10 KiB
10 KiB
Weeks 10–11: Presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint)
Hours: 4 (2 lectures)
Learning Objectives
- Create a presentation using blank slides and templates
- Add and format text, images, shapes, and SmartArt
- Apply themes, layouts, and slide masters for consistency
- Use transitions and animations purposefully
- Add speaker notes and use Presenter View
- Deliver an effective presentation (design principles + delivery tips)
Lecture 10: Creating a Presentation
Key Concepts
The PowerPoint Interface
- Slide Panel (left): Thumbnail navigation of all slides
- Slide Pane (center): The main editing area
- Notes Pane (bottom): Speaker notes — visible to presenter, not audience
- Views: Normal, Slide Sorter, Reading View, Slide Show
- Ribbon: Similar to Word — Home, Insert, Design, Transitions, Animations, Slide Show
Slides & Layouts
- Each slide has a layout (Title Slide, Title and Content, Two Content, Blank, etc.)
- Layouts contain placeholders — predefined areas for title, subtitle, content, images
- Use layouts instead of placing text boxes manually → maintains consistency
Adding Content
- Text: Click in placeholder and type. Or Insert → Text Box for custom placement.
- Images: Insert → Pictures. Use high-quality, relevant images. Avoid clip art clichés.
- Shapes: Insert → Shapes. Useful for diagrams, callouts, process flows.
- SmartArt: Insert → SmartArt. Pre-built diagrams: lists, processes, cycles, hierarchies.
- Great for: organizational charts, step-by-step processes, comparison layouts
- Icons: Insert → Icons. Clean, modern visual elements.
- Tables & Charts: Can embed Excel-style tables and charts directly in slides.
- Video/Audio: Insert → Video (from file or online). Insert → Audio.
💡 Teaching idea: Show the same information presented as (a) a bullet list, (b) SmartArt, and (c) an image with minimal text. Ask which is most engaging and why.
Themes & Design
- Theme: A coordinated set of colors, fonts, and effects applied to all slides
- Design Tab → Themes: Browse and apply
- Variants: Color variations within a theme
- Slide Master (View → Slide Master): Edit the template behind all slides. Change the master → changes all slides at once. Powerful for branding/consistency.
💡 Design principle: Pick ONE theme and stick with it. Mixing themes = visual chaos. If the built-in themes don't work, start with a blank and build your own look.
Speaker Notes
- Type notes in the Notes pane below each slide
- Only visible in Presenter View (not to the audience)
- Use for: key points, transition phrases, timing reminders
- "If your slides need you to read them aloud, they have too much text."
Diagram Ideas
- PowerPoint Interface — Labeled screenshot: Slide Panel, Slide Pane, Notes Pane, Ribbon, Status Bar.
- Slide Layouts Gallery — Show 6 common layouts with names.
- SmartArt Showcase — 4 examples: List, Process, Cycle, Hierarchy — each with sample content.
- Theme Anatomy — Show how one theme applies consistent colors, fonts, and backgrounds across multiple slide types.
Slide Concepts
| Slide | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Title: "Presenting Your Ideas" |
| 2 | The PowerPoint Interface — labeled |
| 3 | Slide Layouts — when to use each |
| 4 | Adding Content — text, images, shapes, SmartArt |
| 5 | SmartArt Demo — same info as bullets vs SmartArt |
| 6 | Themes — applying and customizing |
| 7 | Speaker Notes — what they are, why they matter |
| 8 | Activity: Create your first 5 slides |
Lecture 11: Finalizing a Presentation
Key Concepts
Transitions
- Visual effects when moving from one slide to the next
- Applied per-slide or to all slides
- Options: None, Fade, Push, Wipe, Morph (modern and elegant)
- Rule of thumb: Use ONE transition type throughout. Subtle is better.
- Timing: can advance on click or after set seconds (auto-advance for kiosks)
⚠️ Common mistake: Students use a different flashy transition on every slide. This distracts from the content. Fade or Morph for the whole deck is almost always the right choice.
Animations
- Effects applied to individual objects ON a slide
- Four types:
- Entrance: Object appears (Fade In, Fly In, Zoom)
- Emphasis: Object changes while visible (Pulse, Grow/Shrink, Spin)
- Exit: Object disappears (Fade Out, Fly Out)
- Motion Path: Object moves along a defined path
- Animation Pane: Manage order and timing of all animations on a slide
- Use to reveal information step by step (bullet by bullet, chart by series)
💡 Guideline: Animations should serve a purpose. "Does this animation help the audience understand the content?" If not, cut it.
Slide Show Delivery
- Start Show: F5 (from beginning) or Shift+F5 (from current slide)
- Presenter View: Shows current slide, next slide, speaker notes, timer — on YOUR screen. Audience sees only the slide. Requires two displays (laptop + projector).
- Navigation: Arrow keys, click to advance. Press B for black screen (pause). Press W for white screen.
- Laser pointer: Hold Ctrl + click during slide show
- Pen/Highlighter: Right-click during show → Pointer Options
Presentation Design Principles The difference between a good and bad presentation:
| Bad Practice | Good Practice |
|---|---|
| Wall of text (read aloud) | Key phrases + speak the details |
| Tiny font (< 24pt) | 28pt+ body, 36pt+ titles |
| Too many colors/fonts | 2-3 colors, 1-2 fonts |
| Bullet after bullet after bullet | Mix: images, diagrams, minimal text |
| Reading from slides | Slides support you; notes remind you |
| Clipart and word art | Clean images, icons, white space |
💡 The 6×6 Rule (guideline): No more than 6 bullet points per slide, no more than 6 words per bullet. Forces conciseness.
💡 Teaching idea: Show a "Death by PowerPoint" slide (wall of text, tiny font, clashing colors, random animations). Then show the same content redesigned. Discuss what changed and why it's better.
Exporting & Sharing
- Save as .pptx (editable) or .pdf (flat, share-friendly)
- File → Export → Create a Video (useful for pre-recorded presentations)
- Share via OneDrive for collaboration
Diagram Ideas
- Transition vs Animation — Clarify: transitions happen BETWEEN slides; animations happen to objects WITHIN a slide.
- The 6×6 Rule — Visual: bad slide with 10 dense bullets vs good slide with 5 short phrases + an image.
- Presenter View Layout — Screenshot showing what the presenter sees (current slide, next slide, notes, timer) vs what the audience sees.
- Design Do's and Don'ts — Side-by-side bad vs good slide examples.
Slide Concepts
| Slide | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Title: "Polish & Deliver" |
| 2 | Transitions — types, best practices, "pick one and stick with it" |
| 3 | Animations — four types, when to use them |
| 4 | "Does This Animation Help?" — decision filter |
| 5 | Presenter View — what you see vs what they see |
| 6 | Design Principles — the 6×6 rule, font sizes, white space |
| 7 | Bad vs Good: Slide Makeover (before/after) |
| 8 | Delivery Tips — eye contact, pacing, the B key |
| 9 | Activity: Presentation Prep |
Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Slide | A single page/screen in a presentation |
| Slide Layout | A pre-arranged structure of placeholders on a slide |
| Placeholder | A pre-positioned box on a slide layout for text, images, or other content |
| Theme | A coordinated set of colors, fonts, and effects applied to a presentation |
| Slide Master | The top-level slide template that controls formatting for all slides |
| SmartArt | Pre-designed diagrams for lists, processes, hierarchies, and relationships |
| Transition | A visual effect that plays when moving from one slide to the next |
| Animation | A visual effect applied to an individual object within a slide |
| Entrance Animation | Makes an object appear on a slide |
| Exit Animation | Makes an object disappear from a slide |
| Motion Path | An animation that moves an object along a defined route |
| Animation Pane | Panel for managing the order and timing of animations on a slide |
| Presenter View | A display mode showing the current slide, next slide, notes, and timer (presenter only) |
| Speaker Notes | Text notes associated with each slide, visible in Presenter View |
| 6×6 Rule | Guideline: ≤6 bullets per slide, ≤6 words per bullet |
| White Space | Intentionally empty areas in a design that improve readability and focus |
Activities & Assignments
In-Class
- "Death by PowerPoint" Makeover: Give students an intentionally terrible 5-slide presentation. They redesign it following good design principles.
- SmartArt Translation: Provide a paragraph of text describing a process (e.g., how a bill becomes a law). Students represent it as SmartArt.
- Presentation Delivery Practice: Students present 2-3 slides to a partner using Presenter View. Partner gives feedback on: eye contact, pacing, reliance on notes.
Homework / Projects
-
5-Minute Presentation: Choose a topic (hobby, career interest, current event, or a concept from this course). Create a 7-10 slide presentation with:
- Title slide with name and date
- At least one image, one SmartArt or shape diagram, and one chart/table
- Consistent theme
- Speaker notes on every slide
- One tasteful transition applied to all slides
- Export as PDF for submission; present live in class.
-
Design Critique (1 page): Find a real presentation online (SlideShare, Google). Identify 3 things done well and 3 things that could improve, using design principles from class.
Discussion Questions
- Why do people hate sitting through PowerPoint presentations? What makes them boring vs engaging?
- "The slides are for the audience. The notes are for you." What does this mean in practice?
- When would auto-advancing slides (timed transitions) be appropriate vs click-to-advance?
- A colleague sends you a 40-slide presentation for a 10-minute talk. What's your advice?