Speaker Notes

The ability to create additional notes to help get you through the presentation.
These accompany each slide and can contain additional text or comments.
These notes can be as comprehensive as you want to make them
Can be used to refresh your memory
They don't actually appear during a slide show
They can be printed separately
Each notes page contains a small image of the slide plus any notes.
You can print and use them to prompt you during a presentation.
In Normal view you can add notes to your slides
Every slide in a PowerPoint presentation has an accompanying speaker notes page which consists of a smaller version of the slide along with space for any notes you might want to add.
These notes will not be visible during a slide show but they will be printed out on paper
If you want to add information to your notes page or change the size of the placeholders you can do so using the Notes Master.

Advantages of Speaker Notes

When you give an important presentation to a large number of people this provides you with a way to write the complete script beforehand which you can then refer to during the actual presentation.
The Notes pages can also be used to write down any jokes or anecdotes etc that you want to remember during the presentation.
You can print blank notes pages if you would rather handwrite your notes. You can use (File > Print) to print blank notes pages for your presentation.
You can also create audience handouts which contain either two, three or six slides on a page.

Creating Speaker Notes
Adjusting the Notes page to make long notes fit
Adding a new slide from the Notes page
(View > Notes Page)
One notes page is allocated for each slide
In the Normal view the notes are displayed at the bottom in a separate pane.

You can adjust the size of the Notes pane by dragging the dividing bar.
You can adjust the zoom setting
There is also a separate Notes Page View
Each note page displays a reduced version of the slide and an area for notes.
There is no keyboard shortcut for switching between the different views (or panes ??).
Use the icons in the bottom left corner

It is possible to insert a new slide when in Notes View
(Insert > New Slide)
New slide button on standard toolbar
(Ctrl + M)

You cannot modify any objects on a slide from within Notes Page view.