Starting Out

Open PowerPoint by choosing Start > All Programs > Microsoft Office > Powerpoint

Adding Slides

Home Tab > New Slide to add a slide to a presentation. You will find it to be most flexible if you choose a blank slide format for new slides.

Inserting Text

Insert > Text box to put in writing.

Formatting a Text Box

Double click on the box outline, change properties in the bar above.

Formatting Text

Highlight the charcters you want to format (e.g. make superscript) and then change properties on the Home tab.

Inserting Pictures

Make sure all images are on your disk before you insert them. Go to Insert > Picture to put in photos or still images from video.

Formatting the Background

Right click on a blank area of a slide and left click on Format Background.

Animating Slides:

If you want to have images and/ or text appear or disappear on a slide, select a picture or text box, choose Slide Show tabe > Custom Animation and then use the "Add Effect" button on the right hand side of the screen.

To change the order of image (what's on top of what), Home tab > Arrange.

Layering:

To move objects in front or behind one another, choose Home tab > Arrange.

 

 

Grouping Objects:

To make a group of objects move as one, select them all by cntrl-clicking all the objects and then choose Home tab > Arrange.

Linking to Other Slides or Websites

Select what you want to have link (a picture or words). Choose Insert > Hyperlink and then choose Existing File or Webpage (and type the address in the box) or Place in this Document (and choose the slide you want the link to jump to).

Viewing Your Current Slide

Click on the Podium symbol in lower right to view show from current slide -- or choose Slide Show tab.

 

Compressing to Save Space

For PowerPoints that will be viewed on a screen, you should compress the images (so no more information than is needed is stored in the presentation). To do this, double click on an image and choose compress pictures. .

To Record Narration:

Choose Sllide Show tab > Record Narration. Set the recording quality to a hgher quality (22.050 kHz, 16 bit mono):

Jeff's favorite shortcuts:

F5 to view the show from the beginning.

ESC to go back to editing.

Cntrl-c for copy.

Cntrl-x for cut.

Cntrl-v for paste.

Cntrl-z for undo.

Cntrl-click to select or deselect multiple files.

Right-click > Save As to copy a picture from a web page to your disk.

Alt-prtnscrn to take a screen shot (then paste in a box).