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PowerPoint Tutorial

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Whether you are looking to give a presentation to an audience of 1 or 100, creating a PowerPoint presentation is a great idea. You can play back your presentation on your personal pc or easily hook it up to any video equipment rental or video projector rental for large audiences. PowerPoint was originally created in 1984 by Forethought, Inc. in 1987, Microsoft purchased Forethought and the PowerPoint name became associated with Microsoft Office and continues to this day.

PowerPoint gives presenters flexibility in creating the slide show and is fairly easy to do even for a novice. This tutorial will walk users through the step-by-step process of creating a presentation.

Content

The easiest way to create a presentation is to start with the content. At this stage, don't be too concerned with how it looks (i.e. colors, layout) because this will be addressed later in the process. Start with a blank slide and first create the title page (if you are using one) by adding the title and subtitle. Once that is finished, click the add a new slide button and continue. When you are writing your content, PowerPoint gives you the option to create a page with just text, text and graphics, charts, and more. PowerPoint also allows users the opportunity to put a title on each page. This is a good idea for future reference when you are trying to find a page.

Design

Once you have written the content, the next step is to envision how you would like it to look. There are several factors to consider in this phase. You need to be concerned with the background of the presentation. For example, you need to select a background that will enhance the presentation, not compete with it. Another factor is the font being used. You need to select a font that is easily readable from a distance, and a font size that is appropriate as well. If you do not want to change font, color or backgrounds manually, selecting an existing design will simplify this task.

Adding Elements

At this stage you have a basic PowerPoint presentation with just words. In many circumstances, this would be all you need to have an effective, simple presentation. However, if you want to add some extra elements, you can kick up your presentation from good to great! PowerPoint allows you to add elements such as pictures, graphics, charts, sound and even the ability to animate the presentation. The first step is to add the proper elements. To do so, go to the page where you want to add the element and click insert, find the element you want to include and insert it in to the presentation. To change size, simply right click the element and adjust it according to your needs. Once you have added the element, you can add animation and control when it appears in the presentation and how it appears. Having a picture, graphic or sound appear, can add a lot to the overall presentation.

Timing and Rehearsing

Now that your presentation is complete, the final phase is to work on the timing of the presentation and rehearse what you are saying in conjunction with the slides. This step takes time, and you may need to fine tune some of the animation and when the slides appears. But once it is finished you will have a presentation that will wow your audience.

PowerPoint presentations can give your public speaking assignment that extra boost to make it an overwhelming success.