Hints for Improving your Power Point Presentations

It would be best to AVOID the following:

Small Lettering - Hint: Hold the slide at arms' length (or if projecting via LCD projector from your computer, stand 10 feet from your laptop screen); if you can read the words, the audience will probably be able to read them when the slide is projected.
Too Wordy - Even Words in large clear print can frustrate your audience when they are overabundant on the screen. They are afraid they won't get all the information down on paper. (Another good reason to reproduce them in the syllabus material.) Hint: Eight lines should be maximum; six is better. Total number of characters per line should run about 25. If you need to say more, use two slides - or three!
Overdone Graphics - The overloaded chart of graph is worse than a slide littered with words. Simplicity and boldness should be the rule.
Lengthy Projection - How long is too long to keep a slide on the screen? Fifteen seconds is too long. Ten seconds may be too long. Between 5 - 10 seconds is about right. Today's visually sophisticated viewers get bored if the same image remains in front of them longer than needed. If the speaker talks at length about a particular topic, it is best to show many views of the subject with the use of a variety of slides.
Repetition - The slides are not up on the screen as a substitute to the speaker's talk. They are there to reinforce what the speaker is saying. A satisfactory word slide pulls out only key words of the talk.

Lower and uppercase letters rather than all capitals. The words are easier to read.
Light letters against a dark background are more visually pleasing than the reverse. When in doubt, try yellow letters on a blue background. Never use red (includes maroon, pink and everything in between). Red letters should also be strictly avoided on any background.
Stick with a simple background. Distracting graphics, patterns, and textures should be avoided.
If possible, intersperse pictures or other visuals in with the word slides.