HOW TO SCORE MORE POINTS WITH YOUR POWERPOINTS

(Tips for improving your multimedia presentations)

Begin by preparing a storyboard or use the program’s outlining tool to help make sure your project is logically structured and effectively delivers your message.
Focus on your content. Make sure your presentation shows evidence of solid research and your own high level thought.
Know your message. What is the essential question? What is your thesis? Your audience does not need to know "everything you know about X."
Spelling errors look even worse when projected! Proofread like crazy.
Respect copyright by citing every piece of borrowed text, as well as every piece of media you use, other than copyright-free clip art. Unless items are cited throughout, the last slide should list your Works Consulted, no matter how informal the presentation. Use only small portions of media elements. The Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia, sets limits for the amount of borrowed material acceptable for use in student and teacher products.

Practice! Rehearse even if it feels silly. Use family, friends, pets, as well as your mirror.
Engage your audience by making frequent eye contact, displaying enthusiasm.
Tell stories. Personal anecdotes and clever examples are far more compelling than bullets, no matter how they fly in.
Grab your audience by starting with a clincher—a powerful quote, story, anecdote, statistic, or a surprising fact.
Speak clearly and slowly. Avoid using slang and filler words.
Look good. Dress appropriately. Dress like you care what others think.
Make eye contact.
Be flexible. Do not read straight from your notes and slides.
Keep it simple. Leave words out; summarize rather than cram. Limit the number of points per slide, so the audience does not struggle, reading to keep up. Unless you are quoting, full paragraphs have no place in your presentation.
End with the exact point you want your audience to remember.
Convey your own excitement for your presentation. Consider every presentation as a valuable present, a gift for your audience. What you give them should change them in some way. There are no magic bullets.

All graphic elements are messages. Your medium should match your message. Choose a consistent look that enhances rather than detracts from your theme. All slides and transitions should look as if they are part of the same presentation. Understand both your message and the audience and adjust your text and art accordingly. A presentation on the Holocaust would not be effective with a cute font and silly cartoons.
Use sounds and animations cautiously. They can distract from your message. Reserve multimedia for emphasizing important points.
All bullets should be readable from the back of the room. Combinations of upper- and lower-case letters are the most readable.
Create and use original art. Your own drawings and digital photographs pack far more punch than tired clipart. Why spend hours searching for the perfect image of a flower when you could far more effectively draw one or shoot one with a digital camera? If you must use clip art, consider combining it with other elements - for instance, incorporating clever thought bubbles.

Consult your teacher’s rubric to make sure you understand exactly what he or she expects.