October 2002

Adding Narration to PowerPoint Presentations

Adding narration to a PowerPoint screen show can be a useful tool if it is done correctly. Microsoft doesn't offer much help in doing this, but after adding narration to over 50 PowerPoint presentations, we've figured out a process that works.

Materials

We used PowerPoint 2000 and XP and both versions work much the same way. We bought a mid-priced headset microphone ($15-20) because it works better than a desktop microphone in minimizing outside noise and keeping your hands free to advance the slides. Of course, your computer must be outfitted with a sound card and speakers.

Getting Started

Put your PowerPoint presentation together exactly the way you want it before adding any narration. Also, place the PPT file in its own folder (if you plan on editing your clips, this is VERY important). During the recording process, PowerPoint creates a WAV file for each slide's narration.

Now you are ready to record. Please see our instruction sheet in the CIT Tips, Tricks and Techniques section for instructions and tips for recording, editing within PowerPoint, editing sound clips, and other items to watch out for. NOTE: If you want to make a narrated PowerPoint screen show available on the Web, you need to convert the PPT file and its accompanying WAV files to a streaming format such as REAL.

Adding narration to your PowerPoint presentation can be very handy, and hopefully our instruction sheet will help you accomplish this with little frustration. Good luck!

~ Julie Reiling and Steve Jones, Faculty,
Animal Science Department

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