The document provides guidance on giving effective presentations using PowerPoint. It discusses organizing a presentation with a structure that starts broad, gets specific in the middle, and ends broad. It emphasizes using clear and simple visual aids with well-organized content and slides. Effective delivery requires keeping the audience engaged through enthusiasm, varying voice, and not remaining in one place.

1. Giving an effective
presentation:
Using PowerPoint and
structuring a scientific talk
Dr. Arun Sharma
Scientific Project Manager,
Abbott Healthcare

2. We may not be experts at
public speaking, but we
are all experts at
listening to talks

3. Some of the things many listeners
want from a talk
CONTENT
Conveys new information
Poses an interesting question
Conveys how people in other fields think
Describes important ideas
Novel discovery
CLARITY AND ORGANIZATION
Understandable
Avoids jargon
Uses clear and simple visual aids
Well organized
Enables me to catch up if I space out
Doesn’t run over time
STYLE AND DELIVERY
Keeps me awake
Varies voice
Conveys enthusiasm
Doesn’t stay in one place
Friendly and approachable
EXPERTISE
Credible
Inspires trust and confidence
Answers questions clearly

4. What do you think of the following slide?

5. 24.16 X-rays of proximal humeral fractures Classification is all very well, but x-
rays are more difficult to interpret than
line drawings. (a) Two-part fracture. (b) Three-part fracture involving the neck and
the greater tuberosity. (c) Four-part
fracture. (1=shaft of humerus; 2=head of humerus; 3=greater tuberosity; 4=lesser
tuberosity). (d) X-ray showing fracturedislocation
of the shoulder

6. What went wrong?

8. Powerpoint basics:

9. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use

10. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
Use a Sans Serif font:

11. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
Use a Sans Serif font:
This font is Arial.
This font is Comic Sans.
This font is Trebuchet.

12. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
Use a Sans Serif font:
This font is Arial.
This font is Comic Sans.
This font is Trebuchet.
Serif fonts take longer to read…

13. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
Use a Sans Serif font:
This font is Arial.
This font is Comic Sans.
This font is Trebuchet.
Serif fonts take longer to read…
This font is Times New Roman.
This font is Courier.
This font is Didot.

14. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
Some fonts look super in boldface:

15. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
Type size should be 18 points or larger:
18 point
20 point
24 point
28 point
36 point * References can be in 14 point font

16. Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
AVOID USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
BECAUSE IT’S REALLY HARD TO READ!

17. Powerpoint basics:
2. Color

18. Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Dark letters against a light background work.

19. Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Light letters against a dark background also work.

20. Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Many experts feel that a dark blue or black
background works best for talks in a large room.

21. Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Avoid red-green combinations because a large fraction
of the human population is red-green colorblind.
Lots of people can’t read this –
and even if they could, it makes your eyes hurt.

22. Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Other color combinations can be equally bad.

23. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout

24. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
Every slide should have a heading.
Sentences are preferred if it’s possible
to make a statement.

25. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
Limit text blocks to no more
than two lines each.

26. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
The reason for limiting text blocks to two lines is that
when the text block goes on and on forever, people in
the audience are going to have to make a huge effort
to read the text, which will preclude them from paying
attention to what you are saying. Every time you lose
their focus, your presentation suffers!

27. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
Lists should contain no more than 3 items:
• Item 1
• Item 2
• Item 3

28. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
It is often effective to “unveil” your list one by one:
• Item 1
• Item 2
• Item 3

29. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
Avoid sublists!
• Item 1
- Item 1a
- Item 1b
- Item 1c
• Item 2
- Item 2a
- Item 2b
• Item 3

30. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
Be generous with empty space.

31. Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
If you try to cram too much
into a slide, and place things
too close to the sides, they
can get cut off if you’re
using a poor projector. In
any case, the slide looks all
cluttered and junky.

32. Powerpoint basics:
4. Style

33. Powerpoint basics:
4. Style
Limit the number of items on each slide.
Each slide should make just one or two points!

34. Powerpoint basics:
4. Style
This is just
too much.
Arrrgh!

36. Powerpoint basics:
4. Style
Here is a simple rule for showing figures and images:
If you’re not going to take the time
to explain it, get rid of it.

37. Powerpoint basics:
4. Style
Avoid fancy transitions between slides
unless you have a good reason.

38. Powerpoint basics:
4. Style
Don’t try to show too many slides.
Often, less is more.

39. It’s very easy to use Powerpoint really badly

40. 24.16 X-rays of proximal humeral fractures Classification is all very well, but x-
rays are more difficult to interpret than
line drawings. (a) Two-part fracture. (b) Three-part fracture involving the neck and
the greater tuberosity. (c) Four-part
fracture. (1=shaft of humerus; 2=head of humerus; 3=greater tuberosity; 4=lesser
tuberosity). (d) X-ray showing fracturedislocation
of the shoulder

41. “It’s too much work!”
Hint: It doesn’t have to be.

42. It takes some work and forethought
to use Powerpoint well
Let’s break down the previous slide
into its minimum essential components

43. 24.16 X-rays of proximal humeral fractures Classification is all very well, but x-
rays are more difficult to interpret than
line drawings. (a) Two-part fracture. (b) Three-part fracture involving the neck and
the greater tuberosity. (c) Four-part
fracture. (1=shaft of humerus; 2=head of humerus; 3=greater tuberosity; 4=lesser
tuberosity). (d) X-ray showing fracturedislocation
of the shoulder
Heading??
Crowded?? Text heavy?? Repetitive?? Margins??

44. Proximal humerus fracture X-rays are
difficult to interpret
Two-part fracture
Shaft of humerus
Head of humerus

45. Proximal humerus fracture X-rays are
difficult to interpret
Three-part fracture
Shaft of humerus
Head of humerus
Greater tuberosity

46. Proximal humerus fracture X-rays are
difficult to interpret
Four-part fracture
Shaft of humerus
Head of humerus
Greater tuberosity
Lesser tuberosity

47. Proximal humerus fracture X-rays are
difficult to interpret
Fracture dislocation of
shoulder

48. Power point: the bottom line
Make simple slides
Build content progressively
If you are not going to
talk about it, leave it

49. The structure of a good talk: start broad,
get specific, and end broad

50. The structure of a good talk: start broad,
get specific, and end broad
Start with the biggest questions
and get progressively more specific

51. …but talks are delivered to audiences
with limited attention spans
Audience attention curve
Source:AHandbookofpublicspeakingfor
ScientistsandEngineers,byPeterKenny

52. The middle is the meat of the talk…

53. The middle is the meat of the talk
The middle is also the time at which
the audience tends to zone out

54. Enabling the audience to tune back in
After going into depth, come back to
your home slide to make transitions

55. The structure of a good talk: start broad,
get specific, and end broad
Focus now on conclusions

56. Organizing a great talk

57. Organizing a great talk
• Be smart about Powerpoint

58. Organizing a great talk
• Be smart about Powerpoint
• Introductions should start
broad then get specific

59. Organizing a great talk
• Be smart about Powerpoint
• Introductions should start
broad then get specific
• Think of your talk as
consisting of episodes

60. Organizing a great talk
• Be smart about Powerpoint
• Introductions should start
broad then get specific
• Think of your talk as
consisting of episodes
• Use a home slide to make
transitions effectively

61. Organizing a great talk
• Be smart about Powerpoint
• Introductions should start
broad then get specific
• Think of your talk as
consisting of episodes
• Use a home slide to make
transitions effectively
• Conclusions should start with
specifics but end broadly

62. Is this all you need to know
to give a great talk?

63. Is this all you need to know
to give a great talk?
CONTENT
Conveys new information
Poses an interesting question
Conveys how people in other fields think
Describes important ideas
Novel discovery
CLARITY AND ORGANIZATION
Understandable
Avoids jargon
Uses clear and simple visual aids
Well organized
Enables me to catch up if I space out
Doesn’t run over time
STYLE AND DELIVERY
Keeps me awake
Varies voice
Conveys enthusiasm
Doesn’t stay in one place
Friendly and approachable
EXPERTISE
Credible
Inspires trust and confidence
Answers questions clearly

64. No, but it’s a good first step!
CONTENT
Conveys new information
Poses an interesting question
Conveys how people in other fields think
Describes important ideas
Novel discovery
CLARITY AND ORGANIZATION
Understandable
Avoids jargon
Uses clear and simple visual aids
Well organized
Enables me to catch up if I space out
Doesn’t run over time
STYLE AND DELIVERY
Keeps me awake
Varies voice
Conveys enthusiasm
Doesn’t stay in one place
Friendly and approachable
EXPERTISE
Credible
Inspires trust and confidence
Answers questions clearly

66. Thanks and happy speaking !