Presentations for proposals and defenses

Ross Woods, 2022

In many institutions, research students are required to give presentations at two different stages of the dissertation program. The first is the proposal, where the student introduces the research topic and shows that it is feasible, worthwhile, and well concieved. The second is the defense of the final dissertation.

The principles for both presentations, however, are quite similar. In both cases, you need to plan what you will say. The point is to select the main points and present them clearly and logically in a set of written notes.

Before going any further, find out what visual aides you may use. It is helpful if you can use a Powerpoint. If not, check what other kinds of visual aids are permissible. You might find it very helpful to watch videos of these kinds of presentations; it might give you good ideas from which you could learn, and show you practices to avoid.

Preparing the proposal presentation

  1. Try to express your topic in ten words or less. As a general rule, if you can't say what it is in one concise sentence, you are probably not quite sure what it is.
  2. Prepare one-sentence answers for the following questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how?
  3. Unless your institution says otherwise, create your presentation by taking your Table of Contents and creating 1-2 slides for each section heading.
  4. In the title of the PowerPoint slides, put the page number from the written proposal where the details can be found. Example: Purpose of the Study (Page 10). This does two things:
    1. It allows you to put less on each slide.
    2. Everyone can find the source material quickly if you have to answer a question.

With thanks to Tοm Grαnοff.

How much detail of my literature review should I mention in my defense presentation?

The answer is, You will need very little detail from the literature review, and a brief overview will normally be enough. Make sure you don’t get bogged down. In the defense, focus mostly on your research questions, your design, the data and its analysis, and your conclusions.

However, I might qualify that answer. First, each university is a little different, so you should ask your chair, who should walk you through the defense. Second, you are still free to use the literature review in certain ways if it is helpful to you:

  1. It might be a way to logically introduce your research questions.
  2. You might want to mention how your study is filling a gap in the literature.
  3. A summary of the literature review might be a way to frame the results.
  4. You might want to refer back to it to show how your conclusions have broader implications.

Preparing the defense presentation

If you are required to give a presentation as part of your defense, you will need to prepare thoroughly.

Spend the minimum time recapping your proposal and the majority of your time explaining your findings.

Crystallize your message. You need to be thorough but concise about your research and findings, and the first part of your preparation is to identify the main points you need to get across, and separate them from supporting points. This is not as easy as it sounds, because many students think Everything in the dissertation is necessary. You might need to omit content from your plan just to fit in the time limit. Try these ideas:

Preparing a Powerpoint

Use a PowerPoint if it is permitted. Some institutions even require it and provide templates. It will make your presentation easier for your listeners to follow, and will help keep you on track. (It will also help prevent you from digressions caused by nervousness.)

  1. Do a Google search on something like PowerPoint Presentation Checklists. Skim the suggestions and use those that apply to you.
  2. Keep each slide short with a minimum of words so that you can focus clearly on the main points.
  3. To plan the Powerpoint, see the advice above On preparing for a presentation.
  4. Write your notes on paper before you put them into a template.
  5. Prepare one sentence answers for the following questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how?
  6. Add suitable graphics that help make your point and engage your listeners. Just stick with your preparation.)
  7. Don't try to do anything too cute. Avoid gimmicks and especially don't try any jokes. (Nothing will kill it more than a joke that goes flat.)

Practicing your presentation

  1. Practice alone.
    1. Breathe and talk slowly. (Nervous people tend to talk faster and omit pauses.)
    2. If using Powerpoint, have a script for each slide and don't just read off the slides.
    3. Some things that seemed sensible in a written plan mightn't seem so logical when you start verbalizing them.
    4. Some sentences sound awkward and this is a good time to tweak them. (The worst are long, convoluted sentences and unintended tonou avgue-twisters.)
    5. Practice again and again. It's best if you can rehearse it enough times so that it feels easy and natural, and it will help you to relax and have fun. You will then be able to relate to people more easily because you're confident with the content.
    6. Presentations normally have time limits. Time yourself until your presentation fits into the time allowed.
    7. Record yourself to make sure you convey the main points. (You might miss this step if you intensely dislike watching or listening to yourself.)
  2. After you've practiced alone, practice with a friend as your audience. You might find that some things that made sense when you were alone suddenly don't make sense when you have a real person as the audience. Ask for honest feedback, and be thankful for it. Incorporate their feedback as appropriate.
  3. If you have to give a presentation online, plan to use use dual monitors if you can. Put your Powerpoint presentation on one screen and your notes (e.g. script/pre-thought responses) on the other. Go through your notes and fill in the gaps while looking at the screen with the camera; it looks like you’re having a natural conversation with your examiners in the room. You don't have to follow your notes exactly and slavishly; just use them to jog your memory. It is easier than remembering everything you want to say.
  4. General tips:

In the actual presentation

On the day, just do as you practiced. Follow your notes, but don't read them. If you've done your homework, the content won't be your main problem; you'll probably be very nervous. Keep the basic outline clear and simple, and don't go into details that would confuse listeners.