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Using PowerPoint for Academic Presentations

How to…How NOT to…

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Aims and Objectives

Aim To learn how to use PowerPoint 2007 as an effective

academic tool

Learning Objectives Be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of

using PowerPoint Understand the techniques of good presentation and

slide design Be able to create and present effective PowerPoint

presentations

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What is PowerPoint?

A software application used for producing presentation materials

Designed for delivering presentations using a computer

Why Use PowerPoint?

1. To take attention off me

2. I can email slides to those who can’t attend

3. To remind me what to say next

4. To maintain some sort of structure

5. Professional-looking slide layouts

6. Ready-made visuals

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Advantages of Using PowerPoint

Easy to organise and modify information Greater control over the flow of information Can incorporate images, movies, sounds,

diagrams, charts, tables, etc. Can switch between presentation and other

programs or online resources Presentation can be placed on the WWW or

printed as handouts

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Disadvantages of Using PowerPoint

Need to be familiar with the technology Less effective if a lot of detail is required Poor presentation can prohibit discussion Originally designed for the Business

community NOT the Academic community Tendency to spend more time on creating the

PowerPoint presentation than on the actual presentation content

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Good Presentation Design

Plan your presentation on paper first

Decide on your aims and objectives

Include an Introduction and a Conclusion

Present material in a logical order

Avoid the temptation to include too much detail

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Good Slide Design

Choose an appropriate Slide Layout Maximum 6 points per slide Use words or phrases rather than sentences

and paragraphs Spread points evenly over slide Simple designs and color schemes are best Include most important points first

Information Services 2007/20089/28

Using Text

No more than two fonts Minimum size 24 pt (this is 28 pt) Use sans-serif fonts (Verdana or Arial) for

presentation Use serif fonts (Times New Roman) for handouts Remember that a significant portion of your

audience may have sight problems or dyslexia Check your spelling and grammar!!

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Using Text

You should try to use no more than two fonts. Aim for a minimum size of 24 pt (this text uses 28 pt). You should use sans-serif fonts (e.g. Verdana or Arial) for presentation. You should use serif fonts (e.g. Times New Roman) for handouts. Remember that a significant portion of your audience may have sight problems or dyslexia. Make sure that you check your spelling and grammar!!

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Using Color

Choose color combinations carefully Dark text on a light background works best Use color sparingly - no more than 3 different

font colors If you are using graphics, try to use the same

colors for text Remember certain colors can convey

meaning

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Using Colors

Hot and Cold – will emphasise the meaning

Hot and Cold – may confuse the audience

Accessibility Issues

How many of you can read this?

Red – Green is the most common form of color blindness.

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Accessibility Issues

What about this?

Blue – green is another common form

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Emphasising Points

Use bold or color rather than italic or underline

AVOID USING ALL UPPERCASE– People can read sentence case easier

Use Animation Schemes to control the pace of points

Fade out earlier points to concentrate attention on current point

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Using Animation/Transition Effects

Can be used to emphasise key points Animation can be applied to text and graphics Avoid animation unless they are extremely

relevant Don’t use different animation/transition effects

on each/every slide Avoid elaborate effects

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Using Graphics

Include Diagrams, Charts, Clip Art, Photos or Cartoons

Should be relevant

Most beneficial when material is complicated Try to be consistent – size, shape, colors

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Animating Graphics

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Using Multimedia

Can include movies, sound or links to the internet

Large files may be very slow to load

Check that speakers are available for sound

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Warning!!!

Just because you can include images, videos, animations etc. doesn’t mean you should!!!

Research shows that students tend to learn LESS from expanded PowerPoint presentations than from basic text slides

Using irrelevant images will detract from the message you are trying to give

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Presenting Your Slides

Print Speaker’s Notes and Handouts if required

Use Slide Show view for presentation– New Presenter View in PowerPoint 2007

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Stand and Deliver!

Don’t stand in front of the screen or hide behind the computer

Don’t turn your back on the audience Gesture towards the screen when you want

to draw attention to it Stand still when you want audience to focus

attention on screen Move about to make audience focus on you.

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Strategies

Make your presentation interactive by including questions or exercises

Encourage audience to compare images or interpret charts/diagrams

Invite audience to ask questions and provide feedback at the end

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Printing Slides

A presentation can be printed as: Slides Handouts: 1 – 9 slides per page

– Use handouts which contain only the main points or headings to encourage note-taking

Notes pages – for speaker Outline view

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Presentation Hints

Project your voice and show enthusiasm Give your audience more attention than the

screen Know your subject

– Be prepared for questions Rehearse your presentation

– Don’t read from screen/notes– Check out equipment and software beforehand

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Summing It All Up

Plan the structure and content of your presentation before!

Include images where appropriate Accessibility is more important than

attractiveness Avoid “Death by PowerPoint”

– PowerPoint is intended to enhance your presentation not BE your presentation

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

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Don’t kill your audience with a PowerPoint like this

one.This one breaks

many of the rules.