Presentation tips - Making PowerPoint Slides
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This document provides tips for creating effective PowerPoint slides to avoid common pitfalls. It recommends outlining the presentation, using a slide structure of 1-2 slides per minute with 4-5 main points per slide in point form. Font should be at least 18pt and contrast with the background. Graphs should be used instead of raw data when possible and should include titles and logical colors. Spelling and grammar should be proofread. The conclusion should summarize main points and invite questions.
Presentation tips - Making PowerPoint Slides
- 1. AV O I D I N G T H E P I T FA L L S O F B A D S L I D E S MAKING POWERPOINT SLIDES
- 2. TIPS TO BE COVERED • Outlines • Slide Structure • Fonts • Color • Background • Graphs • Spelling and Grammar • Conclusions • Questions
- 3. OUTLINE • Make your 1st or 2nd slide an outline of your presentation • Example: previous slide • Follow the order of your outline for the rest of the presentation • Only place main points on the outline slide • Example: Use the titles of each slide as main points
- 4. SLIDE STRUCTURE – GOOD • Use 1-2 slides per minute of your presentation • Write in point form, not complete sentences • Include 4-5 points per slide • Avoid wordiness: use key words and phrases only
- 5. 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.
- 6. SLIDE STRUCTURE – GOOD • Show one point at a time: • Will help audience concentrate on what you are saying • Will prevent audience from reading ahead • Will help you keep your presentation focused
- 7. SLIDE STRUCTURE - BAD • Do not use distracting animation • Do not go overboard with the animation • Be consistent with the animation that you use
- 8. FONTS - GOOD • Use at least an 18-point font • 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 • Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial
- 9. FONTS - BAD • If you use a small font, (under 18 pts), your audience won’t be able to read what you have written • CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ. • Don’t use a complicated, heavy or cramped font for the body of your text
- 10. COLOR - GOOD • Use a color of font that contrasts sharply with the background • Example: blue font on white background • Use color to reinforce the logic of your structure • Example: light blue title and dark blue text • Use color to emphasize a point • But only use this occasionally
- 11. COLOR - BAD • Using a font color that does not contrast with the background color is hard to read • Using color for decoration is distracting and annoying. • Using a different color for each point is unnecessary • Using a different color for secondary points is also unnecessary • Trying to be creative can be unprofessional
- 12. BACKGROUND - GOOD • Use backgrounds such as this one that are attractive but simple • Use backgrounds with good contrast. White is always acceptable. • Use the same background consistently throughout your presentation
- 13. BACKGROUND – BAD • Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to read from • Always be consistent with the background that you use
- 14. GRAPHS - GOOD • Use graphs rather than just charts and words • Data in graphs is easier to comprehend & retain than is raw data • Trends are easier to visualize in graph form • Always title your graphs
- 15. GRAPHS - BAD
- 16. GRAPHS - GOOD
- 17. GRAPHS - BAD
- 18. GRAPHS - BAD • Minor gridlines are unnecessary • Font is too small • Colors are illogical • Title is missing • Shading is distracting
- 19. SPELLING AND GRAMMAR • Proof your slides for: • speling mistakes • the use of of repeated words • grammatical errors you might have make • If English is not your first language, please have someone else check your presentation!
- 20. CONCLUSION • Use an effective and strong closing - Your audience is likely to remember your last words • Add a website link for emphasis • Use a conclusion slide to: • Summarize the main points of your presentation • Suggest future avenues of research
- 21. QUESTIONS?? • End your presentation with a simple question slide to: • Invite your audience to ask questions • Provide a visual aid during question period • Avoid ending a presentation abruptly