Learning objectives

When you have completed this session, you should be able to

• define basic terms of presentation.

Basic Terms

Presentations by PowerPoint are created from slides similarly to slide projections. Thus, in this case there are no pages but slides. A slide is a displayed picture or image, while a slide projection is projection of a series of slides.

Size of the slide can be checked and adjusted in this menu: File/ Adjust page. The default parameters are 25.4 cm x 19.05 cm, the orientation is horizontal.

In View menu the Normal view is the default parameter because the actual slide has the biggest size in this view and the different elements (pictures, shapes, video, etc….) can also be inserted here.

The first slide usually carries the title or the subtitle of the presentation. Due to this in the first slide two, so called “reservations” can be observed. They have a similar role to text boxes. The desired texts can be edited in here.

With the tools in Paint toolbar different forms and shapes can be created as rectangles, circles, triangles or lines. Animation is the spectacular way of displaying these shapes in contrast to transition which defines the way how each slide follows the other in a similarly spectacular way too. The word “object” is usually applied for shapes being in one group and “apparently” acts like one object. They can be called “reservations” as well. Pictures, figures, text boxes, motion pictures, voices, diagrams, and organization can also be taken as objects.

A Sample slide is a special slide having effect on all slides and the shapes, objects, texts, and different transitions appear on all slides but it cannot be seen as a stand alone slide during the presentation.

First Steps

Let us take a look of the usual adjustments during the first steps when making a simple presentation.

Start Powerpoint and click in the empty presentation window appearing in order to edit the title where it is marked in the text box. The title should be Creating PowerPoint Presentation and the subtitle Exercise.

Form the title and the subtitle the way you do when using Word. Change the type, stile, color, and size of the letters. Centering is already adjusted as a default parameter so we do not have to worry about that.

Let us make up the slide a bit by giving it a better background. In the left work window move to local menu with the right mouse button for the first slide (being the last slide in this particular case). On the Slide flap the slides appear in reduced size but since we have no more slides yet only this one appears yet.

Forming Slides

Giving personalized background

When clicking with the right button on the small slide chose the Personalized background command in the local menu. In the upcoming list on lower side chose a color. If more color is chosen we can select from other colors beside those offered firs. After choosing the preferable color, check if it fits to the color of the text. Chose view without OK by clicking on the Sample button. If result is not satisfying chose another color and check again. If you are satisfied you have two choices for approval. Choosing Apply will only change the background of the actual slide. Choosing All will have an effect on all slides even on those not created yet. But do not hurry! Check the Filling effects command in the list as well. Here color transitions, patterns, and pictures can be adjusted for backgrounds beside single color backgrounds.

Choosing the Fill command select the option for double color and chose two different colors or a darker and a lighter variety of the same color. The direction of hue can be selected with Hue option buttons (horizontal, vertical, diagonal…). By selecting from Varieties we can turn around the direction of colors or can select among even more exciting color transitions.

It is useful to choose the All button after clicking on OK because this way slides inserted later will have the same type of background. However check the expected result by clicking on the Sample button before applying the new adjustment.

Inserting and Arranging New Slide s

Create a new slide. Ask local menu New Slide where the small slide appearing on the left (this command can also be found in the Insert menu). New slides are always created after the existing ones. Now already two slides are appearing on the left and the contents of the right side work window have also changed (in case have not inactivated the options box at the bottom of the work window or at Tools/ Options/ Show menu when we inserted the new slide).

Arrangement of the slide has also been changed. This appears in the right work window too. The arrangement type of the slide can be adjusted here. The first slide is the Title slide and the second became automatically a Title and Text type. Many slide types can be selected but often the best choice is to start with an empty slide. This is located in the first column of the third row with the name Empty. When clicking on it the guides disappear letting a free run for our imagination.

If we intend to insert a slide from an existing presentation chose the command Insert/Slide/From file, browse the file and select the slide which is wanted.

At the same time copies of slides can also be inserted from the Insert menu which creates an identical slide to the actual one. This way only the new elements and the text have to be changed.