I.  STUDENT PowerPoint PRESENTATIONS:

    The use of PowerPoint requires time and effort to master the full range of its functions, so do not wait until the last minute to begin developing your presentation. Outline your presentation slides before you input them into the program. Block out each slide on a separate 3" x 5" card. This will make it easier to organize each slide. The key to a good presentation is knowing what key points should be emphasized and how visual images can help you emphasize them effectively.

II.  INSTRUCTIONS:

    Remember -- Do NOT fill PowerPoint slides with text, then read the text during your presentation. This is the equivalent of reading from a prepared text and is not an acceptable or effective presentation method. Do NOT turn your back to the audience and read or point to a PowerPoint slide. Use the curser as a pointer and keep your eyes on the audience.  Some of the following information may become outdated when newer versions of PowerPoint are published!

1. Getting Started (on a PC).

2. Begin by powering up the computer.

3. Click on START in the lower left corner, hold down mouse, go to "Programs."

4. While "Programs" is open, move cursor to "PowerPoint" and release.

5. At the first PowerPoint screen, double click on TEMPLATE. You might want to try the AutoContent wizard if this is your first use of PowerPoint.

6. Select a design - preview it by clicking once on the design. Double click on your selection.
   At the New Slide screen, select a layout by double-clicking on it.
   Type in the text at the appropriate points on the slide.

7. To go to the next slide, press CTRL (the "control" key) and the letter M.
   Select another template and repeat this process until you have completed the presentation. Save the presentation after every few slides to avoid losing everything in case of a crash.
   To save, click on File in the upper left corner of the tool bar at the top of the screen.
   Click on Save As and save to the A drive floppy disk 3 1/2 Floppy (A:). 

8.  To animate, highlight the text to be animated, move the cursor to Slide Show, at the top middle of the Menu Bar, hold down and go to Preset Animation, go to a selection, release the mouse.

9. To view the slides, go to the menu bar Slide Show, click on View Show.
   Click or press enter to advance the slide show. If you want to stop and change a slide, press ESC.

10. To print slides for a handout, click on File in the menu bar, go to Print, click.
    Single click on Properties, click on PrintQuality, EconoFast, click on OK.
    Single click on Black & White.
    At Print What, click on Handouts (3 or 6 slides per page), click OK.

11. To end, click on File, click on Close to close out the file.
    Click on Exit to exit PowerPoint.
     

III.  OPEN AN EXISTING POWERPOINT FILE:

       To open an existing slide show, click on File, click on Open, go to A drive, double click on the file you wish to open -or- if you are just starting the PowerPoint program.

       At the first screen, click on OPEN AN EXISTING PRESENTATION.
 

      Explore PowerPoint options by moving the cursor to various icons on the screen. For example, options for changing fill colors, adding lines, AutoShapes, etc. When you are in CLIP ART, if you are linked to the Internet, you can import clip art images from Microsoft by clicking on the world icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. Use the wizard to help guide you through this process. Detailed instructions are available at the following website:  PowerPoint solutions  (visit some of the additional web sites shown at the bottom of this page).

IV.  EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS: Content, Design, Delivery, Creativity:

        A.  CONTENT:  What makes a presentation effective? Content, design, and delivery are key factors that the presenter must consider.  Content should be kept simple and straightforward. Aim for one main thought or concept per slide. Your slides should present just the key points. As such, they should not be read verbatim. Create speakers notes for your presentation so you can develop the flow of your presentation to accompany the key points on the slide. Do not confuse the audience with jargon they will not understand.
 

        B.  DESIGN:  Design must follow the content and be consistent. Use the same presentation template for each slide in a presentation because uniformity is less apt to distract viewers. Do not clutter the design with too many different colors as this detracts from what you are trying to say. LIKEWISE AVOID ALL CAPITALS, as they are much more difficult to read than a combination of upper and lower case type. Make sure the type font can be read even by audience members sitting in the back of the room. Avoid very small type.

• When using clip art, avoid clutter and the same, tired old art that everyone else uses.

• Use art or graphics that illustrate a point or add to the presentation.

• Diagrams and tables must be simple and uncluttered in order to be readable.

• Cartoons can be inappropriate in a business presentation. Be cautious in using them.

• Do not change type fonts. Consistency is more elegant than excessive variety.

• Do not clutter the slide, use white space; aim for 8 or fewer words per thought.

• Avoid reverse type, light colors on a dark background are difficult to read.

• Use italics sparingly as they can be difficult to read.

• DO NOT USE A DARK BACKGROUND (- 5 POINTS).

• Do not misspell words (-5 POINTS).

• Use correct sentence syntax (-5 POINTS).

• Avoid the use of contractions (e.g., don't) (-5 POINTS).

• Use the "Arial" font (or some other "block" font like Arial).

• Always include "an introductory slide" and a "THE END" slide (-5 POINTS).

        C.  DELIVERY:  Delivery is where many presenters fail. Practice, practice, practice before you get in front of the class. Practice your timing and your vocal delivery -- volume, pitch, modulation. Tape record your presentation, listen for annoying vocal mannerisms (uh, um) and accents, then remove them! Do NOT read the slides verbatim. This is annoying, since your audience can read, and implies that you need a crutch and are unsure of yourself.

• Get to the room early to check the equipment and lighting BEFORE your presentation.

• Bring transparencies with you in case the computer and/or projector is not working.

• Do not stand behind the monitor as this hides you from the audience.

• Maintain eye contact with the audience.

• Move around to emphasize a point, but do not be manic or rock on your heels.

• Keep your hands out of your pockets, use them for meaningful emphasis.

• When you need to refer to something on a slide, don't turn around to look at the screen.

        D.  CREATIVITY:  Be sure to add some creativity to your PowerPoint presentation.  Nothing puts people to sleep faster than a dull presentation.  You have to have some graphic images on each of your slides.  For example, have some information "slide in" from right to left, or include some brief sounds.  

V.  Problem Solving:

       A number of people have contacted me with specific questions about PowerPoint. Some of their questions and the answers are provided below in the hope that the information can help solve your PowerPoint problem. If anyone reading this page can provide additional insight into these questions, PLEASE contact me and I will add them to this section.

• Question: How can PowerPoint be set up so it opens to a particular presentation slide in the slide show mode?

• Answer: Use the PP viewer. It will show a specific presentation and nothing else. You can download the PowerPoint viewer free from the Microsoft web site.

• Question: How can a PowerPoint presentation be saved and seen as a presentation where the viewer cannot copy or edit the information?

• Answer: Anything displayed on the screen can be captured and edited using various tools. One way to control access is by storing the PowerPoint presentation on a CD Rom disk, which few others can (at this time) copy or edit. Otherwise, the presentation is vulnerable to changes.

VI.   PowerPoint Requirements for Dr. Snell's classes.

• COVER SLIDE:  The first PowerPoint slide should provide a TITLE for the project.  Next, list the name(s) of the author(s) of the project (if it is a group project, also identify which group (e.g., "Group A).  Next, list the class and its title (e.g., PY531.74:  Psychological Testing).  Under that list the semester (Spring 2005) and the submission date (February 14, 2005).  Be sure to "center justify" all of this information.

• ABSTRACT SLIDE:  The abstract slide should be similar to the abstract of an APA manuscript.  That is, on a single slide summarize your project topic (see the APA Publication Manual for additional info).

• SLIDES 2-20:  The next 18 slides constitute the content of your PowerPoint project (18 at a minimum, 25 at a maximum).  In general, provide a brief title at the top of each slide (so the viewer can know what the slide will discuss).  In addition, you MUST include at least one RELEVANT graphic image on each of these 18 slides (see the link below to learn how to do this).

• THE END SLIDE:  After you have presented the content of your PowerPoint project, include a next slide that reads, "THE END" (slide 21 if you have 18 content slides, or slide 28 if you have 25 content slides!

• REFERENCE SLIDES:  Be sure to include as many slides as you need to list the references for your PowerPoint project.  You are PROHIBITED from using "web sites" as information/references for your PowerPoint projects in Dr. Snell's classes.  Write these references in APA format--which is similar to the references in the back of your textbook for your class.  For all references that you include in this Reference section, you MUST cite them someone on your slides (e.g., Smith, 1995).

• DOUBLE-CHECK:  Make sure that you check your PowerPoint project for types, misspelled words, sentence syntax, punctuation, etc.

• IMPORTANT:  On the due date (before 12:00PM midnight), you must upload a copy of your PowerPoint presentation to your course website.  See the course syllabus to identify the exact due date for your project.

• GRAPHIC IMAGES:  Include at least one graphic image on each "content" slide.
   

VII.  PowerPoint Requirement:  PsycARTICLES, 5 Articles, and Plagiarism.

• REQUIRED:  One of the requirements for the PowerPoint project is that students have to use the following psychology "datebase" to locate information for their project:  PsycARTICLES.   Be sure to read the course syllabus to learn how to access this online database.  DO NOT INCLUDE ANY INFORMATION FROM ANYWHERE ELSE, except  PsycARTICLES.
   

• REQUIRED:  5 psychology journal articles from each student:  One of the requirements for the PowerPoint project is that EACH student has to incorporate information from at least 5 psychology journal articles into their part of the project.  AND, the articles must come from PsycARTICLES.  You may use information from other sources, but at a minimum you must use info from 5 psychology journal articles.  When you cite your references on your group PowerPoint slides, cite the author(s) last name(s) with a comma and then the year of the publication within parentheses--such as this (Smith, Jones, & Carnes, 2003). On the last slide(s)/page(s) of the PowerPoint project, list all of your references, similar to this:

  References

  Adams, W.   (1995). The title of the article goes here at this location.  Journal Title goes here, 34, 285-295.
  Smith, T. J., Jones, B. M., & Carnes, K. K. (2003). The title of the article goes here at this location.  Journal Title goes here, 34, 205-215.
  Toms, T. J., Hanks, B. M., & Seeser, K. K. (2002). The title of the article goes here at this location.  Journal Title goes here, 47, 358-369.

  DO NOT give the full first name (abbreviate like the above examples).  The numbers after the title of the journal are:  (a) the volume number and (b) the beginning-ending page numbers for the article.  In general, only the first word in the title is capitalized.  You will lose 5 points for EACH reference that fails to follow these guidelines!!
   

• REQUIRED:  Plagiarism:  Regarding plagiarism, it is always best to paraphrase everything into your own words. One of the rules in my class is to never directly quote from another source, no matter how well said something is in the original article. One of the roles of colleges is to help students develop their own writing skills; thus, take what the author(s) say and then tell me about it using your own words. If you do this, then you will not have to worry about plagiarism.  In general, if you are writing a formal research paper, then if you use more than three words in a phrase directly quoted from the source, it is considered plagiarism if you do not placed that direct quote in quotation marks (and give a citation at the end of the quoted information.  BUT REMEMBER, you are prohibited from using direct quotes in this class.
   

• Click here to download a "sample" PowerPoint file.