Presentation Tips: Slides

Put down only essential stuff on the slides. Never clutter or crowd a slide (thumb rule: about 5-6 items per slide).
Plan on talking for about 3-5 minutes per slide.
Never write full sentences on a slide - just use keywords or brief phrases. You should be speaking in full sentences, of course. Since the slides help you remember what to say, small phrases are easier for you to read.
Make your slides interesting and easy to read. Try using different colors, boldface, italics etc, for emphasis. Use figures where useful.
Use light backgrounds (white, beige) and dark fonts. Remember, dark backgrounds with light fonts look better in dark rooms, which work against eye contact.
Do not too many colors.
Do NOT go overboard with pictures or art work to the point that they distract from the content.
Organize your material carefully. Spend a good deal of time planning the slides, judging the amount of space needed for a concept.
Do not use the tactic of revealing parts of a slide to create suspense. You end up creating annoyance.
Limit the number of boxes, arrows, and special effects.
Be consistent in labeling objects, e.g., use nouns to label boxes and verbs to label arcs/arrows.
Give credit where appropriate: to co-authors, sponsors, students.
Keep alternative technologies handy:
- Carry a floppy with your presentation.
- Place your presentation somewhere off of your homepage where you can download it if needed.