# data[].attributes.headline
MLA Style: In-Text Citations (8th Ed., 2016)

# data[].attributes.subject
MLA Style: In-Text Citations (8th Ed., 2016)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MLA Style: In-Text Citations (8th Ed., 2016)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This vidcast explains how to create in-text citations using MLA 8th Edition, which was published in 2016. For more information, visit the Purdue OWL's MLA resources at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/. Vidcast by Eliza Gellis.

# data[].attributes.headline
OWL Purdue:  How to make a Works Cited Page

# data[].attributes.subject
OWL Purdue:  How to make a Works Cited Page

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Copyright ©2021 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. The materials collected here do not express the views of, or positions held by, Purdue University. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Privacy policy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Copyright ©2021 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Citation Machine®: Format & Generate - APA, MLA, & Chicago

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Citation Machine® helps students and professionals properly credit the information that they use. Cite sources in APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, and Harvard for free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
EasyBib®: Free Bibliography Generator - MLA, APA, Chicago citation styles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Automatic works cited and bibliography formatting for MLA, APA and Chicago/Turabian citation styles. Now supports MLA 9.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you're looking for fun-filled speech activities for your class check these out.

There are 7 public speaking games here. You'll find they're very adaptable to suit children of all ages; that is from around middle school to adulthood.

Use them in your class room, with the members of your speech club, or as an extension activity for a life skills or communications program. They'll help by-pass the fear factor, develop and nurture competent, confident public speaking skills, and do it with a large dollop of fun!

If you're not sure about how to introduce these games to your class or group, scroll down to the foot of the page. You'll find 'how to begin' guidelines there.*

1. Connect the Dots

Prepare a collection of word cards each with a familiar noun on it. You'll need at least 100.

For example: bird, wheelbarrow, hammer, cow, witch, moon, grass, hat, elephant, computer, book, vase, photo, candlestick, shoe, painting, mug, plane, eclipse, operation, halo, knife, eye, storm, girl, pillow, lid, thermometer, jungle, barn, wheel, thistle, steam, mud ...

Put the word cards into box or non-see through bag.

A player picks two cards and then must tell a story connecting both words together convincingly. The story needn't be long, complicated or true.

Once your class is comfortable with connecting two words, add to your word collection and increase the number of cards selected to three or even four.

2. The History of ...

Prepare a starter list of events or things.

For example: a postage stamp, birthday cake, books, a zebra's stripes, a chimney, the tooth fairy, common sayings like 'a penny for your thoughts', 'a red rag to a bull', 'a pinch and a punch for the first of the month',
April Fools Day, a wheel, a Christmas tree, ice cream, a ladder, Father Christmas, May Day, a siren, shaking hands on meeting someone ...

Each speaker is to give an account of the history (story) behind the thing or event. It needn't be factual! The goal of this public speaking game is credible fluency.

3. End lines

Prepare a list of endings.

For example: 'Just do it', 'Diamonds are forever', 'He's fallen in the water', 'Some like it hot', 'His bark is worse than his bite', 'Love makes the world go round', 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away', 'First up, best dressed', 'King for a day', 'Funny money', 'Laughter is the best medicine'...

Each speaker is to tell a story ending with the line they've been given.

4. Story Starters

Prepare a list of opening sentences or phrases.

For example: 'It was a dark and stormy night', 'I wish people would not say ...', 'Yesterday I saw a herd of cows ', 'My favorite activity is bird watching', 'The wisest saying I ever heard was ...', 'In 20 years time I will be ...', 'It made me yell', 'All I want for Christmas is ...', 'Something is terribly wrong ...', 'The little voice inside my head ...', 'This is the secret I've never shared before', 'I never knew what happened ...', 'Sometimes I just want to ...', 'You know it's Summer when ...', 'Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you', 'The story made me want to ...','I heard the best news this morning', 'The sound of people laughing ...'

Each speaker begins with their opener, building a story and extending it however they wish.

5. Oink Substitution

In this game choose a commonly used word to substitute with ' oink'.

For example: If the chosen word is I, the speaker says oink instead.

Note: Oink is best played as an extension of already known public speaking games for instance, Story Starters or End Lines.

Once your group is confident, add the ' oink' factor for even more fun! You'll find substitution hones thinking-while-you're-speaking skills really well.

6. The BIG Fat Lie

This game fosters imagination, fluency and fun. In playing it your group will learn about body language too! How do you know when somebody is lying? How can you tell?

Each speaker is to share 3 things about themselves on a theme you set.

Examples of theme: holidays, the future, my favorite after school activities, when I was young, my beliefs, the best books I've read, the best adventures I've had ..., my family ...

Two of the things they say about themselves are to be true. The third is not.

When they've finished speaking, ask the class to identify the lie.

PS. This makes a great icebreaker for groups getting together for the first time.

7. In the News Today

In the last activity making up of this collection of 7 public speaking games, your class are broadcasters, anchor people for a news show.

The news is whatever has happened during the day. It could be an event on the way to school like a traffic jam. It might be a new menu in the canteen or lunch room. It could be an announcement the principal made.

It doesn't matter how trivial the happening; encourage the big news treatment for anything at all, even a new set of pencils!

The aim of the exercise is give whatever subject they choose the standard news format. They'll need to cover who, what, where, why, when and how.

Once they've mastered that encourage experimentation; adding introduction hooks, on-the-spot interviews, switch backs and summaries.

If you liked these games ...

You'll love my ebook!

Find out more >>

Before you begin playing the games with your class

Lead in guidelines

Taking the time to set the games up will ensure they go well and go on to become an accepted and eagerly anticipated part of your classroom activities.

If your class is new to playing public speaking games start with the simple activities first, for example, the Story Starters.

Model or demonstrate each game before you ask them to play themselves.

If it's too threatening to have the entire focus of the class on one person at a time - split into smaller groups of 4-6 players. It will be rowdy but worth it!

Establish your ground rules for positive participation. You can check out the ones I used in my teaching here: rules for public speaking games

Include full class quickfire feedback sessions at the end of each game. I found these invaluable for drawing attention to and reinforcing what had been done well.

For more freebie fun filled public speaking games to play with your class:

What's the difference between the freebie public speaking pages and your ebook?

The ebook has the best of all the games on my site (including the ones on the pages above) and then some more.

Plus, it has full instructions for using each of the games and printables. It is the type of one-stop-time-saving resource I wanted to find when I was full time teaching and didn't.

My freebie pages are good but if your commitment to leading/teaching a public speaking class is ongoing, the ebook is better, more complete.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Public Speaking Games: Speech Activities for Confidence and Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're looking for fun-filled speech activities for your class check these out. There are 7 public speaking games here. You'll find they're very adaptable to suit children of all ages; that is from around middle school to adulthood.

# data[].attributes.headline
How to Create an Awesome Slide Presentation (for Keynote or Powerpoint)

# data[].attributes.subject
How to Create an Awesome Slide Presentation (for Keynote or Powerpoint)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Create an Awesome Slide Presentation (for Keynote or Powerpoint)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Become a better presenter by learning about the following principles: 1. Outlining your presentation 2. Adapting to your audience 3. Creating a template 4. Reducing noise 5. Using effective redundancy 6. Making good use of the title area Hope you enjoy!

# data[].attributes.headline
Designing an Effective PowerPoint Presentation: Quick Guide

# data[].attributes.subject
Designing an Effective PowerPoint Presentation: Quick Guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Copyright ©2021 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. The materials collected here do not express the views of, or positions held by, Purdue University. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Privacy policy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Copyright ©2021 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars.

# data[].attributes.headline
37 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips

# data[].attributes.subject
37 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unlike good PowerPoint presentations, bad PowerPoint presentation are a distraction. You may remember them, but not in a good way.

You've seen them before. They might have millions of lines of text. Or a disjointed flow to the slides. Even worse, some slides feature ugly photos and poor design that detracts from the message you're trying to get across. That can even hurt your credibility as a professional or speaker.

This article will take you from finding your initial topic to learning how to make an effective PowerPoint presentation. Our guide covers everything in between so that you never wonder how to give a good presentation PPT, at any step. You'll learn how to present a PowerPoint like a pro.

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines are organized into sections. So, cut straight to the advice you need and come back when you're ready for the next steps. You're about to see the best PowerPoint tips and tricks. (And be sure to check out our new advanced tips.)

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Also, download our Free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations. It's the deepest resource for learning effective presentation skills for a PPT. It covers the complete presentation process. It takes the PowerPoint tips and tricks you learn in this article further. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully. It's another great source for presentation design tips.

What Makes a PowerPoint Presentation Effective?

Knowing how to use PowerPoint and work within it quickly is helpful. But more important is making a good presentation that hits all your presentation goals. A great PowerPoint presentation is:

Prepared to Win. Research, plan and prepare your presentation professionally. It helps you deliver an effective message to your target audience.

Designed Correctly. Your visual points should stand out without overwhelming your audience. A good PowerPoint presentation visual shouldn't complicate your message.

Practiced to Perfection. Rehearse your timing and delivery so that your points land as practiced with a live audience.

Delivered with Poise. Present with a relaxed inner-calm and confident outward projection. Give your audience warmth, excitement, and energy.

Free from Mistakes. Avoid typos, cheesy clip art, and miscues like reading directly from your slides.

Consider this your all-inclusive guide of how to make a good presentation PPT. We'll look at preparing your presentation, how to design it in PowerPoint. Plus, we'll explore how to practice and nail your delivery successfully come presentation time.

We'll also address what not to do in these tips for PowerPoint presentations-so you can sidestep any big mistakes. Effective presentation skills PPT tips are all you need to become a great presenter.

Where Can You Find the Best PowerPoint PPT Templates for 2021?

Want to make a good PowerPoint presentation? This article has so many PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks that you're sure to succeed. Before we dive into our massive list of presentation tips, we want to share our favorite resource. They show you how to do a good PowerPoint presentation with less work.

On Envato Elements, you'll find thousands of designs that show you how to present a PowerPoint. That's because they're built with the best designs that already have the work done for you. They're sure to show you how to use PowerPoint effectively.

If you're a rookie presenter learning effective presentation skills for PPT, a template is the best resource. They give you ideas for how to present your content with pre-built designs. Build a good PowerPoint presentation with less work than ever before.

Best of all, Envato Elements gives you more resources for good PowerPoint presentations with stock photos, graphics, and more. These help you use our top PowerPoint tricks at no extra cost. Effective presentation skills PPT designs help you race up the learning curve.
Note: We've also got a few of our high-quality If you're struggling with making a well-designed presentation, then a great PPT theme can help you achieve the creative and professional results you're looking for. PowerPoint Presentation Templates from GraphicRiver and Envato Elements featured in this post as well, such as the popular Volt Template (shown below):
Now let's dig into these tips for effective PowerPoint presentations.

Killer Presentation Preparation Tips - To Get Started Right

Before even opening PowerPoint, start by addressing these things. These Microsoft PowerPoint tips and tricks will ensure that you're fully prepared for your presentation:

1. Know Your Stuff

Your presentation isn't about your slides alone. It's about the message you want to get across. Before filling in stats, facts and figures, think about the narrative that'll be discussed, why and in what order. It's a must as you learn how to give a good presentation PPT.

2. Write It Out

Start on a Word or Google doc. Storyboard or script the entire presentation to give you an idea of how the information presented will flow, and how viewers will see it in sequence. Learn the complete writing process:

3. Highlight What's Most Important

A presentation covers the most crucial pieces only. Whatever you've been working on that lead to this-a paper, a work project, a new product design-doesn't need to be shared in its entirety. Pick key points and put the rest in an "Appendix" to refer to during the Q&A session at the end.

4. Know Your Audience

How you talk to a room full of medical professionals should be different from the way you address a room full of young entrepreneurs. Everything, in fact, is different. Your topic selection, the language you use, the examples you give to illustrate points. The little bits of humor included should be tailored specifically with your target audience in mind.

Knowing your audience well-their fears, wants, and desires-is the first step towards making a PowerPoint presentation that persuades them:

5. Rehearse! (Yes, Already)

It's never too early to get used to the rhythm of your presentation and take note of points you want to emphasize. While saying it out loud, you'll start to develop a "feel" for the material. You'll notice that some things work well, while others don't and might need to be worked around.

6. Rewrite After You Rehearse

As you're rehearsing your presentation, you're bound to stumble over sections that don't quite flow naturally. Instead of reworking your delivery, it might be time to consider the content and rewriting the areas that served as stumbling blocks.

"Editing is hard. 'It's good enough,' is a phrase wannabes use. Leaders take editing seriously." - Anthony Trendl

The most important part of creating a great presentation is the writing stage. The second most important stage is rewriting.

7. Share With a Friend

If the stakes are high for your presentation, it's never too early to get feedback from those that you trust.

Here's an article that helps you collaborate as a team on a PowerPoint presentation. Get PowerPoint design tips from those that you trust when you collaborate.

Simple Tips to Design Your PowerPoint Presentation Better

Second only to you (the information you bring and how you present it) is your PowerPoint slides. If not designed well, a PowerPoint can be disengaging or distracting (regardless of the content quality). Here are some presentation design tips to make sure this doesn't happen to you:

8. Keep Your Slides Simple

This is one of the most important PowerPoint presentation tips to follow when designing your slides. Keep in mind that less is more (effective.) A cluttered slide is distracting. It causes confusion for an audience: Which part of the slide should I focus on? Should I read the slide or pay attention to the presenter?

But, a simple, visually appealing slide will engage your audience, keeping them on track with your main points. Here's an example of a simple slide that serves its purpose perfectly:

9. Limit Words on Your Slides

Piggybacking on the last point-less is more effective. If possible, avoid bullets altogether. Otherwise cut them to just a few simple words. The audience should be listening, not reading.

10. Use High-Quality Photos and Graphics

One of the more important tips for quality PowerPoint presentations is to use high-quality photos and graphics.

Earlier in this tutorial, you saw Envato Elements, an all-you-can-download service with PPT tips inside of templates. Those pre-built designs are a beginner's best friend. They're even better when paired with Elements' unlimited library of stock photos.

People are more likely to take you seriously if your presentation is visually appealing. Users view attractive design as more usable. Similarly, they'll view a more attractive PowerPoint as more effective.

11. Use Accurate and Relevant Charts and Graphs

Charts and graphs can also be distracting if they're not used right. Make sure your information design is simple and clean so that the audience doesn't spend the entire time trying to decipher what your X axis says. Learn more about PPT data presentation in the following article:

12. Use High-Quality, Fresh Templates

Have you seen the old PowerPoint template that looks like worn paper and uses ink splashes? Yeah, so has your audience. Templates can be distracting if they're too basic or if the design feels dated. You need one with great design options.
Another option is GraphicRiver, a pay-as-you-go option for PowerPoint Presentation Templates to help you out if you're not a designer yourself. If you're looking for a multipurpose PPT theme, then you can't go wrong with either or . There are also specific ones for Business Plans or Finance Reports.
Costs are always a concern. But when you use Envato Elements, you've got everything you need to create a great PowerPoint presentation. That's thanks to the incredible all-you-can-download subscription package.

On Envato Elements, there are thousands of PowerPoint design templates that are ready to use. Instead of designing a presentation from scratch, start with a template! Just add your specifics to the placeholders.

The best PowerPoint design tips save you time. And there's no tip more powerful than this one: use a pre-built template. It helps you master how to present a PowerPoint without spending all your time in the app.

Learn how to make a good PowerPoint presentation with the help of the best templates below. You'll see PowerPoint tips packaged inside of templates by talented designers.

13. Choose Appropriate Fonts

Fonts are an important part of engaging your audience. Fonts and typography choices have a subconscious effect on viewers. They cause them to characterize your company's presentation and brand either positively or negatively. Make sure that you're choosing fonts that are professional and modern!

14. Choose Color Well

Like font choice, colors cause specific subconscious reactions from viewers. Choosing an outdated color combination for your presentation will render it ineffective.

Below is an example of the Popsicle PowerPoint template, which has a modern presentation color choice:

15. Clean + Simple Formatting Makes All the Difference!

We've got a full tutorial on formatting your PPT slides properly. Give it a read through and review the accompanying video. Just remember less is more. The focus is you and your message, not your slides.

16. Make Sure All Objects Are Aligned

A simple way to create a well-designed presentation is to make sure all items on a slide are intentionally aligned. To do this hold down Shift + select all the objects you want to include. Then choose Arrange in the options bar and apply Alignment Type.

17. Limit Punctuation

This isn't the place for exclamation points. Emphasize your points (while speaking). Don't enlist punctuation to do this for you. (Leave these at home!!!)

18. Avoid Over-Formatting Your Points

This PowerPoint presentation tip is simple. There's no need to have every word of every bullet point capitalized, or to have all your bullet points in title case. If possible, drop bullets altogether. Again, the simpler the better!

19. Combine Information With Graphics in PowerPoint

One of the most powerful presentation skills for PPT is using infographics. With the right type of visuals, slides come to life and reduce the text in favor of graphics.

Infographics help combine information with graphics. It's easier to explain complex ideas when you use visual formats that are intuitive. Learn how with the help of 30 templates in the article below:

Practice Presentation Tips: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!

Delivery is probably more important than the actual content. Here's how to become more aware of your own unique ticks, and how to present like a polished pro:

20. I'll Say It Again - Rehearse

Just do it. Again and again. Experiment with pauses, gestures, and body language. Practice around one hour for every minute of your speech.

21. Practice With a Timer

Consistency is key to an effective PowerPoint presentation. Timing should be similar (ideally the same) each time you rehearse. This one will especially pay off when it's time to present in front of your audience!

22. Slow It Down

Many of the best speakers today intentionally speak slowly. You'll have the chance to emphasize, appear more thoughtful, and make your information easier to digest.

23. Pause More Often

Like the prior tip. Pausing more often, allows main points to be emphasized and for information to sink in. You need to let key points breathe a little before rushing into the next section.

24. Record Yourself

Use your phone's voice recorder. Assess and critique yourself. Consider:

Are your pauses too short or too long?

Are you speaking slowly enough? Too slow?

When you're nervous does your voice get high like the mice in Cinderella?

It's always weird to hear your own voice recorded; don't stress it. Use this as a time to adjust.

25. Choose Three Focal Points in the Room

If you stare at the same spot (or even creepier, the same person) the entire time, your presentation will be ineffective (and awkward.) People will be distracted by you, wondering what you're staring at.

Try this: pick three points in the room (typically: left, center, right). Take time to direct your delivery toward each physical focal point in the room. Also, focus on the center when making your primary points.

26. Vary Your Sentence Length

This makes you sound more interesting and it's easier for your audience to follow. Think short and punchy. Or go long and complex for dramatic effect.

27. Modulate!

Don't speak in monotone for your whole presentation. Be conscious to raise and lower your voice tone. Otherwise, people will tune you out, and you'll come across like the teacher in Charlie Brown.

28. Practice in Front of a Mirror

What you look like is as important as how you sound. Pretend as though you're having a normal conversation and allow your hands to move with your speech-emphasizing your points. Just don't get carried away! (I'm thinking Brene Brown or President Obama, not your Aunt Jamie after a few gin and tonics.)

29. Use "Present Mode" When Rehearsing

When you finally are ready to hit the Present button in PowerPoint, make sure you use the Present Mode option. This allows for you (and only you) to view extra notes about each slide-just in case you forget something!

30. Practice With New Audiences!

If possible, try doing a few real live test runs as a webinar or even at a local Toastmasters organization to get some feedback from a live audience.

31. Engage the Audience by Asking Questions

There's no reason that a presentation should be one-sided. Why not invert the format and ask your audience a question?

To learn how to create a slide that kicks off a Q&A, use our article below. These PowerPoint design tips help you create an engaging and exciting discussion.

Helpful Tips to Step Up and Deliver Come Presentation Time

When the actual day arrives, there are only a few last PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to keep in mind:

32. Take a Deep Breath

Deep breathing is proven to relieve stress. (Source: the NHS Website) It's simple and it'll help you remain calm, and in the moment, as well. Even up to the last minute before starting.

33. Lighten Up Your Mood

Tell yourself a joke or watch a funny video clip. Do this before the presentation, of course. Recent research concludes that happy people were more productive. (Source: Fast Company) More productive is more focused and able to perform better.

34. Remind Yourself to Take It Slow

When we're stressed or nervous (or both), we tend to speak faster. Consciously, take yet another deep breath and remind yourself to take it slow!

35. Read the Room

Every presentation room has a temperature. It's your job as a speaker to gauge it and tailor your presentation to it.

Here's a great example. Layoffs are coming at a company, and you're asked to speak to an audience. Even if the audience isn't personally impacted by the actions, you've got to consider the morale of the workforce.

The last thing that group will want to hear is how strong the economy is and why the company is the best place to work. That doesn't mean that you've got to align to their uncertainty, but don't go too far against the grain while presenting.

Robert Kennedy III is a master of bringing energy and aligning a speech to the audience. Here's his advice for adjusting:

"It can be hard to wake up a "dead" crowd but go for it. Most of all, don't take their energy personally. Focus on serving them with every bit of your fiber then leave empty."

36. Fake It 'Til You Make It!

Go forward with confidence. If you act confident, you'll start to feel more confident. Move slowly with grace, speak clearly, smile, wear something nice. You'll appear confident to all attendees (no matter how you feel internally).

Learn more about how to overcome your fears, reduce your anxiety, and become a more confident speaker in these Envato Tuts+ tutorials:

PowerPoint Presentation Tips and Tricks to Help Avoid Mistakes (What Not to Do)

Most importantly, focus on what you can do to make your presentation better. There are a few important things not to do that we've got to address. Here are a handful of PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks to help you avoid missteps.

37. Stop With the Sound Effects

Sound effects-like that swoosh that used to happen when your college professor brought up a new bullet point in PowerPoint-are distracting and outdated. In most cases avoid it.

Add audio or music into your presentation to inject interest or highlight an important point, but it's something to take extra care with. If you insert audio, then make sure your use really connects with your audience and has a fresh approach. Otherwise, it's best to leave it out.

38. Don't Use Flashy Slide Transitions

Again, this is distracting and outdated. Use transitions and subtle animations in your PowerPoint presentation. But you need to take care and do it right:

39. Beware of Clip Art

This PowerPoint presentation tip shouldn't even have to be said. But please, please don't use clip art. Use professional graphics instead.

40. Don't Be Afraid to Be Afraid

The fear of public speaking is a real one. Many beginners think that if they're feeling nervous that a presentation won't go well or succeed. That might lead them to cancel the presentation.

Many of the best PowerPoint tricks don't use the app at all! Here's a tip from expert Sandra Zimmer who leads The Self-Expression Center on conquering your fears before you take stage:

"Get out of your head and into your body. I do this through a grounding exercise that really works to calm nerves and bring you present in the moment."

If you think that public speaking fears aren't normal, you might never give your award-winning presentation. So, don't be afraid to be afraid and acknowledge it's part of the process!

41. Read Directly During Your PowerPoint Presentation

If you spend your entire presentation looking at the screen or your note cards, you're sure to lose your audience's attention. They'll disengage from what you're saying, and your presentation will fall flat.

Reading from your paper or screen also makes it look like you're not prepared. Many people do it, but no one should. As a general rule, only present something you know well and have, at least mostly, memorized the main points of.

42. Don't Miss Out on PowerPoint Customizations

There's a major mistake that rookie presenters miss when they start working with PowerPoint designs like those from Envato Elements.

The best way to see how to make a good presentation PPT is to start with designs from others. That means using a template, but that doesn't mean you can't customize them!

Don't skip PowerPoint templates as you learn how to use PowerPoint effectively. Think of those templates as guides with built-in presentation design tips.

Be careful with the visuals you insert, or with adding flashy effects. Here are some great uses of creative ideas that you can pack your PowerPoint presentation with to be more effective:

To see more presentation tips that show you what not to do, make sure to check out our guide below.

Work in PowerPoint More Effectively (Tips & Tricks to Level-Up Your PPT Skills)

These PowerPoint tips will take you directly inside of PowerPoint. They'll help you level up your next PowerPoint presentation. Knowing these Microsoft PowerPoint presentation tips can build your confidence in your next presentation and help you deliver a great showcase to your audience. Let's dive in.

43. Use the Visual Guides

When you're designing your next PowerPoint presentation, it helps to create a sense of visual rhythm. Slides that have objects appropriately aligned and centered are naturally more likely to resonate with an audience.

44. Use a Few Animations (Tastefully)

Animations in effective PowerPoint presentations are a slippery slope. We've all sat through presentations where there were so many objects in motion that it was easy to lose focus on the key ideas in the presentation.

But that's why animations get an unfairly bad reputation. Use animations to create motion and hold an audience's attention. Use them sparingly and on key elements on your slide and you'll capture that attention properly.

45. Stage Key Content With Animations

You just learned that animations should avoid being distracting. But there's an important principle to using animations properly. It's called staging content.

Staging content means that the content appears step-by-step. There's nothing worse than overwhelming an audience with all your content at once. But when you stage content, bring it on step-by-step.

Take it from presentation pro Suzannah Baum:

"If you're sharing a slide with lots of different points on it, using the animation to reveal those points one at a time is a way to keep the presenter's content flowing smoothly."

For more animation presentation tips and tricks, follow our guide:

46. Add a Video to Your PowerPoint

When you're sharing a big idea in your presentation, it helps to share your perspective from a few different angles. Adding a video to supplement your content can do just that. Luckily, it's easy to add and embed a YouTube video in your next PowerPoint presentation.

Learn how to add a video to your presentation in the quick tutorial below:

47. Add Charts & Graphs

Charts and graphs can help you tell stories with data. It's easy for an audience to zone out when you throw a big data table or set of statistics at them.

instead, convert those to charts and graphs. Try out the tutorial below to learn how to edit those graphs.

48. Build Your Own Infographics With SmartArt

Earlier in this tutorial, we gave you one of my favorite PowerPoint design tips: use infographic templates.

Here's another. One of my favorite PowerPoint features is SmartArt, which allows you to build infographics right inside the app.

You don't have to use another graphic design app like Photoshop or Illustrator to add visuals. Instead, try out SmartArt to help you build graphics that are easy to update.

49. Use Presenter View

Remember that when you use the PowerPoint, you' re the presentation. The slides are just there to reinforce what you've got to say and support your speaking points.

That's why I always recommend using Presenter view. More often than not, you're going to have several displays. Use Presenter view to show the information that's relevant to you on your private screen, with your presentation showing on the extra display.

50. Track Your PowerPoint Changes

One of my favorite PowerPoint design tips is to collaborate. Those who know you best will suggest compelling changes that are sure to help you succeed.

As you start collaborating on your presentation, it helps to keep track of proposed and included PowerPoint changes. Use the article to track changes made by others with the help of this tutorial:

10 More Advanced PowerPoint Tips & Tricks

Really need to wow an audience with a good PowerPoint presentation? Give these tips a try to make an unforgettable impression:

51. Engage With an Interactive Quiz

A good PowerPoint presentation gets your audience involved. One of the best PowerPoint tricks is to do that with a quiz. By engaging audiences, a quiz makes your slides memorable.

By adding trivia, you'll see how to present a PowerPoint in a way that people will love. Channel your inner game-show host today.

52. Illustrate With Custom Image Masks

One of the top PowerPoint tips is to illustrate your slides. But you can go beyond simple, rectangular images on each slide.

Image masks shape photos into unique works of art. And thanks to premium templates, you can style photos just like this. Masks overlay your photos onto geometric shapes, instantly elevating your style.

53. Print Handouts With Extra Notes

Wonder how to give a good presentation PPT that audiences will remember? Give them a piece of it to take home.

PowerPoint makes it easy to print handouts with room for notes on the page. This way, audiences can keep copies of your slides, along with their own notes. This is the perfect way to ensure everyone engages with and retains your content.

54. Make Bulk Edits With Master Slides

When you think about how to present a PowerPoint, consider your branding. That means keeping your logo front and center in the eyes of an audience. But if you're working with a lengthy slide deck, this could seem daunting.

That's where master slides come in. They're common in premium layouts, and they're a leading example of presentation skills for PPT. Master slides let you make bulk edits fast. You can make a change to a master slide, and see it reflected throughout your slide deck. Learn how with our full tutorial:

55. Shrink File Sizes for Sharing

Many of the top presentation tips involve making your slides more accessible. Often, that involves sharing them with audiences online.

You'll often find that email clients and cloud services limit the size of files that you share. This can be a problem with large PPT slide decks. But there are a few quick steps you can take to reduce PPT file size. Cut graphics, scale down photos, and more.

56. Map Processes With Flowcharts

As you consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation, think of ease of understanding. After all, you're trying to explain something to your audience.

A flowchart maps out a process in a visual way. Instead of resorting to endless narration, try a quick illustration like this. It saves you time and effort, and your audience is sure to thank you.

57. Use Brand-Specific Colors

Using presentation skills PPT helps form an association between your message and branding. There's no better way to do that than with your brand colors.

PowerPoint makes it easy to change color themes, adding your brand colors and logo to each slide. This is one of the top PowerPoint tricks for marketing presentations.

58. Build Social Media Posts in PPT

A good PowerPoint presentation doesn't have to be shared through a projector. Use the app and templates to build amazing illustrations to use anywhere.

Try using PowerPoint to create social media posts. It helps you engage with your audience, with no need to design custom layouts from scratch.

59. Be Industry-Specific

One of the top presentation tips in 2021 is to be industry-specific. That means avoiding generic layouts and choosing something more customized.

This offers two key advantages. First, you save time by having layouts built for you. Second, you gain design inspiration for your specific topic. Themed templates are truly the best of both worlds.

60. Design for Online (Virtual) Sharing

Last but not least in our list of PowerPoint tips comes virtual presenting. More and more often, slides will be shared with online audiences around the globe.

Why not design your slides for that very purpose? And then learn how to share flawlessly with a global team? It's one of the top presentation tips for 2021. Embrace it today.

More Great PowerPoint Tutorial Resources

We've built a resource for Microsoft PowerPoint that you're sure to want to try. It includes countless PowerPoint tips and tricks. It's called How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide) and has all the PowerPoint design tips you need.

These tutorials will help you get started quickly. Start mastering PowerPoint's powerful presentation design tools today:

You can also find more PowerPoint tips in this video lesson:

Discover More Top PowerPoint Template Designs From Envato Elements for 2021

You've just seen our favorite PowerPoint presentation tips and guidelines to help you improve your speaking. We've also mentioned Envato Elements, an incredible all-you-can-download source for top PowerPoint designs.

Here are five of the best PowerPoint templates that you can use to create your best presentation yet:

Blast off to success with the help of this PowerPoint template! Think of the pre-built slide designs as pro PowerPoint design tips. They're built by professional graphic designers. All the popular and modern slide styles that are perfect for your next presentation. Use Galaxi's five styles and 30 designs to create a great presentation.

While choosing templates for this article, we featured options that aligned with the PowerPoint tips and tricks shared throughout. Masmax fits the bill perfectly across its 234 unique slide designs. These slide designs are sure to align with the latest in design expectations.

Style is subjective, but we can all agree that this template is stunning! The light and airy slide designs are built with fashion-focused designs in mind. But that doesn't mean that it's not perfect for most presentations. Remember: as you're learning how to present a PowerPoint presentation, don't forget that templates are customizable to your purpose.

Peachme has image-focused slides with splashy designs. The slides are colorful and perfect for a modern presentation. Don't worry about remembering all the PowerPoint design tips because they're included in the pre-built slides. Use Peachme's designs for your presentation today.

Buizi markets itself as a real estate focused template. It's ideal for that purpose because of the minimal, image-focused slide designs. But that also makes it a perfect choice for presentations in many fields.

We've just scratched the surface of PowerPoint design tips with these five options. Here are many more, bundled inside of the best roundups on Envato Tuts+:

How to Build a Good PowerPoint Presentation Quickly (In 2021)

You've already seen effective presentation skills PPT techniques. But you may be wondering exactly how to do a good PowerPoint presentation. It only takes a few clicks. Let's learn how in just five steps.

For this mini-tutorial, we'll use the Enjoy PowerPoint Template from Envato Elements. You'll see that it's a beautiful template that helps you learn how to present a PowerPoint by giving you every object and layout you need.

Let's get started:

1. Choose Your Slides

As you can see, a template like Enjoy has dozens of unique slides inside. The key to how to give a good presentation PPT is to choose only the slides that you need.

In PowerPoint, scroll through the sidebar on the left to view different slide layouts. Right-click and choose Delete to remove unwanted designs. Plus, you can click and drag slide thumbnails to reorder them in the deck.

2. Add Text

Consider how to do a good PowerPoint presentation without investing a ton of time. That's where premium templates come in.

To add custom text, simply click and select the contents of any text box on your slide. Then, type in your own words. Repeat as needed throughout your slide deck.

3. Customize Fonts

With text selected, it's easy to customize fonts on each slide. Find the Font section on PowerPoint's Home tab. From there, you've got a variety of dropdown options.

Click to change the font, font size, and more. You can also use the buttons on the left to add bolds, italics, and more.

Need more custom font styles? As an Envato Elements subscriber, you've got instant access to thousands of custom fonts. Use them in your presentation with ease.

4. Insert Images

Slides like this one contain an image placeholder. That's another advantage found only with premium templates. These make adding images a breeze.

To get started, find an image file stored on your computer. Then, drag and drop it over the placeholder. PowerPoint will import it, sized and scaled for a perfect fit.

5. Change Colors
Editorial Note: This post was originally published in December of 2015. It's been comprehensively revised to make it current, accurate, and up to date by our staff--with special help from Andrew Childress.
One of the top effective presentation skills PPT ideas is changing shape colors. This helps you control the look and feel of each slide.

With a shape selected, find the Shape Format tab on PowerPoint's ribbon. Then, click on the Shape Fill dropdown. You'll see a color chooser menu appear. Click on any thumbnail to apply it to the shape or browse through the Gradient and Texture options.

Learn How to Make Great Presentations (Download This Free eBook)

Take the PowerPoint tips you learned in this article further with our eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations (grab it now for FREE).

It'll help walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully.

Start Putting These PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks Into Use Today!

Learning to write, design, and present a PowerPoint presentation is an invaluable skill, no matter where you use it. If you're a good communicator of important messages, you'll never go hungry.

Luckily, improving PowerPoint presentations isn't as hard as it seems. Follow these tips for PowerPoint presentations to design and deliver with greater confidence.

Remember: Less is more (effective). Use PowerPoint Presentation Templates for better design and more effective visual impact. And you can customize a PPT template quickly, with the right workflow.

Here's a showcase of simple, modern PowerPoint templates to start with:

Be sure to share your PowerPoint presentation tips and tricks in the comments below. How do you prepare a presentation quickly and then deliver it effectively?

Again, one of the most important tips for using PowerPoint is to focus your time on the content.To do that, you'll want to outsource the work of designing your PowerPoint slides to the talented designers at Envato Elements. Go check out top templates from Envato Elements to explore options.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
60 Effective PowerPoint Presentation Tips & Tricks (Skills)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unlike good PowerPoint presentations, bad PowerPoint presentation are a distraction. You may remember them, but not in a good way. You've seen them before. They might have millions of lines of text. Or a disjointed flow to the slides. Even worse, some slides feature ugly photos and poor design that detracts from the message you're trying to get across.

# data[].attributes.headline
15 Ways to Create Effective PowerPoint Presentations

# data[].attributes.subject
15 Ways to Create Effective PowerPoint Presentations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When it comes to work presentations, we all know that Microsoft PowerPoint is king. The slide show presentation program single-handedly powers a never-ending stream of quarterly presentations, funding pitches and annual conferences day-in and day-out. We've all used it before, and we'll all use it again.

But just because you're intimately familiar with PowerPoint doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the most out of it. The truth is, there are quite a few basics that small business owners tend to ignore when stringing together a few slides. Yet by reviewing your own technique, you might be surprised to find how much room their is for improvement.

To help you get started, here are 15 basic presentation tips.

Tips for Creating Effective PowerPoint Presentations

1. Create a Script

It doesn't matter who your audience is or what it is you're presenting - they'll be able to tell if your slides are lacking any rhyme or reason. In order to avoid confusion and emanate professionalism, write out a fairly detailed script before you even get started creating slides. Outline precisely what it is you want to say, right down to the last bullet point. Those detailed talking points will ultimately evolve into the iron skeleton of your presentation.

2. Less is More

When it comes to a PowerPoint presentation, the worst thing you could possibly do is to overload your slides with too much text. Paragraphs of text will take the focus off of you, as your audience will simply drown out your speech and start reading the information for themselves. When in doubt, text should be short and sweet. Reduce all of your talking points to concise phrases, and force your audience to listen to you in order to pick up all of the minute details.

3. Beware of Fancy Fonts

You're a grown-up. That means it is only acceptable to use basic, sans serif font in your PowerPoint presentations - nothing else. If it is brand appropriate, you can get away with using an easy-to-read decorative font within a header only. Again, decorative fonts inevitably take attention away from you, the presenter. That's the last thing you want your slides to be doing.

4. Get Rid of the Clutter

Believe it or not, you should keep your slides super basic. All you need is a headline, a couple of bullet points and maybe one image. Any more will simply cause your audience, and perhaps even yourself, to lose focus in the middle of your presentation.

5. Label Your Charts

Charts make a great addition to any PowerPoint presentation. But you should never simply assume that your audience will know exactly what the chart on any given slide is telling them. Far too many presenters make the grave mistake of failing to label key elements of their graphs. In turn, you'll lose valuable time explaining basic aspects - thus throwing your entire presentation off-center.

6. Be Consistent with Backgrounds

Pick an understated, professional template that isn't too loud or eye-catching. After all, it's not the background color of each slide that should be your biggest selling point. Be consistent, and have faith that inserted visuals and your presentation itself will be enough to capture your audience's attention.

7. Don't Use Too Many Images

It's crucial to include visuals within your PowerPoint. They keep your audience engaged and can help to prove the validity of what you're saying in a million ways that a bullet point cannot. That being said, you should never use more than one image per slide.

8. Don't Be Afraid of Contrast

If you opt to use a theme for your presentation, you should automatically be provided with a set level of contrast between your background colors and text colors. That being said, if you aren't using a template, you've got to be smart about your use of contrasting colors. Also bear in mind that what looks okay on your computer monitor may not look great on a projector screen.

9. Dress the Part

It's important to remember that your PowerPoint slides are only one cog within a wider presentation machine. As such, you can't neglect exhibiting your own professionalism as the presenter. Have a think about what you're wearing, your mannerisms and how you're moving around the room whilst talking. Even the most exciting PowerPoint slides in the world can't carry a boring speaker.

10. Turn Your Screensaver Off

A common rookie mistake presenters often make is to switch off their screensavers during a presentation. If you plan to talk over any one slide for more than a few minutes, your computer very well may decide to give it a rest and launch your screensaver. Seeing all of your old vacation snaps in the middle of a serious budget presentation very well may knock you down a peg or two in the eyes of your audience.

11. Create a Hook

Like any engaging story, you've got to kick things off with a great hook. Give your audience a surprising or intriguing statistic about your company or industry, or deliver a personal anecdote that you believe adds a bit of flavor and insight. By drawing your audience in with something a bit personal, you're able to create a subconscious link that will ensure they listen a little bit more intently to the slides that follow.

12. Ask Lots of Questions

Remember that this presentation isn't all about you. In between slides, you should be asking your audience questions about what you've just said. Ask for their thoughts and opinions. Engage them. Even better, ask for thoughts on issues that the successive slides will cover in order to force listeners to challenge their own perceptions of whatever it is you're covering.

13. Use an Intermission

The average adult attention span during a presentation is only about twenty minutes. If your presentation is going to be substantially longer than that, split things up and give your audience short breaks in between sections of your presentations.

Even better, engage listeners by forcing them to get up and interact with one another. For example, you could encourage your audience to partner up, develop a short list of misconceptions about your subject matter, and then share them aloud before carrying on with your presentation.

14. Animate Yourself

It doesn't matter how exciting your PowerPoint presentation might be - if you're droning on in a monotonous voice, you're going to lose your audience pretty quickly. Don't simply read your way through a presentation. Get animated, exhibit a personable tone and break things up with exclamations side notes and questions.

15. Duplicate Your Final Slide

Another common PowerPoint mistake users make is to double-click through their final slide before the presentation has actually finished. This leads to an awkward scramble to return to the previous slide, and throws off your entire conclusion. To avoid that embarrassment, cut and paste your final slide two or three times at the end of your presentation.

Finally, you've got to have fun with it. According to researchers, most of us are more afraid of public speaking than we are of death. But with the help of a fantastic PowerPoint presentation, a quality script and a bit of stage presence, delivering an expert presentation doesn't have to be difficult or scary. Just remember to play to the room and don't be afraid to do whatever it takes in order to get your message across.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
15 Ways to Create Effective PowerPoint Presentations - Small Business Trends

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When it comes to work presentations, we all know that Microsoft PowerPoint is king. The slide show presentation program single-handedly powers a never-ending stream of quarterly presentations, funding pitches and annual conferences day-in and day-out. We've all used it before, and we'll all use it again.