This document provides guidelines for designing effective PowerPoint slides for presentations. It recommends using readable fonts, consistent layouts, and high contrast color combinations. Charts and graphs should be clearly labeled and easy to understand from a distance. Bullets should be concise and limited in number. Animation and backgrounds should not distract from the content. The presenter should enhance but not simply read the slides.

1. Supplementary Materials
English Language Centre
Giving Oral Academic Presentations

2. Activity - Discussion
• Discuss with a partner and come
up with some guidelines for the use
of fonts, colours, and graphics
when designing PowerPoint slides
for presentations.

3. PowerPoint Presentation
Guidelines
• The following slides present
guidelines for the use of
fonts, colours, and graphics
when designing PowerPoint
slides for presentations.

4. PowerPoint Slides
• Highlight key points and / or reinforce
what the facilitator is saying.
• Should be short and to the point, include
only key words and phrases for visual
reinforcement.

5. Consistency of Layout
• Convey a sense of completeness.
• Show headings and logos in the same
spot on each frame.
• Use the same margins, font type, font
size, and colours.

6. Fonts
• Font style should be readable.
– Recommended fonts: Arial, Tahoma,
Veranda
• Standardise the font throughout
– This presentation is in Tahoma.
Do!

7. Font Size
Your slides must be readable, even at the
back of the room.
• This is a good title size –
Tahoma 40 point.
• A good subtitle or bullet point size Tahoma 32 point
•
Content text should be no smaller than
Tahoma 24 point.
•
This font size is not recommended for content. Tahoma 12 point.

8. Fonts
Don’t!
• Don’t Sacrifice Readability for Style.
• Don’t Sacrifice Readability for Style.
•don’t Sacrifice readability
for Style.
• Don’t Sacrifice Readability for Style.

9. Caps and Italics
• DO NOT USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
– Makes text hard to read
– Conceals acronyms
– Denies their use for EMPHASIS
• Italics
– Used for “quotes”
– Used to highlight thoughts or ideas
– Used for book, journal, or magazine titles

10. Using a Template
• Use a set font and colour scheme.
• Different styles are disconcerting to the
audience.
• Make the audience focus on what
you present.
•Remember NOT to sacrifice
readability for style.

11. Using the Same Background
on Each Slide
Do!!

12. 
Don’t use multiple backgrounds in your
presentation.

Changing the style is distracting.
Don’t!

13. Colours
• Reds and oranges are high-energy
but can be difficult to stay focused on.
• Greens, blues, and browns are softer,
but not as attention grabbing.
• Reds and Greens can be difficult to
see for those who are colour blind.

14. Avoid These Combinations
• Examples:
–Green on Blue
–Dark Yellow on Green
Don’t!
–Purple on Blue
–Orange on Green
–Red on Green

15. Background Colours
Remember: Readability!
This is a good mix of
colours. Readable!
This is a good mix of
colours. Readable!
This is a bad mix of
colours. Low contrast.
Unreadable!
This is a bad mix of
colours. Avoid bright
colours on white.
Unreadable!

16. Graphs and Charts
Make sure the audience
can read them!

17. Graphs and Charts
Can you see what this graph is about?
8

18. Graphs and Charts
• Avoid using graphics that are difficult to
read.
• In the previous example, the bright
colours on a white background and the
small font make the graph hard to read.
• It would be very difficult to see,
especially at the back of a room.

19. This graph contains too much
information in an unreadable format.
Don’t!
10

20. “Readable”
Graphs
These are examples
of “readable” graphs,
with nice line widths
and good colours.
Do!

21. Charts and Graphs
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
North America
Europe
Austrailia
Don’t!
Mode A
Mode B
Mode C

22. Charts and Graphs
80
70
60
50
40
Mode A
Mode B
Mode C
30
20
10
Europe
North
America
Australia
0
Do!

23. Charts and Graphs
• Look at the previous slide again.
• What exactly is the chart about?
• What should be put above or underneath
the chart to tell the audience what it is
about!

24. Charts and Graphs
• Remember that a chart / graph should
always carry a title which explains what
it is about !

25. Title
Example of a readable &
understandable chart
Gross flat production
Gross flat production in public and private sectors for the
in public and private sectors from
years 1987-88 to 1996-97
the years 1988 to 1997
90000
Flat Production
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97

26. Example of a readable &
understandable chart
74
80
% of respondents
% of respondents
70
60
50
40
Cross harbour
tunnel
48
40
40
30
Eastern harbour
tunnel
30
24
30
14
20
10
2
Western harbour
tunnel
0
Exhaust gas from
vehicles
Title
Exhaust system in
tunnel
Excess usage of
vehicles
Factors leading to serious air pollution

27. Illustrations
• Use only when needed, otherwise they
become distracters instead of
communicators.
• Should relate to the message and help
make a point.
• Ask yourself if it makes the message clearer.
• Use simple diagrams – they are great
communicators.
Do!

28. Limit Each Slide to One Idea
• Use Bullet Points to Cover
Components of Each Idea.

29. Bullets
• Limit each bullet point to only a few words avoid long sentences that go on and on!
• Keep each bullet to 1 to 2 lines, 3 at the most.
• Limit the number of bullets on a screen to 6,
4 if there is a large title, logo, picture, etc.

30. • To make a slide stand out, change the
font, background, or add animation.

31. Limit Animation!
• Use the same animation throughout
the entire presentation.
• Using more than one can be very
distracting.
– The audience will only see the animation
and not the message you’re trying to get
across.

32. During the presentation…
• YOU are the presenter –
DON’T let the media dominate the
presentation.
• Stand aside – DON’T block the visual !
• Expand on points – Don’t read word for
word !
• Remove the slide when not talking about
it – DON’T leave it “up” when it’s not
needed.
GOOD LUCK!!

33. Source
Adapted from the website of
ARMA International (2013)
http://www.arma.org/r1/professionaldevelopment/education/facilitatorresources/pptguidelines
(Accessed on 24 August 2013)