PowerPoint
Presentations
Created for PSY 380: Senior Seminar
At Kutztown University of
Pennsylvania
The following pages will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to create and edit PowerPoint Presentations for your Senior Seminar Course. Topics covered are listed below. You can elect to create a PowerPoint presentation of your Forty Studies oral presentation OR of your career specialization poster. However, it is not mandatory that you give the PowerPoint presentation to the class. That is, this course option can be fulfilled by simply creating the PowerPoint file and then saving it to your zip disk for your portfolio. It makes sense, however, to “kill two birds with one stone” by using your PowerPoint presentation as the visual aid for your Forty Studies oral presentation… You need to create at least part of your PowerPoint presentation on Psychology Department computers with Steve Kachmar or Dr. Meehan present. Be sure to let Dr. Meehan know if you will need to use the data projector on the day of your Forty Studies presentation.
Item #1: Getting Started and Choosing a Slide
Item #2: Choosing Subsequent Slides
Item #3: Changing Slide Templates
Item #4: Changing Fonts and Colors
Item #8: Adding Slide Transitions
Item #9: Viewing Presentations
Item #1: Getting Started & Choosing a First Slide
After clicking on the PowerPoint icon on your desktop, you will come to a screen that will allow you to select how you wish to create a new presentation. Your choices are ‘Auto Content Wizard’, ‘Design Template’, ‘Blank Presentation’ or ‘Open an Existing Presentation’. It is suggested that you choose ‘Design Templates’ and then click the ‘OK’ button. (The reason for this suggestion is that by selecting ‘Design Templates’ you can view every possible color and scheme of slides provided by the software, prior to inputting text, graphs, etc. Adding and changing backgrounds, can be done later, however because of the various template styles, your information may become distorted, only creating more work for you.) Once you click ‘OK’ you will be taken to a template selection screen. This screen allows you to sample all of the templates and find the one that is right for you. (Don’t worry if it turns out your initial choice was wrong, you can change it later). Once you have found your template of choice, highlight the name and click the ‘OK’ button. You will now be taken to a ‘Slide Layout’ screen. Here you must select a slide layout that will suffice for your first page. It is recommended that you select the ‘Title Slide’ located in the upper left corner and click ‘OK’. This recommendation is made because most presentations begin with a title and the presenter’s name, both of which can be easily added to this slide layout. After you click the ‘OK’ button you will see your slide on the right with text boxes already added. Click in the top text box to add your title. (Note: The title will automatically be centered. If you wish to alter this, please utilize the alignment buttons on the tool bar.) Do the same for the lower text box and add your name and any other pertinent information (e.g., school, date, etc.) Now, click anywhere outside the textboxes. Congratulations, you have just created your first slide. Now be sure to save the slide utilizing the ‘Save As’ function under the File menu.
Item #2: Choosing Subsequent Slides and Text Boxes
To add your second, third slides, etc. you must click on the ‘Insert’ tab at the top of the tool bar. You will then click ‘New Slide’. The slide layout screen will reappear for your selection. Select any preset slide format on the screen or you can select the blank slide in the lower right corner. By choosing the blank slide you have the ability to insert text boxes and complete other functions, which can be limited by a pre-designed slide layout.
To insert a textbox (on a blank slide or any of pre-formatted slides, as space allows), simply click on ‘Insert’ and then ‘Text Box’. Your mouse, once moved to the slide becomes a cross that will allow you to place text anywhere. Simply press and hold down the left mouse button and drag a text box large enough for your information. Let go of the left mouse button and your box will be formed. It may appear to be smaller than you wished, but it will expand as you type. Inside this text box, you can perform the same functions as in the first slide, including alignment.
Continue this process until your presentation is complete.
Item #3: Changing Slide Templates
If you are not content with your initial slide template selection, do the following to alter it. Right click on any slide and select ‘Apply Design Template’. Once again, you are shown the design template selection screen. You can try various templates until you find one appropriate for your presentation. Simply click the ‘Apply’ button once you have highlighted your choice. (Note: once you click ‘Apply’ all slides will be altered.)
Item #4: Changing Fonts and Colors
To alter fonts follow the same procedure as you do in Word. Highlight the text you wish to alter, go to either the Font Type or the Font Size box, click on the down arrow and select your style or size by highlighting it. You can also bold text, italicize, or underline by highlighting and clicking on one of the buttons (B, I, U) found on the tool bar. You can also change the font color by highlighting the text you wish to change, and clicking on the ‘Format’ button on the upper tool bar and selecting a new font color.
You may wish to add bullets to a slide. In order to do this, click on the ‘Format’ button on the upper tool bar, then click ‘Bullets & Numbering.’ This will take you to another menu where you can select the type or style you desire. Simply click ‘OK’ and the bullets will be displayed on your slide.
You may desire, as part of your presentation, to include a piece of art. For instance, at a conference you may wish to include the Psi Chi logo:
Locate the file by navigating to where your image is stored, click the right mouse button and select ‘Copy’. You can then go to your slide, right click the mouse and click ‘Paste’. The image will appear, possibly larger or smaller than you intended. You can alter this by clicking on the picture and using one of the six black size boxes to manipulate it. You can also move the entire image by clicking and holding the left mouse button in the center of the picture, moving it, and releasing the button.
In order to insert a graph or table, you can utilize one of two methods.
First, you can copy and paste the graph from your Excel program to the slide and manipulate its size, etc.
Or, you could create a table in PowerPoint itself. This may be more beneficial to you if you do not have something already in table format or if you just want to organize your information. Go to the ‘Insert’ button on the upper tool bar and click ‘Table’. The system will then request that you indicate the number of rows and columns that you desire. Then click ‘OK’. Your graph will appear on your slide and you can manipulate it in the manner previously explained.
Item #8: Adding Slide Transitions
A Slide Transition adds or changes the special effect that introduces a slide during a slide show.
This makes your presentation more sophisticated and provides you with a brief pause between slides. To do this, go to any slide, click on the ‘Slide Show’ button on the upper tool bar, and then select slide transitions. You can make many different choices as to the type of transition, speed, sound effect or even have the slide automatically change after a set period of time. Once you make your selection, simply apply it to either the slide you are currently on or to all slides.
Item #9: Viewing Presentations
Before viewing the presentation, you should be sure to save your work. Following this, go to the “Slide Show” menu or click on the ‘Slide Show’ button on the upper tool bar. Next click ‘View Show.’ Once you do this, the entire screen will display your creation. Click the left mouse button in order to advance. Once you are done with the show, you can make corrections in the same manner in which you created the presentation.
Suggestions:
1) Always save your work after each new slide or change.
2)
Remember that if you make a mistake of any kind, you can remove it by
going to the ‘Edit’ menu
and clicking ‘Undo’.
Tutorial handout written by Steve Kachmar
Web version created by A. Meehan
9/16/02