1. Introduction to Effective Presentations
MM 350
Multimedia Theory
28 May 2012

2. Overview General Tips Making and Formatting Effective Slides
Use of Media
Facing the Presentation
Color Usage
Type Usage
Some Counter-examples

3. General Tips Organize in advance Know your audience
Be familiar with material
Relax
Practice your words
Don’t race through the text

4. Effective Slides Include essential information only
Like an outline of a paper
Avoid excessive verbiage
Limit number of words per line
Limit lines per screen
Usually seven is a good limit

5. Formatting Slides Left justify body text Balance the information
Leave space between lines
Use consistent layout templates
Don’t surprise viewers

6. Use of Media Use graphs and images when needed
Minimize use of non-essential media
Animation can be very distracting
Transitions should be consistent
Graphics, if used, should be big

7. Pacing Use slides as mnemonic aids Don’t leave a slide on for too long
Don’t whiz through slides

8. Color Minimize use of colors Use contrasting colors
Avoid garish color schemes

9. Type Usage Avoid novelty typefaces Use two-three type sizes
18 to 48 points
Use system fonts
Avoid all caps
Minimize punctuation

10. Some Counterexamples

11. Wordy Slide
This is a slide that has way too much written on it. The screen is cluttered with words and the audience feels obliged to read it. Since the audience is reading the slide, their attention is focused on that instead of what the presenter is saying. It’s possible that when everyone is finished with the slide, the audience will remember half of what was on the screen and half of what the presenter said, maybe garbled together in a way that makes no sense at all. Or maybe they won’t remember anything at all because they’ve zoned out.

12. Text is Too Small Text should be clearly visible
Viiewers in the back should be able to read
People in the front should be able to read

13. Bad Color Combination Black on blue is bad
Many other color combinations are bad
You need enough contrast
You need to avoid garish combinations

14. Typefaces! (and transitions)
This is a line in schoolhouse cursive
This is a typeface called “Cracked”
Here’s Lucida Blackletter