Writing with PowerPoint:
A Workshop Brought to You by the Purdue
Writing Lab
Why write with PowerPoint?
To supplement an oral presentation
To incorporate visual and audio media
into a presentation
To disseminate information to a larger group
Who uses PowerPoint?
Government agencies
– Disseminate information among agencies
Researchers
– Present research to peers at conferences
Executives
– Propose projects and plans of action
Educators
– Teach concepts through print and visual media
Before You Start
Audience
– Who is your audience? What is your relationship with
them?
Purpose
– Are you informing? Arguing?
Occasion
– Is this a professional presentation? Are you at a
conference, at a meeting, in a classroom?
Ethos
– How do you want the audience to perceive you? Are
you representing a business or organization?
Your Canvas
Save &
Print
Options
Design
Options
View
Options
Text &
Content
Options
View Options
Normal View
– Add and develop text and content
– Manipulate individual slides
Slide Sorter View
– View and change organization
– Move and hide slides
Slide Show View
– View overall development
– Give completed presentation
A Closer Look at Normal View
Create new slides
Add and edit text and
content
Compose facilitator
notes
Design Options
Design
Options
Design Options
Custom Design
– User-designed combination of
background and fonts
– Very effective when done well
Design Templates
– Pre-set combinations of
background and fonts
– Quick and easy
Custom Design Considerations
Simplicity
– Moderate color palette
– Clear, unadorned fonts
Consistency
– Color and background
graphics
– Font style and sizes
Choosing a Design Template
Avoid templates with themes
that don’t fit your information
If your content includes
images, avoid templates with
large background graphics
Streamlined templates with
minimal background graphics
present a professional image
Text & Content Options
Text &
Content
Options
Text & Content
Text
– Facilitates presentation
– Reinforces key terms and concepts
Images
– Complement presentation
– Illustrate or highlight main points
Tables and Graphs
– Support presentation
– Present information in a visually appealing way
Text Considerations
Keep text to a
minimum
Use “white space” to
set off blocks of text
Make phrase
structure consistent
within bulleted lists
Content Considerations
Keep content to a
minimum
Use white space to
set off visual content
from text
Choose appropriate
images
Text & Content Layouts
Text only
– No images are needed
– Images would be distracting
Text and content
– Text refers to the content
– Content reinforces point of text
Content only
– Intriguing images intended for discussion
– Complicated charts that need explanation
Allows presenter to control the appearance
of text and content
Provides transitions between slides
Draws audience’s attention to the object
being animated
Distracting when used to excess
Save & Print Options
Save &
Print
Options
Save Options
Disable Fast Saves
– Keeps file size
manageable
To get to this dialog box:
Tools  Options  Save
Print Options
Slides
– Prints each slide on a
separate page
Handouts
– Prints a specified number
of slides on each page
Notes Pages
– Prints facilitator notes
along with slides
Outline View
– Prints the text of each slide
Reminders
Consider your context
–
–
–
–
Audience
Purpose
Occasion
Ethos
Communicate Effectively
– Simple designs
– Concise text
– Relevant content
For More Information
Come by the Writing Lab
(HEAV 226) to talk to a
consultant about writing
with PowerPoint
Visit the DLC in the
basement of HICKS for
answers to technical
questions
Go to the OWL for more
information on writing
concerns:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu