A Guide to PowerPoint

PowerPointPowerPoint is a part of the Microsoft Office package.It is a presentation software program that has many of the functions available in Microsoft Word.

PowerPoint ContinuedTo display a presentation, you need:A computer (desktop or laptop)LCD projectorWhite board or screen for projection

Seeing (and Hearing) Is BelievingPowerPoint presentations can enhance understanding and retention of concepts.Audiovisual aids should be relevant to the speech topic.

Designing Presentation AidsDo not add too much content.Keep bullets short Visual aids should:ReinforceSupportSummarize what you saySimplicity

Designing Presentation AidsUse the same design throughout your presentationContinuity

Designing Presentation AidsMaintain continuity in:ColorsFontsupper and lowercase lettersStylingBoldfaceUnderliningItalicsContinuity

Designing Presentation AidsTypeface:a specific style of letteringArialTimes RomanCourier NewTahomaMonotype CorsivaTypeface

Designing Presentation AidsFonts:sets of sizes (called the point size)24 point20 point18 point16 point10 pointupper and lower cases

Font Size

Designing Presentation AidsCheck that your lettering stands apart from your background.Use a typeface that is simple, easy to read, and doesnt distract from your message. Dont overuse boldface, underlining or italics. Use upper-and lowercase type.Typeface Style And Font Size

Designing Presentation AidsUse bold, bright colors to emphasize important points. Use softer, lighter colors.Avoid dark backgrounds. Color

A How-To Guide for Using Microsoft PowerPoint as a Presentation Aid

How-To Guide to PowerPointThis guide offers straightforward advice that will help you use Microsoft PowerPoint to create effective and enjoyable presentations.

You dont want your slides to look like this:Title too smallFont is small and hard to readTexts overlap and have strange formatting Clip art is too large; only one piece is necessaryColors on the slide are distracting

Lets Begin!PowerPoint is a Microsoft application.If you are proficient in programs such as Word and Excel, you are already familiar with over 100 common commands used by Microsoft Office software.

Lets Begin!NOTE: All of the icons, example buttons, and toolbars shown in this slide show are taken from the PC version of PowerPoint. The Macintosh version is similar, yet slightly different.

To Use PowerPointBecome familiar with the toolbarsSelect your presentation optionLearn how to create a slideLearn how to organize design elementsLearn how to balance design elements

Learning the ToolbarsView buttonsCommon tasks toolbarFormat-ting toolbarMenu barStandard toolbarDrawing toolbar

Learning the ToolbarsThe Menu barThe Standard toolbarThe View toolbarThe Drawing toolbarThe Formatting toolbarThe Common Tasks toolbar

Learning the ToolbarsThe Menu bar contains the commands for which shortcuts exist on the toolbars.For instance, under File you can find the option to Save your presentation, which is also available on the Standard toolbar.In the Formatting menu, you can click on Alignment and change the flow of text on your screen. You can also click one of the alignment icons on the Formatting toolbar to perform the same task.

Learning the ToolbarsThe Standard toolbar contains a number of useful shortcuts:New presentationOpen a new or existing presentationSavePrintSpelling

Learning the ToolbarsThe Standard toolbar also includes a number of other shortcut features:Insert a Microsoft Word TableInsert a Microsoft Excel TableInsert a ChartInsert Clip ArtThe Office Wizard. When you click this and type a question, it will search the Help index for possible answer.

Learning the ToolbarsThe View toolbar gives different options for viewing slides:Slide View: shows slides one by oneOutline View: shows an outline of all slide textSlide Sorter View: places all the slides on one screen in slide formatNote Pages View: allows you to add and read notes below each slideSlide Show: allows you to see the presentation

Learning the ToolbarsThe Drawing toolbar gives shortcuts to:AutoShapes: draw lines, arrows, rectangles, and ovals; access the AutoShapes menuText boxes: draw these where you wish to add text on a blank slide or add text to an existing slideLine color, font color, and fill color options, with menusDash style and 3-D optionsThe Draw button presents a menu of other ways to manipulate your text and clip art, including rotation, alignment, and alterations to AutoShapes.

Learning the ToolbarsThe Formatting toolbar allows you to:Change fontChange font size

Add boldface, italics, underlining, and shading to textCreate animation effects

Change paragraph alignment

Learning the ToolbarsThe New Slide button inserts a new slide directly following the slide currently being viewed.

The Slide Layout button gives choices of layouts for different pre-designed text box and clip art formations.

The Apply Design button gives pre-designed slide aesthetic options.

Learning the ToolbarsFinally, on the View menu you can choose which toolbars are available at any give time:Click ViewScroll down to ToolbarsSelect or deselect your preferences

Select Presentation OptionWhen PowerPoint launches you will see the screen above.Here you select how you would like to create your presentation.

Select Presentation OptionThe AutoContent Wizard is useful for those who are unfamiliar with PowerPoint or who need extra help.It sets up an index of slides with preloaded titles, points, subpoints, and designs.

Select Presentation OptionThe Template option provides moderate flexibility in designing presentations.You choose from 28 templates to organize your points, subpoints, and design.

Select Presentation OptionThe Blank Presentation option offers the most flexibility.Users customize every aspect of the design for each individual slide.The following slides will teach you how to work from Blank Presentation.

How to Create a SlideClick New Slide to select a layout for the title slide.To change the color of the slide either right-click it and select Slide Color Scheme or select Format and then Slide Color Scheme from the Menu bar.

How to Create a SlideYou choose the color scheme and format of the slide, and if you wish you can also apply these choices to all of the following slides.You can change the color scheme of one or all of your slides at any time.

How to Create a SlideTo change the order of the slides, first select Slide Sorter View ( ) from the View toolbar. You can move slides by cutting and pasting or dragging and droppingTo delete a slide, either click on it while in Slide Sorter View or go to it in Slide View ( ), then select Edit from the Menu bar and click on Delete Slide.

Organizing Design ElementsTextClip art and picturesAnimation effectsBalancing the elements

Organizing TextAs you can see from this slide, text boxes can be put anywhere.Click on the icon on the Drawing toolbar.With the cursor, draw the approximate size you need for your text.

Organizing TextYou can expand the box to include more text or make it smaller to make room for other design elements on the slide.

The pre-designed selections from the Slide Layout screen offer the most logical and often-used layouts.

Organizing TextUse a readable font and font size for each different aspect of the page (a good size range is between 20-60 points).Be consistent from slide to slide with fonts and font sizes.Choose colors that will ensure that your text is readable and your slides do not appear distracting.

Organizing TextDont use too many different fonts.DONT USE ALL CAPS.Avoid fonts that are distracting:BraggadocioOzHandicraft BTShelley Volante BT

Organizing TextDont include your entire speech on the slides. Instead highlight important points.To determine what information is best to include in your presentation, you should:Review your speech outline.Identify points that can be illustrated, such as key terms and their definitions, statistics, or charts and graphs.

Organizing Clip Art and PicturesTo insert clip art onto your slide you can:Select a slide layout that has a set space for clip art. When working on that slide, simply double-click on the clip art space and it will take you to the Microsoft Clip Gallery.Use the Insert menu, click Picture, and then select Clip Art.Click on the shortcut icon:

Organizing Clip Art and PicturesTo insert your own photos or graphics rather than ones from the gallery, click Insert, scroll to Picture, and select From File.Here you can browse your computer and choose art from your own files.

Organizing Clip Art and PicturesIf you cannot find what you need in the gallery or your own resources, you have another option. Downloads of more images are available free from Microsoft via the Internet.In the gallery, click on the icon in the bottom right corner.Search by key word to find what you need.

Organizing Clip Art and PicturesPowerPoint can incorporate graphs and charts as well.On the Standard toolbar, there are shortcuts for inserting Microsoft Word tables and Microsoft Excel worksheets and graphs .Change the numbers and labels on the graphs or charts to fit your information.

Organizing Clip Art and PicturesRemember: use clip art, pictures, charts, and graphs only to illustrate points, not as fillers.

Organizing Animation EffectsPowerPoint has a variety of different ways that text and art can be animated. For example:Blinds VerticalFly from Bottom-LeftBox OutSpiralCheckerboard AcrossCrawl from RightDissolvePeek from BottomStretch from TopAppearWipe RightZoom In

Organizing Animation EffectsThese effects can be interesting additions to your presentation, but they can also be distracting. Use them sparingly to add emphasis.To animate, right-click on the text or image and select Custom Animation from the menu.Select the effect you want to use, determine the order of the animations on the slide, and make sure to preview.

Organizing Animation EffectsTake time while in this screen to determine how your animation effects will appear.Clicking on the Timing menu gives you options so that your textboxes, clip art, and other animation elements can be presented on a mouse click, automatically, or automatically after a preset length of time.

Balancing the ElementsEven if you follow all the suggestions for setting up your slide and its elements, you still may find that your presentation is hard to follow.It is important to go back through your completed presentation and make sure that the overall experience of watching it is pleasant as well as educational.

Balancing the ElementsDefining a balanced slide may seem like a matter of opinion, but there are concrete criteria, including:Clip art and text must fit together well. No element -- title, points, graphics -- should overpower the others.Headings should be consistent in size and placement. They should be large and clear.Easy to understand.

Example of a Balanced SlideThe clip art illustrates the slide and is well placed on the layout.The title is large and clear.Good use of contrasting colors on slide and in font.Text is easy to read and well sized.

Example of an Unbalanced SlideTitle and color scheme are still fine.Text is too small.Clip art is too large.This slide is hard to read and places unnecessary emphasis on the artwork.

Giving Your PresentationPractice your speechTime yourself.