During exam season, some classes offer presentations as alternatives to a formal written or multiple choice exam. One such example is a PowerPoint presentation. We all know what a bad PowerPoint consists of. It’s wordy, the pictures aren’t aligned properly, the links aren’t working. We took it upon ourselves to come up with a helpful acronym for making better PowerPoints: BAILEY
Brief — Don’t put too many words. Put words that will stick with the audience and make them remember those instead of the long paragraph that no one is going to read.
Aligned — Make sure your pictures are in proper alignment with the text and the PowerPoint slide. Trust us, off-centered photos will throw people off and annoy your audience.
Interactive — Talk with the audience instead of AT the audience! Incorporate questions, diagrams, and media so your PowerPoint isn’t just 15 slides full of only words and pictures.
Linked — Please check your links before you present. If they don’t work, queue it up somehow so you don’t spend five minutes trying to get your YouTube link to show your video. It’s awkward, it wastes time and the audience usually forgets what is being talked about.
Exciting — This ties in with the “Interactive” piece of advice, but make it exciting even with your voice, intonation and presence. Make sure to make your PowerPoint vibrant, but not distracting.
Yourself — Be yourself when you present. Don’t try to sound like someone you’re not. Even if you need to be more formal, people can tell when you don’t sound like you know what you’re talking about. If you’re prepared and practiced, you won’t need to fake anything.
