How to Avoid a Power Point Disaster

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How to Avoid a Power Point Disaster

• For Projects, Oral Defense and Symposia
• Created by Alicia Wargowsky Christen Rae
• Revised by Mehreen Arshad Fall 2006

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Introduction

• A basic template is available from the BATS
  website (http//www.dickmalott.com/students/underg
  radprogram/BCW/microsoftjobaids/)

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General Presentation Tips

• Never read the content of a slide or stay quiet
  during your entire power point
• Use your presentation as a guideline
• let the audience read it to the background music
• OR provide spoken elaboration of bulleted points

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General Presentation Tips Contd.

• Dont use esoteric or unusual abbreviations
• Refrain from using automatic slide transition
• Read through the text of your slide
• 3 times before advancing to the next slide.

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Beginning steps

• Create a specific folder for each PowerPoint
  presentation on your computer where you will save
  the following
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Embedded Font
• Music file
• To Create a folder on Desktop
• Right Click on your desktop
• Select New, and then Folder

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Beginning steps Contd.

• To Save your PowerPoint file
• Open PowerPoint program
• Save the file in the folder created above
• Save as last name.semesteryear. E.g.
  Wargowsky.Fall2003
• You may now begin making your Killer PowerPoint
  Presentation!

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Music

• To insert Music into your slideshow
• Locate the sound file you are looking for. Copy
  this file into the presentation/slideshow you
  have created
• Go back to your PowerPoint program. Click Insert
  on the toolbar, select Movies and Sounds.
• Select Sound from File and locate the sound
  file from the presentation folder than you have
  created.
• Click OK once you have found your sound file.

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Music Contd.

• Select Yes when prompted to play music
  automatically
• Drag the music-speaker icon off the slide.
• Right click on the icon and select, Custom
  Animation.

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Music Contd.

• In the Custom Animation task pane on the right
  hand side, arrange the list of effects so that
  the Music file is at the top.
• Click on the music file, and from the scroll down
  menu select Effect Options, and then Effect.
  
• Enter the number of slides you want the music to
  play in by adding a number in the stop playing
  after box.

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General Tips for Music

• Do not use music with lyrics or loud instrumental
  music
• Make sure the transition between songs is smooth
• Be thoughtful and original with your music! ?
• Remember to copy the music file to your computer!!

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Fonts

• Do not use unusual fonts unless you
• embed them in your power point
• To learn how to embed fonts into your PowerPoint,
  visit (hyperlink to be added)

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Fonts Contd.

• Do use
• Font colors that contrast with the background,
  e.g. a light font color with a dark background
• Do not use
• blue font color on a black background
• a yellow font color, unless it is on a black
  background
• and using yellow in graphs never works!

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Video pictures

• Use original digital photos or videos about you
  and the project you worked on!
• Use clip art to fill spaces that are empty!
• Use a graphic on each slide!

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Themes

• Students often use themes in PPT slide shows.
• While your presentation should be colorful,
  creative, and entertaining, themes are very
  distracting.
• Examples Lion King, Power Puff Girls,
  Friends, etc.

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Themes Contd.

• Do Not use themes, especially TV shows or
  cartoons!
• Unless you are REALLY GOOD at them!
• Unless it is a good theme for what you are
  talking about!
• Instead use clip art, original photos, and videos
  about your project or research ?

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Appendix A Content for P499
BATS MA Students

• Follow the outline of your thesis
• Focus on your systems disconnects and how you
  have fixed them
• Only use the 3-Con model if it applies to the
  participants of your project rather than applying
  it to yourself or your supervisor.

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Appendix A Contd.

• Just present your project, not the BRSS or the
  BRSS contingencies.
• Show the responsibilities of each student
  participating in your project and how it
  contributes to the overall goal of your project.
• Show relevant samples of material that you have
  developed, if applicable (e.g.manual).

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Appendix B Presentation Checklist
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Appendix B Presentation Checklist