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Key Terms

3D model
digital representation of a three-dimensional object that can be inserted into a presentation and manipulated to show different views and perspectives
aesthetics
study of how things look and how we perceive and respond to them; the overall look and feel of something
aspect ratio
relationship of a slide’s width to its height
coherency
smooth and logical flow of the slideshow or slide deck within a presentation
consistency
quality of always behaving or performing in a similar way, or of something always appearing or occurring in a similar way
contrast
use of different elements, such as colors, fonts, or design elements, to draw attention and create visual interest
diagram
graphical representation of information or data; diagrams can be used to visually communicate complex information, ideas, or concepts in a simple and intuitive way
ecosystem
brand of software that an organization primarily uses, particularly across programs
equation
mathematical statement that shows the relationship between two or more quantities; equations are used to describe a wide range of physical, biological, and economic phenomena, and are central to many areas of science and engineering
icon
small graphic symbol that represents a specific function, feature, or tool; icons are used in PowerPoint to provide visual cues and to make it easier to navigate the software
PowerPoint template
predesigned set of slides and slide elements that can be used as a starting point for creating a presentation
presentation
spoken or visual information delivered to an audience
proximity
distance between the audience and the subject matter being presented in a slide
repetition
use of similar or identical elements, such as colors, fonts, or design elements, across multiple slides in a presentation
rule of thirds
basic principle of photography and design that suggests that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines; the theory is that if you place the important elements of the image along these lines, or at the intersections of them, your photo or design will be more balanced and will have more visual interest
seven-seven rule
guideline for creating content for slides so that each slide in a presentation should contain no more than seven lines of text and that each line of text should have no more than seven words
Slide Master
template of the slide that shows each part of the slide
special character
character or symbol that is not typically found on a keyboard but can be inserted into a Slides presentation to add visual interest or convey specific meaning
stock image
generic image created or licensed by a stock photography company, often used in professional publications; may be copyrighted or only available through paid services
storyboard
visual plan that separates topics out into different scenes or sections
table
structure for organizing and presenting data in a grid format
title slide
usually the first slide in presentation that includes the title of the slide as well as a subtitle such as your name or the date of the presentation
variants
design elements such as colors, fonts, and backgrounds that you can change in a theme
visual hierarchy
arrangement of elements in a design according to their level of importance or emphasis; the purpose of visual hierarchy is to guide the viewer’s eye to the most important elements first, and then to less important information
white space
unoccupied areas of a slide that are not filled with text or other content
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