Presenting

The format you use for a PowerPoint or any other presentation is very important.

A good format will focus you and your audience on the content, message, and ideas in your presentation.

A bad format will make it difficulty for you and your audience to focus and understand you, your content, and your message.

Whenever you prepare a presentation, you should keep three important ideas in your mind: 

• keep it simple,
• be consistent, and
• use images, animations, and transitions wisely.

Keep it Simple

The general style you use should be simple and clear to highlight your content, not confuse your content. This video outlines the general guidelines you should follow in your presentations. 

Be Consistent

Being consistent means using the same format on individual slides and throughout your entire presentation will allow your audience to focus on your content, not figuring out what you have done. This video outlines how to be consistent in your presentations. 

Use Images, Animations, and Transitions Wisely

Using images, animations, and transitions wisely can clarify the content of your presentation and allow the audience to focus more on your presentation. This video outlines how to use images, animations, and transitions wisely.

This amusing TedXTalk by David JP Phillips gives excellent advice on to avoid death by PowerPoint.