Preparing Presentations

Preparing a slideshow to present your written work or the information you have learned is often necessary. When preparing a presentation, remember that the purpose of the presentation is to support the written work or visualise the oral presentation. Think before you make a slide presentation:

• What information do you want to forward?
• How can you formulate your thoughts clearly and logically?
• How do you make your presentation easy to follow and understand?
• How much text is important to include in the slides, and what kind of text is essential?

Different software can be used to create a presentation:

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Google Slides
• Canva for Education (MHG kontoga tasuta)

Keep in mind when writing the text for the presentation:

• Every presentation must have a title page (title, name, class and school), a content pages and a closing page (Thank you for listening, etc.).
• Use 1 or 2 different simple and legible fonts (Arial, Verdana, Calibri, etc.). The official MHG font Montserrat may also be used for presentations.
• The text size per slide should be at least 20 pt, the title at least 50 pt and the subtitle at least 30 pt. This will ensure that what is written on the slide is visible to the person in the back row.
• The text should be in list format rather than in one long paragraph.
• Follow the 4×4 or 6×6 rule – a slide has a maximum of 4-6 rows, each with a maximum of 4-6 words. This will ensure that the listener quickly grasps and understands the text.
• The text is usually presented in short statements rather than long sentences.
• Follow spelling rules (capital letters, punctuation, etc.) when writing the text.
• NB! Do not use punctuation at the end of headings.

Keep in mind when designing the slides:

• Create slides on a light background using dark letters to ensure the information is visible. The background should not be too colourful or patterned to make the text easy to read.
• Use Bold, Underline or Italics to emphasise keywords.
• Too many effects and animations will distract from the presentation, so follow the “less is more” rule. When using transitions and effects, limit yourself to 1 or 2 different ones and consider whether you really need them.
• You can use predefined templates to create your presentation and adapt them as you like.
• The images used in the presentation must be related to the content of the text, not blurred or out of proportion.
• The images used in the presentation must always be credited when made by someone else. To this end, a link to the source (less than 20 pt font size) should be included below the image or at the end of the presentation.

GOOD TO KNOW!

• Free images for use in presentations can be found on Unsplash or Pixabay.
• For free customisable simple illustrations in a uniform style, visit unDraw.
• For free icons, visit The Noun Project website. You can also find illustrations on this site.