An easy way to present a series of data on a PowerPoint slide is using a list. When you create a list in either Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 or 2007, you can define your list with bullets, numbers or letters. A popular use of an alphabetical list in PowerPoint is for a second-level list below a numbered or bulleted list. When you apply this list style, the first item in the list is prefaced with the letter "A," the second item is prefaced with the letter "B" and so forth.

  • An easy way to present a series of data on a PowerPoint slide is using a list.
  • When you create a list in either Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 or 2007, you can define your list with bullets, numbers or letters.

Select the slide on which you want to add a list on the Slides tab on the left side of the screen. Optionally, click the "New Slide" button on the Home tab to create a new slide.

Type the list text on your slide. You can add text in a text box, text placeholder or table cell. To add a text box to your slide, select the "Insert" tab and click the "Text Box" button.

Select the list text you want to define using letters of the alphabet.

  • Select the list text you want to define using letters of the alphabet.

Click the down arrow to the right of the "Numbering" button on the Home tab.

Choose the list style in the gallery that displays; PowerPoint applies it automatically to your list. You have three choices for defining your list with letters: upper case letters followed by a period, lower case letters followed by a period or lower case letters followed by a close parenthesis.

Click the "Bullets and Numbering" button at the bottom of the gallery to open the Bullets and Numbering dialogue box if you want to customise your list. In this dialogue box, you can increase or decrease text size, modify colours or change the starting point of your list. For example, select "2" in the "Start At" drop-down list to start an alphabetical list with the letter "B."

TIP

To indent your list, select it and click the "Increase List Level" button on the Home tab. Indenting a second-level list is an easy way to distinguish its content. Verify that your list text is large enough for your audience to read. Long lists using a small font can be difficult to read from the back of a room. Balance the use of lists on a slide with other content. For example, include images, shapes or SmartArt to break up the text and add visual interest.