Question

SIMPLE QUESTION-I just need personal input.
What do you think makes a good powerpoint presentation and what make a bad one?

Answer 1

I can only talk from what I've found from personal experience and I will also borrow some of views from U. Alon.

Let me start by telling what I've found to the worst thing about powerpoints:
- You must never let your presentation be a direct recitation of your powerpoint. No need to say this is the worst thing you could possibly do - Your audience could simple read your powerpoint instead of listening to you and your chance to sell your subject drops dramatically.

- Don't stuff it with to much text. To much text takes focus away from you and instead puts focus on your powerpoint. Let instead the powerpoint be an aid to you, by just demonstrating what you mean, instead of letting it dominate over you - ones again you lose the audience.

In order to avoid those common mistakes stick to these guidelines:
Find the main idea that you want to get across—the premise. This must be
done before you start making the slides. Describe the premise of the entire talk to yourself in only a single sentence with a subject, object, and verb.

A biological example of that could be:
"Cells change their shape by regulating their cytoskeleton."

The following is not a premise:
"Cell shape and the cytoskeleton."
It is not a full sentence. The premise is your compass for what to include.

The talk should contain only material that is relevant to the premise. Leave out cool, interesting stuff if unrelated to premise.

Now that you have the premise of the entire talk, make it into a continuous story made of slides. Each slide should have its own premise. To do this; title each slide with its own premise.
The title of the slide will help the audience grasp the idea at a glance. And try avoid questions.

It is not easy to find the premise of your talk and the premise of each slide. This effort should be considered an integral part of your research; it can focus you on what is important and essential and help you to see if steps in your argument are missing.

The premise will also help you keep your slides simple. Each slide should contain only what is essential for the premise. If a slide has two premises, two important ideas, break it down into two slides.

Experimental data should usually be used lightly; otherwise, the premise of the talk becomes, ‘‘I will impress you with the fact that I did a lot of work."



I sure hope some of could help. :)

Answer 2

@Frostbite you're honestly amazing thanks bro