RMS PowerPoint Presentation Format

Design Artfully

Consider audience

Select powerful images

Eliminate distractions (sound effects, lots of animations and transitions, too many colors)

Use as few words as possible to get point across (each slide should not exceed 12 words, if possible)—This is a TALKING presentation!

Emphasize Ideas and Logic

Supplement slides with text and data (notes handout)

Maintain depth and complexity

Provide sufficient evidence

More about ideas than “flash”

Research and Thinking = 80%Presenting = 20%

Criteria

How well do elements fit together (ideas, images, sounds, etc.)?

Do big ideas appear in larger fonts than details?

Is the size of the graphic appropriate in relationship to the words?

Do choices of fonts and styles match the intention?

Do the slides, design, and ideas show signs of personal style and inventiveness?

Do the pages seem hastily constructed with a slap-dash, cut-and-paste approach or is it a thoughtful, intentional design?

Deliver Dramatically

Maintain eye contact

  • To be effective, establish eye contact with each member of the audience at various points throughout the presentation

Avoid reading

  • Words on slides are meant as talking points and headings (audience can read them without help)
  • Create a Notes Page for yourself to help you remember what you want to talk about (audience does not see this) (File>Print—choose Notes Page)

Speak with conviction

  • Deliver sincere beliefs in a convincing manner

Slide Layout

Vary the slide layouts to correspond with your presentation (Format > Slide Layout)

Color

Try not to use more than 3 colors in your presentation. The WORDS are most important, not the artistic effects.

For the background, go to “Format > Background” or “Format > Slide Design.”

Pictures

When using pictures in a document, DO NOT use copy > paste. This is used only for text.

RIGHT CLICK on the picture and go to “Save Picture As.” Save your picture on your “H” drive or floppy disk.

Put your cursor where you want the picture and go to “Insert > Picture > From File.” Find your picture and click “Insert.”

Your picture should now appear. (If you use copy > paste, then when you show the presentation your picture may become a link to the Website instead of the picture itself.)

Animation & Transitions

To make the words and/or pictures move on your slide, go to “Slide Show > Custom Animation.” Highlight what you want to animate and click the down arrow to choose your animation and speed (ranges from very slow to very fast). To change the order, click on what you wish to re-order and use the “Re-order arrows” at the bottom of the task pane.

To have your slide have an effect, go to “Slide Show > Slide Transition.” Choose your transition and whether you want it to be slow, medium, or fast and whether or not you want sound.

Not all slides need to be animated. Click the play button first to preview before applying it.

Avoid using timers since the presentation will continue to move even if someone begins asking you questions or you take longer than expected explaining the slide. Timers are only good when you are not in the room with the presentation (i.e., open house) or need to socialize (at a party).

Credits

Whenever you get information or pictures from another source, you need to document that source to avoid plagiarism.

Make this your last slide.

Remember to document the LAST website you visited, NOT the first (i.e., google.com, yahoo.com, ask.com, msn.com are NOT websites).

Avoid using Wikipedia as a source as it is NOT a reliable website. Anyone can write anything on this site, which means it may not be accurate information.

Copy and paste the URL address to your page. You may need to reduce the font size.

Slide Sorter

To view your PowerPoint slides and/or reorder your slides, go to “View > Slide Sorter” or reorder the slides in the Outline View.

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