Top 10 PowerPoint Tips

1. Keep It Simple

– Slide should be simple, the audience should be focused more on you

– Avoid complicated or busy slides– Leave white space, you don’t need to

fill every empty space with unnecessary graphics or text that don’t contribute to your message

2. Limit Bullet Points and Text

– Less is more, don’t bore your audience with bullet point after bullet point

– Never turn your back on the audience– Never read your slide word for word

3. Limit Transitions and Animations

– Bullet points do not need to be animated for every slide

– A simple ‘wipe’ is better than a ‘fly’ which can be slow and tedious

– Don’t bore your audience with too many animations and transitions

– Use no more than 2-3 different types of transitions

4. Use Appropriate Graphics

– Always follow copyright and cite your sources properly

– Avoid using clip art when possible, especially if it doesn’t relate to your topic

– Graphics should enhance and not distract from your presentation

5. Have a Visual Theme

– Create a ‘look’ for your presentation– Don’t limit yourself to the PowerPoint

Design Templates– You can find other templates from the

Microsoft Office Online Gallery or create your own

6. Use Appropriate Charts

– Always ask: “How much detail do I need?”

– Do not include too much data on your presentation charts

– Use the right type of chart to share information (pie, bar, line, data table)

7. Use Color Well

– The right color can help to engage your audience

– Colors categorized into 2 categories: Cool (blue/green) or Warm (yellow/red)

– Cool colors work best for background– Warm colors work best for text– In a dark room, use dark backgrounds with

light colored text– In a lighted room, use light colored

backgrounds with dark colored text

8. Choose Fonts Wisely

– Serif vs. Sans Serif Fonts» Serif fonts (Times New Roman) – best with

small print material» Sans Serif fonts (Arial) – best for

PowerPoint presentations

– Fonts should be readable from back of the room (no smaller than 24pt)

9. Avoid Sound Effects

– Try to avoid putting in sound effects– These effects will distract your

audience from your message

10.Spend Time In The Slide Sorter

– By looking at your presentation in the Slide Sorter view, you can see the flow of your presentation

– You can capture the presentation as a whole and add or remove information to help get your point across

Modified from:

• Reynolds, Garr. "Presentation Tips." Garr Reynolds. 2004. 01 Apr. 2008

• <http://www.garrreynolds.com/Presentation/delivery.html>.