There are several ways PowerPoint can be used to help students take notes in class. The classic method is to print a PowerPoint slide show as a handout. This may be useful to some students as it gives structure to their note taking. Keep in mind that many undergraduate students are not proficient in taking lecture notes.

Another option is to transfer your PowerPoint presentation—or an outline of it—to Word, where it can be used by students who prefer to use a laptop for this purpose. Converting PowerPoint to Word allows students to type their notes directly into your document. Their notes are then searchable and can be easily edited.

To transfer a PowerPoint outline to Word, choose Send to > MS Word, and select the Outline option. Although
it has potential, do not use the Send to MS Word with Paste Link option. The automatic update feature can
cause havoc.