The document provides 10 tips for creating effective slide presentations: keep the slides simple with limited text and bullet points; limit transitions between slides; use high-quality graphics with a consistent visual theme; employ appropriate charts; use color well; choose fonts carefully; consider adding video or audio; and utilize the slide sorter view.
Leave Plenty of “white” or “negative” spaceYour message will be more powerful if you have less clutter on the slide.
Too many words or points on one slide make the presentation boring. People will be less likely listen to you if they are reading the slideThe slides are meant to support the narration of the speaker, not to make the unnecessary
Use animation such as builds and slide transitions sparinglySome animation is good, but make sure it is more subtle and professional
Avoid using PowerPoint Clip Art or other cartoons because they can come off as cheesy
The templates in PowerPoint have been seen by your audience many times beforeMake something unique and new to impress your audience
Include appropriate charts and graphs that clearly portray your dataUseful charts include pie charts, vertical bar charts, horizontal bar charts, and line charts.
Color is emotional and evokes feelingsUsing the right color can help to persuade and motivate your audienceIn a dark room, a dark background with white or light text is useful.In a light room, a white or light background with dark text works better
Use the same font set throughout your whole presentation, and use no more than two complementary fontsSerif fonts are designed to be used in documents with a large amount of textSan Serif fonts are best for PowerPoint presentationsDo not use Helvetica fontMake sure the text can be read from the back of a room
Video or Audio clips can be used to illustrate your point betterAvoid the cheesy sound effects in PowerPoint
Use the slide sorter view so that you can see how the logical flow of your presentation is progressing.This view allows you to see extraneous information