PowerPoint Basics:

Tips and Design Principles

• Remember to use graphics and special effects sparingly. This is not an effective PowerPoint slide!

• Choose fonts and colors that are easy on the eyes. Avoid light-colored text, and consider using sans serif instead of serif fonts.

• Do not place too much text on any one slide. Keep plenty of “white space” on each slide.

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• Choose graphics wisely – if possible, they should convey an idea at a glance. Leave adequate “white space” and try to balance the page.

Sources for graphics:

• Research Medical Library databases that contain images along witharticles: http://www3.mdanderson.org/library/databases/images.html

• MD Anderson’s Medical Graphics & Photography resource (may requirelogin): https://dcpwpcumulus.mdanderson.edu/guests/

• Google Advanced Image Search – limit results to “usage rights – freeto use or share: http://www.google.com/advanced_image_search

• Remember that this isn’t your grandparents’ PowerPoint! There are all kinds of shapes, charts, and “SmartArt” that you can find under the “Insert” menu and easily customize.

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• PowerPoint is also useful for creating large posters. MD Anderson has several templates for use by faculty, staff,and students:

http://inside.mdanderson.org/departments/medical-graphics/scientific-posters-slide-presentations.html

Follow the same design principles for PowerPoint posters that you would for slideshows:

• Use graphics wisely and try to balance them with digestible chunks of information

• Leave plenty of white space

• Use easy-to-read fonts

• Follow your institution’s “branding” requirements if applicable

Don’t forget to include citations on your PowerPoint slideshow or poster. Depending on where you got the information, citations may be needed for:

• Paraphrased bullet points

• Data in charts or graphs

• Illustrations or photos if the creator is identified