoid putting words in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
empty space on the slide will enhance readability.

21. Patterned backgrounds can reduce readability of a text.
Tip #4
Use contrasting colors for text and background. Dark text on a light background is best.
Patterned backgrounds can reduce readability of a text.

22. Tip #5
Avoid the use of text fly-ins and the overuse of other special effects such as animation and sounds.
They may make your presentation “cutesy” and could negatively impact your credibility.
These features may seem impressive at first, but are distracting and get old quickly.

23. Tips #6 and #7
Limit the number of slides. Presenters who constantly “flip” to the next slide are likely to lose their audience. A good rule of thumb is one slide per minute.
Know how to and practice moving forward AND backward within your presentation. Audiences often ask to see the previous screen again.

24. Tips #8 and #9
If possible, view your slides on the screen you’ll be using for your presentation. Make sure they are readable from the back row seats. Text and graphics should be large enough to read, but no so large as to appear “loud.”
Have a Plan B in the event of technical difficulties. Remember that transparencies and handouts will not show animation or other special effects.

25. Tips #10 and 11
Practice with someone who has never seen your presentation. Ask them for honest feedback about colors, content, and any effects or graphics you’ve included.
Do not apologize for anything in your presentation. If you believe something will be hard to read or understand, don’t use it.

26. Tips #12 and #13
Do not read from your slides. The content of your slides is for the audience, not for the presenter.
Do not speak to your slides. Many presenters face the direction of their presentation rather than their audience.

27. Tip #14
When possible, run your presentation from the hard disk rather than a CD or jump drive. Running from a CD or jump drive may slow your presentation.

28. What did you learn?
Avoid these mistakes and take advantage of these tips when creating your own PowerPoint presentations!

29. Questions???