On each slide, you will see a white box under the slide where you will find the “Click to add notes” text box which is for your notes. Leaving out Speaker’s Notes is the equivalent of getting up in class and flipping through your slides without saying a word! Don’t do it!
The slides should include only bullet points – not even written in complete sentences – and the rest of the details – what you would say if we were listening to your presentation – goes in the Speaker’s Notes under each slide.
Also, keep the following in mind:
o Use no more than five words per line
o Use no more than five lines per slide
o Use no more than one topic per slide
o Use clear simple fonts, such as Arial, as they are easier to read
o Use light colored font on dark backgrounds, or dark colored fonts on light backgrounds
o Insert a slide with a chart or graph to break up reading slides
o When considering Clipart, use quality images or none at all
o Remember copyright laws when taking an image from the internet
Try to have fun with the presentation! Graphics, animation, music – think about your audience and how to keep its attention!
TIPS: Don’t use too many photographs, because they are often large files. There’s a size limit to files sent through OLS – 5 MB. If you use a graphic that has been published, you need to cite it like you would any other published resource you use.
Be sure to visit the Center for Writing Excellence to see the PowerPoint tutorial. It is very helpful!