img: Quickstart to Powerpoint logo: U of MN Extension



Guide for creating a presentation in 30 minutes!

The purpose of this guide is to get you started using PowerPoint '97 by giving you the basics on what you need to know to create a professional-looking presentation. It is not intended to replace formal PowerPoint training. To really learn and understand PowerPoint, you should attend an introductory PowerPoint course. This guide will teach you how to do the following:

  1. Start a new presentation
  2. Add text to a blank slide
  3. Insert a new slide
  4. Create a bulleted list
  5. Insert a graphic image
  6. Create a chart
  7. Add a background to your presentation
  8. View your presentation in a slide show

Start a new presentation

  1. Load Microsoft PowerPoint from Windows
  2. When PowerPoint is loaded, you should see this dialog box:

  3. Click on the Blank Presentation radio button
  4. Click OK
  5. You should see the New Slide dialog box:

  6. Select the type of slide you want to create. In this exercise, choose Title Slide
Go to top


Adding Text to a Slide

You should see two dotted-lined boxed areas on your screen. These are placeholders for your slide text.

  1. Click in the first box marked “Click to add title” This is where you type a title for your presentation.
  2. In this exercise, type:

    PowerPoint Possibilities

  3. Click in the other box marked “click to add sub-title”
  4. Type (press [enter] between lines):
Creating Professional Presentations
by
Your Name

Go to top


Insert a New Slide

There are several ways to insert a new slide. In this exercise, select New Slide from the Insert menu.

  1. Click on the Insert Menu
  2. Click New Slide
  3. Select the layout you want for the slide. Click Bulleted List for this exercise.
Other ways you can insert a new slide:
  • Click the New Slide button on the toolbar
  • Click New Slide from Common Task toolbar
  • Press CTRL/M

Go to top


Create a Bulleted List

  1. Click in the box marked “Click to add title”
  2. Type a title for the slide. In this exercise, type:

    What you can create with PowerPoint

  3. Click in the box marked “Click to add text”
  4. Type a list of talking points for your presentation. (Press [enter] between lines):
On-screen presentations
Overhead transparencies
Generate 35mm slides
Paper printouts
WWW documents
Notes, Handouts and Outlines

Go to top


Insert a Graphic Image

Graphic images can be inserted into your PowerPoint file from the Microsoft clipart gallery (included with PowerPoint), from an image you have on disk such as the Extension Wordmark, or by using the drawing tools.

Insert an image from the Clipart Gallery:

  1. On your bulleted slide, click on the Insert Menu
  2. Choose Picture from the menu
  3. Choose Clip Art
  4. Find a picture you want to insert and click on it
  5. Click on the Insert button
Add a new slide and insert an image using the Drawing Tools:

  1. Insert a new bulleted list slide (Insert\New Slide\Bulleted List)
  2. Enter a title: Adding Graphic Images
  3. Enter the following text for the bulleted points:

    Clipart Gallery
    From a graphic file on disk
    Using drawing tools

  4. The drawing toolbar should be on the bottom of your screen:

    If you do not see the drawing toolbar, click the View Menu, select Toolbars and select Drawing

  5. Click AutoShapes
  6. Choose Basic shapes
  7. Select a shape

    Your mouse pointer will change to a plus sign.

  8. Click and drag to the size image you want (this may take some practice)
To resize an image in PowerPoint, select the image you want to resize. Drag one of the corners to the shape and size you want.

How to insert an image from a disk:
  • Click on the Insert Menu
  • Choose Picture from the menu
  • Click From file…
  • Change to the folder or drive where the image is located (eg. 3 ½” Floppy (A:))
  • Select the image file and click OK

Go to top


Create a Chart

In this exercise, select New Slide from the Insert menu.

  1. Click on the Insert Menu
  2. Click New Slide
  3. Click on Chart
  4. Type a title: Create a Chart
  5. Double-click on the box marked “Double click to add chart”
  6. PowerPoint includes sample data that can be replaced with your own.
  7. Change the numbers under 1st Qtr with: 85, 62.5, 15
  8. Change the chart type to a 3D bar. Click the Chart Type button on the toolbar:

  9. Select 3D Bar
  10. Click on the white area outside of the chart box to return to PowerPoint slide view.

Go to top


Make Your Presentation Look Great: Add a Background Design

PowerPoint includes several presentation designs with formatting and graphic elements. Even if you only have a black and white printer, there is an option that can make presentation designs look great in black and white. In this exercise, we will show you that option.

Add a design:

  1. Click on the Format Menu
  2. Choose Apply Design
  3. Scroll through the list of designs and select one you like
  4. Click Apply

View your Presentation in Black and White:

  1. Click on the View Menu
  2. Choose Black and White

Go to top


View Your Presentation in a Slide Show

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Click the Slide Show button in the lower-left corner of the screen
    • On the Slide Show menu, click View Show
    • On the View menu, click Slide Show

  2. Click to move between slides

Go to top


Author: Karen Matthes, Information Technology


iconUniversity of Minnesota Extension Home Page

URL: http:// www3.extension.umn.edu/units/cets/it/quickstart.html  This page was updated Dec. 21, 2000 .
Online Privacy Statement.  Contact Information.

University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Copyright  ©  Regents of the University of Minnesota.  All rights reserved.