Spicing Up Your Lectures with PowerPoint!

Spicing Up Your Lectures with PowerPoint! Presented By: Marcy Satterwhite

Background Colors • First Decide if you are going to print overheads or project your presentation • If you are going to project: • Use a dark background with light text • Or light background with dark text • If you are going to print out overheads: • Use a plain background with dark text

Use Limited Text Per Slide • Too much text at once makes the slide cluttered • Stick with no more than 3-5 items per slide • Keep bullet items to 1-3 lines per bullet • Use sub-bullets to show relationship

Using Proper Font Type & Size • Be sure the text is easy to read • Use a Sans Serif (without decorations) font like Arial or Tahoma • Serif fonts can be unreadable • Be sure the text size is readable from the back of the room • Defaults can be changed on the master slide

The Master Slide • Changing the Slide Master changes ALL slides in the presentation. 1. Click on the View Menu 2. Point at Master & then Slide Master 3. Select the piece to be changed 4. Close the Slide Master View • You can change fonts, sizes, colors, and many other items this way

Adding Slide Transitions • Transitions are how one slide is taken away and replaced by another 1. Click on the Slide Show menu 2. Choose Slide Transition (the slide transition window appears) 3. Select what you want & choose “Apply to all slides”

Adding Text Animation • Animating your text makes it easier for students to follow your lecture • You can have each bullet come in one at a time • You can also coordinate screen capture examples with the item

Example Text: No Animation • Text with no animation can be overwhelming to the student. • The words tend to blur together and the student gets lost. • Students tend to read everything that is put in front of them and may ignore what the instructor is saying.

Example: With Animation • Make each bulleted item appear individually • Text will be easier for the student to follow • Students will not be tempted to read ahead

To Animate Text • Type your text on each slide first • You can either apply the same animation to Every slide or animate each slide individually. • Quickest is to apply same animation to Every slide. • You may have to add some customanimation later

To Animate Every Slide 1. Click on the “Slide Show” menu 2. Choose “Animation Schemes” (The slide design frame appears) 3. Pick an animation 4. Click the “Apply to All Slides” button

Custom Animation on Certain Slides • If you have picked an animation scheme, but want to “custom animate” certain slides • You MUST first go back into “animation schemes” • and pick “no animation” for each text box you want to “custom animate”

To Animate Text on Slides Individually 1. Go back to each slide you wish to animate & click on the text box you want to animate to activate it 2. Click on the “Slide Show” menu 3. Choose “Custom Animation” (the custom animation window opens)

. . . Animate Text Continued 4. Click “Add Effect” in the animation window 5. Pick a category (usually Entrance) 6. Pick an effect (you will see a preview) • If you don’t like it, choose a different one. Don’t double effects-Use Remove

Animate Text Concluded • After adding an effect, you can specify a few other things • Click the down arrow next to the item you animated • You can adjust how subtext appears • Effect Options • Timings, etc.

Adding Graphics • Graphics CAN enhance your presentation by: • Adding humor • Helping to Visualize a point • Breaking up the text

Graphic Issues • Avoid Overusing Graphics • Typically one per slide is a good rule • Use Graphics that enhance your lecture • Size your Graphics appropriately • They should not overwhelm

To Add Graphics 1. Click on the “Insert” menu 2. Point at “Picture” 3. Choose “clip art” (the Insert Clip Art Frame Opens) -or- “from file” if you have something on disk

. . . Adding Graphics Cont. 4. Type a topic to search for in the “Search Text” box & click “Search” 5. If you don’t get desired results, click the “Modify” button at the bottom and try something else 6. Click on the picture to insert it.

. . . Adding Graphics Cont. • The Program may change your existing text size to accommodate the picture • To change it back clickthe box with the lightening and choose “undo automatic layout” • Move/resize the graphic as you wish

Animating Graphics • Animating your graphics can spice up your presentation • You can have graphics appear with the corresponding piece of text • You can also coordinate screen capture examples with the text as mentioned earlier

To Animate Graphics 1. Insert your graphics first 2. Go back to each slide you wish to animate & click on the graphic you want to animate to activate it 3. Click on the “Slide Show” menu 4. Choose “Custom Animation” (the custom animation window opens as mentioned earlier)

. . . Animating Graphics Continued 5. Click “Add Effect” in the animation window 6. Pick a category (usually Entrance) 7. Pick an effect (you will see a sample) • If you don’t like the effect, choose a different one. • Make sure you don’t double effects

Animating Graphics Concluded • You can reorder the timing of your graphics and text • In the Custom Animation Box click and drag the items up or down to change the order. • A small grey box next to each item shows the order.

Conclusion • PowerPoint gives you dozens of options for animating text and graphics. • Experiment and see which ones you like and are quickest to apply

Spicing Up Your Lectures with PowerPoint!