Powerpoint TipsPowerpoint Tips

Level 3 LSPFall 2013

Jessica Montgomerie

Why Use Slides?

• Emphasize Key Points• Illustrate difficult ideas or a lot of data• Help audience follow you

Good Color Contrast

• light on a dark background (this one)Or

• dark on a light background ↓

Dark font on a light background

Bad Color Contrast

• Not this • This is unreadable

Bad FontBad Font

• This is a bad color AND it’s hard to read!

• Plus, it is really ugly.

Good Bullet Points

• Use phrases, not sentences • Keep to seven words or less • Summarize • Write in parallel structure • Have correct grammar and spelling

Example:

All stores should require their customers to pay for plastics bags or bring their own bag because plastic bags destroy the environment, and this might help customers become more aware.

Reasons to Pay for Plastic

Customers may:

- start bringing own bag

-become more aware of the earth

Effective Animation

• Employs simple animations that don’t distract

• Uses all the same ‘types’

• Avoids pizzazz, opting for subtle effects

• This can be• Very distracting• And it doesn’t help your listeners• Follow the ideas

Font Sizes?

• Typeface (text) should be at least 30

• Size 40 is big and easy to read

• Size 60 is probably too BIG

What About Art?

• Don’t stretch out pictures

• Avoid cheesy clip art

Pictures:- clear, good quality - relevant to information

1. Creative Commons http://search.creativecommons.org

2. Google Imageshttp://images.google.com Advanced settings; “filter” by license

Examples

Plastic bags create endless problems to the environment.

Which picture would be the best fit for this sentence?

Final Tips

• Keep slides clean and easy to read

• Avoid more than FIVE bullets per page

• Check for grammar, mechanics

• Keep it professional, informative and engaging

Resources:

• Vince Adams made the original PPT• Meghan Balderston added some L3 Tips