Because virtual presentations are the expectation in almost every discipline and field, it is important to become more adept with Google Slides and/or PowerPoint –both are vital tools for presentations in not only academia (including graduate school), but also your career.

What is a Presentation?

• It should be a presentation – do not just copy and paste full paragraphs of your essay and paste them onto your slides!

• Slides should be legible and clear, with minimal writing (i.e., no paragraphs) and minimal bullet points (typically, 1-3 bullet points per slide). Note: if you want to read a piece of your memoir, do so off-slide.

• Use visuals/images that represent your story, as well as pieces of the story itself (Remember: you DO NOT want to read from your presentation – it should only be a tool to ASSIST you).

• Have eye contact, and interact with your audience: pose questions, etc.

• Some animation is good because it provides transitions in your presentation, but do not overdo it.

• Design is important – meaning, you do not want to have too much going on to where the audience is overwhelmed or confused, i.e., using a picture from Google as a background on a slide.

• Color is good, but it should be appropriate and professional:
  • Colors can be divided into two general categories: Cool (such as blue and green) and Warm (such as orange and red).
  • If you will be presenting in a dark room (such as a large hall), then a dark background (dark blue, grey, etc.) with white or light text will work fine. But if you plan to keep most of the lights on (which is highly advisable) then a white background with black or dark text works much better. In rooms with a good deal of ambient light, a screen image with a dark background and light text tends to washout, but dark text on a light background will maintain its visual intensity a bit better.

• Be conscientious of your font choice. Use the same font set throughout your entire slide presentation.
  • Serif fonts (Times New Roman) were designed to be used in documents filled with lots of text. Serif fonts are said to be easier to read at small point sizes, but for on screen presentations the serifs tend to get lost.
  • San-serif fonts (Arial) are generally best for presentations.
  • Regardless of what font you choose, make sure the text can be read from the back of the room.

• Video and audio are welcome! This helps to keep the audience’s attention and to add some flair to a sometimes monotone presentation.

• Check your organization! Just like a paper, your presentation (slides) should flow. It should make sense to the reader how you move from one slide to the next.

• Check your spelling and grammar! Your presentation represents you, and in turn, your ethos (credibility). 

One of the mostly widely accessed websites about PowerPoint design is Garr Reynolds’ blog, Presentation Zen. In his blog entry:  “What is Good PowerPoint Design?” Reynolds explains how to keep the slide design simple, yet not simplistic, and includes a few slide examples that he has ‘made-over’ to demonstrate how to improve its readability and effectiveness. He also includes sample slides from his own presentation about slide design.

The video below is a TED Talk by David JP Phillips (scholar of presentation-making and skills).

Below are some additional resources to create effective and accurate PowerPoint presentations

• PowerPoint Presentation Tips
• Presentations 101
• Death by PowerPoint (what NOT to do!)
• Creating Passionate Users

Design

• The Big Four: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity

• Visual Presentations: The Right Way and the Wrong Way

• 10 Tips for Designing Presentations