1. How to Avoid a PowerHow to Avoid a Power
Point DisasterPoint Disaster
For Projects, Oral Defense and SymposiaFor Projects, Oral Defense and Symposia
Created by Alicia Wargowsky & Christen Rae
Revised by Julie Sanchez Fall 2010

2. 2
IntroductionIntroduction
 A basic template is available from the BATS
website
http://dickmalott.squarespace.com/psy-4600-survey

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General Presentation TipsGeneral Presentation Tips
 Never read the content of a slide or stay
quiet during your entire power point
 Use your presentation as a guideline
 let the audience read it to the background music
 OR provide spoken elaboration of bulleted points

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General Presentation TipsGeneral Presentation Tips Contd.Contd.
 Don’t use esoteric or unusual abbreviations
 Refrain from using automatic slide transition
 Read through the text of your slide
3 times before advancing to the next slide.

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Beginning stepsBeginning steps
 Create a specific folder for each PowerPoint
presentation on your computer where you
will save the following:
PowerPoint Presentation
Embedded Font
Music file
 To Create a folder on Desktop:
Right Click on your desktop
Select “New”, and then “Folder”

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Beginning steps Contd.Beginning steps Contd.
 To Save your PowerPoint file:
 Open PowerPoint program
 Save the file in the folder created above
 Save as “last name.semesteryear.” E.g.
Malott.Fall2010
 You may now begin making your Killer
PowerPoint Presentation!

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MusicMusic
 To insert Music into your slideshow:
 Be sure that the music file is saved as an MP3 file.
 Locate the sound file you are looking for. Copy this file
and paste it or move it into the into the
presentation/slideshow folder you have created.
 Go back to your PowerPoint program. Click Insert on
the toolbar, select “Movies and Sounds.”
 Select “Sound from File” and locate the sound file from
the presentation folder than you have created.
 Click OK once you have found your sound file.

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Music Contd.Music Contd.
 Select “Yes” when prompted to play music
automatically
 Drag the music-speaker icon off the slide.
 Right click on the icon and select, “Custom
Animation.”

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Music Contd.Music Contd.
 In the Custom Animation task pane on the right hand
side, arrange the list of effects so that the Music file is
at the top.
 Click on the music file, and from the scroll down menu
select “Effect Options,” and then “Effect.”
 Enter the number of slides you want the music to play
in by adding a number in the “stop playing after” box.

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General Tips for MusicGeneral Tips for Music
 Do not use music with lyrics or loud
instrumental music.
 Make sure the transition between songs is
smooth.
 The song should NOT have any lyrics unless
they are truly relevant to your presentation.
 Be thoughtful and original with your music! 
 Remember to copy the music file to your
computer!!

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FontsFonts
 Do not use unusual fonts unless you…
 embed them in your power point
 To learn how to embed fonts into your
PowerPoint, visit
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826832

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Fonts Contd.Fonts Contd.
 Do use:
 Font colors that contrast with the background, e.g. a
light font color with a dark background
 Do not use:
 blue font color on a black background
 a yellow font color, unless it is on a black background
 and using yellow in graphs never works!

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Video & picturesVideo & pictures
 Use original digital photos or videos about you
and the project you worked on!
 Use clip art to fill spaces that are empty!
 Use a graphic on each slide or else your
presentation will be boring.
 Remember: complex, pop-up/flashing pictures
can be distracting.

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ThemesThemes
 Students often use themes in PPT slide
shows.
 While your presentation should be colorful,
creative, and entertaining, themes are very
distracting.

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Themes Contd.Themes Contd.
 Do Not use themes, especially TV shows or
cartoons (like Simpsons or Friends)!
 Unless you are REALLY GOOD at them!
 Unless it is a good theme for what you are talking
about!
 Instead use clip art, original photos, and videos
about your project or research 

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Appendix A:Appendix A: Content for P499 &Content for P499 &
BATS MA StudentsBATS MA Students
 Follow the outline of your thesis
 Focus on your system’s disconnects and how you have fixed
them
 Only use the 3-Con model if it applies to the participants of
your project rather than applying it to yourself or your
supervisor.

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Appendix A Contd.Appendix A Contd.
 Just present your project, not the BRSS or the BRSS
contingencies.
 Show the responsibilities of each student participating in your
project and how it contributes to the overall goal of your
project.
 Show relevant samples of material that you have developed, if
applicable (e.g.=manual).

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Appendix B:Appendix B: Presentation ChecklistPresentation Checklist
Title Slide
Slide with Comments
Question & Thank You Slide
Clip Art
Charts, Diagrams
Remove Speaker Icon off the slide
Music
Avoid loud music or music with lyrics
Remember to copy music in folder
Avoid using distracting backgrounds
Do not use blue font color on a black background
Do not use yellow font color in text or graphs
Do Not read from the slides
No more than 8 words a sentence & no more than
6 lines in a slide

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Appendix B:Appendix B: Presentation ChecklistPresentation Checklist
Bullets
Bullets come down one at a time
Bullet style should be consistent throughout the
PowerPoint