PowerPoint is a commonly used presentation software that allows users to create slideshows to accompany oral presentations. While it can be an effective tool, some argue it has damaged public speaking by reversing the proper relationship between visual aids and speech. PowerPoint makes it easy to create professional-looking presentations with features like templates, charts, photos and video. Presentations can be customized and shared in various formats. The software organizes content into slides and provides different viewing modes for creating, organizing and presenting slideshows.

2. PowerPoint slideshows can be a good way to get ideas
across -- when used correctly. Sometimes, they can be
boring and confusing, even doing more harm than good.
Here are a few tools and techniques you can use to create
engaging and effective presentations.

3. Showing things to an audience during a speech is as
old as public speaking. In nearly all cases, showing
an audience a physical thing, an actual object, is the
best way to engage an audience’s attention.

4. ● What has been turned upside-down over the past
decade’s spread of PowerPoint, for most PowerPoint
users, is that the “speech” is now mostly what’s on the
screen, rather than what is spoken.
● In other words, the proper relation of the illustration
tool to the speech has been reversed. In the opinion of
many people, this has tragically damaged the art of
public speaking.
● But today many people who give oral presentations
cannot imagine doing so without PowerPoint.

5. PowerPoint is one of the simplest computer
programs to learn. It is the number 1 program
used worldwide for presentations. Anyone can
create stunning presentations that look like they
were designed by a professional.

6. PowerPoint presentations can be made into
photo albums, complete with music or
narrations, to distribute on CDs or DVDs. If
you are in the sales field, it involves just a few
simple clicks to add an illustrative chart of
data or an organizational chart of your
company's structure.

7. In addition to an on screen slide show,
PowerPoint has printing options that allow
the presenter to provide handouts and
outlines for the audience as well as notes
pages for the speaker to refer to during the
presentation.

8. It is easy to customize presentations with
your company logo and to dazzle your
audience by using one of the many design
templates that come with the programs. Many
more free add-ins and templates are available
online from Microsoft and a host of other
websites.

10. What you can do with PowerPoint.
+Create a presentation on paper or to present it on computer.
+Organize your ideas for the presentation.
+Embellish your presentation to give it a "professional" look.
+Add charts, pictures, organization charts and other objects to
improve your audience to understand the ideas you want to
present.

11. The 4 presentation modes
To help you in creating your presentations,
PowerPoint split the functions of the software into 4
categories or 4 "modes". You can pass from one
mode to another by using the buttons that you find in
the left lower corner of PowerPoint's screen or by
choosing a mode from the View menu. The 4 modes
are the first 4 options of the that menu.

12. The normal mode
It combines what was before the ''slide'' and
''outline'' modes. It allows you to create the
"slides" of your presentation. You can change all
the aspects of slides; such as changing the
colors and size of the text, to add or to remove
charts, tables and other elements to the
presentation. In the ''outline'' mode of this view,
you can add the text to your presentation in a
structured way. You can change the order or the
importance of your ideas at any time.

13. The slide sorter mode
It allows you to add special effects to your
presentation if you are presenting with a computer. It
also allows to prepare your presentation by timing
the time it takes for you to give your presentation.
You can then adjust your presentation according to
the time that was assigned to you.

14. The notes page mode
It allows you to prepare a comments or
notes document that includes your
presentation. You can then give it to the
public as a reminder of your presentation or
to help them follow your presentation

15. The slide show mode
It shows your presentation on
a computer screen.

16. Basic Information
Microsoft PowerPoint is a program used to create
presentations for multiple uses, including school
projects, school lectures, business meetings, or just
as a way to pass along information. The program is a
part of the Microsoft Office package, and you can
import items and files from other Microsoft Office
programs to use within your PowerPoint
presentations.

17. Slides
As a default, the PowerPoint program will start with a
blank format. To utilize the program, you will create
multiple "slides" that will later be presented in the
order that you put them. You can start by just typing
text, or use more advanced features and set a design
to all of your slides. Power Point comes with different
themes that you can use for your slides that will help
make your presentation visually appealing.

18. Animations
Each slide has the option of displaying text, photos,
and even small videos. Text can either be
automatically displayed, or chosen in a certain order.
The text can appear with multiple animations like
"wipe," "fade," and "typewriter." These animations
can also be applied to make the text disappear.
Sound effects can also be applied to the text to add
even more content to your presentation.

19. Saving your project
The presentation can be as many slides as your would
like, but the more slides you have, the bigger file you
will have. Once you are done saving the project, you
can save it as a PowerPoint file or a PowerPoint show.
PowerPoint shows enable you to place voiceovers over
the presentation and are great for Internet use where
you cannot verbally give the presentation.

20. Viewing Presentations
Watching PowerPoint presentations takes up
the full monitor, even blocking out the task bar
on your screen. To move ahead in your slides,
use the space bar to move to each action,
whether that is a new text, picture, video, or
another slide. The Escape key exits out of the
presentation, and you can use your mouse at
any time and right-click for several options.

21. All in all, PowerPoint is a "one-
stop-shop" to create
successful presentations for
the business world, the
classroom or just for your own
personal use.