Learning Objectives

  • Pick the right built-in layout for each slide’s job
  • Format titles and bullets for classroom visibility
  • Customise the Slide Master (logo, fonts, footer)
  • Create a simple custom layout
  • Set widescreen 16:9 and apply a theme

Offline logo: sample_logo.svg

1) Layouts

Layout Best for
Title Slide Opening
Title and Content Bullets / single visual
Two Content Comparison
Title Only / Blank Custom composition
Section Header Topic breaks

Home → Layout (or right-click slide thumbnail).

2) Text Formatting

  1. Title: typically 32–44 pt, bold.
  2. Body bullets: ≥ 20 pt; increase indent only for true sub-points.
  3. Keep alignment consistent across the deck.
  4. Use Format Painter to copy text formatting between slides.

3) Themes and Slide Size

  1. Design → Themes — pick one and stick to it.
  2. Design → Slide Size → Widescreen 16:9.
  3. Avoid mixing theme fonts slide-by-slide.

4) Slide Master Branding

  1. View → Slide Master.
  2. On the top (parent) master:
    • Set title/body fonts
    • Insert sample_logo.svg small in a corner
    • Insert → Header & Footer: footer text + slide number; leave title slide unchecked
  3. Close Master View; verify inheritance on content slides.
  4. Insert Layout to create My Layout with an extra placeholder (e.g. “Key Point”) — used in Model Lab Test Set B.

Turning off Link-to-previous is a Word concept; in PowerPoint, edit the master/layouts once so all slides stay consistent.

Practice Task

Build a 10-slide shell (content can be placeholder text) with:

  • 16:9 + one Design theme
  • At least four different layouts
  • Master logo + footer + numbers (hidden on title)
  • One custom layout used once

Step-by-Step Lab Exercise: A Branded Six-Slide Shell

  1. New presentation → Design → Slide Size → Widescreen (16:9) → choose one theme.
  2. View → Slide Master → click the top (parent) master:
    • Set title font 36 pt bold and body font 24 pt.
    • Insert the logo small in the top-right corner.
  3. Insert Layout → rename it Key Point → add a Text placeholder below the title.
  4. Close Master View.
  5. Insert → Header & Footer → tick Slide number and Footer (“PRC 110 Lab”), tick Don’t show on title slide → Apply to All.

  6. Add slides with these layouts:

    Slide Layout Content
    1 Title Slide Title and your name
    2 Title and Content Agenda
    3 Section Header Part 1
    4 Two Content Before vs After
    5 Key Point One main message
    6 Title Only Thank you

Check your work: the logo appears on every slide without being pasted manually, slide numbers appear on slides 2–6 only, and slide 5 uses your custom layout.

Common Errors and Fixes

Problem Likely cause Fix
Logo must be pasted on every slide Logo added to slides instead of the master Add it once in View → Slide Master
Some slides have different fonts Fonts changed manually on individual slides Reset slides (Home → Reset) and set fonts in the master
Slide number shows on the title slide “Don’t show on title slide” not ticked Insert → Header & Footer → tick it → Apply to All
Custom layout missing from the Layout menu Layout created but master view not closed, or created in another file Close Master View and check Home → Layout

Key Takeaways

  • Pick layouts by the job of each slide.
  • Set fonts, logo, and footer once in the Slide Master.
  • Use 16:9 and a single theme for a consistent deck.
  • Custom layouts save time for repeated slide types.

Exam-Style Questions

Viva (short answer)

  1. What is a Slide Master?
  2. Name four built-in slide layouts and their uses.
  3. How do you hide the slide number on the title slide?
  4. How do you create a custom layout?
  5. What slide size is standard for modern projectors?

Lab test tasks

  1. Create a 16:9 presentation with a theme, a logo on the Slide Master, and a footer with slide numbers hidden on the title slide.
  2. Create a custom layout named “Key Point” and use it on one slide.
  3. Build a six-slide deck using at least four different layouts.

📚 Continue to: Inserting Elements