PowerPoint Presentation

— Introduction

A PowerPoint presentation is similar to a poster presentation, only the information is on computer slides rather than actual posters. They are usually used to accompany an oral presentation; they should enhance the oral presentation. You can incorporate audio and visual media. They are often used to share information with a large group, such as at a professional conference, classroom presentations, and meetings. It should be more like an outline of your presentation. There are three main elements to a PowerPoint presentation: text, images, and tables or graphs. Text allows you to reinforce main points as well as key terms and concepts. Images illustrate or highlight main points. Tables and graphs present information in a way that is easy to tmderstand and   see.

— Some Preliminaries

Before start, you should  consider  several  key parts of your project: your audience, purpose (persuasive, informative, etc), subject matter and presentation. Since  good PowerPoint projects come from making design decisions that fit the occasion, knowing as much as possible about the rhetorical situation before you create         your  PowerPoint  will  ensure  your success.

— Common Components

The slides for a PowerPoint presentation should be more like an outline. Text is often listed rather than written in full sentences. The following are a few of the things that can be presented on a PowerPointslide:

•      Graphs and/ortables

•      Definitions

•      Lists

•      Essentialfacts

•      Necessaryimages

— Arrangement

The order of your PowerPoint will depend on what you think your  audience needs. Whatever  you do, organize your  PowerPoint  carefully and  present  your argument  methodically  so that your audience  bury  into  your  argument. There are some options that can be referred to.

•     Overview,  Body, Conclusion  (In  the  case that your audience need clarity  in  you presentation          because  you  think  there is a risk of them  getting lost in your complicated points).

•     Anecdote, Content, Conclusion (In  the casethat  your audience might be bored even before               you start).

•    Plan, Benefits, Anecdote (In the case that you are attempting to convince an audience to                     establish  something new and are facing an audience that demands your presentation be 

    short and to thepoint).

— Other Useful Information

Do:

•       Choose a single background for the entire  presentation.

•        Use simple, clean fonts.

•        Use a font size that can be seen from the back of the  room.

•        Write in bulleted  format  and  use consistent  phrase  structure in lists.

•        Provid  eessential information only. Use key words to guide the reader/listener through the                 presentation.

•        Use direct, concise language. Keep text to amirumum.

•        Provide definitions when  necessary.

•        Use white space to set off text and/or visual  components.

•        Make sure each slide logically leads to the next.

•        Use a heading for each slide.

Don't:

•        Clutter the slide with  graphics.

•        Use complicated fonts.

•        Add superfluous  information.

•       Put down every word you are going to say.

•       Use images if they will  distract.

•       Use  hard  to read  color  combinations,  like  black  on blue. Try  to  use high contrast                       combinations.