ICDL Presentation (ICDL) common mistakes
ICDL Presentation · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Saves the presentation with the default filename in the default folder instead of the exact filename, folder, and file type stated in the task.
Candidates press Ctrl+S out of habit, accept the suggested name and location, and overlook Save As or the required format such as PDF or show format.
What to do instead
Read the final saving instruction before starting, use File > Save As, type the exact name, navigate to the specified folder, choose the required file type, and confirm the extension.
Changes fonts, colours, and bullet styles on individual slides instead of editing the slide master or layout, so later slides and layout changes look inconsistent.
The master view is less obvious than Normal view, and candidates edit the slide that is immediately visible rather than the underlying design.
What to do instead
Use View > Slide Master, make global formatting changes on the master or the relevant layout, then Close Master View and apply layouts rather than manual formatting.
Creates bulleted or numbered lists by typing a dash, asterisk, or number and pressing Space or Enter repeatedly instead of using list and indent controls.
Word-processing habits carry over, and automatic formatting may or may not trigger, leaving manually typed characters that do not behave as real list levels.
What to do instead
Select the text and use Home > Bullets or Numbering, then use Increase List Level and Decrease List Level or Tab and Shift+Tab to set hierarchy.
Edits chart data in the wrong cells, deletes the data range, or overwrites labels so the chart does not match the required categories and series.
The embedded chart worksheet is easy to misread, and candidates may select an entire table or type over sample data without checking the mapped range.
What to do instead
Right-click the chart and choose Edit Data, clear and enter the exact data range, then use Select Data to verify category labels and series values before closing the worksheet.
Resizes pictures and shapes by dragging side handles or a corner without maintaining proportions, producing stretched or distorted objects.
All selection handles look similar, and candidates do not know that corner dragging or the Shift key preserves aspect ratio.
What to do instead
Drag a corner handle while holding Shift, or open the Size and Position dialog and set height and width with the aspect ratio locked.
Works only in Normal view and cannot locate commands for slide sorter, notes pages, handouts, or outline editing, wasting time and missing required output.
Candidates stay in the default view and are unfamiliar with the View tab and the different editing modes.
What to do instead
Learn the View tab options: Normal, Outline, Slide Sorter, Notes Page, Reading View, and Slide Master; practise switching views for reordering and notes.
Starts a slide show without configuring show type, slide range, looping, or timings, or applies transitions but not the required show settings.
Transitions and animations are visible on the Transitions and Animations tabs, while Set Up Slide Show and rehearse timings are separate and easy to miss.
What to do instead
Use Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show to configure presentation type, slides, and loop options, then set transitions and rehearse or enter timings as instructed.
Leaves slides out of the required order or fails to duplicate, hide, or section slides correctly after rearranging them.
Drag-and-drop in the slide pane is imprecise, and candidates do not check slide numbers or use sections to organise the deck.
What to do instead
Use Slide Sorter view for reordering, Ctrl+drag or Duplicate Slide for copies, right-click New Section to group slides, and verify the final sequence by slide number.
Leaves graphical objects misaligned, overlapping, or in the wrong stacking order, and moves them one at a time rather than as a group.
Candidates drag objects manually and do not use alignment, distribution, grouping, or the Selection Pane.
What to do instead
Select multiple objects with Shift or Ctrl, use Format > Align and Distribute, group related objects, and use the Selection Pane to change front-to-back order.
Lets text overflow the placeholder or shrink unpredictably, or adds separate text boxes instead of using the layout placeholders and autofit settings.
Long text is typed directly into a fixed-size placeholder, and default autofit behaviour is not checked or adjusted.
What to do instead
Use the layout placeholder, set Text Box > Autofit to Shrink text on overflow or resize the placeholder, and avoid adding floating text boxes for body content.