Public speakers are teachers. We research our topics, come up with ways to explain them, and present them in a way that we hope is exciting. Energetic, prepared presenters can motivate an audience like crazy! On the other hand, unprepared presenters can look like they lack confidence and, by … [Read more...] about How long do you have to present? It makes all the difference in the world.
Making the best of a bad room setup
Have you ever had to present in a room that looked like it was designed by somebody who has never given a presentation? When you have to deal with a less-than-optimal presenter setup, there are ways to make the best of this bad situation. Portrait of a really bad layout The above photograph was … [Read more...] about Making the best of a bad room setup
Where can I find free pictures for PowerPoint?
Some people think that images they find online are free because they are, well, online. This is wrong, and in many cases it is a breach of copyright law to use photos you find online without paying for them. Unless you are given explicit permission, whether it is granted to you in writing or if you … [Read more...] about Where can I find free pictures for PowerPoint?
How to attribute photographs in PowerPoint
I've written about about sources for free photos. You've gotten this far, now it's time to learn how to correctly attribute all of those great images! Since there doesn't seem to be a consensus, I'll write about how I attribute photographs in the presentations I create for myself and my … [Read more...] about How to attribute photographs in PowerPoint
Microsoft Office dumps clip art, promotes Bing
In December 2014, Microsoft Office closed the doors permanently on its Office.com Clip Art library. For people who avoided it thinking that there was nothing to be had there except for Screen Beans-type illustrations, outdated drawings, and useless doodles, it's probably no big deal. For those of us … [Read more...] about Microsoft Office dumps clip art, promotes Bing
How many slides should my presentation have?
Do these quotes sound familiar? "I only want to see three slides." "My boss says we get one slide per presenter." "We don't want to go over 20 slides for this presentation." It's very common to be restricted to a certain number of slides in a presentation. And it's a very silly way to do … [Read more...] about How many slides should my presentation have?
Don’t read your PowerPoint slides!
Sometimes you need to do a presentation for which you aren't fully prepared. Maybe you didn't get your act together, or maybe the presenter duties were thrust upon you at the last minute. Whatever the circumstances, there are usually two ways a presentation like this can go. If you're an experienced … [Read more...] about Don’t read your PowerPoint slides!
PowerPoint on an iPad? Pretty cool idea!
On November 6, 2014, Microsoft announced that it was offering free upgraded versions of its Office software for iPhones and iPads. This is big news, because until recently people were only able to view, not edit, Office docs on their iDevices. Microsoft saw the writing on the wall and decided to go … [Read more...] about PowerPoint on an iPad? Pretty cool idea!