ASCE Powerpoint - Version 1

PowerPoint presentations are a great way to support a speech, visualize complicated concepts or focus attention on a subject. However, poorly designed slides with too much text or bad graphics can distract or irritate the audience. Here are some tips that will help you create presentations with a professional look.

DESIGN

• Don’t copy & paste slides from different sources.
• Keep the design basic and simple. Avoid using clip art.

• Consistently use the same font face and sizes on all slides.
• Match colors and use contrast to maximize legibility.

TEXT

• Keep it straight and simple.
• Use keywords only, not sentences.
• Never read your slides, talk freely.

IMAGES

• Images can reinforce or complement your message.
• Use images to visualize and explain.

If you don’t have your own images, you can browse Flickr or Google’s image search for material. If this is a very public and official presentation however, you need to keep copyrights in mind.