Presentation Style Guide

Avoiding Common Presentation Pitfalls

• PowerPoint 2007 and later users should save their presentations in their versions native .pptx format, not in the PowerPoint 97 through 2003 format, as this will provide better overall compatibility with systems.
• PowerPoint is designed to display pictures and text generated within the program or inserted from other sources. If the outside source is a sound file over 5kb or any video file, the original file is not saved within the presentation. Source files meeting these criteria must be available on the computer where the presentation is going to run. Please copy any source video and sound files to the media with your presentation. If in doubt, bring the file along.
• Embedded charts, graphs, and object-oriented graphic files are often difficult to work with. These file types usually are influenced by the version of the program used to create them, often making them translate strangely on a different computer system. It is recommended that charts and graphics be inserted into your presentation as a bitmap format graphic. If you embed charts and object graphics in your presentation, it is advisable to have the bitmap format graphics available on your media.
• HTML presentations - make sure that your files are portable.
• If you use PowerPoint's rehearse timings feature, pay close attention to the dialog box that appears after you finish rehearsing. It will offer to save the timings from your rehearsal, and if you inadvertently agree it will set them as automatic advances of your slides at the times you rehearsed. Unless you want your slides to advance on their own at predetermined times, you'll want to say no to this option. To check if there are any automatic timings currently associated with your slides, choose the slide sorter view of your presentation; they can be seen as numbers below the bottom left corner of each slide.

Presentation Delivery Tips

• Be considerate of other speakers and the audience by staying within your allotted time. This is essential to ensure adequate time for questions and discussion and adherence to schedule.
• Please discuss the same material as reported to the meeting planner.
• Take the time to rehearse your presentation. Give your talk to one or more colleagues and ask them for suggestions for improvement. If your presentation runs longer than the allotted time, eliminate the least essential material and rehearse again.
• Give an opening statement to acquaint the audience with the nature and purpose of the study. Word choice should be simple: use active words and short sentences. Words should reinforce your visual material.
• Use the mic and be sure to speak slowly and clearly. When using the mic clipped to your lapel, it may be difficult for the audience to hear you if you turn your head away from the microphone.
• Face the audience, not the slides or graphics you are showing, and try to establish eye contact with member of your audience in various areas of the room.
• Do not read your presentation verbatim from your notes or slides.