1. Getting Started

Turn on the computer and double-click the PowerPoint icon.

This automatically opens a new presentation. The next step is to format the appearance of your slides.

To do this, click on the button at the upper right that says Design to see a selection of basic formats. Select the one you want by clicking on it. If you decide you want something else, clicking on a different one will change it.

Once you are satisfied with the basic design, you're ready to format your slide master. This allows you to select the type style and size and have it apply to all slides in the presentation. To do this, click on View at the left side of the toolbar and select Master then Slide Master from the pulldown menus.

The current selected slide will be your title slide. Any changes you make to this slide will affect ONLY this slide. To set the master for the remaining slides, click on Slide 1. This is the first slide in the presentation proper. Any changes you make to this slide will apply to the remaining slides in the presentation.

To make changes, highlight the text area you want to change. To add bullets or numbering, click on the Format button a the top of the screen and choose Bullets and Numbering from the pulldown menu and then select from the available options.

Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your slides, click Close Master View to return to the normal view.

2. Supply the Information

The first screen will be your title screen. Click and type in the top box to insert the title, click on the bottom box to supply other information (such as your name, the school, the date of the meeting, etc.). When finished, press the New Slide button at the top right to start another slide.

The default setting for new slides is a slide title box at the top with a single text box underneath. This is the most popular and most commonly used format. If you want a different layout, click on one of the selections at the right of your screen. This will change the layout ONLY for the slide you are currently working on. The next time you click New Slide it will return to the default format.

TIPS:

Text Editing: While in a text box, use the normal word processing editing keys. Font choices, size, bolding, cut and paste all work the same as in Microsoft Word. Any time you want to edit text, click in the area of the text to open the box, then click where you want to start editing.

Bullet Charts: Do not press the Enter key until you finish the entry; let the program automatically wrap the text. When you do hit Enter you will get another bullet. If you want to indent to a lower level, press the Tab key. To back up to a previous level, press Shift and Tab at the same time.

Page Numbers: To add page numbers, click on View and select Header and Footer from the drop-down menu. Click in the box next to Slide Number (and optionally next to Don't show on title slide), then press Apply to All.

3. Inserting Graphics

To insert a graphic from a floppy or other file, click on the box where you want to place it. Then click on Insert and select Picture from the pulldown menu. Select where to find the item you're inserting (usually From File) and find your filename and location. Double click on the file you want to insert in your presentation. A graphic editing box will appear. This allows you to adjust the size, crop, etc if you choose to. If you are satisfied with the appearance and location of your graphic, just hit Escape.

4. Changes and Additions

To make a change in the entire presentation, use the Master Slide by clicking on View on the top menu bar, then Master and Slide Master . You can revise the font, color and name in the Format/Font menu; bullet design and color at the Format/Bullets and Numbering menu; and overall design in Format/Slide Design. Except for slide design, remember that you have to highlight the text where you want to make the change.

Use the Slide sorter view (the button at bottom left with four little squares) to make changes in transitions (how a presentation goes when moving from one slide to another) and animation (how it reveals only part of a slide at a time). Click on Slide Show, then either Animation Schemes or Slide Transition. Make your changes and select Apply to All.

After making a change, you'll need to review your presentation to make sure all of your slides still look the way you want them to.

5. Saving Your Presentation

To save your presentation, click File at the top left of the toolbar and select Save As from the pulldown menu. Go to Save In, click on the downward pointing arrow and choose 3.5 Floppy (A:) to save to your disk, or Removable Disk to save to a zip disk. Enter a filename of 8 characters or less (no spaces) in the box next to File Name. Click on OK.

If you have completed the presentation and will be showing it on a computer which may not have PowerPoint XP loaded on it, you can choose to save using the Pack & Go option. This saves just enough of PowerPoint to show your presentation. You will not be able to edit the file. To save this way, click on File and select Pack & Go from the pulldown menu. Follow the onscreen instructions to save all of the necessary data.

6. Creating Output

If you are making overheads, print the presentation then purchase overheads at the front desk and make the overheads in the copy machine. Do NOT attempt to print directly onto overhead film. Only black-and-white overheads can be made at this time. You will find that simple borders are effective for overheads, even in black, white and gray.

If you are making an on-screen presentation, just save your presentation to a disk as described above. Remember to contact the media department to reserve equipment for your presentation.

If you are making slides, please consult instructions that accompany the slide making equipment.

GENERAL ADVICE

Text: Be consistent! Use the same style, format and fonts for all slides in the presentation. Use fonts that are at least 28 points (the "font size"). Be brief: only 4-6 lines per slide and 4-5 words per line. Don't insert large blocks of text: no one can read them.

Appearance: Use contrasting colors for the background and the text. Do not use a white background on slides or onscreen presentations. Avoid cluttering up your presentation with irrelevant graphics.

Help: If you're not sure how to do something, try the Help button on the top row of the task bar. Type in a word or phrase that describes what you want to do.

A Final Hint: Remember, the more time you give yourself, the more polished your presentation will be. Try not to wait until the last minute if you want to have professional-looking presentations.