Concepts

Why would you want to print a presentation?

The first thing to mention is, you may not always need to print your presentation. The best option for delivering a PowerPoint presentation is from a computer. When you present from a computer your presentation may include animations, sounds, and special effects. You also don't always need to print your presentation to give copies to others. If your audience has the skills and tools, you can distribute a soft copy (electronic version) of your presentation. (Note, it's not necessary to have a copy of PowerPoint to view a PowerPoint presentation. There are free PowerPower viewers that can be used to view PowerPoint presentations. You only need a copy of PowerPoint if you want to edit or create a PowerPoint presentation.)

With that said, here are three good reasons to print a copy of your presentation,

1. You can't present your presentation from a computer. If you are presenting in a room that doesn't have a computer or an overhead projector that will connect to a computer, you will need to print a copy of your presentation and have overhead transparencies made. (Note, it may be possible to load your printer with overhead transparencies and print your overhead transparencies directly.)
2. To print a copy of your presentation for your audience. You could distribute electronic copies of your presentation, but not every in your audience may be comfortable receiving an electronic copy. After taking this class you are surely ensconced in the electronic world, but many people don't have the skills or tools required to view an electronic version of your presentation.
   It is a good idea to distribute copies of your presentation when your slides contain a lot of detail. A presentation is a poor vehicle for communicating detailed facts. If your audience has a copy of your slides, they will be less focused on remembering every detail and more focused on the concepts you want to convey.
3. To print a copy of your presentation with speaker's notes. You can access speaker's notes when presenting from a computer, but it is more common to have a printed copy of slides with notes you can refer to.

Copyright 1997 by the Curators of the University of Missouri