Presentation Software and Multimedia
This domain covers PowerPoint and multimedia: slide creation, layouts, themes, text and objects, transitions and animations, slide show settings, handouts and notes, and inserting pictures, sound, and video. The exam tests the difference between transitions and animations and correct show setup.
Core rules
- A presentation is a .pptx file made of slides. A slide layout controls placeholders; a theme controls colours, fonts, and effects across all slides.
- Transitions are effects between slides; animations are effects on objects inside a slide. Do not use transition for bullet entry.
- Slide Master controls the design of all slides; changes there apply globally. Use it for a logo or repeated footer.
- Slide Show settings include manual advance, timings, loop continuously, and Presenter View. Rehearse Timings records how long you spend on each slide.
- Multimedia can be embedded (stored inside the file) or linked (points to an external file). Embedded media travels with the .pptx; linked media breaks if the file moves.
Worked example
A school wants an unattended kiosk show that advances every 10 seconds and loops all day. Set each slide's transition timing to 10 seconds (Transitions > Timing > After), choose Slide Show > Set Up Show > Loop continuously until Esc, and select Use Timings. Reasoning: the timings control automatic advance; looping repeats the show; without Use Timings, the slides wait for a click. Test in Slide Show mode, because timings are not executed in Normal view.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing animation with transition; a common one-mark loss.
- Saving as .ppsx and expecting it to open for editing; it opens directly as a show.
- Linking a video and then moving the .pptx to another computer.
- Adding animations but never previewing them in Slide Show mode.
- Putting a logo on each slide manually instead of editing the Slide Master.