1. Guidelines for Using PowerPoint

2. Basic Rules--Layout Select one design scheme and stick with it
Be consistent
Fonts, point size and color
Placement of headings, subheadings, etc.
Margins
Use the SAME background on each slide

3. Basic Rules—the Message
Don’t try to dazzle the audience with graphics or style but with the information
The medium is not the message---the information is the message

4. Basic Rules--Contrast
For Paper
Dark text on a light background
For Projection
Light text on a semi-dark background
Contrast is Important

5. Colors
Reds and oranges are high-energy but can be difficult to focus on for very long.
Greens, blues, and browns are mellower, but not as attention grabbing.
Reds and greens can be difficult to see for those who are color blind.

6. Basic Rules--Alignment
Generally, left justify bullets.
This keeps things neat . . .
and easy to follow
Do not center bullet points,
it makes the text ragged
and hard to read and follow with your eyes

7. Basic Rules--Graphics
Use only when needed—otherwise they can detract from the presentation
Should relate to the message and help make the point

8. Basic Rules--Graphics
Centered graphics don’t leave a lot of room for the information that you need to present.

9. Basic Rules--Graphics
Place graphics off center
More room for text
Better balance
More pleasing to the eye
Left placement leads eye to text

10. Basic Rules--Capitalization
AVOID ALL CAPS, IT IS VERY HARD TO READ
Title Cap—More Formal
be careful with all lower case
This is an example of capitalizing the first word.
Less formal
Easy to type and fewer decisions

11. Basic Rules—Font Choice
Your audience should determine your choice of font, size, and color
Avoid script and decorative typefaces except on title or division pages
If there was a large quantity of text, this font would be difficult to read.
So would this one.

12. Basic Rules—Too Much . . .
One of the most common mistakes in creating a presentation is to place too much information on the screen. This can cause the reader to become more distracted from the speaker just like you are now. Audiences are much more receptive to the spoken word. Type only the key information needed-- not every word! If you need more space, use more slides. They’re free!

13. Basic Rules--Text
6 x 6 rule: A good rule of thumb is to have no more than six lines on a slide—with no more than six words per line.
Personally, I prefer the 7 x 7 rule.

14. Basic Rules--Text Keep text easy to understand Keep font size large
Consider the size of the room or the distance from screen
Title size—approximately 40 point
Bullet size—32 point
Rarely use anything less than 24 point

15. Basic Rules--Movement
Avoid excessive animation
Keep transitions to a minimum—max 3-4 per presentation
One—Opening and closing slide
Two—Division slides
Three—All others

16. Basic Rules--Proofread
Always check spelling, capitalization and punctuation!
Be consistent
Caution By default, spell check will not catch errors in words that are keyed in ALL CAPS

17. Basic Rules--Preview View your presentation ahead of time
Colors can display differently on the TV or projection screen than they display on your monitor

18. Basic Rules--Copyright
Remember the copyright law
Cite your sources on a slide at the end
If you publish a presentation on the web, be sure you have the rights to use the graphic images and information