Giving presentations can be nerve-wracking. Even if you know your content inside and out, it’s easy to lose your train of thought when all eyes are on you. This is where speaker notes come in handy!
Speaker notes allow you to add notes to each slide that only you can see. You can print these notes out separately so you have a reference to glance at while presenting. This way, you can keep your place without reading straight from your slides.
Printing only speaker notes keeps things discreet for your audience while helping you deliver a smooth, professional presentation. Here’s how to do it in PowerPoint.
Why Print Speaker Notes?
There are a few key reasons why printing standalone speaker notes can improve your presentations:
- Remember details. Speaker notes allow you to add extra details, data, citations, etc. that support your talking points. Having these notes handy ensures you don’t forget important facts and figures.
- Stay organized. Printing notes helps you stay on track from one slide to the next so your presentation flows logically.
- Appear more polished. By relying on a printed reference, you avoid reading paragraphs of text directly from slides, which looks unprofessional.
- Make eye contact. Keeping your eyes on your audience instead of your slides helps you engage them and gauge reactions. Brief glances at your notes keeps you focused without breaking contact.
Step 1: Add Speaker Notes in PowerPoint
Before you can print speaker notes, you need to add them to your presentation. Here’s how:
- Open your PowerPoint presentation.
- Select the slide you wish to add notes to.
- Look to the bottom of the screen and locate the notes pane.
- Click inside the notes pane and type any notes you wish to add.
Repeat this process for each slide requiring notes. The notes will not appear on the slide itself during presentation mode.
Step 2: Print Using Notes Pages Layout
Once you’ve added speaker notes, it’s time to print them.
- Navigate to the “File” tab and click “Print.”
- In the Settings panel on the right, click the drop-down box next to “Full Page Slides.”
- Select “Notes Pages” from the drop-down menu.
- Verify page setup is correct under “Printer Properties.”
- Click “Print.”
This will print all slides with their corresponding speaker notes formatted neatly below each slide’s thumbnail image.
Step 3: Print Notes Only (No Slide Thumbnails)
To conserve paper, you may wish to print only the speaker notes without the thumbnail slides images.
- Navigate to the “View” tab and click “Notes Page.”
- Delete the slide thumbnail box on each notes page. (This does not delete slides from the actual presentation file.)
- Return to the “File” tab and select “Print.”
- Under “Settings,” choose “Notes Pages” from the layout options.
- Verify printer setup then click “Print.”
You will now have a printout of just the speaker notes for quick on-stage reference!
Troubleshooting Printing Issues
Occasionally you may run into formatting problems when printing notes. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Adjust the “Notes Master” layout to refine how notes print on the page.
- On problematic pages, right-click and choose “Notes Layout” > “Reapply Master” to reset formats.
- Change paper size away from and back to “Letter” size under printer properties to refresh page parameters.
- Copy-paste notes into Notepad to strip all formatting, then paste back into PowerPoint notes pane.
Printing a notes-only handout takes a bit of setup but is worth the effort. Use these PowerPoint skills to keep your presentation on track and your audience engaged from start to finish!
Presentation Tips Using Speaker Notes
Now that you know how to print notes pages, here are some best practices for using them effectively:
- Practice with notes. Rehearse with your printed notes to ensure they contain the right amount of detail – not too much, not too little.
- Highlight critical info. Use a highlighter to mark key facts, data points, quotes, etc. you definitely don’t want to miss.
- Keep it small. Use a small font and condense notes so they serve as prompts rather than paragraphs to read.
- Glance briefly. Train yourself to glance at notes for 1-2 seconds so audiences barely notice. Lock eyes with them again before speaking.
- Change up positioning. If you use a podium, place notes to the left or right of your script so your head turns naturally. Face the audience again before continuing.
With the right balance of well-prepared speaker notes and presentation practice, you can knock any speech out of the park!
