what are the basics for doing a powerpoint presentation

All Microsoft Office programs have very good "Help" sites, and if you have Office 2003 or later, you'll be able to get help online, too.

In addition, if you click on File and then on New, you will find links to many templates you can use.

Once you have each "slide" set up, just press the F5 key to see the presentation. Then you can edit as needed until you get it the way you want.

http://www.google.com/search?q=office+powerpoint&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA
There are several sites here that can help give you ideas and direction, too.

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To create a PowerPoint presentation, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint: If you have Microsoft Office installed on your computer, you should have PowerPoint as one of the programs in the suite. Open PowerPoint by clicking on the program icon.

2. Select a design or template: PowerPoint offers a variety of design templates that you can use as a starting point for your presentation. You can choose a template that fits your topic or customize it to suit your preferences.

3. Add slides: A PowerPoint presentation is composed of multiple slides. Each slide represents a different part or section of your presentation. To add a new slide, click on the "New Slide" button or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+M.

4. Insert content: Fill your slides with relevant content. You can add text, images, charts, graphs, tables, and multimedia elements like audio or video clips. To add content, click on the appropriate placeholder on the slide and start typing or insert media files.

5. Format and customize your presentation: PowerPoint provides various formatting options to enhance the visual appeal of your presentation. You can change font styles, colors, backgrounds, and add animations or transitions between slides to make your presentation more engaging.

6. Rehearse and practice: Once your presentation is ready, it's essential to practice before presenting it to an audience. The rehearsing feature in PowerPoint allows you to go through your presentation and time yourself to ensure you are within the desired time limit.

7. Present your PowerPoint: To present your PowerPoint, enter the slideshow mode by pressing F5 or selecting the "Slideshow" tab and clicking on "From Beginning". Use arrow keys or spacebar to navigate through slides and present your content.

Remember, this is just a basic overview of creating a PowerPoint presentation. PowerPoint is a versatile tool, and there are numerous features and functionalities you can explore to create professional and engaging presentations. Take advantage of the Help resources within PowerPoint or search online for tutorials and tips to further enhance your PowerPoint skills.