• Font style: choose one font to use throughout your document.
  • Use sans serif fonts. Research has shown that these fonts are easier to read, particularly on a screen. Examples of sans serif fonts include Ariel, Corbel, and Tahoma.
  • Avoid serif fonts. Serif fonts are fonts with an extra stroke on the letter which can impact the readability of your document. Examples of serif fonts include Times New Roman, Palatino Linotype, and Georgia.
• Font size: To ensure that your presentation is readable, you should avoid fonts smaller than 20-point. Headings and subheadings should be two to three sizes larger (e.g., 24-point body text and 36-point headings).

You should utilize consistent spacing on your slides. Studies have shown that students are less likely to read/comprehend slides with excessive text.

• Limit your number of bullet points to no more than six – you can extend your points to another slide if needed.
• If the content is something that you intend to read, highlight a few segments instead of including the entire passage.
• Break text-heavy content into multiple slides.

You should avoid using transitions, as they can be distracting to students and make it difficult to read the content on your slides. However, it is permissible to use a simple transition for your bullet points if you would like control over when content is presented to viewers.

Learn how to make text appear by line →

Using hyperlinks can help provide more information to your students. Hyperlink text should give a clear description of where the link leads, and you should avoid using URLs as the text (e.g., Suffolk University Office of Disability Services versus https://www.suffolk.edu/academics/advising-student-services/disability-services).  To add a hyperlink to your document:

1. Highlight and right-click the text you would like to make a hyperlink.
2. Choose Link.
3. Type or copy/paste in the address of the hyperlink.
4. Click Insert.

Provide students with an electronic copy of the PowerPoint so they are able to easily access links.

When using graphics, consider the following:

1. Any text on the graphic should be readable. Review your slides in presentation mode (select the Slide Show tab) to ensure viewers can easily see the text.
2. All graphics should include alternative text. The purpose of alternative text is to provide a description of graphics to students with visual impairments. To create alternative text:
   1. Right-click on the graphic.
   2. Select Edit Alt Text.
   3. Enter a description that includes details about the graphic. If it is a chart or graph, discuss relationships between variables.
   4. If the image is decorative (i.e., non-essential for comprehension), check the Mark as decorative
   5. Select OK.
3. Avoid overcrowding a slide with too many images or charts – ideally, no more than two.
4. Ensure graphics are relevant to the content of the slide.

All video and audio content should include captions and/or a transcript. If you are embedding or linking to video or audio files in your PowerPoint, you should determine if closed captions are available. If not, you should create a transcript of the file and include it in the notes of the slide.

Learn more about video & audio accessibility →