PPT Presentation Tips

Creating, Formatting, and Delivering a Great PPT

1. What makes a great PowerPoint (PPT) presentation?

Before you give a PPT presentation, use this quick checklist to ensure success:

 The topic is researched and the facts are up to date.

 I can talk about the topic without reading it.
 I have practiced the presentation and timed a practice session, so I know about how long it’ll
take me.
 I am aware of my body language and plan to make eye contact during the presentation.
 My slideshow presentation is organized and makes effective use of visuals.
 The text on my presentation slides is legible and easy to read, even from a distance.
 I am prepared for possible technical problems during the speech.
 My content is designed for my audience.
 My conclusion clearly summarizes the key points.
2. How to plan (& write) a powerful presentation

Planning and writing are key to your presentation’s success. Check off each step of the writing process as
you complete it:

 Define the goal or purpose.

 Research (study) the topic.
 List your main ideas.
 Create an outline.
 Plan a presentation format.
 Write the introduction.
 Write the conclusion (summarize key point-do not add new information).
 Create the rest of the presentation.
3. Details on Design

A good presentation design enhances and supports your presentation. Start your design plan by
considering the following:

 Create thumbnails or a storyboard to depict the basic layout.

 Choose font types and sizes.
 Choose colors that work well together.
 Select additional media (optional).
 Select special effects (optional).
 Create unique and eye-catching slide layouts.
4. Dynamite Delivery

There are two aspects to delivering a good presentation: the speaking venue/platform and the delivery.

Use the first checklist to practice your presentation delivery. Use the final checklist to make sure you’re
ready on

the day of your presentation.

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Speaker Practice Checklist:

 My posture is good.
 My body language is good.
 I make eye contact.
 I remember to smile.
 The volume of my voice is audible.
 I’m not speaking too quickly.
 I’m not mumbling.
 My delivery isn’t monotone.
 My presentation includes a relatable story.
 I’m familiar with the material.
 I’m not reading word for word.
 I avoid unnecessary phrases (um, like, you know, etc.).
 I’ve timed the speech, and it’s neither too long nor too short.
 I’m well rested.
 I’ve eaten recently.
 My clothing is professional.
 I imagine a successful outcome to my presentation.

Formatting a PPT Presentation

APA Style is a set of rules for publishing scientific papers at the highest level of clarity and
accessibility. You can cite a PowerPoint presentation in another document using APA Style, or you can
use APA citations within an actual PowerPoint presentation. Citing a PowerPoint presentation in
another document is easy. However, the APA Manual (6th Edition) has nothing to say about placing
APA citations in PowerPoint presentations. Read on and see how to do both. 

1. How to cite a PowerPoint presentation in another document

Published PowerPoint presentations are typically available on the Internet. When citing such
presentations, be sure to include the term “PowerPoint slides” in brackets. Follow the below example
using the author, date, title, etc. and the “Retrieved from” URL notation:

Jones, A. B. (2014). How to include APA citations in a PowerPoint presentation [PowerPoint slides].
Retrieved from  http://jones.uvm.edu/ppt/40hrenv/index.html.

2. How to include APA citations in the slides of a PowerPoint presentation

To avoid plagiarism, presenters need to treat a PowerPoint presentation like any research paper or
article. Universities, for example, insist that any academic PowerPoint presentation have appropriate
citations for any outside sources. Those sources include:

 Direct quotations

 Paraphrased words and ideas

PPT Presentation Tips

 Tables and data

 Images

 Video and audio files

Treat the PowerPoint presentation as a research paper

Educators and editors strongly recommend adopting APA research paper guidelines to PowerPoint
presentations. Specifically, a PowerPoint presentation:

 Must have a title page.

 Needs a body with thorough APA citations

 Has a consolidated References page

 Has special fully cited slides for tables with figures and statistical data, which can be either
integrated in the slide deck or presented at the end?

Prepare the References slide first

The References slide is the final slide of your PowerPoint presentation. However, it is the slide needs
your immediate attention. This slide is a complete list of every APA citation that appears elsewhere in
the presentation. Do the following:

 Title the slide “References List” or “References.”

 List the references alphabetically by author (if no author, integrate the title within the author
listing).

 To save space, do not double space or indent your references slide.

Make your first slide similar to the title page of an APA research paper

Your first PowerPoint slide should include the same information as the cover sheet of an APA research
paper. Include the title of the presentation, your name, organization, and an author’s note describing
the purpose of the presentation.

Include in-text citations for the middle slides

APA citations in the body refer only to the author (or an item in quotations without an author) followed
by a comma, the date of publication and a page number, if applicable. These will be throughout the
presentation, and when needed, hyperlink all your citations as well as images to their sources.
Remember to attribute all quotes and paraphrases to their sources. (Note: Clip Art illustrations do not
require citations.)

Follow these special guidelines

1. Number and annotate figures and web images

Include a figure number, a figure description/note and a parenthetical citation of the source from your
references slide.
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2. Integrate your tables, but include full attributions

Include a complete citation of the table source on individual table slides. This is in addition to listing the
source on your references slide. As an exception to conventional advice on matching APA research
paper conventions, tables can be incorporated as slides throughout the presentation, rather than
grouped at the end.

See these sources for illustrations and samples

The Thomas F. Holgate Library at Bennett College, Greensboro, NC has posted an excellent slide
presentation, APA Style PowerPoint Presentations. Also, Purdue University’s incomparable Online
Writing Lab has a complete reference list guide for electronic sources (web publications).

PowerPoint Presentation using MLA Formatting Style

https://uaccm.libguides.com/PowerPoint_Presentation_MLA_Format

http://libraryguides.bennett.edu/home/library-tutorials/mla-style-powerpoint-presentations