PowerPoint slides:

  • Use a background that is not obtrusive. Background graphics (if any) must relate to the topic.
  • Be sure to have good contrast between the foreground color and background color (no light-on-light or dark-on-dark). Computer projectors have worse contrast than computer screens, so do not rely on the way it looks on your computer screen.
  • Use color to emphasize key words or phrases, but not too much color or you get the “fruit salad effect” (too many different colors) which is distracting.
  • Paragraphs and Sentences
  • Do NOT put complete paragraphs on slides that you will present.(Use point form instead.)
  • If you have more than 20 words together in a block of text, it is a paragraph – BAD!
  • Try to avoid full sentences but they can be used sparingly for very important things.
  • Use point form: key words phrases so audience is curious to know how these fit together
  • You may use more sentences and even (rarely) a paragraph on slide that will just be read by somebody, not presented by anybody. In your assignment, you will be doing a resume that will be read by Murray, so you can use sentences there but not too many.
  • Visual transitions: “appear” and simple “fly-in” are fine. Avoid fancy ones – too distracting.
  • Do not use audio transitions – too distracting.
  • Be sure that there are no spelling mistakes on your slides.
  • Be sure that there are no grammar/wording mistakes on your slides
  • Example: subject/verb agreement, singular/plural
  • Point form is more forgiving than sentences, but can still contain grammar mistakes
  • For text slides, typically limit to one idea per slide, or maybe two minor ideas,

except for summary slides listing main points. Think 30-60 seconds per slide.

  • Text size: at least 24point, preferably 28 or 32 point.(Think of reading it from back of room.)
  • Tables and diagrams can be copied directly from written reportsif their labels are big enough to see on the screen. Otherwise, re-make the diagram with the labels in a bigger font.
  • Delete long captions from figures – too much text is useless and distracting.
  • Make figures and tables big enough – fill the slide! Do not waste space around edges of slides.
  • It’s nice to have a picture or other non-text item on a slide at least every 4-5 slides.
  • You may use a short (<30 seconds) video on a slide you present if it is important to your topic. It is usually best if this has no audio, so you can comment as the audience watches it. If the file is to be read/played without a presenter, then longer audio may be useful, including recorded narration by you.

To use time efficiently:

  • Use diagrams freely to explain ideas and setups. This will help clarity.
  • Slides can show tables of information, pictures, diagrams, argument outlines, equation details, experiment details, and summaries so you don’t have to say as much.
  • Duplicate slides that need to appear more than once so you never have to go backwards. Example: a graph where you talk about one part on a different slide, then look at the graph again to talk about another part. Use copies of the graph, with the current part highlighted.

When presenting, it is useful to have a printed list of the slidesin miniature so you can easily find a certain slide during the question time and so that you can quickly see what is coming next. PowerPoint’s “Handout” printing style has a nice way of fitting 6 slides per printed page.

PowerPoint has a “Presentation Mode” that shows something different on the screen from what you see on the computer. Use this if you want, but it can be tricky to set up (possibly requiring rebooting the computer while the audience waits for you to start) so it is safer to not use it unless you use your own computer.

If you have fancy button-clicking and/or animation on a PowerPoint slide, you are in danger because what works on your computer may NOT work on the presentation room computer’s installation of PowerPoint. If you want these, it would be best to use your own computer for the presentation.