Back to results

Missouri State University

The Pitfalls of Powerpoint

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The use of PowerPoint has embedded itself in many facets of American culture. From the classroom to the boardroom, "Can you get the lights?" now calls the class or meeting to order. In education, PowerPoint slides indicate what information is important and will appear on the next test. Context is lost in favor of what content will fit on one slide. The most regrettable example of PowerPoint use resulted in the disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia in February 2003. Rather than admitting they had no useful or relevant data, Boeing engineers gave NASA 28 slides with virtually no usable information. The same program that seventh-graders use to present a book report to their class is used to make million-dollar, life-and-death decisions. PowerPoint is single-handedly changing the way people communicate and expect to receive information - and not necessarily for the better. The ability to write clear, effective prose is becoming less important than fitting the necessary information in six bullet points on one slide.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts in English
Level thesis:degree_level
Masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
English
Year
2007

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Jones, Christopher A.
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Kristene Sutliff

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • © Christopher A. Jones

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1092
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2093

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Missouri State University
Base URL
bearworks.missouristate.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Jones, Christopher A.. The Pitfalls of Powerpoint. Masters thesis, 2007. https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1092