Your PowerPoint Project

Overview

In the CPS100 course, you are required to give a 3-minute presentation in front of the class. The presentation may be on any topic you wish, but the presentation must be on a single topic. It must also be coherent; your audience must be able to understand the presentation, and it must be focused and have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Any presentation has similarities to an essay. You introduce your topic, you explain your points, and you conclude. There is a "thesis statement" of sorts (even if it is as simple as "Here are the steps to cook spaghetti"), and you must transmit some kind of useful or interesting information.

This presentation is worth 5% of your total CPS100 class grade.

Rules for Creating Your Presentation
  • You should use your USB Flash drive as your "home base" for creating your presentation. Of course, make frequent copies on another drive, but keep your project on the USB Flash: create it there, keep all of your media files there, and work on it there. When you give your presentation, you will plug in your USB Flash drive to the main class computer, and give your presentation from there.
  • In your USB Flash drive, create a new folder for your presentation, and make sure that you save all of your files in that directory.
  • Make sure that NONE of your files has a Japanese-language filename, including Japanese-font Romaji; it must be in English to be sure that Windows will read the file correctly.
  • SAVE all of your files, especially sound and movie files, on the USB drive and fix their filenames BEFORE you insert them in your presentation. If you change the name or location of any sound or movie file which was already placed in your presentation, then go in to the presentation and make sure it is still working. PowerPoint loses track of attached files very easily.
  • If you need help from Mr. Poza, get it SOONER, not later. I will be glad to help anyone with a problem, but not the day before the final exam or after. If you need music or other media, see me and I may be able to help.
  • TEST your presentation on the NIC lab computers AT LEAST one week before your presentation, and fix any problems that may come up.
  • Your presentation FOLDERS (not just the PPT file, but everything) must be saved in your personal folder on the server by the START OF CLASS on the Final Exam day.

Requirements & Grading

You must complete a variety of tasks in your presentation:
  • Your slide show must have at least 6 (six) slides.
  • create an original background (a gradient, texture, or picture--NOT a theme), and apply it to at least three slides (the background can be an image, texture, or gradient);
  • use at least two Shapes in your slide show; each must have an original (1) Shape Fill (color) and (2) Shape Effect (not the same fill/effect for both);
  • use at least one Text Box and one Word Art each; the Text Box must have an original FONT and FONT COLOR (not Calibri in Black);
  • use at least one Picture AND one Clip Art each ("Clip Art" must be a drawing, not a photograph);
  • use at least three Animations in the slide show:
    • at least one animation must have an Exit Effect;
    • at least one animation must have an Emphasis Effect;
    • at least one animation must have an Motion Path Effect;
    • at least two Animation must have sound effects (do not use inserted sounds!);
  • use at least two Transitions in the slide show with a sound effect (not an inserted sound);
  • use the Slide Master to make at least one object appear on all slides;
  • Use at least one independent Sound as background music in your slide show (by "independent," I mean that it is placed with the Insert tab, and NOT as a sound effect for an animation or transition). You are NOT allowed to use a movie in your presentation; they cause too much trouble and take too much time.

In addition:

  • Your presentation must be within 2:30 and 3:30 (2.5 minutes and 3.5 minutes); every minute it is too short or too long will subtract 2 points from the grade;
  • You must use good presenting skills when you speak, including:
    • keeping eye contact with the audience (don't look only at your notes or the computer/TV)
    • speaking loudly and clearly so everyone can hear you
    • if possible, use gestures or other body language--do not stand still and motionless all the time


GRADING:

Backgrounds 5%
Slide Master object 5%
Shapes with fill and effect 10%
Text Box with color & font 5%
Word Art 5%
Picture & Clip Art 5%
Animations 25%
Transition 10%
Background Music 10%
Within 2:30 and 3:30 10%
Good Presenting Skills 10%


Advice

Some advice to remember:
  • Do not use a full script to give your presentation; this will only make you stare at your paper and not look at the audience;
  • You may use index cards, but try to write only Outline Points on them;
  • You do not have to memorize a speech; just be able to explain in natural speech;
  • Do not look at the TV screen all the time; only glance at it from time to time, and gesture to it. Do not turn your body awa from the audience for more than a moment;
  • If you make a mistake, just pause and then start the sentence again; such small mistakes will not subtract from your grade, but getting upset or panicked will cause you to go over time limits;
  • If you need help with sounds or movies, do not wait until the last week to ask me; get help as soon as possible;
  • If you create or modify the presentation using PowerPoint 2000 or 2003, you must re-open and check everything on PowerPoint 2007. Using an older version of PowerPoint will erase some effects! For example, Motion Paths are not supported on older versions; they will disappear if you use an older program. The same will happen if you "Save As" a PowerPoint 97-2003 file type.

Good luck!