Tricks and Tips for Microsoft Powerpoint

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Tricks and Tips forMicrosoft Powerpoint

• By Jessica Dion
• April 18, 2001

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Topics

• Creating a slide show
• Customizing template
• Inserting and moving slides
• Adding pictures, sounds, word/excel documents
• Animating text, graphics, transitions
• Hyperlinks
• Rehearsing timings
• Saving as HTML, pps, pack and go

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Creating a new Slideshow

• File - New
• AutoContent Wizard (not very helpful)
• Use the blank template (make your own)
• Pick a Design Template from the list
• Pick a pre-fabricated Presentation
• Download templates from the internet
• http//www.microsoft.com/downloads/
• http//www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/pptemp
  lates.html

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Customize your Template

• View - Master - Master Slide
• change your default font, etc.
• add a background picture or logo to every slide
• Format - Slide Color Scheme
• change color of title, text, outlines, etc.
• Format - Apply Design
• to apply a custom template (anytime)

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Inserting and Moving Slides

• Insert - New Slide (or use button)
• choose the layout that suits your data
• View - Slide Sorter
• use this view to move slides around
• hide slides (Slide Show - Hide Slide) or make
  custom shows (Slide Show - Custom Shows) for
  different talks

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Adding Pictures

• Insert - Picture
• Clip Art (more available on Office CDROM or on
  the internet)
• From File (scanned image, downloaded image, etc)
• AutoShapes - quick way to draw things
• resize Drag from corners to preserve aspect
  ratio. Drag from edges to stretch or squash
• to reset picture to original size, right-click on
  picture - Show Picture Toolbar - reset picture
  button

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Adding Sounds

• Insert - Movies and Sounds
• sound from file or audio CD is useful
• choose filename, position speaker icon
• click on speaker to play sound
• To link a sound to an object
• insert or create object
• Right-click - Action Settings..
• Choose sound from list or choose other for file
• Slide Show - Custom Animation (animate text with
  sound like title above)
• Timing - choose item, click animate,
• choose animation and sound from Effects tab
• Slide Show - Slide Transition
• play a sound when slide is displayed (see next
  slide)

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Adding Word/Excel Documents

• Cut and Paste from Word or Excel
• - or -
• Insert - Object - Create from File
• choose word or excel filename
• to edit file, double-click on it or edit it in
  Word/Excel, save it and re-import it
• Format - Object to add a border, etc.

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Example Word Document
(Inserted with Insert - Object)
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Example Excel Chart
(Inserted with Insert - Object)
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Animating Slide Components

• Animate type or objects
• Slide Show - Preset or Custom Animations
• animate any component of slide
• change order of animations
• add sound if you want
• useful for bullet lists!
• Examples follow

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Map of Camp
(note grouping of arrows and text)
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1
4
7
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16
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Calcium levels of Vegetables

• High Calcium
• Spinach
• Mustard greens
• Parsley
• Kale
• Dandelion greens
• Turnip greens
• Chicory greens
• Collard greens

• Low Calcium
• Coriander (cilantro)
• Chard, Swiss
• Lettuce, romaine
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Lettuce, looseleaf
• Watercress
• Broccoli
• Beet greens

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Slide Transitions

• Slide Show - Slide Transitions
• apply to one slide or to all slides
• can be used with or without sound
• can be distracting if overused

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Hyperlinks

• Link to external documents (any file!)
• Example my excel spreadsheet!
• Link to an application Quicktime
• Insert - Hyperlink link to a web page
• highlight text you want to hyperlink
• type in address
• Example Search Google!
• Link to another slide (go to Topics)

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Rehearsing your Presentation

• Slide Show - Rehearse Timings
• press repeat to try a slide again
• press pause to pause recording
• save your times with your slides at the end
• view times in Slide Sorter view
• play show by timings you recorded if youre
  brave!
• Add narration for viewing later (if you have a
  microphone)

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Saving

• File Save as..
• Powerpoint presentation (ppt)
• Powerpoint show (pps)
• Pack and Go
• File - Save as HTML
• create a layout if you save as HTML frequently
• Powerpoint Animation limits audience

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Final Tips

• Back up your presentation as you go
• Use special effects to enhance, not distract
• Balance consistency with variation
• Use the outline and notes views
• Proof-read your slides
• Practice your presentation
• Stay connected with your audience