definition of presentation in computer science

CS50: Introduction to Computer Science

An introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming.

Associated Schools

Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

What you'll learn.

A broad and robust understanding of computer science and programming

How to think algorithmically and solve programming problems efficiently

Concepts like abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development

Familiarity with a number of languages, including C, Python, SQL, and JavaScript plus CSS and HTML

How to engage with a vibrant community of like-minded learners from all levels of experience

How to develop and present a final programming project to your peers

Course description

This is CS50x , Harvard University's introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming for majors and non-majors alike, with or without prior programming experience. An entry-level course taught by David J. Malan, CS50x teaches students how to think algorithmically and solve problems efficiently. Topics include abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development. Languages include C, Python, SQL, and JavaScript plus CSS and HTML. Problem sets inspired by real-world domains of biology, cryptography, finance, forensics, and gaming. The on-campus version of CS50x , CS50, is Harvard's largest course. 

Students who earn a satisfactory score on 9 problem sets (i.e., programming assignments) and a final project are eligible for a certificate. This is a self-paced course–you may take CS50x on your own schedule.

Instructors

David J. Malan

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A Dictionary of Computer Science (7 ed.)  

Edited by: andrew butterfield , gerard ekembe ngondi , and anne kerr.

Over 6,500 entries

Previously named A Dictionary of Computing , this bestselling dictionary has been fully revised by a team of computer specialists, making it the most up-to-date and authoritative guide to computing available. Including expanded coverage of multimedia, computer applications, networking, and personal computing, it encompasses all aspects of the subject. Terms are defined in a jargon-free and concise manner, with helpful examples where relevant, and the appendices include useful resources such as generic domain names, file extensions, and the Greek alphabet. This dictionary is suitable for anyone who uses computers, and is as valuable for home and office users as it is indispensable for students of computing.

Bibliographic Information

Affiliations are at time of print publication..

Andrew Butterfield, editor

Gerard Ekembe Ngondi, editor

Andrew Butterfield holds an honours degree in Engineering and a PhD in Computer Science and is currently Head of the Foundation and Methods Group at Trinity College Dublin, as well as Director of Undergraduate Teaching and Learning in the School of Computer Science and Statistics.

Gerard Ekembe Ngondi holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Telecommunications obtained at the National Advanced School of Post and Telecommunications (Yaounde, Cameroon) and an MSc in Computing obtained at the University of York (UK). He is currently doing a PhD in Computer Science at the University of York.

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Computer Science: Presenting

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Giving a Presentation

Here are a few tools and suggestions to help prepare you for getting up and presenting in front of a class. Hopefully, you'll be inspired to improve upon the traditional PowerPoint slideshow and integrate technology into your presentations. 

Check out these articles for more advice on crafting an engaging and effective presentation:

• Designing Effective Virtual Presentations by KU Online
• What it Takes to Give a Great Presentation
• 1 0 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills
• Six Tips for Giving a Fabulous Academic Presentation
• 12 Reasons Your Presentation Sucks and How to Fix It
• 16 Useful Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

Sharing Your Presentation

Slideshare  allows you to share presentations online. Slides are uploaded to Slideshare, searchable, and able to be shared or embedded across the internet.

Speaker Deck is another option for sharing your presentations online. It is similar to the style of Slideshare, but is ad free. Also, when you embed slideshows, they will automatically resize to the size of the space in which they are being embedded.

Library Resources

PowerPoint , one piece of the Microsoft Office Suite, is perhaps the best known tool for creating presentations. While everyone has seen dry presentations consisting primarily of text on slides, PowerPoint can do much more than this, including offering embedded content such as images, videos, audio files and even dynamic content from the internet.

These tools will help you to do more with your PowerPoint slides.

• 21 PowerPoint Add-ins and Plugins 
• PowerPoint Twitter Tools These free tools allow users to interact with their audience via Twitter while presenting. You can poll the audience, take questions and feedback or auto-tweet your presentation all using these Twitter add-ons.

Prezi  allows users to create dynamic "zooming" presentations. If you have already created a PowerPoint presentation, it also offers an option to import your existing slides to Prezi. Presentations are created, stored and delivered online.

Prezi offers a large number of tutorials to help you with every step of the process on  their YouTube channel . The video below shows how to get started. You can also find examples of Prezis in  their gallery .

Emaze is an online presentation platform built on  HTML5  technology. Users can create, manage and share their presentations from any browser or mobile device. Emaze offers a variety of templates including formats using 3D animations and video backgrounds. Browse their gallery or view the sample presentation below:

Google Slides

Google Slides is to PowerPoint what Google Docs is to Word. It allows users with a free Google Drive account to create quick and easy presentations. While it doesn't have quite as many features as PowerPoint or others, it makes collaboration simple and works well for basic presentations. Google has a  great tutorial  to walk you through its features or you can watch the video below.

Thanks to Harvard Law School Library for inspiration in creating this LibGuide.

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What Is Computer Science?

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Computers are a part of almost everything we do, from banking to streaming movies and videos to work (especially remote work). Given how important computers are to our lives, computer science is a field that’s constantly growing and evolving. It’s a field where your work can make a difference. Below, we’ll take a closer look at computer science, careers in the field, and how to get started.

The basics of computer science

Computer science is the study of computers and how they work, including software, hardware, and algorithms. An algorithm is a list of instructions for completing a task. In computer science, an algorithm tells the computer what to do and how to do it.

Computer science is an umbrella term that covers everything from artificial intelligence and data science to robotics, game development , cybersecurity , and more. While you might think of computers like laptops or desktops, computer science involves everything to do with computing. That means everything from cell phones to ATMs to wearable technology like Fitbits.

It’s also a way of thinking. As Alex, one of our Curriculum Developers, explains:

“Computational thinking is about understanding how computers solve real-world problems. There are things we do every day that use computational thinking. If I’m meeting a friend at a restaurant, and I know where the restaurant is, I’ll naturally find the shortest or most efficient path there. Being able to recognize how we think computationally and translating that to programming is a big part of gaining that foundational computer science knowledge.”

Our free course Learn to Code with Blockly takes a closer look at the basics of programming.

Is computer science hard?

Like any field, computer science can be challenging at first. It involves a lot of new terms and concepts and learning programming languages . If you want a career in computer science, you can achieve that goal by taking classes with expert instructors who help you learn at your own pace. Our courses certainly fit the bill, and we’re happy to help you choose courses that will be a good fit for your goals and learning style.

Computer science jobs

As we explained earlier, computer science is an umbrella term covering several disciplines. Similarly, various roles in software development and software engineering fall under the term “ Computer Programmer .” Our free course Choosing a Career in Tech goes over some of the most popular careers in the field and the steps required to pursue them, but here’s an overview:

Front-End Engineer

A Front End Engineer develops the user interface elements of a website or application. They’re the ones that make something visually appealing, functional, fast, and user-friendly. They work closely with other engineers and designers to solve problems and improve the end product.

Back-End Engineer

Back-End Engineers build the behind-the-scenes components of a website or application. They spend time maintaining and improving servers, implementing security measures, and writing server scripts and application programming interfaces (APIs). Server scripts are instructions that tell a server how to respond to requests. APIs are software that help two applications communicate with each other.

Full-Stack Engineer

A Full-Stack Engineer works on the front end, the back end, and everything in between. They help connect all the applications and programs and ensure they can talk to each other so the website or application can work effectively. They take a big picture view of projects and spend a lot of their time solving problems.

Data Scientist

As websites and apps have grown in popularity, so has the amount of data that businesses and other organizations have. That data can provide valuable insights if you know how to analyze it.

Data Scientists make sense of data, create algorithms and models to find patterns and trends, deploy data tools, make predictions, and communicate their findings to colleagues.

Cybersecurity

Given the frequency of cyberattacks, cybersecurity is a critical part of computer science. It’s also a fast-growing field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Cybersecurity positions include Cybersecurity Analysts , Cybersecurity Managers and Administrators, and Incident Analysts.

Entrepreneurship

Have an idea for a unique app or the solution to a common problem? Instead of working for someone else, you could start a business of your own. Some of today’s largest computer firms started with a few people who wanted to solve problems. If you’re creative and driven, entrepreneurship could be an exciting and fulfilling career within computer science.

Do you need a computer science degree?

A computer science degree shows hiring managers that you’ve completed certain courses and had the discipline to finish a degree program. Still, it’s not the only path to a career in computer science.

You can also start a career in computer science by taking courses that teach you the skills you need. For example, take our Computer Science Career Path . Modeled after the core curriculum at universities like Stanford and MIT, our Computer Science Career Path covers everything you’d learn in a traditional undergraduate program (at a fraction of the cost).

You’ll learn the basics of programming with Python , delve into data structures and algorithms, computer architecture, the math behind programming, and more. Plus, as you learn, you’ll also prepare for your future job search — building projects and portfolios, preparing for technical interviews , and more. While discussing the Computer Science Career Path, Alex (who we heard from above) explains:

“You can come into computer science to appreciate a new way of thinking, and to shape how you think about problems in the world. You’ll start to see how this way of thinking relates to things you’re excited about and things you want to build. Or you can come into computer science with something you’re really excited to build. And in the process of building that, you’ll learn all of these foundational skills.”

The days are gone where you’d need a computer science degree to enter the field. Every day, more and more people are teaching themselves new skills and discovering new opportunities in the world of computer science.

Preparing for a computer science career

Aside from the Path detailed above, you can also prepare for a computer science career by taking courses to learn the specific skills you need. One of the best places to start is by learning one or more programming languages. Our free course Choosing a Programming Language explores some of the most popular options and their suitability for beginners, but here are some common ones to consider:

• HTML & CSS : HTML & CSS work together to create websites. These are a good foundation and beginner-friendly.
• Python : This language is general-purpose, concise, and easy to read. It’s also a good choice for beginners, and it’s supported by a large programming community.
• JavaScript : This option is front- and back-end friendly and is a core technology behind web development.
• Java : This is another great place to start. Java has a wealth of online documentation and is used in software development, large systems development, mobile applications, and more.
• SQL : SQL is used to manage relational databases, and it’s an especially good fit for people who want to pursue data science.
• C++ : C++ is fast, flexible, and used in various industries, including game development, virtual reality, robotics, and scientific computing.
• C# : C# is also used in various settings, including video games, web apps, mobile apps, and cloud computing.
• PHP : PHP is a general-purpose scripting language backed by an active community.
• Ruby : Ruby is an intuitive, general-purpose programming language often used in web development.

Ready to get started? Sign up today to launch your path to a fulfilling, exciting computer science career.

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The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation .

These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication. 

This article describes what a presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills.

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk.  Some of these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation that also lays the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered. 

A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a ' persuasive ' element. It may, for example, be a talk about the positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding for a project.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Making a presentation is a way of communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience and many of our articles on communication are also relevant here, see: What is Communication? for more.

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.

When and where will you deliver your presentation?

There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room, lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.

Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?

If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.

Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?

A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.

Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?

Are you already familiar with the audience?

With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and effectively, to get them on your side.

What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will you be expected to use?

In particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be expected to stand in one place, or move around.

What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?

Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information needs to be included in your presentation.

All these aspects will change the presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation Method .

The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the presentation.

Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.

You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.

The audience receives the presenter’s message(s).

However, this reception will be filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge and personal sense of values.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why communication can fail.

The message or messages are delivered by the presenter to the audience.

The message is delivered not just by the spoken word ( verbal communication ) but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact ( non-verbal communication ), and visual aids.

The message will also be affected by the audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well . They will judge your presentation a failure, because you have not met their expectations.

The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message, and whether it met their expectations.

As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will meet expectations.

See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.

How will the presentation be delivered?

Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience.  However, there may be occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video conferencing systems, such as Skype.

It is also important to remember that if your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous references should be kept to a minimum.

Impediments

Many factors can influence the effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience.

For example background noise or other distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.

As presenter, you have to be prepared to cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your message.   

Our page: Barriers to Communication explains these factors in more depth.

Continue to read through our Presentation Skills articles for an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Continue to: Preparing for a Presentation Deciding the Presentation Method

See also: Writing Your Presentation | Working with Visual Aids Coping with Presentation Nerves | Dealing with Questions Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks

PowerPoint Multimedia Presentations in Computer Science Education: What Do Users Need?

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• Elke I. Reuss 2 ,
• Beat Signer 2 &
• Moira C. Norrie 2  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 5298))

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PowerPoint is one of the most frequently used tools to present multimedia for educational purposes. Nevertheless, little is known about the users’ needs when using PowerPoint during lecturing. Our study focused on the presenter’s needs in this context of use. We interviewed nine university lecturers from the computer science department by means of a questionnaire. The results show that users require features that are not yet realised with PowerPoint. For example, the control and use of other media should be adequately integrated. Or the navigation within the slide collection should be improved to better meet the users’ needs. Based on our findings, we outline required system features and suggest solutions in form of a prototype.

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Reuss, E.I., Signer, B., Norrie, M.C. (2008). PowerPoint Multimedia Presentations in Computer Science Education: What Do Users Need?. In: Holzinger, A. (eds) HCI and Usability for Education and Work. USAB 2008. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5298. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-89350-9_20

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Information management (IM) is primarily concerned with the capture, digitization, representation, organization, transformation, and presentation of information. Because a computer’s main memory provides only temporary storage, computers are equipped with auxiliary disk storage devices that permanently store data. These devices are characterized by having much higher capacity than main memory but slower read/write (access) speed. Data stored on a disk must be read into main memory before it can be processed. A major goal of IM systems, therefore, is to develop efficient algorithms to store and retrieve specific data for processing.

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IM systems comprise databases and algorithms for the efficient storage, retrieval, updating, and deleting of specific items in the database . The underlying structure of a database is a set of files residing permanently on a disk storage device. Each file can be further broken down into a series of records, which contains individual data items, or fields. Each field gives the value of some property (or attribute) of the entity represented by a record. For example, a personnel file may contain a series of records, one for each individual in the organization, and each record would contain fields that contain that person’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and so forth.

Many file systems are sequential, meaning that successive records are processed in the order in which they are stored, starting from the beginning and proceeding to the end. This file structure was particularly popular in the early days of computing, when files were stored on reels of magnetic tape and these reels could be processed only in a sequential manner. Sequential files are generally stored in some sorted order (e.g., alphabetic) for printing of reports (e.g., a telephone directory) and for efficient processing of batches of transactions. Banking transactions (deposits and withdrawals), for instance, might be sorted in the same order as the accounts file, so that as each transaction is read the system need only scan ahead to find the accounts record to which it applies.

With modern storage systems, it is possible to access any data record in a random fashion. To facilitate efficient random access, the data records in a file are stored with indexes called keys. An index of a file is much like an index of a book; it contains a key for each record in the file along with the location where the record is stored. Since indexes might be long, they are usually structured in some hierarchical fashion so that they can be navigated efficiently. The top level of an index, for example, might contain locations of (point to) indexes to items beginning with the letters A, B, etc. The A index itself may contain not locations of data items but pointers to indexes of items beginning with the letters Ab, Ac, and so on. Locating the index for the desired record by traversing a treelike structure is quite efficient.

Many applications require access to many independent files containing related and even overlapping data. Their information management activities frequently require data from several files to be linked, and hence the need for a database model emerges. Historically, three different types of database models have been developed to support the linkage of records of different types: (1) the hierarchical model , in which record types are linked in a treelike structure (e.g., employee records might be grouped under records describing the departments in which employees work), (2) the network model , in which arbitrary linkages of record types may be created (e.g., employee records might be linked on one hand to employees’ departments and on the other hand to their supervisors—that is, other employees), and (3) the relational model , in which all data are represented in simple tabular form.

In the relational model, each individual entry is described by the set of its attribute values (called a relation), stored in one row of the table. This linkage of n attribute values to provide a meaningful description of a real-world entity or a relationship among such entities forms a mathematical n -tuple. The relational model also supports queries (requests for information) that involve several tables by providing automatic linkage across tables by means of a “join” operation that combines records with identical values of common attributes. Payroll data, for example, can be stored in one table and personnel benefits data in another; complete information on an employee could be obtained by joining the two tables using the employee’s unique identification number as a common attribute.

To support database processing, a software artifact known as a database management system (DBMS) is required to manage the data and provide the user with commands to retrieve information from the database. For example, a widely used DBMS that supports the relational model is MySQL.

Another development in database technology is to incorporate the object concept. In object-oriented databases, all data are objects. Objects may be linked together by an “is-part-of” relationship to represent larger, composite objects. Data describing a truck, for instance, may be stored as a composite of a particular engine, chassis, drive train, and so forth. Classes of objects may form a hierarchy in which individual objects may inherit properties from objects farther up in the hierarchy. For example, objects of the class “motorized vehicle” all have an engine; members of the subclasses “truck” or “airplane” will then also have an engine.

NoSQL, or non-relational databases, have also emerged. These databases are different from the classic relational databases because they do not require fixed tables. Many of them are document-oriented databases, in which voice, music, images, and video clips are stored along with traditional textual information. An important subset of NoSQL are the XML databases, which are widely used in the development of Android smartphone and tablet applications.

Data integrity refers to designing a DBMS that ensures the correctness and stability of its data across all applications that access the system. When a database is designed, integrity checking is enabled by specifying the data type of each column in the table. For example, if an identification number is specified to be nine digits, the DBMS will reject an update attempting to assign a value with more or fewer digits or one including an alphabetic character. Another type of integrity, known as referential integrity, requires that each entity referenced by some other entity must itself exist in the database. For example, if an airline reservation is requested for a particular flight number, then the flight referenced by that number must actually exist.

Access to a database by multiple simultaneous users requires that the DBMS include a concurrency control mechanism (called locking) to maintain integrity whenever two different users attempt to access the same data at the same time. For example, two travel agents may try to book the last seat on a plane at more or less the same time. Without concurrency control, both may think they have succeeded, though only one booking is actually entered into the database.

A key concept in studying concurrency control and the maintenance of data integrity is the transaction, defined as an indivisible operation that transforms the database from one state into another. To illustrate, consider an electronic transfer of funds of $5 from bank account A to account B. The operation that deducts $5 from account A leaves the database without integrity since the total over all accounts is $5 short. Similarly, the operation that adds $5 to account B in itself makes the total $5 too much. Combining these two operations into a single transaction, however, maintains data integrity. The key here is to ensure that only complete transactions are applied to the data and that multiple concurrent transactions are executed using locking so that serializing them would produce the same result. A transaction-oriented control mechanism for database access becomes difficult in the case of a long transaction, for example, when several engineers are working, perhaps over the course of several days, on a product design that may not exhibit data integrity until the project is complete.

As mentioned previously, a database may be distributed in that its data can be spread among different host computers on a network. If the distributed data contains duplicates, the concurrency control problem is more complex. Distributed databases must have a distributed DBMS to provide overall control of queries and updates in a manner that does not require that the user know the location of the data. A closely related concept is interoperability, meaning the ability of the user of one member of a group of disparate systems (all having the same functionality) to work with any of the systems of the group with equal ease and via the same interface.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an area of research that goes back to the very beginnings of computer science . The idea of building a machine that can perform tasks perceived as requiring human intelligence is an attractive one. The tasks that have been studied from this point of view include game playing, language translation, natural language understanding, fault diagnosis , robotics , and supplying expert advice. (For a more detailed discussion of the successes and failures of AI over the years, see artificial intelligence .)

Since the late 20th century, the field of intelligent systems has focused on the support of everyday applications— e-mail , word processing , and search —using nontraditional techniques. These techniques include the design and analysis of autonomous agents that perceive their environment and interact rationally with it. The solutions rely on a broad set of knowledge-representation schemes, problem-solving mechanisms, and learning strategies. They deal with sensing (e.g., speech recognition , natural language understanding, and computer vision), problem-solving (e.g., search and planning), acting (e.g., robotics), and the architectures needed to support them (e.g,. agents and multi-agents).

Presentation Software

Learning Objectives

• Define functions of presentation graphics programs as used in business.
• Design, create, and execute an artistic presentation that includes graphics and animation.

Presentation software is designed to allow the user to present information in an engaging way with text, pictures, sound, and video. It is a way to communicate ideas in a powerful, organized manner. It utilizes sequences of slides that accompany a spoken presentation. The presentation may also be recorded and posted online. The slides are consolidated in virtual files called slide decks. Communication skills are necessary for many careers. Presentation software can help to deliver a message online or in-person to a large audience or small group. The goal is to create a presentation that will leave a lasting impression on the audience, and not distract them from the message you are delivering. The ultimate goal is to create dynamic, interesting presentations that engage your audience.

Common presentation software programs:

Going forward, we will focus primarily on Microsoft PowerPoint.

Since Microsoft PowerPoint is widely used in business, and we are using Microsoft Windows, we will focus on this presentation software. There are many similarities across presentation software, so the skills we are learning can be translated to other systems. Some of the tasks in PowerPoint may seem familiar because they were used in other applications. The following Practice It assignments are designed to be completed using Microsoft PowerPoint in Office 365 on a PC with Windows 10 or higher. You may need to download the Professional version of Office 365 (which is free to students) to access all features.

POWERPOINT PRACTICE 1

Prefer to watch and learn? Check out this video tutorial:

Complete the following Practice Activity and submit your completed project.

We will use PowerPoint to create a presentation that welcomes individuals to coding. We will build upon this presentation over the next 3 practice assignments. Key skills in this practice include creating and editing a new presentation, entering text, adding slides, presentation themes, bullets, adding and formatting pictures, transitions, and printing a presentation.

• Start PowerPoint and select the Design tab. Under Themes, select the Circuit theme. If the Circuit theme is not visible, use the search to locate it.
• Select File, Save As, Browse, and then navigate to your PowerPoint folder on your flash drive or other location where you save your files. Name the presentation as Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_PowerPoint_Practice_1.
• Take a moment to view the PowerPoint window:

• Notice that the layout of slide 1 is Title and Content. This is a common layout for the Title Slide . All text, graphics, videos, or anything that is on a slide must be in a placeholder . In the “Click to add title placeholder,” type Welcome to Coding! In the subtitle placeholder type Introduction to Python .
• On the Design tab, in the Themes group, ensure under Variants, Blue colors are selected.
• Although we only have our title slide added, most presentations have several slides. When creating your presentation, keep in mind the attention span of your audience, and the allotted amount of time. For this presentation, we have been allotted 10 minutes and will create 5 slides.
• Outline View
• Slide Sorter
• Notes Pages
• Reading View
• On the Home tab, in the Slides group, select the arrow next to New Slide and choose the Title and Content layout. In the “Click to add title” placeholder type: Student Life.
• With slide 2 still active, on the Home Tab, in the Slides Group, select the arrow next to Layout and select Two Content. Notice how the layout of slide 2 changed.
• Coding develops problem-solving skills
• Coding nurtures creativity
• Coding makes math more fun and engaging
• Coding promotes learning by doing
• Coding enables computational thinking
• Format the text as a bulleted list, with the default bullet. Change the font size of the text to 28.
• In the second placeholder, use the placeholder shortcut to insert a stock image. In the Insert Pictures dialog box, use the search bar and search the word Coding. Choose any picture, then return and insert it into the placeholder.
• With slide 2 still active, on the Transitions tab, select Fade.
• Computer Programmer
• Web Developer
• Software Application Developer
• Computer Systems Analyst
• Computer Systems Engineer
• Front and Back End Developer
• Resize the text to 28 pt and use the default bullet.
• With slide 3 still active, on the Insert tab in the Illustration group, select the arrow next to Shapes. Under Stars and Banners add the Explosion: 8 points shape to the right of the bulleted list. Click and drag the shape onto the slide.
• Inside the shape type: All High Paying Jobs.
• On the Home tab, in the Slides Group, select New Slide and choose Blank Layout. Ensure slide 5 is active.
• On the Insert tab, in the Text Group, select the arrow under WordArt , and select Word Art in the first row, first column Fill: White, Text color 1; Shadow. Type the text: Any Questions?
• Change the font size of the WordArt to 72.
• Change the font color to orange from the standard colors.
• Select the File tab to display Backstage view. Select Print to view the Print Options . Although PowerPoint slides are meant for presentations, there is the option to print slides for the presenter and participants. Under Setting, click Print All Slides.
• Under Slides, select 6 slides Horizontal. Notice how the data and page number display on the slide in Print Preview .
• Save your presentation and take note of where it is located. There should be a total of 4 slides in your slide deck. Compare your presentation to the image below and make any modifications if needed. Close out of PowerPoint and submit your entire presentation per your instructor’s instructions.

POWERPOINT PRACTICE 2

We will continue to work with the PowerPoint presentation we started in PowerPoint Practice 1. You have been asked by the Dean to add additional content to the presentation regarding Computer Science courses that require coding. Key skills in this practice include how to enhance a presentation, insert and format images, manage slides, add speaker notes and animations, and apply effects.

• Start PowerPoint; notice how it opens in Backstage View. Under Open, browse to locate your PowerPoint_Practice_1, and select Open.
• Select File, Save As, Browse, and then navigate to your PowerPoint folder on your flash drive or other location where you save your files. Name the presentation as Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_PowerPoint_Practice_2.
• There should be 4 slides in your slide deck. Ensure your presentation is in normal view.
• With a slide selected, on the Home tab in the slides group, select New Slide and then Duplicate Selected Slides .
• With slide 4 active, change the title to Coding Courses.
• Introduction to Programming I
• Introduction to Programming II
• Data Structures
• Database Management Systems
• Programming Languages
• Delete the shapes from the slide.
• At the bottom of the screen, click Notes.
• Type the following Presenter Notes: Remember other courses that may not require coding.
• With slide 4 active, move slide 4 above slide 3 in the thumbnail pane making slide 4 become slide 3, and vice versa.
• With slide 3 still active, on the Insert tab, in the Pictures group, select Online Pictures . In the Insert Pictures dialog box, in the search box, type coding course and then press enter. Choose any image you like that represents technology. Insert the image of your choice under the last bullet on slide 3. If necessary, resize the picture so that it fits on the slide without overlapping with the text.
• Select the image you just added. On the Animations tab, in the animation group, select the Wheel entrance effect. Once the animation is applied, notice the number 1 appears next to the image to indicate this is the first animation that will play.
• On the Animations tab, in the advanced animation group, turn on the Animation Pane by clicking it one time. The Animation Pane will open on the right side of the screen. Click the down arrow next to the first animation, Picture 1, and select Effect Options . In the Wheel dialog box, select the Effect tab, and under Sounds choose Applause. Click the speaker icon to hear the applause and ensure your volume is turned up, but not too loud. Select OK to hear the applause sounds you just applied. Close the Animation Pane.
• Save your presentation and take note of where it is located. There should be a total of 5 slides in your slide deck. Compare your presentation to the image below and make any modifications if needed. Close out of PowerPoint and submit your entire presentation per your instructor’s instructions.

POWERPOINT PRACTICE 3

We will continue to work with the PowerPoint presentation from PowerPoint Practice 2. After submitting your presentation to the Dean, she has asked you to make a few enhancements that incorporate multimedia. Key skills in this practice include screenshots, embedding videos, recording audio, and background images.

• Start PowerPoint; notice how it opens in Backstage View. Under Open, browse to locate your PowerPoint_Practice_2, and select Open.
• Select File, Save As, Browse, and then navigate to your PowerPoint folder on your flash drive or other location where you save your files. Name the presentation as Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_PowerPoint_Practice_3.
• Select slide 4 in the thumbnail pane. With slide 4 active, on the Home Tab, in the Slides Group, select New Slide and select Layout and Content.
• There should be 5 slides in your slide deck. Ensure your presentation is in normal view and select slide 5. In the title placeholder type: Why Learn Coding?
• In the content placeholder below the title, click the icon to insert an online video. To insert an online video, you can also use the Insert tab, Media group, video, online video. It may take a few moments for the Insert Video screen to load.
• Use the Search YouTube box by typing in Why Learn Coding? and then selecting the search icon or pressing enter on your keyboard. Scroll through the videos to find the video titled Why Learn Coding? If that video is not available, you can select a different one. Double-click the video or select Insert to add the video to slide 5.
• With the video selected, on the Video Tools, Format tab, resize the video so that it has a height of approximately 5″ and a width of approximately 9.4″. Move the video so that it is centered on the slide if necessary.
• On the Playback tab, select Play to watch the video.
• Another way to add an online video to a PowerPoint slide is by embedding it. Using your web browser, navigate to www.youtube.com . In the search window, type, Why Learn Coding? Locate the video Why Learn Coding? Select the Share icon, and then select embed. Copy the embed code.
• In PowerPoint, on slide 5, select the Insert tab, Media group, Video, Online Video. In the box next to From a Video Embed Code, paste the code you copied from YouTube and then press Enter. It may take a few moments for the video to preview. If necessary, right-click on the video, and then select Preview. You can put the video in the presentation either way.
• Select slide 5 in the thumbnail pane. With slide 5 active, on the Home Tab, in the Slides Group, select New Slide and select Layout and Content.
• With slide 6 still active, on the Insert tab, in the Pictures group, select Online Pictures . In the Insert Pictures dialog box, in the search box, type: computer languages. Choose any image you like that represents technology. Insert the image of your choice. If necessary, resize the picture so that it fits on the slide without overlapping with the text.
• Select slide 6 so that it is the active slide. On the Insert tab, Media group, select the arrow under Audio and select Record Audio. Record a short audio clip (about 20 seconds) and tell me what language you would like to learn.
• After recording your audio and playing it back, name it Coding. Then, close the Record Sound audio dialog box. Notice a speaker icon displays on slide 6. Move this icon to the upper left-hand corner of slide 6. Click the speaker once to play the audio.
• On slide 6, in the Notes pane, add the following note: Remember to play the audio.
• Select slide 1 so that it is the active slide. On the Design tab, customize group, and select Format Background. Under Fill, select the button next to Picture of texture fill. Under insert picture Online Picture, search for any coding picture and select Insert. Be sure to not select Apply to All, as we only want the background image applied to the title slide.
• Close the Format Background dialog box by clicking the x in the upper right-hand corner.
• Save your presentation and take note of where it is located. There should be a total of 9 slides in your slide deck. Compare your presentation to the image below and make any modifications if needed. Close out of PowerPoint and submit your entire presentation per your instructor’s instructions.

MASTER ACTIVITY 1

Complete the following Master Activity and submit your completed project.

All about me using Google Slides

You will need to be logged into your Google account to complete this assignment. Since Google Slides is web based , it changes frequently. The steps outlined here may be slightly different from what you see on your screen. If you do not already have a Google account, you will need to create one. Go to http://google.com and in the upper right corner, click Sign In. On the Sign In screen, click Create Account. On the Create your Google Account page, complete the form, read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and then click Next step. On the Welcome screen, click Get Started.

• Family and pets
• 1-, 5-, and 10-year goals
• From the desktop, open your browser, navigate to http://google.com, and then sign in to your Google account. In the upper right corner of your screen, click Google apps, and then click Slides .
• Select the template gallery to browse templates . Take a moment to view General templates.
• Select the back arrow to go back to the main Slides page. Select the plus sign to start a new Blank presentation. If necessary, hit ESC on your keyboard to show the toolbar.
• In the Themes dialog box, select the Simple Dark theme.
• Name your presentation Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_PowerPoint_Master1, and save it in your Google Drive or other location as indicated by your instructor.
• With Slide 1 selected, enter your name as the title, and for the subtitle type All About Me.
• On the Slide tab, select New Slide to insert a new blank slide. Type My Hobbies as the slide title. In the textbox below, create a bulleted list with at least 5 hobbies. The bulleted list is found on the main menu, format, in Google Slides.
• On the main menu, select the plus button to add another new slide with the same layout as the previous slide.
• Type My Family and Pets for the slide title. In the textbox below the title, create a bulleted list with information on your family and pets.
• On the main menu, select the arrow next to the plus button to add a new slide with the title and two-column layout, then type My Work and Major for the title. In the textbox to the left create a bulleted list that contains at least 3 bullets about your work life. In the textbox to the right create a bulleted list that contains at least 2 bullets about your major or future career.
• My one-year goal is to…
• My five-year goal is to…
• My ten-year goal is to…
• Complete each sentence with your own personal goals.
• Select slide 1 so that it is the active slide. Ensure the entire slide is selected, not the textbox. On the main menu, select background. In the background dialog box, next to Image, select Choose image. Select the option for Google image search. Find an image that represents you, and add it to the background for the title slide.
• If necessary, change the text color, or move the text so that it stands out against the new background image. To change the text color, select the textbox, and on the main menu, select text color.
• Select slide 2 so that it is the active slide. On the main menu, select the Insert Image button, and select Search the Web. Search for an image that describes your hobbies, and then insert it into slide 2. If necessary resize the image by selecting it and using the resize handles.
• With the image selected, choose Animate on the main menu. Add an Object Animation to Fade in on click. Play the animation to preview it and close the Motion dialog box if necessary.
• Select slide 3 so that it is the active slide. In the empty space next to the bulleted list, add a shape from the Insert tab, then Shapes. Choose any shape to compliment slide 3, and add it to your slide. Then, add text and a fill color to the shape.
• Select slide 4 so that it is the active slide. On the Insert tab, select video, and use the YouTube search to embed a video related to your future career. Trim the video so it is 3 minutes or less. If necessary, close the Format video dialog box.
• Select slide 5 so that it is the active slide. Select the textbox with your goals listed. On the main menu, select a light blue fill color for the textbox. Then, select a darker blue Border Color, with a border weight of 8px. Ensure the solid borderline is selected.
• On the Tools tab, run spell check and make any corrections.
• In the upper right-hand corner, select the arrow next to Present, and then select Present from the beginning. Use the arrows on your keyboard to navigate each slide of the slide deck. When completed, press the ESC key on your keyboard.
• Make any final adjustments to your slide deck, and submit per your instructor’s instructions.

MASTER ACTIVITY 2

In this assignment, you are working as a Clinical Educator for a local healthcare company. You have been asked to make enhancements to a presentation that will be shared with employees on how to properly wash their hands. You have been asked to make the following enhancements to the presentation:

• Change the slide deck theme Droplet Third Variant
• Insert and edit an online video demonstrating proper handwashing
• Add a chart
• Add speaker notes
• Add professional quality images to add visual interest to the presentation
• Add transitions and animations
• Add sources
• Correct bulleted list and fonts
• Run spelling and grammar
• From your data files, open the file Starter_PowerPoint_Master2. If necessary, enable content . In Backstage view, under File, Save As, save the database as Lastname_Firstname_PowerPoint_Master_2 in your assignment files folder.
• Change the slide deck theme to Droplet, with the third color variant. The color variant should be light blue. Ensure the theme and variant are applied to all slides in the deck.
• On slide 3, ensure the hand washing video from YouTube is enabled. If not, insert an online video from YouTube from a reputable source that demonstrates the WHO proper handwashing technique.
• Format the video so that the Height is approximately 5″ and the Width is approximately 9″.
• With slide 4 active, insert a new slide with the Title and Content Layout. For the title, type Statistics. In the content placeholder below the title, select the Insert Chart icon and select Clustered Column.
• Enter the following data for the clustered column chart.

• On slide 5, select the vertical value axis and format the axis so that the minimum bounds is 0.0 and maximum bounds is 0.4.
• Apply Quick Style 6 to the clustered column chart and delete the chart legend.
• Insert a textbox below the chart, and enter the following text: Source: Am J Public Health. 2008 Aug;98(8):1372-81. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.124610. Epub 2008 Jun 12.
• On slide 5, enter the following speaker note:

This data is based on the research study, Effect of hand hygiene on infectious disease risk in the community setting: a meta-analysis, and Improvements in hand hygiene resulted in reductions in gastrointestinal illness of 31% and reductions in respiratory illness of 21%.

• Select slide 2. Delete all of the text starting with “This helps prevent…” and all of the text following it. Remove the bullet from the first paragraph that begins with “Cleaning hands at key times…” and change the font size to 24.
• Under the paragraph, insert an online picture that represents the importance of handwashing. The image selected should be professional. Resize the image and center it under the paragraph. Apply the Drop Shadow Rectangle Quick Style to the picture.
• Select slide 4. With all of the text selected, remove the bullets (do not delete the text). Insert an online picture that represents FAQ, or Frequently Asked Questions. Insert the image in the upper right-hand corner next to the title. Resize the image if necessary so that it fits to the right of the title.
• Centers for Disease Control
• Federal Government
• Clean hands save lives
• World Health Organization
• The International Health Authority on Handwashing
• Infection, Prevention and Control
• Thurston County Public Health in Washington
• Local County Health and Wellness
• Handwashing Toolbox
• Ensure all text that was just added is a bulleted list and left justified.
• With slide 6 still active, insert an online picture that represents the importance of handwashing. The image selected should be professional. Resize the image and center it under the paragraph. Apply the Drop Shadow Rectangle Quick Style to the picture.
• With the picture on slide 6 selected, add the Shape Animation to the picture.
• With slide 1 active, apply the Reveal Transition to all slides in the slide deck.
• Run spelling and grammar check and make any corrections.
• View your slideshow.
• Save your presentation, and take note of where it is located. There should be a total of 6 slides in your slide deck. Compare your presentation to the image below, and make any modifications if needed. Close out of PowerPoint and submit your entire presentation per your instructor’s instructions.

MASTER ACTIVITY 3

In this activity, you will create a presentation regarding your plan of study. Your presentation should include:

• A title slide with your major or plan of study
• A slide explaining why you chose this major
• A slide detailing your graduation timeline
• A slide with post-graduation plans such as University Transfer, Jobs, Certifications, etc.
• A slide highlighting your dream job
• A slide that details your biggest influencers or motivators for completing your plan of study

Your presentation should be professional and collegiate and demonstrate effective presentation strategies. It should include the following elements:

• Professional quality graphics
• Transitions and animations
• A background image on the title slide
• Proper spelling and grammar
• Review your presentation slideshow view.
• Save your presentation as YourLastName_YourFirstName_PowerPoint_Master_3, and take note of where it is located. There should be a total of 6 slides in your slide deck. Close PowerPoint and submit your entire presentation per your instructor’s instructions.

CHALLENGE IT

Complete the following Challenge and submit your completed project.

In this challenge activity, you will complete a project that incorporates many of the key skills learned in the Presentation Software unit. For this project, you are the Marketing Director for the Arizona Tourism Office. The goal of the presentation is to educate visitors on all of the wonderful things Arizona has to offer. You will create a PowerPoint Presentation with the following:

• Animations and transitions
• 7 Themed slides
• Open PowerPoint and select Blank Presentation. In Backstage View, save the presentation in your PowerPoint folder, and name it Lastname_Firstname_PowerPoint_Challenge.
• On the Title Slide, in the Title Content Placeholder, add the following text: Arizona.
• In the content placeholder under the title, add the following text: The Grand Canyon State.
• Change the Font Color to Black, Background 1. Bold all of the text.
• Add a background picture to the title slide only. The background image is found in your data files and titled PowerPoint_Challenge_Step3. Change the transparency of the background picture to 25%.
• Change the Theme to Office Theme, with the third variant.
• Using Reuse slides, add slides 2-6 from the presentation in your data files titled PowerPoint_Challenge_Step_5.
• On Slide 2, insert an online picture of a cactus. Resize and reposition the picture so that it fits to the right of the text. Apply the Soft Edge Rectangle Quick Style.
• On Slide 2, show the speaker notes. In the notes pane, add a period after 2019. And then type the following note: Retrieved online on 1/26/2021 at https://tourism.az.gov
• On slide 3, insert the picture from your data files titled PowerPoint_Challenge_Step8. Resize and reposition the image so that it fits to the right of the text. Apply the Soft Edge Rectangle Quick Style.
• On Slide 3, show the speaker notes. In the notes pane, add the following note: The Grand Canyon is also located in Arizona and is a National Park.
• On Slide 3, insert an Oval Callout shape. Resize the shape so that it has a height of about 2.1″ and a width of about 3.4″. The shape should be located in the bottom portion of the slide, it is ok if it covers a portion of the text or picture. Apply the Colored Fill—Blue, Accent 5 Shape Style. In the shape, type: Which parks have you been to? Apply the Float In animation to the shape.
• On slide 4, insert a Line with Markers Chart. Use the following data:

• Apply Quick Style 3 to the Line Chart, and delete the Legend.
• In the speaker notes on slide 4, type the following note: Data provided by the Arizona Office of Tourism in collaboration with Northern Arizona University—The W.A. Franke College of Business.
• On slide 5, insert the alternating hexagon SmartArt. In each shape, enter one sports team per shape, in any order. Delete the Add a picture placeholder, and delete the bulleted list of sports teams. Move the SmartArt to the right of the title. Change the colors of the SmartArt to Transparent Gradient Range—Accent 1. Apply the 3-D polished Quick Style to the SmartArt.
• On slide 6, insert an online picture of a desert sunset. If necessary, resize and reposition the picture so that it fits to the right of the text. Apply the Soft Edge Rectangle Quick Style.
• After slide 6, add a new slide with the Blank Layout. Insert a Fill—Blue, Accent 1 Shadow WordArt with the words: We look forward to seeing you soon!
• Apply the Page Curl transition to all slides in the deck.
• View the slideshow.
• Save your presentation, and take note of where it is located. There should be a total of 7 slides in your slide deck. Compare your presentation to the image below, and make any modifications if needed. Close out of PowerPoint and submit your entire presentation per your instructor’s instructions.

Computer Applications Copyright © 2022 by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Computer Science

What is Computer Science?

Many things! Jobs vary widely—computer scientists use various mathematical algorithms, coding procedures, and their expert programming skills to study computer processes and develop new software and systems. 

Computer science is the foundation of all computing disciplines. It includes an entire range of subareas, like machine learning, natural language processing, computing systems, networking, operating systems, AI, and human factors.

Computing is part of everything we do. Computing drives innovation in engineering, business, entertainment, education, and the sciences—and it provides solutions to complex, challenging problems of all kinds.

Computer science is the study of computers and computational systems. It is a broad field which includes everything from the algorithms that make up software to how software interacts with hardware to how well software is developed and designed. Computer scientists use various mathematical algorithms, coding procedures, and their expert programming skills to study computer processes and develop new software and systems.

How is Computer Science Different from IT?

Computer science focuses on the development and testing of software and software systems. It involves working with mathematical models, data analysis and security, algorithms, and computational theory. Computer scientists define the computational principles that are the basis of all software.

Information technology (IT) focuses on the development, implementation, support, and management of computers and information systems. IT involves working both with hardware (CPUs, RAM, hard disks) and software (operating systems, web browsers, mobile applications). IT professionals make sure that computers, networks, and systems work well for all users.

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What Careers does Computer Science Offer?

Computing jobs are among the highest paid today, and computer science professionals report high job satisfaction. Most computer scientists hold at least a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field.

Principal areas of study and careers within computer science include artificial intelligence, computer systems and networks, security, database systems, human-computer interaction, vision and graphics, numerical analysis, programming languages, software engineering, bioinformatics, and theory of computing.

Some common job titles for computer scientists include:

• Computer Programmer
• Information Technology Specialist
• Data Scientist
• Web Optimization Specialist
• Database Administrator
• Systems Analyst
• Web Developer
• Quality Assurance Engineer
• Business Intelligence Analyst
• Systems Engineer
• Product Manager
• Software Engineer
• Hardware Engineer
• Front-End Developer
• Back-End Developer
• Full-Stack Developer
• Mobile Developer
• Network Administrator
• Chief Information Officer
• Security Analyst
• Video Game Developer
• Health Information Technician

How Much do Computer Science Professionals Make?

The mean entry-level salary for computer programmers is $64,048  (Payscale), accordion to payscale.com. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a mean annual wage for computer programmers of $107,750  (BLS) while the highest 10 percent earn $167,230  (BLS).

See additional computing salary information .

What Skills do Computer Scientists Need?

Learning how to program and code is only one element of the field. Computer scientists design, develop, and analyze the software and hardware used to solve problems in all kinds of business, industry, scientific, and social contexts. And because computers solve problems to serve and enrich people, there is a significant human component to computer science. Due to the range and complexity of the projects they take on, computer scientists depend on both technical knowledge and essential skills like communication, problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Other useful skills include:

• Analytical and logical thinking
• Technical and mathematical skills
• Attention to detail
• Project management
• Technical writing
• Art and design

Not all computer science professionals will need every skill listed—because of the broad nature of the field, they have the opportunity to focus on the skills pertinent to their unique interests and chosen focus area (which may change over time).

The Future of Computer Science

What does the future of computer science look like? There's no end in sight! Computing has permeated our lives and its influence just keeps growing—from the apps on our phones to any device with a computer processor, computing is here to stay.

Future opportunities in computing are without boundaries. Across virtually every industry, computer science professionals are engaged in programming, systems analysis, database administration, network architecture, software development, research, and more.

Computing at Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech's College of Computing is the first college in Michigan fully dedicated to computing, and one of only a few nationwide. Michigan Tech computer science students gain a depth of knowledge and experience through a wide range of classroom and hands-on learning opportunities.

From industry-standard learning labs to internships, co-ops, and our Enterprise program, you'll get lots of hands-on experience at Michigan Tech. In the Enterprise program , you'll work with a team of students (from any major) on real projects for real clients in an environment that's more like a business than a classroom. With coaching from faculty mentors, our Enterprise teams invent products, provide services, and pioneer solutions. You'll gain rich experiences in engineering design, team building, project management, and end-to-end original product development.

Studying computer science at Michigan Tech is a secure choice for your future. With a degree in computer science from Michigan Tech, you won't be tied to a specific technology or industry for your entire career. It's a fundamentals degree that will serve you throughout your life, no matter how your interests change over time. Plus, with the unique experiences you'll gain during your time here, you'll be prepared for whatever tomorrow needs.

General Computing Program

If you're still deciding which computer science focus you want to pursue, the first-year undergraduate General Computing program gives you one or two semesters to explore the discipline and decide which degree program sparks your curiosity the most. It's a starting point to give you some space to choose the computing field that fits you the best.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

• Computer Science (BS) —choose a concentration in Computer Science, Applications, Computer Systems, or Game Development
• Cybersecurity (BS) —choose a concentration in Software Security or System and Network Security
• Math + Computer Science (BS)
• Software Engineering (BS)

Graduate Degree Programs

• Computer Science (MS, PhD)
• Cybersecurity (MS)
• Data Science (MS)
• Computational Science and Engineering (PhD)

Accelerated Master's Program

Our accelerated master's program allows you to count up to 6 senior-level credits toward both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, and many more majors.

Computer Science Research

What is computer science without research? Computing is a discipline without boundaries, and the Department of Computer Science leads computing-related research and education at Michigan Tech. As we build strong computer science research and teaching environments for our graduate students and faculty, we extend collaboration and outreach across campus, to our colleagues in engineering, science, and business, as well as to industry, local communities, professional societies, and alumni.

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• Introduction to PowerPoint
• Computer Science

Microsoft PowerPoint is essentially a graphics presentation software application that comes in the same package of software as MS Access, MS Excel, MS Word, and MS Paint, issued by Microsoft Office . It is a software that helps the user in formulating and arranging their data and information in the form of slides, which enhances the clarity and communication of the subject, along with adding a visual aspect to the data which makes it more appealing and presentable. 

Thus, it can be used for presenting business ideas and plans, and visually presenting the data also makes learning with the data a lot easier, thus can be used by teachers in schools for making learning fun and uncomplicated.   

Meaning of PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a software that is designed to make graphical presentations in the form of individual pages also known as slides.

Features of PowerPoint

Some of the features available in Microsoft PowerPoint are stated below.

Customising Colour Schemes

Adding Animations 

Creating and Adding tables 

Adding images

Adding and Managing Hyperlinks

Creating Custom Shows

Creating and Importing Charts

Easy exporting to MS Word

How to Start  PowerPoint?

To start powerpoint:.

Click on Start

Click the following in sequence stated: All Programs->Microsoft Office->Microsoft Office PowerPoint 

Starting PowerPoint

The Microsoft Office PowerPoint window will appear, starting the software.

How to Open a Blank Presentation?

By default, when we open PowerPoint for the first time, it opens to a new presentation but for future purposes, if we want to open a new presentation, we can do so by following the below-given steps.

Click on New Presentation link on Getting Started pane on the left which results in the appearance of a new window.

Select on Blank Presentation, when the new presentation appears along with it a Layout pane on the right will also appear.

Select any desired layout from the list.

Opening a New Presentation

Uses of PowerPoint

Uses of PowerPoint in Education:

Since PowerPoint offers the feature of adding images and animations, learning by visualisation makes the learning experience more fun and simplified, and researchers state that visual information is retained for a longer amount of time thus it makes the whole process more beneficial. 

Uses of PowerPoint in Business:

Business is mainly about creating a well-laid out roadmap and planning for the project at hand and then executing it. With PowerPoint we can assure a more organised output with a solid structure.

Uses of PowerPoint for Government and Citizen Services:

PowerPoint is also a good option, from other software bundled within MS Office, for storing records and since it's also printable, it provides easy access to the records for government and citizen services to the seekers.

MS Office PowerPoint is an application for making graphical presentations thus adding a visual aspect to our data, enhancing its concept, and leading to easier communication. The software offers various features like Customising colour schemes, adding graphics, images, and animation, etc. Thus it serves as a salient software under MS Offices.

Sample Questions 

1. How can we view or run a presentation?

Ans: To run a presentation, either click on the F5 key or select Play from Beginning on the  Slideshow Pane.

2. How can we add a blank slide to our presentation?

Ans: For adding a new slide in the same presentation simply click on the Slide icon on the Insert tab and choose the type of slide you want to add from the drop-down menu which unfolds on the screen.

Adding a New Slide

Practice Questions

State whether the following statements are True or False :

In PowerPoint we can use animations.

PowerPoint cannot be used to store records.

PowerPoint allows us to graphically represent data.

We can not export data from PowerPoint to Word.

False  

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate answers:

We can add _______, ________ and _________ which gives our presentation a visual aspect.

PowerPoint is a software designed and issued by _______

PowerPoint presents information in the form of individual sheets termed as ________.

Graphics, images, animations

Microsoft Offices

FAQs on Introduction to PowerPoint

1. What is the difference between the transition effect and the animation effect in MS Office PowerPoint?

Transition effects are used on transitioning from one slide to another, whereas Animation effects can be used on the text or the images on the slide.

2. Can we insert sound in a presentation?

Yes we can also insert sound in our presentation.

3. Is Microsoft Office PowerPoint a software?

Yes MS Office PowerPoint is a software application issued by MS Offices.

Computer Science Definition

On this page..., definition - iowa style, understanding the definition.

Computer science (CS) is the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their applications, and their impact on society. ( Tucker et al., 2003 .)

Computer Science is understanding how and why technologies work, exploring whether and how technology could solve real-life problems, investigating procedures, creating solutions, and learning about computing systems, programming, data, networks, and the effects on society and the individual. Learning computer science means learning how to create new technologies, rather than simply using them. 

In order to grasp the distinct meaning of “computer science,” it’s first necessary to understand two foundational concepts upon which “computer science” rests: computer literacy and digital citizenship.

• common hardware, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones; and
• consumer software, such as word processors, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• how to secure hardware and information with passwords; and
• how to avoid common copyright and trademark issues when sharing information.

In sum, both computer literacy and digital citizenship focus on the “how” aspect of technology: not only how to use technology, but also how to use technology appropriately and responsibly.

Computer science extends beyond computer literacy and digital citizenship in two significant ways:

• First, computer science refers to genuinely understanding not only how, but also why, technology works the way it does.
• Second, computer science refers to the ability to not just use technology, but to actually create technology-based solutions.

Indeed, computer science, being significantly more robust than computer literacy and digital citizenship, can be categorized into five concepts:

• computing systems;
• networks and the Internet;
• data and analysis;
• algorithms and programming; and
• impacts of computing.

Iowa has already shown itself to be a leader in preparing students for the future by including  21st Century Technology Literacy  as part of the Iowa Core. While these skills are essential and important for students to learn, many of the standards would fall under the category of computer literacy and not computer science. For example, the 4th grade standard 21.3-5.TL.3 says to “utilize digital tools and resources to investigate real-world issues, answer questions, or solve problems.” and the 9th grade standard 21.9-12.TL.3 says students will “apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.” Both of these standards have students use technology and so therefore they are more grounded in computer literacy.

The following table distinguishes computer literacy/21st Century Technology Literacy/digital citizenship from computer science.

Justin Lewis

• Software applications

presentation software

• Rahul Awati

What is presentation software?

Presentation software, also known as graphics presentation applications or presentation graphics programs, is a category of software used to create content where information is often represented in a graphical or visual way. A variety of presentation software is available to help tell a story or support written information using pictures, charts, graphs and other visual elements.

Types of presentation software

There are two main types of presentation software: business presentation software and general multimedia authoring tools.

Business presentation software products generally emphasize ease of learning and use, particularly for nontechnical and business users. However, they can include more advanced functions for experienced users. Most business presentation applications let users include visual elements like images , and sometimes audio and video.

General multimedia authoring software lets users create sophisticated presentations that might include photos, icons , audio narrations, transitions, animations and video sequences. Some presentations products combine ease of use and sophisticated features.

Key features in presentation software

Presentation software often includes templates to create visually rich presentations and slide decks. Templates can be easily edited to match user requirements or company brand guidelines. The software usually includes a search feature to discover these templates, as well as approved layouts and previous presentations.

Cloud-based presentation applications generally include shared workspaces and team folders that let multiple people securely collaborate, provide inputs, set status updates, and add comments and reactions. Users can also share presentations, project plans, conference keynotes, sales decks and more in real time. Versioning capabilities might be included so authorized users can manage version history, recover previous versions and view current progress.

Many vendors offer a centralized library of images, photos, icons and animations, and regularly update these libraries so customers can access the visual elements for their presentations. Some applications also integrate with external image sources like Unsplash, Giphy and Brandfetch, so business users can find additional digital assets such as images, logos, fonts and colors.

Other vendors' presentation software integrates with external video sites like YouTube or Vimeo, enabling users to embed video to support the deck's story or main message. Still other graphics applications include audio and data capabilities so users can add narrations to content and integrate data from Google Analytics , Google Sheets and other sources to accompany and strengthen the text.

Some applications include a built-in designer that implements predefined design rules and guardrails. Once content is added to the software, the designer converts notes, data and more into visually rich slides. The slides automatically adapt to the rules, so users don't have to make manual adjustments to change text font and resize images, for example. In addition, the software might include intuitive editing options and smart formatting capabilities to let users make quick edits and finalize a presentation.

The best presentation software includes support for brand esthetics. The application updates every slide and deck with the brand's specific fonts, colors, logos, themes and templates to create consistent brand presentations with the approved brand style. In most cases, style themes are customizable so company logos, colors, fonts and icon styles can be added to the presentation theme and updated as needed.

Artificial intelligence in presentation software

Presentation software products have evolved with more advanced capabilities and intuitive options for edits, sharing and collaboration. Sophisticated applications also include conversational AI engines so users can automatically generate new presentations quickly.

Depending on the software's capabilities, the AI engine may create the first draft of the presentation based on a user's description and needs.

Some AI-powered presentation products include smart templates that can quickly edit the autogenerated software and adapt the content to a user's or brand's story. The application might also include a designer bot that takes design inputs from the (human) user in natural language and generates unique images.

Common applications of presentation software

Presentation software is especially useful to create presentations and decks that include some combination of text, animations, images, video, audio and transitions. These might include creative briefs, pitch decks, moodboards , competitor analyses, proposals, bulletins, project reports, annual reviews, marketing plans and meeting discussions.

All these presentations can be displayed in a slideshow format. Built-in templates, content libraries and editing tools accelerate the design process, regardless of the presentation's purpose or intended audience.

Popular presentation software products

Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most popular presentation software applications available today. It includes numerous user-friendly features for design, sharing and collaboration, object insertion, slideshows, text formatting, audio and video.

Other popular products include Lotus Freelance Graphics, Google Slides , Prezi, Slidebean, Canva and Keynote. Most of these products offer PC and Mac versions. In addition, many are free to download and use, while others come in free, paid or freemium versions.

Presentation software might include different features and capabilities. Organizations and users must assess their requirements, technical stack, audience type and budget before making a purchase.

For example, a geographically dispersed team might be better suited to a cloud-based application that supports borderless collaboration than a desktop application that can't be accessed from outside the enterprise network . Similarly, a marketing plan might require more visual elements while an investor update might require more graphs or charts. The software that is ultimately selected should satisfy these specific requirements.

For more on this topic, learn how to create a successful presentation .

Continue Reading About presentation software

• Pros and cons of AI-generated content
• 15 tips for delivering a successful presentation to the board
• Shared workspaces merge physical and digital worlds with IoT
• 7 key benefits of AI for business
• Microsoft makes PowerPoint Presenter Coach widely available

Related Terms

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the internet.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a network protocol for transmitting files between computers over TCP/IP connections.

A virtual private network (VPN) is a service that creates a safe, encrypted online connection.

Cloud computing requires a security approach that is different than traditional protections. Where does cloud detection and ...

An endpoint protection platform (EPP) is a security technology that safeguards endpoint devices.

Endpoint security is the protection of endpoint devices against cybersecurity threats.

Demand shaping is an operational supply chain management (SCM) strategy where a company uses tactics such as price incentives, ...

Data monetization is the process of measuring the economic benefit of corporate data.

C-level, also called the C-suite, is a term used to describe high-ranking executive titles in an organization.

Employee self-service (ESS) is a widely used human resources technology that enables employees to perform many job-related ...

Diversity, equity and inclusion is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and ...

Payroll software automates the process of paying salaried, hourly and contingent employees.

Voice or speaker recognition is the ability of a machine or program to receive and interpret dictation or to understand and ...

Customer segmentation is the practice of dividing a customer base into groups of individuals that have similar characteristics ...

Customer experience (CX) is the sum total of customers' perceptions and feelings resulting from interactions with a brand's ...

Defining Computer Science

The full version of this content can be found in the Vision for K–12 Computer Science chapter of the complete K–12 Computer Science Framework .

Despite the availability of computers in schools, the most significant aspect of computing has been held back from most of our students: learning how to create with computers (i.e., computer science). Instead of being passive consumers of computing technologies, students should become active producers and creators.

What is Computer Science?

As the foundation for all computing, computer science is defined as “ the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their [implementation], and their impact on society ” ( Tucker et. al, 2003, p. 6 ).

Unfortunately, computer science is often confused with the everyday use of computers and computer applications, such as learning how to access the Internet and use digital presentation software. Parents, teachers, students, and local and state administrators share this confusion. The K–12 Computer Science Framework clarifies not only what computer science is but also what students should know and be able to do in computer science from kindergarten to 12th grade. Computer science builds on computer literacy, educational technology, digital citizenship, and information technology. Their differences and relationship with computer science are described below.

Computer literacy refers to the general use of computers and programs (i.e., computer applications) such as productivity software. Previously mentioned examples include performing an Internet search and creating a digital presentation.

Educational technology applies computer literacy to school subjects. For example, students in an English class can use a web-based application to collaboratively create, edit, and store an essay online.

Digital citizenship refers to the appropriate and responsible use of technology, such as choosing an appropriate password and keeping it secure.

Information technology often overlaps with computer science but is mainly focused on industrial applications of computer science, such as installing and operating software rather than creating it. Information technology professionals often have a background in computer science.

These aspects of computing are distinguished from computer science because they are focused on using computer technologies rather than understanding why they work and how to create those technologies. Knowing why and how computers work (i.e., computer science), provides the basis for a deep understanding of computer use and the relevant rights, responsibilities, and applications. The framework envisions a future in which being computer literate means knowing computer science.

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computer science

Definition of computer science

Examples of computer science in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'computer science.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1961, in the meaning defined above

Articles Related to computer science

Machine Learning

The capability of a machine to improve its own performance

Tech-y Terms Are Older Than You Think

People have been blogging since the 18th century.

Dictionary Entries Near computer science

computerphobe

computing machine

Cite this Entry

“Computer science.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/computer%20science. Accessed 2 Sep. 2024.

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