Use San-Serif Fonts That Are Easy to Read, Such As Arial

PowerPoint Guidelines

Text:

Keep slides concise (only the facts) with no more than 5-7 lines per slide and no more than 5-7 words per line – with or without bullets

Font size should range between 48 for titles and 24-30pt for subtitles and lists. eliminate words instead of shrinking font size

Use san-serif fonts that are easy to read, such as Arial

Use uppercase letters for the first letter

Leave spaces between the lines of text

Use statements or keywords, not sentences

Correct all spelling and punctuation mistakes – not sure…ask!

HINT: Remember that the slides are just a visual aid – do not overload the slides or may lose your audience.

Continuity:

All titles should be positioned at the same place on each slide using the same font and font size

Bullets or facts should be aligned the same from slide to slide

Turn on the Grids in PowerPoint to assist with alignment (found under View tab)

Color:

Limit the use of color to 2-4 colors/shades

Use PowerPoint templates if appropriate

Use colors that contrast well (dark backgrounds and light text is best)

Remember: Colors projected on a screen will look different than the color on the monitor. Check this before actual presentation.

Images:

Include images that your audience will understand and identify (a picture is worth a thousand words)

Use one image per slide but you may have slides with no images

Only use images , no clipart

Only use high-quality images and crop when necessary.

Images should not be pixilated on the screen

Image placement should alternate consistently

Graphs and Charts

Use only graphs or charts that complement your presentation

Avoid low-contrast shades in charts and graphs

Illustrate your point by verbally discussing the graph or chart

Sound and Animation

Only use sounds or animation if they help convey or complement your message

Otherwise, they are not necessary

Transitions

Use transitions between slides appropriately – use the same transition or a variation of the transition throughout all slides

Avoid flashy transitions – do not use the “Random Transition” option

Consistent entrance and exit for the presentation

Graphics and Creative Common

All graphics can be cited in MLA format on the last slide but the slide should be hidden from the audience unless using Creative Commons licensing – then citation may be placed under the picture.

Citing Creative Common photos: http://www.learnerstogether.net/how-to-use-and-cite-creative-commons-resources/312

Guide to finding and using Flickr CC images: http://www.skelliewag.org/a-complete-guide-to-finding-and-using-incredible-flickr-images-162.htm