1. Effective PowerPoint: Simple Solutions to Six Common Mistakes Lena Hegi Welch, Ed. D. Trevecca Nazarene University

2. Mistake #1: Using Too Many Slides

3. www.dilbert.comwww.dilbert.com; accessed 6/15/06

4. The Solution: A Good Rule of Thumb Length of Speech 2 + 1 = Total # of Slides Source: Hamilton, Essentials of Public Speaking (2008)

5. Mistake #2: Putting Too Much Information on a Slide

6. Contrast this... “When you present text-heavy pages, you tend to read them, which becomes remedial reading. Not only are you boring your audience, but you are insulting their intelligence as well.”

7. With This: Text-heavy pages—boring and insulting to audience. Use key words and phrases.

8. One Solution: The “666” Rule No more than: 6 words per line; 6 lines per slide; 6 word slides consecutively. University of Wyoming School of Education, 2004

9. Mistake #3: Overdoing the “Bells & Whistles”

10. Solution: Keep It Simple Easy-to-read template Uncluttered appearance Minimal sound effects

11. Solution: Be Consistent Template or background Font (no more than two) Alignment Transitions Animation

12. Mistake #4: Audience can’t read slides

13. Solutions: Double-check contrast between font & template background Keep font size 24+ ; preferably larger Practice slideshow ahead of time with projector

14. Combinations That Work: Complementary Colors

15. Mistake #5: Letting form overshadow content

16. Used by permission of Randy Glasbergen

17. Solutions: Allow plenty of time for designing PowerPoint; Concentrate on the message; Remember: PowerPoint should enhance, not overshadow, your message.

18. Mistake #6: Disregarding Murphy’s Law

20. Solutions: Anticipate problems Always have a back-up copy (i.e., CD, flash drive, etc.) Be able to speak without PowerPoint

21. Review: Six Mistakes Using too many slides Putting too much information on slides Overdoing the “bells & whistles” Audience can’t read slides Letting form overshadow content Disregarding Murphy’s Law

22. Some Practical Guidelines for Our Classroom Save onto CD, flash drive, or e-mail by 4:00 p.m. to lwelch@trevecca.edu Projector takes 1-2 minutes to warm up. Control light bulb with “mute” or “B.” Advance slides by touching screen twice. Accidentally skip a slide? Use “P” to return.