The document provides guidance on designing effective PowerPoint presentations with principles of alignment, proximity, repetition, and contrast. It recommends using sans-serif fonts in sizes 14pt or larger, limiting slides to 6-7 lines of text, and including graphics, colors, and transitions sparingly to avoid distraction from the core message. The key is to keep the design simple and easy to read while projecting so the audience remains engaged with the presenter.

1. Working with PowerPoint Nancy Edwards Director: Faculty & Course Development FGCU

2. An example of PowerPoint “gone wrong”! PowerPoint Example

4. Basic Design Principles Alignment Proximity Repetition Contrast

9. Basic Design Principles: Contrast Confusion

10. Layout Designs: Color If you are projecting in a classroom, using a dark background with light text will be easier to read.

11. Layout Designs: Color If you are creating a project to be viewed on a computer, choose a lighter background with dark text.

12. BACKGROUNDS Be careful when choosing a background.

13. BACKGROUNDS It will be difficult to read the text on top of it if it is too busy or elaborate or the wrong color.

14. BACKGROUNDS It will be difficult to read the text on top of it if it is too busy or elaborate or the wrong color.

15. BACKGROUNDS Animated backgrounds can get very ANNOYING as well as DISTRACATING

16. Layout Design: Graphics Graphics can emphasize your information, but should not be another distraction.

17. Layout Design: Graphics Special effects can also be very distracting, so use them with caution.

18. Alignment A large, centered graphic leaves little room for text!

22. Working with text BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS BECAUSE IT IS NOT VERY EASY TO READ. SOME DO IT TO EMPHASIZE, BUT IF EVERYTHING IS EMPHASIZED, THEN NOTHING IS REALLY EMPHASIZED!

23. Working with text EVEN WORSE IS USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS AND CENTERING THE TEXT AT THE SAME TIME. NOW IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO READ! THIS IS A COMMON MISTAKE AND IS OFTEN THE SIGN OF A “NEWBIE”.