Presentations and slide outputs
Design and control a presentation that communicates clearly to its audience and remains consistent across slides and outputs.
Exam scope and assessment notes
Cambridge IGCSE Information and Communication Technology 0417, for exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Examples, datasets and practice are original StudyForA material; they are not Cambridge questions, source files, mark schemes or grades. Practical lessons teach transferable operations, but learners must perform them in locally available office and web-authoring software and inspect their own files. This site does not reproduce a Cambridge practical examination or award an official grade. The separate 2029 syllabus is not mapped here.
Before you begin
- No previous ICT course is assumed. Read each scenario carefully and justify a tool or method by connecting it to the task, user and constraints.
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which feature can keep a logo and slide number consistently positioned?
What you will learn
- Create a presentation and use a master slide and layouts for consistent objects and formatting.
- Insert and edit text, images, video, charts, tables, audio, shapes, links, action buttons, notes and alternative text.
- Apply consistent transitions and animations, hide slides and output a controlled show, print layout or handout.
Use the master to create consistency
A master slide controls shared objects and formatting such as logos, header/footer, numbering, placeholder position, heading styles and background. Apply appropriate layouts, then add or move slides. A master reduces repeated work but should not force the same content arrangement on every slide.
Use objects such as text, still or moving images, charts, tables, audio, shapes and arrows to support the message. Add presenter notes for the speaker, hyperlinks to slides/files/email, action buttons for navigation and alternative text or screen tips where helpful. Keep content readable and relevant to the audience.
Present and print for a purpose
Transitions control changes between slides; animation controls how objects appear. Use consistent, purposeful effects rather than distracting movement. A slide can be hidden from the main presentation while retained in the file.
Output may be a presenter-controlled show or a looped carousel. Print full slides, notes or handouts according to the audience's needs. Check that links work, videos and audio have appropriate controls and alternative arrangements, and the printed layout remains legible.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
A presentation will run as a silent looping display at a reception desk. Which settings matter?
Worked example
A health presentation is shown in a classroom and later shared as a printed handout. What should be adjusted for each output?
Show the worked solution
- Use consistent master formatting and readable slide layouts.
- For the live show, check presentation mode, links and media playback.
- For the handout, print slides or notes with text large enough to read and no clipped objects.
Answer Use a master slide for consistent titles and page identity. Test the live show on the classroom system, including media and links. For a printed handout, choose a layout that preserves readability and avoids clipped content; speaker notes may be more useful to the teacher than full-slide printouts.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
A 10-slide presentation repeats a logo and page number. Explain how to make later updates consistent.
Give me a hint
Use a shared master and check exceptions on individual slides.
Compare my reasoning
- Place the logo and automated number on the master.
- Apply the correct master/layout to each slide.
- Change the master once and review all slides for overlap or exceptions.
Put the logo and automated slide number on the master slide, then apply it to the ten slides. Update the master once to revise the logo or its position. Review all slides because individual objects or alternate layouts can override the master.
Look for these in your work
- Uses the master appropriately
- Checks slides for overrides
A presentation uses a video and an action button to jump to a summary slide. List checks before presenting.
Give me a hint
Test on the actual presentation equipment and include a fallback.
Compare my reasoning
- Check the video file path, controls, sound and playback on the presentation device.
- Test the action button and destination slide in presentation mode.
- Prepare an alternative if media or links fail.
Test that the video is present, plays with the intended sound and controls on the actual device; test the action button in presentation mode and confirm it reaches the summary slide. Keep a backup copy and a text summary in case media playback fails.
Look for these in your work
- Tests media and navigation
- Plans for a failure
A slide contains a complex diagram but no spoken description. What should be added for accessibility and why?
Give me a hint
Give equivalent information to a user who cannot see the graphic.
Compare my reasoning
- Add meaningful alternative text or a nearby description.
- Describe the relationships or conclusion, not just 'diagram'.
- Check reading order and ensure colour is not the only way to distinguish data.
Add concise alternative text or a nearby text description that communicates the diagram's relationships and conclusion. Check reading order and use labels or patterns as well as colour, so the content remains understandable without seeing the image.
Look for these in your work
- Describes meaningful information
- Does not rely on colour alone
Common mistakes
- Putting paragraphs on slides because a master makes them look consistent
- Using animation that competes with the message
- Assuming video/audio playback works just because it worked on the author's computer
What can you explain now?
What is the main purpose of a master slide?
Compare with the explanation
To apply shared formatting and objects consistently across slides.
A master centralises repeated design elements, while individual slides can still use different layouts.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
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Make it stick
State one use of a master slide, one reason to moderate animation and one check for a handout.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.