Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2007; Vista)

PowerPoint is one of the most popular programs for creating slide presentations. Used wisely, PowerPoint can give your presentation a clean, professional look that gets your point across in a clear and effective manner. The new PowerPoint 2007 has been updated to make creating presentations easier than ever.

Office Button & Ribbon

In Powerpoint 2007, the Office button replaces the familiar File menu. Click to reveal the New, Open, Save, Print and Close options.

The menus and toolbars have also been replaced. Seven tabs are displayed across the top left of the window. Each tab is connected to a number of options. The tabs and their options are known as the Ribbon. By selecting a tab, the options are displayed on buttons with text labels and picture icons for quick identification. The options are organized under the tabs in groups of related features. You can expand the groups by clicking the arrow in the right of the group box.

The Shortcut Menu

The most common Word commands and functions can be accessed quickly by using the shortcut menu. To access this feature, simply right-click the element you wish to edit if you are using a PC, or control-click the element if you are using a Mac. The options displayed will vary depending on the element you have selected. For example, the shortcut menu in the image below is the result of right-clicking or control-clicking the title of a PowerPoint slide.

Views

Clicking the View tab on the Ribbon will give you the following options for viewing your presentation:

• Normal - This is the default view for PowerPoint. The screen is split into three sections: the slide in the main window, the slide order in the Slides and Outline pane on the left of the screen, and a section for writing notes at the bottom. You can change the view in the Slides and Outline pane by clicking on the Slides or Outline tab. The Slides tab displays thumbnails of the individual slides. The Outline tab displays the slide show in outline form.
• Slide Sorter - Displays a thumbnail image of each slide. This view is useful for ordering the slides in your presentation.
• Notes Page - Allows you to see your slides and accompanying notes in a full-page format. This view is a good choice if you need to work on your notes.
• Slide Show - Allows you to view the slide show in full screen, or presentation mode.
• Slide Master - Allows you to view and edit the Master Slide. To return to the regular View menu, click the View tab.
• Handout Master - Allows you to arrange your slides in a printable handout format. Handouts may be used to help your audience follow along with your presentation. To return to the regular View menu, click the View tab.
• Notes Master - Allows you to apply changes to all the notes pages in a presentation at once. To return to the regular View menu, click the View tab.