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9 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Students

Create classroom presentations worthy of an 'A'

By Wendy Russell Wendy Russell Writer Brock University Former Lifewire writer Wendy Russell is an experienced teacher specializing in live communications, graphics design, and PowerPoint software. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 11, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Powerpoint Word Excel Outlook Making effective classroom presentations takes practice. When you follow a few PowerPoint presentation tips for students, you'll be up to the challenge. These presentation tips refer to PowerPoint slides (all versions) and can be applied to any type of slide presentation. Gareth Brown / Getty Images 01 of 09

Plan Your Slide Layout

Make your slides easy to follow. Put the title at the top where your audience expects to find it. Phrases should read left to right and top to bottom. Keep important information near the top of the slide. Often the bottom portions of slides cannot be seen from the back rows because heads are in the way. 02 of 09

Avoid Fancy Fonts

Choose a font that is simple and easy to read, such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Verdana. You may have a really cool font on your computer, but save it for other uses. Often, fancy fonts aren't easy to read on a screen and distract more than anything. Don't use more than two different fonts, one for headings and another for content. Keep all fonts large enough (at least 18 pt and preferably 24 pt) so that people at the back of the room can easily read the text. 03 of 09

Use Contrasting Colors for Text and Background

Dark text on a light background is best. This combination offers the most visibility. Sometimes, though, you may want a dark background for effect, to dazzle the crowd. In that case, make the text a light color for easy reading in a classroom presentation. Text is often difficult to read on patterned or textured backgrounds. Keep the color scheme consistent throughout your classroom presentation. 04 of 09

Keep Slide Design Consistent With a Theme

When you use a design theme, choose one that won't detract from your classroom presentation. Also, keep the slide design consistent with that theme. Test it ahead of time to make sure that the text is readable and that the graphics don't get lost in the background. 05 of 09

Use Footnotes to Add Information

Adding footnotes to the slides in a PowerPoint presentation allows you to document the sources of information you used in your research, just as you would if you were turning in a research paper. Use footnotes to cite quotes and statistics or to add extra details related to the text on the slide. 06 of 09

Print Out Speaker Notes

Reading a PowerPoint presentation in front of a class can be nerve-wracking. Printing your slides with speaker notes allows you to have thumbnails, text, and written notes, if you wish, so you can read along with the slides and add pertinent information. You can also use the printed slides as handouts for the class. Alternatively, you might want to add a voiceover to the slideshow to avoid speaking in class altogether. 07 of 09

Run a Presentation Unattended

There might be times when you want the slideshow to run on its own in a continuous loop, such as part of a science fair presentation. Using the Browsed at Kiosk setting when setting up the presentation lets you show the presentation unattended. 08 of 09

Use Animations and Transition Effects Sparingly

Who doesn't love to apply animations, transitions, or GIFs to a presentation? Going overboard with these elements can be entertaining, but rarely will the audience be paying attention to the message of the presentation. The slideshow is a visual aid and not the objective of the classroom presentation. 09 of 09

Convert PowerPoint Shows to Google Slides

Schools often use the Google suite of productivity applications, such as Google Slides, in the classroom. If you have PowerPoint at home, you can use it to create a presentation and share it with your teacher or others using Google Slides. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation How to Put a Spreadsheet in Google Slides How to Change Theme Colors in Google Slides How to Wrap Text in Google Slides How to Link Slides in Google Slides Tips for Solving Common PowerPoint Problems How to Copy a PowerPoint Design Template to Another Presentation How to Make a Timeline on Google Slides How to Add a Border in Google Slides How to Add Page Numbers in PowerPoint Change Font Colors and Styles on PowerPoint Slides Using Design Themes in PowerPoint How to Use Speaker Notes in PowerPoint An Introduction to PowerPoint 14 Free PowerPoint Game Templates for the Classroom Keyboard Shortcuts: Speed up PowerPoint Presentations Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies