creatE a FANTASTIC POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
... and avoid death by PowerPoint
Source: PresenterMedia
PowerPoint is a fantastic tool that you can use to enhance any oral presentation.

Unfortunately some presentations can leave you bored and even confused.

Use the following hints and tips to create a memorable and successful presentation.
Use different templates to make your presentation stand out
Did you know that there are other sources for PowerPoint slides besides what is available in PowerPoint?
​Have a look at the free sites below to see if there is something that will make your presentation different to everyone else's.
Follow the 5/5/5 rule
Your slides are meant to support what you're saying not simpy repeat your entire speech.  Experts suggest you have no more than:
  • 5 words per line of text
  • 5 lines of text per slide, or
  • 5 text heavy slides in a row​
See how by just be adding a few graphics and removing the extra text, a slide can be more interesting.
Source: 24Slides
Choose readable fonts and colours
Your text should always be easy to read so select a font and size that can be read even from the back of the room. Most experts agree that fonts should not be smaller than 24 points and that sans serif fonts for the main text is best.

​Examples of san serif fonts include:
  • Arial
  • Calibri
  • Verdana
See how plain fonts are easier to read.
Source: ispring
​See how font colour can made a huge difference to readability.
Source: GCFGlobal
Be careful with animation
PowerPoint has the ability to add animations to your slides and slide transitions. As a general rule, too many animations make your slides look unprofessional and distract your audience.
​
​If you use a transition animation, make sure you use the same style for the whole presentation.

Also make sure that any animated images you use are related to your topic.
While these dancing bears are cute they may not be the best choice for a presentation on climate change.
Source: epickalmaricat
Use images thoughtfully
Images are an important part of any presentation. With your images, make sure that they are:
  • Relevent to your topic
Everyone loves an emoji but is it really relevant to your presentation on World War I? 
  • Large enough for people to see
This slide has too many images which are too small. One larger image would have been better.
  • Not stretched out of proportion or pixelated
See how the picture on this slide has been streteched to fit the slide?
  • Not water-marked and can be legally used​
​The water-mark is a sign that the image is owned by a company and you must pay for it before you can use it.
Source: Clipart Library
Source: Slide Team
Source: PresentationProcess
Source: Freepik
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