Using PowerPoint at the 2016 Undergraduate Symposium
–– Information and Tips ––
Simply said: BE PREPARED
To use PowerPoint, a computer and projector with speakers will be provided in each room. The computer will
probably be a Mac laptop with Microsoft Office 2011. PowerPoint files created on Mac and Windows computers
are usually 100% interchangeable. But it is best to ...
PLAN AHEAD, TEST and PRE-LOAD!
If you will be using one of the EMU-provided computers we recommend that you test and pre-load your
PowerPoint prior to the day of the Symposium. To do that:
• Bring your PowerPoint file on portable media (e.g. CD, USB drive, or external hard disk) to 517 Pray-Harrold,
Monday, March 28 through Wednesday, March 30 between 1 and 4 p.m. Your file will be loaded and tested.
Note that testing an ‘almost finished’ version will generally serve to identify any technical problems.
• You may also email the file to steve.dotson@emich.edu through Wednesday. Files received after Wednesday
may not get pretested or preloaded. Note that the EMU email system allows for attachments up to 50MB.
Other email programs may have much smaller limits.
• Please name your PowerPoint file with something relevant to the topic, and your last name. e.g. ‘Flights of
Fancy - Jones’. Using a generic PowerPoint name like ‘Symposium’ isn’t helpful when we’re preloading
many ppt files.
• If you cannot make any of these times, or if you have questions about PowerPoint or other Symposium
technology-related procedures, contact DC Rouseau BEFORE Wednesday, March 30.
drouseau@emich.edu 487-8093 517 Pray-Harrold
Known issues to avoid…
• If you create your presentation on a computer using non-standard fonts they may get converted to a
font that makes your presentation appear differently than you would like. Design your presentation using
standard fonts (e.g. Helvetica, Times, Arial) that are more universally found on computer systems.
• If you use audio or video files/clips as part of your PowerPoint presentation, the needed add-ons or support
programs may not be on the EMU-provided computer. Your entire presentation may not play correctly.
• Although, wired and wireless Internet access are available in the Student Center presentation rooms, if you
wish to display something from the Internet during your presentation consider:
— Any network can be slow or temporarily unavailable.
— The server that stores the Web site you want to access could be slow or unavailable.
—The browser on the computer you are using may not have the same functionality … installed plug-ins, available fonts, etc. … as the computer you used to create the PowerPoint file.
—Instead of accessing Web sites during your presentation, make a copy of the Web pages (Save As) that you want to use in your presentation and include them directly in your PowerPoint show.
Other tips/instructions …
• There will be a technology support person in the room to help.
• Bring a copy of your PowerPoint file on a USB flash drive.
• To start up and end your presentation more cleanly, save your PowerPoint file as a PowerPoint Show (.pps
or .ppsx) rather than the default PowerPoint Presentation (.ppt or .pptx).
• You are welcome to bring your own laptop, tablet or other presentation device. Many laptops and other
devices need an appropriate video adapter to connect to the projector’s VGA cable. You will need to bring
the adapter that works with your laptop or tablet!
• Understand it takes additional time to change over to your own computer, start up it up and connect it to the
projection unit. Figure this change over time into the overall timing of your presentation.
• If you have created your visuals using the Prezi application, you must bring and use your own computer
with the Prezi application installed. Prezi will not be installed on the EMU-provided computers.