This page provides resources for creating PowerPoint presentations and using them in a rhetorically effective way.

   Beginnings ...

If you do not have PowerPoint on your computer, you can download PowerPoint Reader which allows you to view PowerPoint presentations without having a copy of PowerPoint, somewhat similar to Adobe Acrobat Reader (or Foxit) allowing you to open pdf files without your having Adobe Acrobat which allows you to create pdfs. For PowerPoint Reader 2007, go to 
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=048DC840-14E1-467D-8DCA-19D2A8FD7485&displaylang=en 

The ECU Student Book Store also sells software at discount prices for student use: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/studentstores/Computers/Software.cfm    You pay a reasonable price about $75, which includes shipping, for Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Access, Publisher, etc).

   How to's and resources for creating slides ...

General resource [self-paced online resources] by Goodwill Foundation for MicroSoft Office suite, including software such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel is provided at these websites (in English & Spanish) http://www.gcflearnfree.org/  and http://www.gcfaprendagratis.org/   You must join to be able to participate in the free tutorials and online classes. The self-paced training helps you learn the basics about creating PPT slides and presentations.

From MicroSoft, you can access tutorials. Below are a limited number, but you can find additional ones by searching the MicroSoft PowerPoint website:

• For 2007 version, you'll find several training options at
  

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102184981033.aspx

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/CR100654571033.aspx 

• For 2003 version, and some of these resources might help you with 2007 version, you go to
  
• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HA011206091033.aspx 
  
• http://office.microsoft.com/training/training.aspx?AssetID=RC011298761033
  

Free clip art from MicroSoft online is available at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx 

FYI ...

• General helps for teachers reside at http://microsoft.com/education/  

• Tutorials for all the Microsoft products can be accessed from http://www.microsoft.com/education/tutorials.mspx  

   Effective communication ...

"Rethinking the Design of Presentation Slides: The Assertion-Evidence Structure" at http://writing.eng.vt.edu/slides.html  See especially the "popular presentation 'Rethinking the Design of Presentation Slides" at http://writing.eng.vt.edu/speaking/rethinking.pdf

    Powerpoint presentation: (1) as supplement to lecture, workshop, speech OR (2) as "stand alone" . . .

When using Powerpoint for a presentation, you need to consider how it will be used. Will the Powerpoint slides be used as a supplement to a lecture, workshop, or speech you are giving? Or will they be the message, a "stand alone" item?

• When using PowerPoint as a tool for an oral presentation, you keep content on the slides to a minimum and place only the main points on slides (and even then, you should hint at the points and not write them out resulting in an overly text-heavy slide). The primary in this type of presentation is what you say orally. The slide show is subordinate.

• Ok, now think about the presentation being a stand-alone one that will be placed on a website or used at a trade show, for example. Your Powerpoint slides are a tool for your presentation, but because you won't be speaking while the presentation is (the slides are) playing, those slides are also the content, the message. The primary in this type of presentation is the slide show.
  

Some critical thinking will be required as you work through such a presentation, especially if it is to stand alone.

     Some samples of "stand alone" Powerpoint presentations . . .

1.  Here's one example of PowerPoint as a stand alone presentation on a website being used to explain grammatical errors:  http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/powerpoint.htm 

2. You can access several sample presentations prepared for ECU tpc classes below. Sometimes when these samples are posted, the timing messes up or is a bit off. In addition, the presentations will display differently according to which version of PowerPoint you have. [Dowloading the Powerpoint Reader might be helpful for these examples.] Even the browser you are using will affect how the presentation opens: Internet Explorer opens and starts the presentation, while in Netscape, you have to start the presentation.

• English 6715 (Technical Writing), about technical communication, click here.
• English 5780 (Adv Writing for Business & Industry, now 6765, Professional Communication), about Sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, click here.
• English 3780 (Introduction to Editing), about forming noun plurals (targeting 4th-grade students). Note that, although all the slides have completely different backgrounds, the presentation works well. Why? What aspects of the presentation tie the slides together? How is it suitable for the target audience. To access, click here.

3.  If you go to the Society for Technical Communication website for the Society's International Conference, you'll find handouts, a few of which are PowerPoint presentations. My guess is that what you view accompanied presentations, although a few of the participants may have modified their presentations for accessing from the web.

To access those conference materials, go to the STC website at http://www.stc.org 

For the 48th Conference, you have to scroll down a bit to reach the list of handouts: http://www.stc.org/edu/48thConf/index.asp  If you place the cursor across an active link, the url path is displayed at bottom. You'll find various files, mostly pdf's, but a few ppt's (PowerPoint). I know that the 48th Conference is a bit dated. You can find links to conference session materials for more recent conferences at http://www.stc.org/edu/sessionMaterials.asp

When the presentations open, use menu "view" to then go to slide show or press F5 to begin the slide show. To advance the slides, you can use the arrow buttons on your keyboards. With them, you can go back as well. Use esc to escape or the method provided with the presentation.

For example,

Allen-Evans, Conni ... The Perfect Fit: Understanding Work Styles, Learning Styles, and Technical Abilities

Barker, Thomas .... Note that Tommy doesn't have a PowerPoint presentation, but he presents three types to enable users to be able to access information.

Bates, Mike ... Usability LIVE: Techniques for conducting evaluations and impacting product design   This one provides practice in using technology. The presentation is a zip file, so you need to have WinZip downloaded from ECU download site to be able to view.

Carbrey, Mark ...  A Storyboard Based Web Development Lifecycle .... Helpful info and you can see what all can be done with PowerPoint ... See http://www.stc.org/48thConf/postconf/Storyboard.ppt

Hart, Hillary ... STrategies for Communication Risk ... See http://www.stc.org/48thConf/postconf/hart_tr2g.ppt

You can access links to materials provided by conference presenters for subsequent international conferences from the STC website.

If you know of other well-done PowerPoint presentations accessed from a website, please let Sherry Southard know.