Teachers/Students and Powerpoint Etiquette
posted almost 12 years ago
So first things first, I understand that a lot of teachers here at UMBC are researchers first, and teachers second. I get that.
But I feel like we need to inform the masses of a simple thing called Powerpoint etiquette. This goes to student presenters as well.
Rule #1
Keep things short.
Nobody likes to read a wall of text, especially when you breeze through the slides because of a lack of time in the classroom. I get that sometimes you need to get through a lot of material quickly, but putting more than 500 characters on a screen without any paragraph breaks is just asking to lose the attention of the reader.
Rule #2
Animations and sounds. Less is more.
Unless it's directly related to the topic of the lecture, any slide transitions, moving text, buzzes or dings are about as annoying as cell phones going off in the middle of lecture. It's not funny, it's distracting.
Rule #3
Font.
Comic Sans is unprofessional.
Size is important and shouldn't make it so the reader has to squint to read it. Nothing should be below a size 18.
Color shouldn't conflict/blend with one another.
Rule #4
Don't read the entire slide word-for-word or use Powerpoint as a crutch.
This is a skill that requires a lot of practice and training. And I know a lot of professors and students that give presentations still don't have this down. But it's a common mistake to read everything off a slide, Powerpoint was created as an tool to assist you in being engaged with your audience in the overall presentation, not to be used AS the presentation.
If we wanted story time, it should come with naptime as well.
If you have more to add... feel free.
Found this youtube clip that's definitely relevant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpvgfmEU2Ck
(edited almost 12 years ago)
