Beginners' guide to Powerpoint is a how to guide for using Microsoft Powerpoint as a presentation or document, including how to add text, images, video, using transitions and how to add animations, as well as some tips for design.

1. Powerpoint Training

2. Doesn’t this look dull?

3. But isn’t this just awful too?

4. Powerpoint Training Session
Laura Hampton

5. Understanding the Purpose
Document Style
A presentation which uses a document style will
include a lot of text which makes it easy for the
receiver to return to it in the future and have it
still make sense.
They still don’t want to have to view reams of
bullet points, nor do they want to be bored by the
style of the slides as they read.
Make it engaging and informative and they’ll be
more likely to make use of it.

6. Presentation Style

7. Understanding the Audience
The key to engaging your audience in a
presentation lies in understanding the way people
work and learn.
The three learning styles in psychology are
visual, auditory and kinesthetic. In a
presentation, we should aim to appeal to all three
as much as possible.
This means using rich media as well as text…
… and ensuring that the screen is not the main
focus of attention – the focus should be you!

8. Getting Started
Getting started on Powerpoint is easy; simply
open the program on your computer and you’ll be
presented with a basic design with space for text.
From here, you can choose your own design and
get creating!

9. Slide Title

10. Adding Text
Adding text to a slide is simple, but it can require
A
some creativity to decide where to add the text.
Click on the ‘add text’ button (shown to the left)
to create the text box, then start typing to
populate it.
Try to avoid entire slides full of text as they can
look overbearing and remove attention from you
as your try to present.
Bullet points are dull.

11. Adding Text in a Shape
You can also add text within a shape.
This can make it easier to format the text as
anything you write will automatically be made to
fit the specified shape.
It also means you can add text in different colored
boxes or circles and so on, allowing you to create
your own diagrams or make your slides look more
interesting.

12. Like this.
An example…
… of how text in shapes…
… can be quite cool.

13. (although this might be a bit much)
Text in shapes!
And look a little
bit
Can be
unprofessional  Depending on
overpowering!
your
audience…

14. Adding Images
You can add images using the ‘insert’ tab in the
main menu.
Here, you can select ‘picture’ which allows you to
browse your computer and select an image you’d
like to use.
Big, striking images can work really well, whereas
a slide full of smaller images is overpowering.

15. Adding Images
You can also add images using ‘Clip Art’, which
now has a library of images available to you –
simply search for what you need.

16. Adding Images
Taking images directly from Google or other
search engines is another nice way of getting
good imagery for your slides.
Providing the imagery is not copyrighted, you
can take it directly from Google Images.
Try using search terms like ‘people white
background’ or ‘dog transparent background’
to find images which look more in sync with
the rest of the slide.

17. Adding Video
You can add videos to your presentation if you
believe they will support what you’re
saying, but beware of detracting focus or
losing your audience.
Like with this example, you’re probably
watching the Furby and not me. No really, I
could be saying anything right now but you’re
hypnotized by the exciting dialogue between
the 90’s toy and the iPhone.
Which luckily for me, does enhance what I’m
saying because I’ve just proven it to you!

18. Adding Video
To add video, click ‘video’
under the ‘insert’ tab.
Then, select ‘from file’ to
upload a video from your
computer…
… or select ‘from website’ to
upload a video from a website
like YouTube.
To upload from YouTube, you
will need the embed code –
find this by clicking ‘share’ and
‘embed’ under the video then
paste the code when prompted
in Powerpoint.
Sometimes video doesn’t work. Sometimes audio doesn’t work. Is it worth the risk?

19. Using SmartArt
Using SmartArt can
represent a process or
complex idea SmartArt can be useful when trying to
represent data or complex ideas.
There are various forms of SmartArt available
Which makes it within Powerpoint under ‘insert’ and
easier to read
‘SmartArt’.
There are also various Powerpoint templates
available to download which can bring extra
And aids
understanding
design to your slides.

20. Grouping Objects
‘Grouping’ is a really handy tool if you want to
‘lump together’ various elements of a slide.
It is useful when trying to move a group of
objects around together, copying a group of
objects to another slide and when adding one
animation to a group of objects.
To group, highlight every object you wish to
group together whilst holding down ‘shift’, the
let go of the ‘shift’ button and right click on
one of the highlighted objects. Then select
‘group’.
You can also ‘ungroup’ objects by right clicking
and selecting ‘ungroup’.

21. Animations
Animations are a great way of bringing
movement to your slides.
And work really well you want to emphasize a key point and then add to it.
And
even
They work for any part of me!
And this
your slide. Like this.

22. Animations
Simply click on the element you want to add
an animation to and then select ‘Animations’ in
the main menu.
You can then choose from an array of different
animations.
Hover over the animation button to see an
example of it using your chosen element.

23. Transitions
Transitions are different ways of moving
between slides.

24. Transitions
They can add interest to your
presentation and make it appear more
sleek.

25. Transitions
To select your transition, go to ‘Transitions’ in
the main menu.
Hovering over each transition type will show
you a preview of how it would look.
The transition will be applied to the slide you
are currently on. To apply the same transition
to all slides, click ‘apply to all’.
You also set the duration of the transition and
decide whether the transition will occur ‘on
mouse click’ (recommended) or after a set
amount of time.
Try to stick to one type of transition.
Otherwise, your presentation looks messy.

26. Notes

27. Questions?