DR. K's WRITING MANUAL

CHAPTER 10: PowerPoint 4.0

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One of the most powerful presentation tools to be developed in recent years is PowerPoint 4.0 and it is installed on most campus computers. This tool allows you to easily create presentations that can be as simple or as complex as you wish. It will let you take virtually anything you have created using the techniques and programs discussed elsewhere in this manual and put them into an attractive, professional format for presentation on computer, TV monitor or hard copy. Since you can take the text you have created for a paper, shorten it or put it into an outline format, and just dump it into a PowerPoint presentation, this is the logical endpoint of your process.

A. Introduction:

Open PowerPoint on the computer as with any other program.

Select "Create a New Presentation" and a variety of options will appear. For starters, select "Pick a Look Wizard" and click "OK". Note that you can also use this dialog box to open an existing presentation that you have created before.

NOTE: From this point on, the term "slide" will be used to refer to each individual screen that goes together to create the entire presentation. PowerPoint also has a powerful "Help" program built in that can be accessed either with the "help" button on the keyboard or by clicking on the question mark in the upper right of the screen.

Read through the next series of dialog boxes using "Back", "Next" and "Finish" to move through them. When it asks for you to make decisions, just click on the selection to pick or unpick it. Remember that nothing is permanent so you can eventually change things if you wish.

Type of Output: Black and White overhead

Color overhead

Onscreen presentation

35mm slides

Select Template: Click on each type to see how they look

Select type of print out: Full page slides

Speaker notes

Audience handout pages

Outline pages

Select options regarding what information will appear on the slides.

Select "Finish"

At this point your template will appear.

B. Creating Slides:

Each template is designed with a certain "look" that allows you to add text, graphs, photos, etc. The first slide will usually give you space for a title and some extra text. You can simply click in the box and start typing. Fonts can be changed just like in a Word document and you can use pretty much all the standard commands to delete, move, cut and paste, spell check, etc. .

1. Basics: Under "Tools" in the menu bar select "Transition". This will allow you to regulate how this slide will go away and the next slide will take its place.

Click and hold on the "Effects" box and select how you would like the slide to come into view on the screen.

Select "Speed" and when it should "Advance". You may have it do so only when you click the mouse or automatically after so many seconds.

To create the next slide in the series simply click on "New Slide" in the bottom right of the screen or use "New Slide" under the menu item "Insert". At this point a variety of slide types will appear and can be selected by simply clicking on the one you wish to use.

Type in the text, add objects, etc. as per instructions given or in the information below.

Once you have created several slides you can move from one to another by using either the scroll bar on the right or by clicking on the boxes containing double triangles just below the scroll bar. The one pointing down will move you to the next slide while the one pointing up will move you to the previous slide.

2. Bulleted Information: One of the more effective basic techniques is to create "bulleted" information where you have short sentences that highlight a main point with a "bullet" to the left of the sentence. These can then be made to move it at your command, not when the slide first appears.

After clicking on "new Slide" , select the template layout that is for "Bulleted List" . When the template appears select "Build" under the "tools" menu item to begin creating the list. A new dialog box will appear.

Select "Build Body Text" and then decide what color the text should turn after a new bulleted item appears. You usually want it to fade to a less prominent color. The color can also be picked by clicking on the color bar. Use "Effect" to pick how the bullet will all move onto the slide as you call for it.

When you move back to type the text, hitting "return" will create a new bullet. If one bulleted item is to run to more than one line, just keep typing without hitting the "return" key.

The appearance of the bullet can be changed by selecting "Bullet" under the "Format" menu bar item.

3. Template variations: Templates exist for creating slides with text, bulleted items, objects, pictures, graphs, tables, organizational charts, etc. When you select "New Slide" simply click once on any template and the box in the lower right of the dialog box will tell you what that template is for. Double click on the one you want.

Following the instructions on the template will allow you to access other Microsoft programs to create tables, graphs, etc. or provide you with information assisting you in importing material that has already been created. For some of these items, the material presented elsewhere in this manual will be of assistance.

C. Fine Tuning:

PowerPoint is an extremely powerful tool with many possibilities. Creating a basic presentation and then playing with the program is the best way to learn how to do the fancy things it can do. The items below are just some of the variations and features available.

1. Changing Fonts: Virtually anything you can do to a font in Word can be done here by either using the items in the tool bar or going to "Font" under the "Format" menu bar item. Remember, you will usually have to highlight the text first before making changes in it. This will allow you to change font type, size, style and color. The text color can be changed by simply using the color bar.

2. Slide Layout: If you have selected and created a slide using one layout, you can change the slide layout by using "Slide Layout" under the "Format" item.

3. Slide Background: Selecting this item under "Format" will allow you to change the appearance of the background of the slide. The color and darkness of the background can be changed and the color can be made solid or with a variety of shadings. These changes can be applied to all your slides or individual ones.

4. Slide Color Scheme: Under "Format" this item lets you play with the color of virtually any aspect of the slide. Shadows, fills, accents title, text, lines, and background can all be changed in virtually unlimited combinations.

D. Presentation Arrangement

1. Viewing Presentation: To actually view the presentation, select "Slide Show" under "View" or click the last icon on the bottom left of the screen. The slide show will start and will progress either each time you click the mouse or automatically, depending upon which you have selected.

IF you use the command in the menu bar, it gives you the opportunity to select whether you want to see all your slides or just select a set of them. You can also change or select how you want the slides to advance.

2. Inserting/Deleting Slides: If you want to add a new slide, simply use the "New Slide" choice under the "Insert" menu item. If you decide you need to get rid of a slide, simply use "Delete Slide" under "Edit" in the menu bar.

3. Rearranging Slides: If you want to change the order of your slides simply select "Slide Sorter" under "view" or click the middle icon on the bottom left of the screen. You will be presented by miniatures of your slides in the current order. By clicking and holding on a slide you can drag it where you want.

4. Other formats: Besides the slide show view that we have been using, you can also create other formats. By clicking on the second icon on the bottom left or by selecting "Outline" from the "View" option you can see each slide's text in an outline format. This can be printed out and makes a useful tool for you as you are doing your presentation. It is also an effective handout for those watching your presentation.

You can also create a "Notes" page that will have the slide pictured at the top with space below for you to write extended notes to yourself. To create these, select "Notes" under "View" or click the fourth icon on the bottom left. If you then use the percentage bar in the top right of the tool bar to select 100% the notes section will be enlarged and you can create your own note cards.

E. Printing Presentation

Under "File" you can access the following:

1. "Slide Set-up": This allows you to adjust the size, orientation, and numbering of the slides themselves.

2. "Print Set-up": This allows you adjust how the items will be printed out.

3. "Print": This is the final step as clicking "Print" on this dialog box will print out your results. When selected, this will take you to a dialog box that has a "Print What" box. Click on this and the following options will appear:

Slides with builds (Each bulleted item will have a separate slide printed- usually not desired)

Slides without builds (All bulleted item will appear on the same slide- usually best)

DR. K's WRITING MANUAL

CHAPTER 10: PowerPoint 4.0

A. Introduction:

Open PowerPoint on the computer as with any other program.

Select "Create a New Presentation" and a variety of options will appear. For starters, select "Pick a Look Wizard" and click "OK". Note that you can also use this dialog box to open an existing presentation that you have created before.

Read through the next series of dialog boxes using "Back", "Next" and "Finish" to move through them. When it asks for you to make decisions, just click on the selection to pick or unpick it. Remember that nothing is permanent so you can eventually change things if you wish.

Type of Output: Black and White overhead

Color overhead

Onscreen presentation

35mm slides

Select Template: Click on each type to see how they look

Select type of print out: Full page slides

Speaker notes

Audience handout pages

Outline pages

Select options regarding what information will appear on the slides.

Select "Finish"

At this point your template will appear.

B. Creating Slides:

1. Basics: Under "Tools" in the menu bar select "Transition". This will allow you to regulate how this slide will go away and the next slide will take its place.

Click and hold on the "Effects" box and select how you would like the slide to come into view on the screen.

Select "Speed" and when it should "Advance". You may have it do so only when you click the mouse or automatically after so many seconds.

To create the next slide in the series simply click on "New Slide" in the bottom right of the screen or use "New Slide" under the menu item "Insert". At this point a variety of slide types will appear and can be selected by simply clicking on the one you wish to use.

Type in the text, add objects, etc. as per instructions given or in the information below.

2. Bulleted Information: One of the more effective basic techniques is to create "bulleted" information where you have short sentences that highlight a main point with a "bullet" to the left of the sentence. These can then be made to move it at your command, not when the slide first appears.

After clicking on "new Slide" , select the template layout that is for "Bulleted List" . When the template appears select "Build" under the "tools" menu item to begin creating the list. A new dialog box will appear.

When you move back to type the text, hitting "return" will create a new bullet. If one bulleted item is to run to more than one line, just keep typing without hitting the "return" key.

The appearance of the bullet can be changed by selecting "Bullet" under the "Format" menu bar item.

C. Fine Tuning:

PowerPoint is an extremely powerful tool with many possibilities. Creating a basic presentation and then playing with the program is the best way to learn how to do the fancy things it can do. The items below are just some of the variations and features available.

2. Slide Layout: If you have selected and created a slide using one layout, you can change the slide layout by using "Slide Layout" under the "Format" item.

4. Slide Color Scheme: Under "Format" this item lets you play with the color of virtually any aspect of the slide. Shadows, fills, accents title, text, lines, and background can all be changed in virtually unlimited combinations.

D. Presentation Arrangement

1. Viewing Presentation: To actually view the presentation, select "Slide Show" under "View" or click the last icon on the bottom left of the screen. The slide show will start and will progress either each time you click the mouse or automatically, depending upon which you have selected.

IF you use the command in the menu bar, it gives you the opportunity to select whether you want to see all your slides or just select a set of them. You can also change or select how you want the slides to advance.

2. Inserting/Deleting Slides: If you want to add a new slide, simply use the "New Slide" choice under the "Insert" menu item. If you decide you need to get rid of a slide, simply use "Delete Slide" under "Edit" in the menu bar.

E. Printing Presentation

Under "File" you can access the following:

1. "Slide Set-up": This allows you to adjust the size, orientation, and numbering of the slides themselves.

2. "Print Set-up": This allows you adjust how the items will be printed out.

3. "Print": This is the final step as clicking "Print" on this dialog box will print out your results. When selected, this will take you to a dialog box that has a "Print What" box. Click on this and the following options will appear:

Slides with builds (Each bulleted item will have a separate slide printed- usually not desired)

Slides without builds (All bulleted item will appear on the same slide- usually best)

Notes pages

Handouts 2 slides/page

Handouts 3 slides/page

Handouts 6 slides/page

Outline View