Useful tips on developing your PowerPoint presentations.

1. PowerPoint Dos and Donts On the following slide you can watch a video available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cagxPlVqrtM According to Don McMillan, here is a humorous & yet insightful viewpoint on how people (teachers included) should not be using PowerPoint.

2. Getting started Tips Decide on an appropriate slide layout and style Be consistent - keep slides concise Do keep it brief - get to the point Don’t include too many details and data - don’t over clutter Limit the number of slides Use statements not sentences Use keywords that help audience focus on an idea Create contrast using font sizes and colours Check your grammar and spelling Save your work often

3. Text – Font Advice DO Use appropriate clear fonts that are easy to read (Arial,Helevtica) Font size for body text should be at least 24+ Font size for titles/headings should be at least 36+ Use dark colours for text DON’T Use all uppercase letters Use flashy or curvy fonts Use font types that are hard to read Include too much text Use different fonts and colours on each slide

5. Can you read me?

6. Can you read me?

7. Can you read me?

8. Can you read me?

9. Can you read me?

10. Can you read me?

11. Can you read me? – Times New Roman

12. Can you read me? - Arial

13. Can you read me? - Perpetua

14. Can you read me? – Bell MT

15. Can you read me? – Book Antiqua

16. Can you read me? – Bookman old style

17. Can you read me? - Cambria

18. Can you read me? - Calibri

19. Can you read me? – Century

20. Can you read me? – Garamond….and many more!

21. Colour Analysis DO DON’T Use appropriate colours Use high contrast (light backgrounds and dark text or vice versa) Use PowerPoint’s predefined colour schemes Limit the use of colour to 2-4 Use too bright colours Use multiple colour schemes Use bright background colours Use dark colours on dark backgrounds Use yellow on blue and red on green

22. Good Good Bad Bad Good Bad Good Bad Bad Good Use Contrasting Colors

23. Graphs, Shapes and Charts DO DON’T Use 1-2 images per slide Use shapes to illustrate complex topics Include graphs and charts that show relationships, comparisons and change Use relevant images and graphics Overuse shapes, charts. Use too many graphics – this can be distracting Use low-quality images

24. Special effects: Animations, transitions and noise effects DO DON’T Use sounds to help convey and complement the message Avoid excessive motion Use sounds when they aren’t appropriate Overuse transitions and animations

25. PowerPoint Tools and Tips Small audio clips can automatically be embedded in PowerPoint Large audio clips can be linked PowerPoint can run video PowerPoint links to videos Insert images, graphs, charts and shapes from the ‘Insert’ button Insert links to websites, readings, etc from the ‘Insert’ button

26. Useful Links Getting Started with Powerpoint :Video demonstrations Improve your PowerPoint skills :Support Guide (.pdf) Presentations for the UoM MBS templates

27. How can we help you? Please take a look at our eLearning intranet pages, subscribe to our mailing lists and keep an eye out for our quarterly MBS eLearning newsletter. We would value your feedback! Kind regards, MBS eLearning Team http://intranet.mbs.ac.uk/elearning.aspx