Presentation Software and Digital Communication
This section covers Presentation Software and Digital Communication. The exam checks whether you can plan slides, use layouts and masters, apply transitions and animations appropriately, add speaker notes, and deliver or share a presentation professionally.
Core rules and concepts
- A slide should carry one main idea. Use short bullets, readable font sizes, and sufficient contrast. Avoid long paragraphs.
- A layout places title, content, and placeholders. A slide master controls consistent fonts, colours, and logos across slides.
- A transition is the effect between slides. An animation is an effect on an object within a slide. Use both sparingly.
- Speaker notes support the presenter and are not normally shown on the audience screen.
- Slide Show mode displays the presentation. Exporting to PDF preserves layout but removes animations.
- Digital communication includes email etiquette: clear subject, short message, correct recipient, and professional tone.
Worked example
A 12-slide school project has inconsistent title fonts. How should you fix it?
Reasoning: Edit the slide master and set the title font once, then apply the master layout to all slides. Manually changing each title is slower and risks inconsistency. Check the slide sorter view for missing or duplicate slides, then run the show.
Traps that cost marks
Do not confuse transition with animation. Do not overload slides with text. Do not use random effects that distract. Do not assume a PDF still plays animations. Do not forget to check the presentation on the actual projector or screen.