Things to Keep in Mind

One of the great things about using PowerPoint is that you can customize many of its features to work the way you want to work. That can also mean, however, that your program and screen might not look exactly the same as the way it looked when you first installed it. Nevertheless, this book has to make certain assumptions about the way PowerPoint looks, which you should keep in mind as you view figures and work through steps described in this book:

• Typically, you can access PowerPoint features in more than one way. For example, you can select a feature from a menu, from a toolbar button, from a context menu, or by using a keystroke. I try to mention the most common approaches and to vary the approaches I describe to get you used to various options. I cannot cover every method every time, so you should experiment a bit if you think there might be an easier or quicker way to do something.

• Your PowerPoint screen very likely will look different from those shown in the figures in this book. I have tried to crop out those parts of the screen that are irrelevant, but if you see something that seems out of place, don't let that distract you. Look for what's being described.

• Although I try to use fonts, clip art, designs, and other elements that you're likely to find with your version of PowerPoint, don't worry too much about replicating exactly what you see. If you have a favorite picture, use that instead of what is shown in an illustration. If you like a different font, use it.