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Powerpoint Tips: Outline

Communicating research results through an effective PowerPoint presentation is an important step in the research process. The document provides numerous tips for creating a professional PowerPoint presentation, including using a consistent design template, simple backgrounds, high quality images, and limiting text and special effects. It also emphasizes practicing the presentation, timing each slide and the overall presentation, making eye contact with the audience, and preparing for potential technical difficulties.

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52 views3 pages

Powerpoint Tips: Outline

Communicating research results through an effective PowerPoint presentation is an important step in the research process. The document provides numerous tips for creating a professional PowerPoint presentation, including using a consistent design template, simple backgrounds, high quality images, and limiting text and special effects. It also emphasizes practicing the presentation, timing each slide and the overall presentation, making eye contact with the audience, and preparing for potential technical difficulties.

Uploaded by

myexbook
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PowerPoint Tips

Communicating your research results to the public is one of the most important
steps of the research process. However, even the most exciting research results
become dull quickly if the oral presentation is not well done. To create an effective
and professional PowerPoint presentation of your research use the following tips:
Outline:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Title slide title of presentation, authors, school name


Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion/Conclusion
Acknowledgments/References

Design tips:
Use the slide master feature in PowerPoint (View
create a consistent and simple design template.

Master

Slide Master) to

Be consistent with elements such as font, colors, and background through the
presentation.
Every slide should have a heading with the same format (text size, font and color)
Use simple backgrounds patterned backgrounds obscure the text
Use contrasting colors. Font colors should be in the range of whites to yellow for
dark backgrounds and black to dark blue for light backgrounds. Never use red and
green.
Use sans serif fonts (ex., Arial, Calibri, Comic Sans, Century Gothic, Verdana)
Do not use serif fonts (ex., Times New Roman, Garamond, Palatino Linotype)
Font size: Headings +32 point, Body 20-30 point, References 14-18pt
Use the 8 foot test Can you read the text on the screen when you stand 8 feet
back from your computer? If not, make the font bigger.
Use grids and guides in the drawing tool bar for even spacing of text and images
Use high quality images. Low resolution images will distort and look grainy when
projected onto a large screen.
If you have a bulleted list of text, it can effective to unveil each bullet using the
function: Slide show custom animation
add effect entrance
appear
The SUNY-ESF Research Guide for Students and Teachers

57

PowerPoint Tips

Keep it simple:
Avoid the use of flashy transitions such as text fly-ins. These features are
distracting.
Overuse of special effects, such as animation and sounds, may make your
presentation seem "cutesy" and unprofessional.
Limit the text to a maximum of 6 words per line and 6 lines of text per slide.
Use key phrases (not sentences) and include only essential information.
Limit punctuation and AVOID PUTTING WORDS IN ALL CAPITAL
LETTERS.
Use white space Do not crowd each slide with too much text and too many
images
Limit the use of numbers, because they will overwhelm your audience. Instead of
presenting a data table, use visual aids such as graphs and use relative numbers such
as percentages.
Limit the total number of slides in the presentation. Less can be more. Presenters
who constantly "flip" to the next slide are likely to lose the attention of their
audience.

Presentation style:
During the title slide introduce your study and hint at the take-home message.
During each slide remember to state the major point or conclusion.
Do not read from your slides. The content of your slides is for the audience, not
for the presenter.
Face your audience and talk to your audience. Do not face or talk to the screen.
Make eye contact with your audience. Smile.
Never overestimate your audience (or their attention span). Remember you are
the expert.
Time your remarks on each slide. When you bring up a new slide give your
audience a moment of silence to digest the content of the slide.

58

The SUNY-ESF Research Guide for Students and Teachers

PowerPoint Tips
Time your whole presentation a rule of thumb is one slide per minute.
Do not go over your time it is unprofessional.
If presenting with a partner, determine ahead of time who will present which slides.
Save time for questions at the end.
Anticipate questions from the audience by preparing extra slides that you can
present during the Q&A.

Prepare for the worst:


Have a Plan B in the event of technical difficulties, such as an extra flash drive with
a copy of your presentation, a laptop, transparencies, or handouts.
Arrive as early as possible to the room in which you will be presenting to check
that the equipment and your presentation are working properly.
Practice with someone who has never seen your presentation. Ask them for honest
feedback about colors, content, and graphics you've included.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

The SUNY-ESF Research Guide for Students and Teachers

59

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