s instructed above, do not include those as sources.
Example of a past project
If you copy and paste your slide text from some other source, that is plagiarism. The penalty for plagiarism is an F in the course. Don't do it!
Note: Even if you cite the source in your bibliography, copying that material for one of your slides is not allowed. Only in the case of a direct quotation is it acceptable to use someone else's words. Do your own work. Don't try to take shortcuts.
Most Common Errors
Not including the mp3s in the folder with the PowerPoint before zipping.
Apostrophes!!! "it's" means "it is" - "music and its effect" (for example) should not use an apostrophe. Also, the word "artist" is NOT plural. If you are referring to more than one, the word is "artists."
Putting too much text on each slide. Split up the slides - use more graphics - don't be so wordy. This is not a report. It is a presentation.
Using Wikipiedia as one of your reliable sources (or your only source of information) Also, YouTube does not count as a source.
General PowerPoint Tips
Don't pick a background that fights your content. In other words, text should be plain and readable. Be careful that text does not "bleed over" into graphics as that is hard to read. Put the text in a text box to control the space. Avoid using bright red backgrounds or text, which is difficult to read. On the other hand, don't use a plain white background. This is a presentation and should be attractive.
Make sure the photos, graphics you choose are not fuzzy or "pixelly" when sized to your choice. Note: one of my pet peeves is to see pictures that have been stretched to fit a space, causing them to be disproportionate (people look much thinner or fatter than they really are). Enlarge or crop the picture, do not stretch it or smash it.
Don't use a lot of animation - words and pictures flying in and out. A little of that goes a long way. A lot is distracting and annoying. Seriously, DO NOT have words bouncing onto the slides. I will count off for that and I will know you did not read this!
Same goes for sound effects. Unless you want to make a specific point, and usually only once, avoid those.
Don't use bullets unless you are listing points. You should never use one bullet on a page. If you don't need a bullet, don't use one. They are not for dividing paragraphs.
Choose one or two fonts only (heading and body text can be different). This will make your presentation more unified and will look more professional. Don't use a different font on every page. Remember that if you use a font that might not be loaded on my computer, I won't be able to read it properly. Otherwise, when I open your project, it might look like the one below (an actual example).
If you want to use a non-standard font, please embed it into your PowerPoint file. Under "PowerPoint Options," choose "Save" and in that window, check the box that says "Embed fonts in the file."
This is the rubric I will use to grade your project.
Missing or unacceptable content
|Incomplete content (too short) or only chronological information|
Acceptable content, but too much opinion, incorrect information, or no conclusion
Good content with a supported conclusion
Well-researched content, well supported by analysis to draw a conclusion
|Unacceptable presentation form|
Missing element or elements, or extremely wordy
Detracting elements used, too much text per slide, or no graphics
Good use of background, color, graphics, animation that do not detract from the presentation
Excellent use of background, color, graphics, animation that particularly enhance the presentation
Audio attempted but files not available (linked incorrectly)
One audio example or more than one with lack of integration
More than one audio example appropriately placed and integrated
Three or more audio examples appropriately placed and integrated
Less than 3 sources and/or no book cited other than the textbook
3 sources, including a book other than the textbook, but one or more of questionable reliability
At least 3 reliable sources including a book other than the