2. Making PowerPoint Slides Avoiding the Pitfalls of Bad Slides

3. Tips to be Covered Outlines Outlines Slide Structure Slide Structure Fonts Fonts Colour Colour Background Background Graphs Graphs Spelling and Grammar Spelling and Grammar Conclusions Conclusions Questions Questions

4. Outline Make your 1 st or 2 nd slide an outline of your presentation Make your 1 st or 2 nd slide an outline of your presentation Ex: previous slide Ex: previous slide Follow the order of your outline for the rest of the presentation Follow the order of your outline for the rest of the presentation Only place main points on the outline slide Only place main points on the outline slide Ex: Use the titles of each slide as main points Ex: Use the titles of each slide as main points

5. Hints for a successful presentation Plan carefully Plan carefully Do your research Do your research Know your audience Know your audience Time your presentation Time your presentation Practice your presentation Practice your presentation Speak comfortably and clearly Speak comfortably and clearly

6. Effective PowerPoint Slides Use design templates Use design templates Standardize position, colors Standardize position, colors and styles and styles Include only necessary Include only necessary information information Limit the information to essentials Limit the information to essentials Content should be self-evident Content should be self-evident Use colors that contrast Use colors that contrast Be consistent with effects, transitions and animation Be consistent with effects, transitions and animation Too many slides can lose your audience Too many slides can lose your audience

7. Slide Structure – Good Use 1-2 slides per minute of your presentation Use 1-2 slides per minute of your presentation Write in point form, not complete sentences Write in point form, not complete sentences Include 4-5 points per slide Include 4-5 points per slide Avoid wordiness: use key words and phrases only Avoid wordiness: use key words and phrases only Generally no more than 7 words a line Generally no more than 7 words a line Generally no more than 7 lines a slide Generally no more than 7 lines a slide

8. Slide Structure - Bad This page contains too many words for a presentation slide. It is not written in point form, making it difficult both for your audience to read and for you to present each point. Although there are exactly the same number of points on this slide as the previous slide, it looks much more complicated. In short, your audience will spend too much time trying to read this paragraph instead of listening to you. This page contains too many words for a presentation slide. It is not written in point form, making it difficult both for your audience to read and for you to present each point. Although there are exactly the same number of points on this slide as the previous slide, it looks much more complicated. In short, your audience will spend too much time trying to read this paragraph instead of listening to you.

9. Slide Structure – Good Show one point at a time: Show one point at a time: Will help audience concentrate on what you are saying Will help audience concentrate on what you are saying Will prevent audience from reading ahead Will prevent audience from reading ahead Will help you keep your presentation focused Will help you keep your presentation focused

10. Slide Structure - Bad Do Do not use distracting animation not go overboard with the animation Be Be consistent with the animation that you use

11. Clip Art and Graphics Should balance the slide Should balance the slide Should enhance and complement the text, not overwhelm Should enhance and complement the text, not overwhelm No more than two graphics per slide No more than two graphics per slide

12. Fonts - Good Use at least an 18-point font Use at least an 18-point font Use different size fonts for main points and secondary points Use different size fonts for main points and secondary points this font is 24-point, the main point font is 28- point, and the title font is 36-point this font is 24-point, the main point font is 28- point, and the title font is 36-point Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial

13. Fonts - Bad If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ Don’t use a complicated font Don’t use a complicated font

14. Colour - Good Use a colour of font that contrasts sharply with the background Use a colour of font that contrasts sharply with the background Ex: blue font on white background Ex: blue font on white background Use colour to reinforce the logic of your structure Use colour to reinforce the logic of your structure Ex: light blue title and dark blue text Ex: light blue title and dark blue text Use colour to emphasize a point Use colour to emphasize a point But only use this occasionally But only use this occasionally

15. Colour - Bad Using a font colour that does not contrast with the background colour is hard to read Using a font colour that does not contrast with the background colour is hard to read Using colour for decoration is distracting and annoying. Using colour for decoration is distracting and annoying. Using a different colour for each point is unnecessary Using a different colour for each point is unnecessary Using a different colour for secondary points is also unnecessary Using a different colour for secondary points is also unnecessary Trying to be creative can also be bad Trying to be creative can also be bad

16. Background - Good Use backgrounds such as this one that are attractive but simple Use backgrounds such as this one that are attractive but simple Use backgrounds which are light Use backgrounds which are light Use the same background consistently throughout your presentation Use the same background consistently throughout your presentation

17. Background – Bad Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to read from Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to read from Always be consistent with the background that you use Always be consistent with the background that you use

18. Graphs - Good Use graphs rather than just charts and words Use graphs rather than just charts and words Data in graphs is easier to comprehend & retain than is raw data Data in graphs is easier to comprehend & retain than is raw data Trends are easier to visualize in graph form Trends are easier to visualize in graph form Always title your graphs Always title your graphs

19. Graphs - Bad

20. Graphs - Good

21. Graphs - Bad

22. Minor gridlines are unnecessary Minor gridlines are unnecessary Font is too small Font is too small Colours are illogical Colours are illogical Title is missing Title is missing Shading is distracting Shading is distracting

23. Spelling and Grammar Proof your slides for: Proof your slides for: speling mistakes speling mistakes the use of of repeated words the use of of repeated words grammatical errors you might have make grammatical errors you might have make If English is not your first language, please have someone else check your presentation! If English is not your first language, please have someone else check your presentation!

24. Conclusion Use an effective and strong closing Use an effective and strong closing Your audience is likely to remember your last words Your audience is likely to remember your last words Use a conclusion slide to: Use a conclusion slide to: Summarize the main points of your presentation Summarize the main points of your presentation Suggest future avenues of research Suggest future avenues of research

25. Questions?? End your presentation with a simple question slide to: End your presentation with a simple question slide to: Invite your audience to ask questions Invite your audience to ask questions Provide a visual aid during question period Provide a visual aid during question period Avoid ending a presentation abruptly Avoid ending a presentation abruptly