First, please create an account

Already have a Sophia account?

The Elements of a Slide

Author: Sophia

what's covered

In this lesson, you will learn about slides in presentation software. Specifically, this lesson will cover:

Elements of a Slide

1. Elements of a Slide

The basic element of the presentation is the slide. The new default aspect ratio of the slide is 16:9 for wide screens, but the previous aspect of 4:3 is still available.

Some basic example elements used to compose a slide are as follows:

Titles and sub-titles: After first opening PowerPoint to start a new presentation using the Blank Presentation Template, the user can select a title and sub-title for the presentation, using one of a variety of fonts and colors.

Text: Users can enter the content as bullets on the slide along with a title for the slide. They can also select the font style, size, and content to support their message.

Shapes: PowerPoint can merge two shapes together to create a custom shape.

Pictures: Users can search for and insert their own photographs. Remember to re-size the photo to fit the slide.

Charts/graphs: Create custom charts or move relevant charts from Excel spreadsheets.

Audio/video clips: Download videos, images, and audio files directly into a slide for a presentation without first downloading to the computer. Search for audio and video from within PowerPoint to find images using Bing or Flickr and videos on You Tube. After locating the desired supporting media, incorporate it into the slide. By default, the results show images that are licensed under Creative Common, so the images can be used in presentations without violating an owner's copyright, but users can also view all results.

Transitions: Transitions move the presentation gracefully from one slide to the next or build the side dynamically. There are many standard transitions available, or users can program their own special effects to animate the movement of the sides.

PowerPoint allows users to create slides and add animation, transitions, and video and audio clips.

term to know

Slide

A single page of a presentation, developed using a presentation program such as Microsoft PowerPoint. Collectively, a group of slides may be known as a slide deck or slide show.

summary

In this lesson, you learned that the most basic element of a PowerPoint presentation is the slide. The elements of a slide include a combination of textual and visual elements. Text may be organized as captions, paragraphs, or bulleted points. Add graphics such as shapes, pictures stored on your computer, pictures retrieved online, and charts or tables from other programs such as Excel. To add video clips, search for them from within the PowerPoint platform using Bing, Flickr, and Youtube, and import them directly into a slide.

Source: Boundless. "The Elements of a Slide." Boundless Communications Boundless, 17 Mar. 2017. Retrieved 3 Jun. 2017 from https://www.boundless.com/communications/textbooks/boundless-communications-textbook/preparing-and-using-visual-aids-16/using-powerpoint-and-alternatives-successfully-85/the-elements-of-a-slide-325-5653/

Terms to Know

Slide: A single page of a presentation, developed using a presentation program such as Microsoft PowerPoint. Collectively, a group of slides may be known as a slide deck or slide show.