Tips to Make a Great PowerPoint Presentation

by Ms. Melissa McDonald School Library Media Specialist

Keep it Simple

• Use horizontal orientation

• Use plenty of “white space”

• Limit clutter on slides

An Asian elephant bathes in the Kabani River in India.

elephant: Asian elephant. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 23 July 2012. <http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-75623>.

Limit Bullet Points & Text

• Use headings

• Use short phrases & key words

• Don’t fill your slide with text -the best slides may have no text at all!

Remember:

•This is a presentation tool – it needs YOU to present the information

•Add notes in the note section to remind you what you want to say

Limit Transitions & Animation

• Limit use of animations and slide transitions

• Some animation is a good thing, but too much is bad!

Use High Quality Graphics

• Use or

• Use high quality graphics, clipart or photographs http://office.microsoft.com

• Always be sure to cite your source!

Use Color & Templates Well

• Color evokes feelings & is emotional

• Choose template that matches your topic

• Limit the number of colors on each slide

Choose Your Fonts Well

• Use the same font set throughout your entire

presentation

• Use no more than two complementary fonts (e.g., Arial and Arial Bold)

• Know the difference between a serif font

(e.g., Times New Roman) and a sans-serif font (e.g., Calibri or Arial).

References

“10 slide design tips for producing powerful and effective presentations” by Garr Reynolds

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-slide-design-tips-for-producing-powerful-and-effective-presentations/6117178

Template and Clipart Images from: http://office.microsoft.com