Toward a professional power point presentation

The Title

• Contrast these two titles– Sanitary landfills in

Denton, Texas

– Location matters for sanitary landfills: A case study of Denton, Texas

swamplot.com

Where you want their attention• Bullet points

– Provide structure• You provide the substance

– Keywords and phrases

• You want your audience to look at you– Not the screen– Nor their phones– Or at the ceiling!

• Remember to look to your audience– Not at the screen

Professional Appearance

• DO NOT use your professors for inspiration; we are generally clueless about how to dress

Slide Structure - Bad

• This page contains too many words for a presentation slide. It is not written in point form, making it difficult both for your audience to read and for you to present each point. Although there are exactly the same number of points on this slide as the next slide, this one looks much more complicated. In short, your audience will spend too much time trying to read this paragraph instead of listening to you.

Slide Structure – Good

• Use 1-2 slides per minute of your presentation• Logical flow between slides• Write in point form, not complete sentences• Include 4-5 sub-points points per slide

– But be careful not to clutter the slide• Avoid wordiness: Use key words and phrases

only

Slide Structure – Good

• Show one point at a time:– Will help audience concentrate on what you are

saying– Will prevent audience from reading ahead– Will help you keep your presentation focused

The suspense is not captivating• OK, I have something to say• Bet you want to know what it is• Psych, not this time• Not this time either• OK, I have a secret• Knock, Knock• Who’s there?• Nobody• Nobody who?• ……………. (get it?)

A simple rule

• Academic writing is not a ‘who dun it’• If they are bored at the beginning

– They will have checked out by the end• So

– Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em– Tell ‘em– And then, Tell ‘em what you told ‘em

Fonts - Good

• Use at least an 18-point font• Use different size fonts for main points and

secondary points– This font is 24-point, the main point font is 28-

point, and the title font is 36-point• Use a standard font like Times New Roman or

Arial

Fonts - Bad• If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written.

• CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ.

• Don’t use a complicated font– Like this one– Or this one!

Color and font coordination• Using a font color that does not contrast with the

background color is hard to read • Using color for decoration is:

– Distracting and annoying.• Using a different color for each point is

unnecessary– Using a different color for secondary points

demonstrates• you have way too much time on your hands.

• Trying to be creative can also be bad

• Is your font big enough for all– Not just people in the front row

Slide Structure - Bad

• Do not use distracting animation

• Do not go overboard with the animation

• Be consistent with the animation that you use

An effective use of transitions

Cool picture

• But what is my point• Are you sure your audience can read it???

Industrial Agriculture• Historical productivity of farmers

– 1900: 20 people– 1950: 75 people– Today: 150 people

Background – Bad

• Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to read from

• Always be consistent with the background that you use

Don’t make your audience guess

What would Sigmund Freud think?Actually processing what is being said

10%

Listening but not absorb-

ing24%

Not listening17%

Thinking about sex

49%

Audience attention

Graphs - Bad

January February March AprilBlue Balls 20.4 27.4 90 20.4Red Balls 30.6 38.6 34.6 31.6

Graphs - Good

Items Sold in First Quarter of 2002

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

January February March April

Blue Balls

Red Balls

Graphs - Bad

20.4

27.4

90

20.4

30.6

38.6

34.631.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

January February March April

Blue Balls

Red Balls

Graphs - Bad

• Minor gridlines are unnecessary• Font is too small• Colors are illogical• Title is missing• Shading is distracting

Proff reed you’re sideshow

• Spell right and do good grammer– Nothing discredits you fasster than then riting like a 3rd

grader– Don’t thrust spill-chick

• Avoid don’t use extra repeated additional words text• u r oblgtd to spll evrythg out.

– Twitter wrtg not accptbl.

• English is your second language?– seek help

Substance

• Practice– In the mirror– In front of friends / colleagues / advisor

• Timing– Don’t try and fill the entire time slot

• People love short and sweet

– Ensure you leave time for questions

• Slide Maximum– What is appropriate (10-15 for a 20 minute talk)

Conclusion

• Use an effective and strong closing– Your audience is likely to remember your last

words

• Use a conclusion slide to– Summarize the main points of your presentation– Suggest future avenues of research

Conclusion

• Simplicity– Paragraphs provide napping opportunities– Omit bells and whistles

• Objectives are “eyes on you” & “ears on you”– Pictures good, words bad– Don’t trust spell-check– Color schemes; fonts, et cetera

Potential crises & disappointments

• What if you mess up in your presentation?– Relax, and keep going…

• What if you get criticized… by an angry expert?– You should not argue, you may not know…– Suggest that you talk after the presentation

• What if you spill coffee on an expert?– Try not to…

• What if you throw up?

Questions??

• End your presentation with a simple question slide to:– Invite your audience to ask questions– Provide a visual aid during question period– Avoid ending a presentation abruptly