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Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

How to Make a Successful Research Presentation

Turning a research paper into a visual presentation is difficult; there are pitfalls, and navigating the path to a brief, informative presentation takes time and practice. As a TA for  GEO/WRI 201: Methods in Data Analysis & Scientific Writing this past fall, I saw how this process works from an instructor’s standpoint. I’ve presented my own research before, but helping others present theirs taught me a bit more about the process. Here are some tips I learned that may help you with your next research presentation:

More is more

In general, your presentation will always benefit from more practice, more feedback, and more revision. By practicing in front of friends, you can get comfortable with presenting your work while receiving feedback. It is hard to know how to revise your presentation if you never practice. If you are presenting to a general audience, getting feedback from someone outside of your discipline is crucial. Terms and ideas that seem intuitive to you may be completely foreign to someone else, and your well-crafted presentation could fall flat.

Less is more

Limit the scope of your presentation, the number of slides, and the text on each slide. In my experience, text works well for organizing slides, orienting the audience to key terms, and annotating important figures–not for explaining complex ideas. Having fewer slides is usually better as well. In general, about one slide per minute of presentation is an appropriate budget. Too many slides is usually a sign that your topic is too broad.

Limit the scope of your presentation

Don’t present your paper. Presentations are usually around 10 min long. You will not have time to explain all of the research you did in a semester (or a year!) in such a short span of time. Instead, focus on the highlight(s). Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

You will not have time to explain all of the research you did. Instead, focus on the highlights. Identify a single compelling research question which your work addressed, and craft a succinct but complete narrative around it.

Craft a compelling research narrative

After identifying the focused research question, walk your audience through your research as if it were a story. Presentations with strong narrative arcs are clear, captivating, and compelling.

• Introduction (exposition — rising action)

Orient the audience and draw them in by demonstrating the relevance and importance of your research story with strong global motive. Provide them with the necessary vocabulary and background knowledge to understand the plot of your story. Introduce the key studies (characters) relevant in your story and build tension and conflict with scholarly and data motive. By the end of your introduction, your audience should clearly understand your research question and be dying to know how you resolve the tension built through motive.

• Methods (rising action)

The methods section should transition smoothly and logically from the introduction. Beware of presenting your methods in a boring, arc-killing, ‘this is what I did.’ Focus on the details that set your story apart from the stories other people have already told. Keep the audience interested by clearly motivating your decisions based on your original research question or the tension built in your introduction.

• Results (climax)

Less is usually more here. Only present results which are clearly related to the focused research question you are presenting. Make sure you explain the results clearly so that your audience understands what your research found. This is the peak of tension in your narrative arc, so don’t undercut it by quickly clicking through to your discussion.

• Discussion (falling action)

By now your audience should be dying for a satisfying resolution. Here is where you contextualize your results and begin resolving the tension between past research. Be thorough. If you have too many conflicts left unresolved, or you don’t have enough time to present all of the resolutions, you probably need to further narrow the scope of your presentation.

• Conclusion (denouement)

Return back to your initial research question and motive, resolving any final conflicts and tying up loose ends. Leave the audience with a clear resolution of your focus research question, and use unresolved tension to set up potential sequels (i.e. further research).

Use your medium to enhance the narrative

Visual presentations should be dominated by clear, intentional graphics. Subtle animation in key moments (usually during the results or discussion) can add drama to the narrative arc and make conflict resolutions more satisfying. You are narrating a story written in images, videos, cartoons, and graphs. While your paper is mostly text, with graphics to highlight crucial points, your slides should be the opposite. Adapting to the new medium may require you to create or acquire far more graphics than you included in your paper, but it is necessary to create an engaging presentation.

The most important thing you can do for your presentation is to practice and revise. Bother your friends, your roommates, TAs–anybody who will sit down and listen to your work. Beyond that, think about presentations you have found compelling and try to incorporate some of those elements into your own. Remember you want your work to be comprehensible; you aren’t creating experts in 10 minutes. Above all, try to stay passionate about what you did and why. You put the time in, so show your audience that it’s worth it.

For more insight into research presentations, check out these past PCUR posts written by Emma and Ellie .

— Alec Getraer, Natural Sciences Correspondent

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How to Pull Off Your Thesis Defense With a Great Presentation

You’ve reached the home stretch in your journey toward your post-graduate degree. You’ve diligently studied, researched and performed for years, and all that’s left is your master thesis or doctorate dissertation. 

“ All that’s left,” however, might be the understatement of the century. There’s nothing simple about orally defending your thesis, and this final stage often means the difference between a degree and a program that remains incomplete.

Even after you’ve dedicated months filled with blood, sweat and tears defining your argument, researching your support and writing your defense, you aren’t ready to address the academic panel. You still have to design an effective visual presentation, and the slide deck can make or break your entire thesis.

Unsure how to design a stellar slide deck to visually present your thesis or dissertation? Check out the following tips to pull off your master thesis defense with a great presentation:

1.   Properly structure your slide deck

Every master thesis defense presentation is unique, but most effective slide decks will follow a similar structure, including:  

• Title - Just like a research paper, your thesis presentation must include a title slide. This should include the same information as any other title page: the title, your name, your academic institution, course name and the name of the academic advisor to your thesis or dissertation. That doesn’t mean your title slide needs to look like the start of any other Frankendeck . Instead, add your text atop a relative image, and adjust the brightness to ensure your text pops.
• Introduction - Your thesis presentation should also include an introduction slide, which details the topic of your thesis, the question your research will seek to answer and any additional objectives to your research, as well as the answer or solution you will be defending.
• Literature review - Following your thesis introduction, design one or more slides that review the literature you researched. This shouldn’t be a full bibliography (although that should be included in the accompanying written account of your research), but instead, the slides should list your most relevant research sources. If the information is featured on a slide, make sure you include its source. 
• Methodology - Your thesis presentation slide deck should also include a slide (or slides) detailing the methodology of your research and argument. Here you want to describe the type of study— whether it’s quantitative, qualitative or a combination of the two, as well as an explanation of why you chose the method or methods you used. If you conducted original research, you will want to detail the study population, sampling methods and other details pertinent to your studies, while you’ll also want to detail how you analyzed your data.
• Results - No thesis presentation slide deck is complete without dedicating slides to illustrate the results of your research. Be sure to include a description of any data you collected through your research, as well as the results of your analysis of the data. What were your most significant findings?
• Discussion - How do the results of your research support your overall thesis argument? Be sure to include slides that discuss your overall findings and how they relate to your original question.
• Conclusion - Concluding slides should restate your original research questions, represent the results of your research, suggest future research and make any final recommendations.
• Ending slide – Close your thesis presentation with a concluding slide that offers an interesting quote or trivia that makes your audience further ponder your topic, a GIF or animation that recaptures the audience’s attention or even a hypothetical question that opens additional discussion from the academic panel. This is your opportunity to make your presentation memorable.

Thesis Presentation vs. Dissertation

Thesis presentation and dissertation are two terms often used in academic settings related to upper education. While they are related, there are distinct differences between the two, which is important to understand as you begin to structure your thesis defense.

‍ A thesis presentation typically refers to the final oral presentation that a student gives to defend their thesis or research project. It is a formal presentation to explain their findings, methodology, and conclusions to a panel of faculty members or experts in the field. The purpose of a thesis defense presentation is to demonstrate the student's knowledge and understanding of the subject matter and to defend the validity of their research.

On the other hand, a dissertation refers to a lengthy and comprehensive research project that is typically required for the completion of a doctoral degree. It involves in-depth research, analysis, and the development of original ideas in a particular field of study. A dissertation is usually written over an extended period and is expected to contribute new knowledge or insights to the field. Unlike a thesis presentation, a dissertation is submitted in written form and is typically evaluated by a committee of faculty members or experts in the field.

2.   Choose which ideas to illustrate

Unless you have an hour to fill with your master thesis defense or doctorate dissertation, you won’t be able to include every idea from your overall research documentation in your slide show. Choose the most important ideas to illustrate on slides, while also keeping in mind what aspects of your research you’ll be able to visually represent.

3.   Define your presentation’s theme

A stellar thesis or dissertation presentation will be professional in appearance, and a cohesive design is an absolute must. Choose what types of typography and color schemes best support your topic. 

Instead of adjusting these settings on each individual slide— a tedious task at best— choose a PowerPoint-alternative presentation software like Beautiful.ai that allows you to customize a theme for your entire slide deck. Choose your fonts and other typography, your color palette, margins, footers, logos, transitions and more, and the cloud-based tool will automatically apply those design specifications to every slide you add to the master thesis defense presentation.

4.   Design simple and focused slides

You might have a lot of information to present, but when it comes to your thesis presentation— or almost any slide deck for that matter— less is more. Be sure every slide counts by focusing on your main points. 

Then, whatever you do, keep your slides simple. Not even an academic panel is going to dedicate much time deciphering a cluttered slide with all too many details. Try to avoid presenting more than one or two ideas on each slide.

5.   Include data visualizations

The whole point of your presentation is to illustrate the concepts included in your thesis. Humans are visual creatures and react strongly to imagery, and the panel evaluating your thesis or dissertation is no exception— regardless of how studious and formal the academics might seem. Illustrate the results of your research with colorful and engaging infographics . You don’t have to be a graphic designer to create them, either. 

Beautiful.ai users can choose from a host of smart slide templates with data visualizations — including favorites like bar graphs and pie charts , as well as less common options like scattergraphs , flow charts and pictograms . Just input your data and watch as our special brand of artificial intelligence creates the infographic for you.  

6.   Practice makes perfect

After spending months researching your thesis or dissertation, writing about your findings and designing a stellar master thesis defense presentation, you would hate to see all your hard work be for naught. That’s still a distinct possibility, however, if you don’t also practice your delivery. 

Practice, practice and practice some more until you know your master thesis defense like the back of your hand. No academic panel will be impressed by a graduate candidate who stumbles through their presentation or appears to be reading from their notes. Know the contents of every slide, as well as exactly what parts of your overall defense you want to deliver during its display. 

Things to keep in mind to help you nail your presentation

The golden rule of any presentation is to keep your audience engaged. You can ensure a more engaging presentation by maintaining eye contact, using appropriate gestures, and speaking clearly. You can also choose to include the audience in your presentation with interactive questions, polls, and slides.

To help boost audience retention, utilize storytelling. Studies show that when facts are presented in the form of a story, people are 22 times more likely to remember them. Talk about powerful.

Last but not least, plan for questions— and not simply by allowing time for them. Watch other thesis defenses delivered at your institution, and consider what types of questions the academic panel might ask, so you can prepare the best possible answer.

Extra credit:

Get started with our PhD Defense Thesis presentation template here .

Samantha Pratt Lile

Samantha is an independent journalist, editor, blogger and content manager. Examples of her published work can be found at sites including the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and Buzzfeed.

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How to Create a Dissertation Presentation

While writing your dissertation is a Herculean task, the work isn’t quite over once the dissertation is finished. In many disciplines, a dissertation presentation is required as part of the dissertation defense . This thorough, comprehensive presentation is your opportunity to demonstrate the depth and validity of your research in a clear and compelling way. 

Before you begin working on your dissertation presentation, you’ll want to do some homework about the expectations for your presentation. Consult your dissertation advisor and ask for your department or university’s guidelines for the dissertation presentation. It may also be helpful to review dissertation presentations made by recent graduates of your doctoral program. 

These are some commonly asked questions about the dissertation presentation: 

• What is a dissertation presentation?
• How does it differ from a dissertation defense?
• How do I structure my dissertation presentation? 
• What are some additional considerations for the dissertation presentation? 

What Is a Dissertation Presentation?

A dissertation presentation is usually a 10-15 minute overview of your dissertation research that focuses on the study and findings recorded in chapters four and five of your dissertation. The dissertation presentation consists of 9-12 slides made using PowerPoint or another type of presentation software. 

There are conventions to adhere to when creating the dissertation presentation, and each slide serves a specific purpose. The presentation slides offer in-depth insight into the data gathered during the study, as well as any conclusions you may have reached. These slides give you an opportunity to explore the data and discuss the significance of your study and its findings. 

Dissertation Presentation vs. Dissertation Defense

While the culminating moment of a doctoral degree has long been the dissertation defense, many disciplines and programs now prefer for candidates to complete a dissertation presentation. Done in lieu of or in addition to a traditional defense, a dissertation presentation is made distinctive by its inclusion of visual elements such as charts, graphs, or images. 

Dissertation presentations are also a pragmatic approach during the era of online programs and Zoom. While a dissertation defense is powered by an oral defense and discussion with the dissertation committee, a dissertation presentation offers a strategic way to plan and structure the conversation. A dissertation presentation also affords you the opportunity to show the narrative arc of your progression from asking the question, searching the literature, creating the study, and evaluating your findings. 

Dissertation Presentation Structure

Storytelling is a great way to think about how you will approach your dissertation presentation. Show the linear development of your topic and offer a clear and concise snapshot of the work you’ve done. Bear in mind that brevity is important; slide space is limited, so you’ll want to keep it short and sweet. 

The structure of your dissertation presentation will roughly follow your table of contents, which will serve as a map for crafting your slides. The first half of your dissertation presentation slides will mirror your dissertation proposal, or the first three chapters of your dissertation. Slides within your dissertation presentation should include: 

• Problem Statement Write a sentence or two outlining the problem and why it caught your attention. 
• Literature Review Offer observations about the general consensus of existing research on or related to your topic, as well as gaps in the literature–particularly those bridged by your research study. 
• Purpose of the Study This statement should reflect the purpose statement in your dissertation .
• Research Questions Include your primary question as well as secondary questions that resulted from gaps in the literature. 
• Sample and Population/Instrumentation This would be a good place to include graphics or other visual elements.

The second half of the slides in your dissertation presentation will be grounded specifically in the fourth and fifth chapters of your dissertation. These slides will include information about your data collection, analysis, and findings. You can also include an image or two relevant to your research (especially if you have pictures from the field or lab) and personal experience. 

• Data Collection and Analysis Include charts or graphs that illustrate your research on this slide. 
• Research Findings It may be difficult to abridge dozens of pages of results, but try to summarize your findings in a sentence or two. A table may be the best way to present your results. 
• Implications Now we’re getting to the good stuff! You’ve offered a thorough overview of the research you did; take the opportunity to highlight why it matters. What dark corner of your discipline is now illuminated because of the work you’ve done? 
• Recommendations As a now-bona fide scholar in the field, this is a place for you to offer recommendations for further research. Identify two or three more research questions that you encountered during the course of your research. What is the next chapter of this story? 
• Abstract Compose a 100-150 word abstract for your dissertation . Follow the format of a journal article. This will come in handy for submissions to conferences and journals (the next step on your academic journey!). 
• Acknowledgements A quick ‘thank you’ never hurts–feel free to copy your acknowledgements from your dissertation. Don’t forget to thank your committee. 
• Questions Use the final slide of your dissertation presentation to open the floor for questions from your dissertation committee. 

Additional Considerations

Though it is first and foremost a professional document, the dissertation presentation also offers you an opportunity to showcase your style as a scholar. Design your slides for optimum communication and visual appeal. Use graphics and images that reinforce the overarching message of your dissertation. These visual cues will serve as compelling support for your overall narrative, and each one should enhance your dissertation committee’s understanding of your topic, findings, and analysis. 

In addition to graphics and images, think carefully about the aesthetic of your dissertation presentation. Prize high-impact verbiage that gets to the heart of your topic without crowding your slides. Give yourself enough time to draft and revise each slide; it’s not a bad idea to get a second set of eyes on your dissertation presentation, as well as constructive feedback. Remember, this is your final chance to make a lasting impression on your dissertation committee –give them a presentation they won’t soon forget. 

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Courtney Watson, Ph.D.

Courtney Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of English at Radford University Carilion, in Roanoke, Virginia. Her areas of expertise include undergraduate and graduate curriculum development for writing courses in the health sciences and American literature with a focus on literary travel, tourism, and heritage economies. Her writing and academic scholarship has been widely published in places that include  Studies in American Culture ,  Dialogue , and  The Virginia Quarterly Review . Her research on the integration of humanities into STEM education will be published by Routledge in an upcoming collection. Dr. Watson has also been nominated by the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Rising Star Award, and she is a past winner of the National Society of Arts & Letters Regional Short Story Prize, as well as institutional awards for scholarly research and excellence in teaching. Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Watson has served in faculty governance and administration as a frequent committee chair and program chair. As a higher education consultant, she has served as a subject matter expert, an evaluator, and a contributor to white papers exploring program development, enrollment research, and educational mergers and acquisitions.

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How to Create an Effective Dissertation Presentation

For many students, the task of writing a lengthy dissertation is so daunting that they forget about the need for Dissertation Presentation! Amidst all the hard work of researching and writing, students in some courses still need to prepare for a high-quality presentation that will help them earn top marks. This article will help you prepare and give you some essential tips for success.

The Purpose of Dissertation Presentation

There are two main types of Dissertation Presentation that are normally encountered in UK universities:

Mid-Research Presentations

Students will often be asked to present their dissertation work at a mid-point in their research. These presentations are usually made to a panel comprised of various faculty members from your department. In addition, they are sometimes structured as a postgraduate seminar, in which fellow students also attend. Both faculty and students can pose questions. The purpose of these Mid-Research Dissertation presentations is to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their progress and identify any weak areas that need to be addressed.

Assessment Presentations

Students are also sometimes required to make a Dissertation Presentation as part of their overall assessment . This is a much more formal presentation than the Mid-Research one, and it is usually open only to the student, examiners and the research supervisor. During an Assessment Dissertation Presentation, the student is required to present a summary of their research and results. They will then be asked questions by the examiners in a somewhat lengthy oral examination. The purpose of this Dissertation Presentation is to assess the student’s original research project and test its scholarly validity.

Differences in Undergraduate and Masters Presentations

Dissertation Presentations may be required at both Undergraduate (Bachelors) and Postgraduate (Masters) levels. The key difference between these levels is the length and degree of originality expected. Postgraduate Dissertation Presentations will normally be longer than Undergraduate Presentations, and they will demonstrate a greater degree of critical engagement with the subject matter. They will also demonstrate some degree of original thinking. By contrast, most Bachelors Dissertation Presentations will be shorter in length and will only require a thorough knowledge of the topic rather than an original scholarly contribution of any kind.

What to Include

• Broad subject area – What subject area of your discipline does your work fall into?
• Narrow topic area – Within this subject area, what is your specific topic? (This may be simply an expanded discussion of your research title).
• Relevant Existing Studies – What studies have already been done on your specific topic? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How does your work fit among them?
• Methodology and Philosophy – What methodology have you chosen to conduct your research? Is there a specific philosophical context? Why is this a good approach?
• Project Resources – If this is a Mid-Research Presentation, what resources do you require to complete the project? Furthermore, have you identified likely sources of funding, or do you need any difficult-to-acquire materials?
• Case Studies – If you’ve conducted practical fieldwork or lab research, why did you choose these cases or projects? How are they the best choices for researching your topic?
• Research Results – If this is a Dissertation Presentation for Assessment, note the results of your research in detail. Relate these back to your theoretical framework and discuss how the results support or contradict existing studies.

How to Prepare for your Dissertation Presentation

The best way to prepare for your Dissertation Presentation is to review your work carefully. Take notes of the key decisions you have made throughout your research and the scholarly literature that supports these choices. Make sure that you have a thorough understanding of the scholarly context of your research, which should have been achieved in your early research stages.

Once your content has been written, you should create a PowerPoint presentation to use during your talk. Don’t forget the slides should be informative but not wordy – keep bullet points concise and use pictures sparingly. Make sure that you rehearse your presentation several times.

What Sort of Questions to Prepare For Dissertation Presentation

The questions you will face in a Dissertation Presentation are designed to test your knowledge of the subject area and your awareness of the context of your work. You will be asked questions to determine how well you understand the potential criticisms of your project, and how well you are able to defend this. Therefore, remember to reference established scholars and existing research.

You might be asked about the specific choices you’re made with regard to methodology and case studies, and how you accounted for any possible inaccuracies in your resulting data. Similarly, examiners frequently ask students what they would do differently if they were starting the same project again.

You should also be prepared to answer questions about the ways your research might be applied within your field, and how it might be supplemented in future. This is an effective way for examiners to assess the originality of your research, and consider its potential impact on your subject area.

How to Earn a High Mark

Much of your dissertation mark will come from the written work and the research project it represents. However, a good Dissertation Presentation will help make a strong case for a good overall mark, whereas a weak Presentation will confirm any doubts in the examiners’ minds. As such, here are a few key areas for success:

• Good Presentation Skills. As with any Presentation, it is important to speak clearly and concisely. Stand still and look your audience in the eye, and try not to rely too much on notes. Be sure to keep breathing and don’t rush your words!
• Knowledge of the Topic. If you truly have a good understanding of your topic you will be likely to do very well. Remember, much of the Dissertation Presentation is designed simply to test your knowledge. If you’ve kept pace with your reading assignments and practical work you should have no problem answering any questions that are posed to you.
• Professional Behaviour. Stay calm and focused during your Presentation, and answer any questions with objectivity and professionalism. Don’t be drawn into debates, but instead offer references to other scholars whose work supports your own agenda.
• Take Your Time . Many students make the mistake of rushing through their material and answering questions too quickly. This doesn’t give the audience a chance to thoroughly understand the quality of your work. Furthermore, it risks leaving out essential information and neglecting to demonstrate the depth of your research.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas How To Do a Proper Thesis Defense Using the Right PowerPoint Presentation

How To Do a Proper Thesis Defense Using the Right PowerPoint Presentation

Writing a thesis is stressful, but preparing an oral defense can be even more painful. But it doesn’t have to be; with proper preparation and a good presentation, you will be able to better equip yourself comes time to present your thesis defense.

But what makes a good thesis defense?

A proper presentation helps you with your thesis defense because it helps you capture the panels’ attention and gives you cues and reminders on what to say as well.

It also helps keep your data organized while visually looking good and provides a flow structure for the rest of your presentation.

In today’s article, we will be giving you The Right PowerPoint Templates for Your Thesis Defense and a powerful outline composed of best practices and layouts specifically designed to help you defend your thesis in both written and oral presentations.

In the next segments of this article, we’ll walk you through the most feasible process on how to ace this kind of presentation.

Let’s dive into the outline of what makes a great thesis defense.

Thesis Defense Overview

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A thesis defense is composed of two parts – a thesis and a defense.

The thesis, according to Grad School Hub , represents a student’s collective understanding of his or her program and major.

Universities often include a thesis in every course as one of the final requirements to earn a particular graduate or postgraduate degree.

The thesis, however, isn’t just a mere requirement.

It helps the students to grow out of their shell from their respective discipline and give them the opportunity to present all the findings of their study.

Moreover, some people think a thesis is just a long essay, but it’s not. Unlike an essay, a thesis needs to assert something.

This can be considered one of the most crucial research documents that a student makes during their academic schooling .

On the other hand, defense is the presentation of the pieces of evidence to support and prove your research.

It’s the most essential part of the thesis process.

Your presentation has to be prepared to answer questions from members of the committee and any other panel present, and it’s your job to convince them and defend your thesis with ample proof.

Prior to presenting, you have to carefully determine what appropriate evidence should be presented before the panel, depending on what thesis you have to defend.

Thesis and Dissertation Distinguished

A thesis or dissertation is usually required to complete a particular graduate degree. These two words are often used interchangeably by most students when referring to research studies.

But while being almost similar in format or structure, it’s worth noting that they have significant differences that set them apart from each other.

The very reason why thesis and dissertation are treated the same is that these two are both extensive papers. Not just merely long essays like what others are claiming.

Both of these papers are extensive. This is why students are given ample time, usually the entire last semester of the last year of study, to complete all the requirements and finally acquire their degree.

With regards to structure, both papers are very similar with few differences.

Differences Between Thesis and Dissertation

One of the significant differences between the two is to whom the paper is assigned. A thesis is usually required for those students earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree. While a dissertation is for those, who want to obtain a doctorate degree.

However, not all students taking a master’s degree are required to make a thesis. Prior to their enrollment, they have been given a choice of whether they’ll go for a non-thesis program or with a thesis.

Those who have a plan to escalate their degree to a doctorate eventually should take the path of a thesis. This is to prepare themselves for a more extensive dissertation requirement as doctorate students. Otherwise, they will be only limited to earning a master’s degree.

But above all, the most significant difference between the two papers is the purpose for which it is written.

A thesis, like what has been mentioned above, is being done by students obtaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree and has the purpose of testing their understanding of the discipline they’re engaged with.

A thesis is focused on obtaining technical expertise.

On the other hand, a dissertation is made for students to come up with an original study that other researchers haven’t already studied.

USA: In the United States of America, they consider a thesis shorter than a dissertation. In fact, aside from being a requirement to graduate in college, a thesis is now also inculcated in master’s degree programs. And since the dissertation is more extensive, the thesis is treated as preliminary in gaining a doctorate degree.

Europe: The distinction between the two papers is almost opposite to that of the USA. In Europe, a dissertation is only a broader research study from a post-graduate program and not the making of original research. Instead, educational systems in the said continent treat the doctoral thesis as a more elaborate paper writing.

The difference between a thesis and a dissertation might not seem that big, but it’s important that we know what makes them different.

If your upcoming defense gives you pressure and uneasiness, it could be cause you are not sure what to expect. Today we will dispel three common thesis defense myths that will help you be more confident in your presentation.

“Answer all the questions correctly. Otherwise, your thesis won’t get approved.”

You are expected to have a focus on your research.

That being said, you have to study each part of your thesis, every detail, and even your sources.

You have to study and practice how to effectively deliver your presentation.

But don’t overthink to the extent that you’re stressing yourself to know everything perfectly.

Don’t overstress if you can’t answer one of the questions, this doesn’t necessarily mean the committee won’t approve your thesis.

You should know that research is a continuous study.

So you should expect that your committee will always be able to find a gap in your study to fill in future related research .

So in times you don’t exactly know the answer, admit it, and you’ll learn as they give their sides or suggestions.

Making up an answer will only displease your committee, so it’s to be upfront, honest, and transparent.

“The committee is just there to find holes in your study. They don’t care about you.”

One of the typical descriptions students have of the committee is that they are just there to poke holes in your thesis.

Going in with this perspective makes standing before them a nerve-wracking experience.

They’re not your enemy.

In fact, they are there to help you polish your study.

They might challenge you with difficult suggestions and tricky questions.

In the end, they will walk you through the process to come up with better results that won’t only benefit you but also your research.

They care about you and your study, and they’re ultimately there to make your thesis and the research better.  Separate yourself from your work look at it objectively, and don’t take their comments personally .

“If your thesis defense isn’t successful, you have to start your thesis all over again”

An unsuccessful defense is one of the worst-case fears most students have.

One thing that you should be aware of is when you aren’t able to please your committee, you don’t need to start a new thesis again or go back to square one with your existing paper.

It’s unusual that your committee will ask you to change your topic and start from scratch again.

The fact that you’ve been permitted to defend your study means your research is almost complete.

They might suggest further details or ask you for minor revisions, and that’s normal.

But overall, you need to go into this defense thinking that your presentation will be successful. Otherwise, you are already setting yourself up for failure with the wrong mindset.

Remember that positive thoughts attract positive results.

Thesis Defense Presentation Structure and Slides Content

We can use language learning models like ChatGPT to help us curate the structure of our thesis presentation. Let’s see a step-by-step solution on how to apply this.

Step 1: Define the thesis topic and research questions

You can set the environment for ChatGPT to work by explaining what your thesis is going to cover and which specific questions you aim to address through the course of that document. This gives ChatGPT the context from which it shall formulate the structure. A prompt can be written like this:

“Take the role of an academic professional who shall help me to write my thesis. This thesis is going to cover the topic of (insert topic), and through its course, I want to answer these questions: Question 1 – Question 2 – Question 3 – Consider this information as the starting point for this chat.”

Step 2: Ask for an outline

With the previously provided information, ask ChatGPT to generate an outline for your presentation. If some of the points listed in the output don’t convince you, then chat with the interface until you reach a final outline. Then, ask to elaborate on each specific point for information or cues you may have overlooked.

Step 3: Ask ChatGPT which content should you place per slide

Instead of debating how are you going to trim your thesis into a presentation format, ask ChatGPT to do the decision process for you. You can be as specific as asking how many words per slide, how many slides should the presentation have, if you need any visual element, etc.

N.B.: We don’t recommend using ChatGPT to retrieve academic references as, in some cases, it can provide faulty results. You can ask if any facts on this presentation need to be checked or similar questions. ChatGPT is a powerful tool, but it shouldn’t be considered a bible, so be extra cautious about grabbing content directly from its outputs.

1. Title Page

This slide should contain the information that is provided on the title page of your hard copy . Here is an example of title page or cover slide for your title defense or thesis presentation.

• The title of your research paper
• Where you are studying
• Name and details of your course
• Name of Adviser

2. Introduction Slide

Your introduction slide should provide the committee with an idea of the following:

• What is the topic area that you are investigating ?
• What are the specific research questions that you set out to answer?
• Why is this question important to answer?
• What were the objectives of your research?

3. Literature Review Slide

It’s not necessary to cover everything that’s currently understood in the available literature. You may want to present the following content under a Literature Review slide:

• Relevant current research that is close to your topic
• Different theories that may apply to your specific area of research
• Areas of weakness that are currently highlighted

4. Methodology Slide

Make sure to touch the factors below within your process, and include the following in the Methodology slide:

• The type of study you have conducted: qualitative, quantitative, or mixed
• The methods that you chose and why
• Details of the population, sampling methods, and other information
• Provide information regarding how you have analyzed the data that you have collected

5. Results Slide

This part should give the committee/audience a good understanding of what you’ve discovered during your research. The statistics & results slide could include the final results of your analysis, here is an example:

• An overall description of the data that you collected during your research
• The results of the analysis that you have done on that data
• What were the most significant findings from your data

6. Discussion Slide

Highlight here the meaning of the findings in relation to your discipline program and the research that you have done:

• What are the major findings, and what do they mean with regard to your research
• How do these findings relate to what others have found in the past
• How can you explain any unusual or surprising result

7. Conclusions Slide

You have to end your presentation with a conclusion summarizing all that you have found within your research. Here is an example of a Conclusion slide in a Thesis presentation:

• Restate your research questions
• Show how your results answer these questions
• Show what contribution you have made
• State any limitations to the work you have done
• Suggest future research
• Make any recommendations

See Also: How to Create a Great Investors Pitch Deck and Close the Deal

8. Acknowledgements Slide

Express gratitude to your advisor, committee members, peers, and others who supported your research journey. This slide provides a moment to acknowledge the collaborative nature of academic work.

9. Questions and Answers Slide

Dedicate a slide for audience questions at the end of your presentation.

Encourage engagement by inviting questions from the audience.

Be prepared to provide clear and concise responses to inquiries.

10. References Slide

Include a slide listing your cited sources throughout your presentation.

Use a consistent citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

The References slide demonstrates your thorough engagement with existing literature.

11. Contact Information Slide

If you’re open to further inquiries or collaborations, consider adding your contact information.

Include your email address or relevant professional social media handles.

How to use SlideModel AI Presentation Maker for your Thesis Presentation

If you want to save hours of manual time, you can leverage AI tools to make your thesis presentation. The best part of integrating AI tools into our workflow is that we can pair them to get even better results than we expected. With SlideModel’s AI presentation maker , users can create an entire slide deck by introducing these variables:

• Topic of your thesis
• Number of slides to include in your thesis presentation
• Outline checkup

And that’s it! Download the AI-generated presentation in PPTX format or for Google Slides, and edit it if you require adding some extra content. The core elements are already done, and you can save countless hours of hard work.

Tips During Your Oral Defense!

Review your materials.

Even if you already feel confident with your upcoming presentation, you still need to review your materials.

You can bring the hard copy of your thesis with you during the defense, but you don’t want to get lost in your presentation when you forget some specific details and have to scan your papers.

You should know your paper in and out.

Rehearse Your Presentation

It’s not wrong if it sounds like a script when you speak in your oral defense. It’s expected and understandable.

You need to practice your presentation, especially when there’s a time restriction given to every presenter.

You only need to prepare enough slides that would fit your time limit. A hundred slides aren’t suitable for a 15 to 20-minute presentation, nor 10 slides for an hour of defense.

Your rehearsal will be more effective if you practice it in front of an audience.

Note: You will experience complete silence in the defense room. You might feel awkward because, most of the time, you’re the only one speaking out loud.  This is completely fine, and it’s something you should practice in rehearsal should you be afraid.

Narrow the Presentation of Ideas

Regarding your slides, you don’t have to include everything that’s in your paper. You should narrow down your ideas to the main points and the most important details, such as the statistics and findings.

If the members of your committee think you lack details or they want to hear a further explanation, they won’t hesitate to ask you.

Prepare for the Unexpected Questions

The panel tends to challenge the presenters, usually through some hard questions.

Its aim is how well do you you have done your research and how prepared you are.

But as long as you know the ins and outs of your paper, you shouldn’t lose your confidence regardless of which questions they ask.

Just keep in mind that what you’re saying in your oral defense is not in conflict with what is written on the hard copy you provided them.

What To Do When You Don’t Know the Answer

If the committee asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, don’t make up a baseless answer.

Baseless means out-of-context answers or something without proof or backup.

How To Deal With The Nervousness

The committee expects you to be nervous. Of course, it’s normal.

However, one effect of being nervous is the changes in your behavior.

There’s a tendency for you’ll talk fast, which will make it hard for the committee to understand you.

It might also cause you to have a mental block.

So try to slow down. Take a deep breath.

Inhale, exhale.  Remember to breathe!

It’s OK to pause, and it’s OK to take your time; it’s more important that the committee clearly understands what you are trying to articulate.

More Quick Tips on How to Present!

• Introduce yourself at the beginning
• Introduce the title of the presentation
• Don’t read your notes if possible
• Don’t speak too fast
• Put an emphasis on what you’re saying so you don’t sound monotonous
• Look at your adviser once in a while for possible signs
• Stand on the right of the white screen if you are right-handed so you can easily refer to the slide without giving your back to the committee
• Face the audience when you talk
• Keep an eye contact
• Make sure to keep attention to the reactions of the committee and don’t forget to react in turn

We hope you enjoyed this article on how to do a proper thesis defense and how to best prepare for one using proven tips and techniques to help you get through this.  Hopefully, after your defense, you will be set as the one in your class to deliver an inspiring graduation speech for your peers. If you have value, please remember to share this article. We also recommend you read these Thesis Statement Examples for inspiration to create your own professionally.

1. MasterDoc PowerPoint Template

Creating a Thesis presentation should be a straight forward task; based on your thesis document and following the tips described above you have a high level structure already outlined. The MasterDoc PowerPoint template provides professional layouts with texts and image placeholders; so you can create document like slides using your thesis defense as your content. This template is ideal for a highly detailed documents, where visuals and words unite to illustrate one concept per page. The result is an asset that can be read and digested more quickly than either your thesis document or a presentation created for assisting a speech. A document created with the MasterDoc PowerPoint templates is meant to be printed or distributed, read on screen without the accompaniment of a presenter or used in an e-learning platform as pure learning content.

Use This Template

2. Thesis Presentation PowerPoint Template

You had invested a considerable time researching, testing hypothesis and confirming your thesis. Craft your thesis presentation with the same level of detail you applied in your work. Using the Thesis Presentation PowerPoint Template you will focus only in your content and your message. The layouts, images,design and structure will be taken care by the template.

3. Master Thesis PowerPoint Template

The Master Thesis PowerPoint Template is a professional document designed for postgraduate degrees presentations. It provides simple sections that follow  the structure and best practices of traditional research thesis presentations. Starting with the introduction to the theory and state of the art scenario; following with hypothesis research and its findings and concluding with the confirmation or negation of the initial thesis statement.

4. Essay Outline PowerPoint Template

Your thesis defense can be accompanied by an essay, that states your thesis and argues about it using several supporting paragraphs. This kind of document is ideal to be an intermediate step between reading assisting to the thesis presentation and reading the complete thesis documentation. It has more information that your thesis defense abstract, but does summarizes the supporting evidence and examples that allows the argument of each idea behind the thesis. You can use the Essay Outline Template to present your Essay outline and create an essay linked to your thesis defense documentation.

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36 Responses to “How To Do a Proper Thesis Defense Using the Right PowerPoint Presentation”

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Preparing for the final dissertation defense

A fter all of the work necessary for completing a dissertation, preparing for the final dissertation defense can seem quite difficult. However, in my experience, the final dissertation can be an opportunity to show off your work and bring an appreciation for all that you have accomplished. In today’s post, I will discuss how to prepare for the final dissertation defense to set yourself up for success.

In the final dissertation defense, you and your dissertation committee meet to discuss the dissertation. Typically, these meetings run an hour or two long. The meeting often begins with you making a brief presentation and transitioning to a question-and-answer and discussion period. The defense format generally works similarly to that of the proposal defense, so you should find this process familiar.

At some institutions, defenses are public and open to the campus community; on other campuses, attendance is restricted to the student and committee (Brause, 2012). If your institution allows outside attendees, we highly recommend you attend a defense or two prior to your own.

For your defense, we suggest bringing a colleague as a friendly face and note taker, if permitted. Your committee usually provides a number of areas for edits and changes mixed in with their questions, and the defense will go more smoothly if you only have to worry about answering questions rather than taking notes as well. 

Most institutions mandate that you submit the final dissertation, approved by the chair, to the full committee at least two weeks before the defense. Even if this deadline is not required at your institution, follow a similar guide in order to respect the committee’s time and ensure they have sufficient opportunity to read your dissertation before the defense.

You increase the likelihood of the committee having an in-depth discussion of your work, rather than simply asking clarifying questions when you give the committee sufficient time to read the dissertation before the defense. While the proposal defense likely included edits, suggestions, and revisions to the study, the study is concluded by the time of the final defense. The committee will not ask you to go back and complete more interviews or add a new case study site—those issues were settled at the proposal defense. Giving the committee time to digest the study and ponder the results deeply ensures that the defense represents, in fact, more of a dialogue. 

Additionally, giving the committee adequate time to review the work allows them to raise any glaring issues that may be resolvable before the dissertation defense. If a dissertation committee member has such major issues with your work, these should be addressed before the meeting and, likely, the defense should be rescheduled. Your chair and committee are responsible for identifying major issues and even canceling the defense if necessary. In our view, no student should fail their defense unless they push ahead without their chair or committee’s support.

Neither you nor the chair or committee should put you in a position where failing the defense is a possibility. If your chair and/or committee raises concerns, take them seriously and do not be afraid to push back the defense date, as defending later than planned is much better than having an unsuccessful final defense.

During a successful defense, you will often notice a shift in the focus of conversation and questions during your defense. About halfway or so through, the questions will turn from focusing on your analysis, findings or recommendation to what is next for your work and how the dissertation will inform your future career. This natural progression signals that you have transitioned from a student to a colleague. Beyond this general observation, we find that the final defense tends to focus on four general types of questions. 

Type 1.  Questions About Differences Between Defense Presentation and Dissertation Document

Often, during their presentations, students bring up ideas or information that are not included or receive little attention within the dissertation document. As we have advised earlier, you should not include every single detail in your dissertation; sometimes even important and interesting ideas get left out—and this is okay. The committee may pick up on these ideas, ask questions about them, and ultimately ask that they be added to the dissertation during the post-defense revisions. 

Type 2.  Questions About Clarifying Information 

As in the proposal defense, many questions focus on clarification—particularly at the beginning of the defense. Sometimes an issue is legitimately unclear; other times, the committee wants to ensure you can articulate and defend claims not only in the written document but also orally. In responding to clarifying questions, articulate why you made certain decisions, note any tradeoffs that were made, and defend the research choices to demonstrate understanding of the topic, method, findings, and conclusions. 

Type 3.  Questions That Push You to Expand Your Findings and/or Conclusions

Committees often try to push you to expand your findings and conclusions. We commonly find that students seem timid, fearing being wrong or offering conclusions beyond the data. The committee will ask questions and push to see how far you can take the analysis and conclusions. Not only will this feedback improve the dissertation, but the ensuing dialogue also shows that you know the limitations of the data.

Type 4.  Questions About What’s Next

As noted earlier, the conversation during the final defense will likely turn at some point to the future. Where might you publish your dissertation? How might you put your recommendations into practice? These and similar questions are geared toward helping you think about what comes after graduation and how you can take the dissertation beyond simply an academic requirement for the doctoral program. In some ways, these questions can prove the most challenging, as you may not be sure what you want to do, but students’ answers to these questions can be the most rewarding aspect of the dissertation defense. 

This post is an excerpt my book, The Qualitative Dissertation in Education: A Guide for Integrating Research and Practice , with Karri A. Holley.

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Example dissertation powerpoint presentation slide

Download and craft this example dissertation PowerPoint presentation slide to make your proposal convincing and appealing. This is one of the best process PPT designs to plan, research and write down the things in a sequence. A professional dissertation PPT template accumulate all the ideas, notes and scribbles to draw up new plans or give a detailed breakdown of the specific chapter. This dissertation Presentation icon offer a layout working on effective planning which is a continuous process and intensify while writing of your dissertation and not something which fades into the background. A user can design a clear question that dissertation hunts to answer. This professionally crafted template plan is helpful to impose order on unmanageable processes. Example dissertation PPT design is one of the indicative structures helping its people with the initial plan. User needs to refer to module guidelines and address the assessment criteria in this editable dissertation PowerPoint Presentation slide. Confound your critics with our Example Dissertation Powerpoint Presentation Slide. Force them to amend their impression.

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Content of this Powerpoint Presentation

'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.'-Leonardo da Vinci. 

This timeless message from one of the greatest global artists encapsulates the essence of presentability and art. The same goes for a dissertation. You have toiled for months or even years on your research and have come up with something exciting. Now, you are all set to present it to the analysts. The only thing you need? A powerful dissertation presentation that crafts a narrative to capture the essence of your research. 

A well-crafted dissertation presentation serves as the bridge between your work and its audience. It connects viewers at the conscious and subconscious levels to help them understand critical parts of research. 

But how exactly do you do that? 

A dissertation proposal timeline helps you draw up a solid plan on how to go about the research. Get best-in-class PPT Templates on dissertation proposal timelines here.  

Well, our team has prepared this dissertation template to serve that purpose. You can use it to turn your detailed research into a compelling story that your audience will love!

Now, let's take a look at some of the most vital slides of this template. 

Every slide in this template is adorned with icons, tables, charts, and bars that are 100% customizable. Thus, you can tailor the template to suit your research.

The planning process is critical to a good dissertation and clearing critical questions and reviews. Access these templates on planning process dissertations here.  

Let’s explore the products!

Template #1: Literature Review

This slide presents a crisp and structured layout that showcases the theories related to your research. The monochromatic backdrop is highlighted by a magnifying glass image showcasing the review's analytical nature. Five color-coded bullet points allow for a clear differentiation between theories. It ensures that each point is identifiable and stands by the audience. The simple and effective color palette with eye-grabbing icons maintains focus on the content and makes it fully functional and visually appealing for viewers.

Template #2: Purpose Statement

This slide is the cornerstone of your presentation. It succinctly conveys the essence of your entire research. With a confident handshake icon that symbolizes commitment and objectives, it grabs the attention of the audience to the greatest degree. The best part? It's framed against a bold yellow that stands out against a subdued, professional backdrop. This aesthetic color choice grabs the viewer's attention to the crux of your investigation. Here, you articulate the central question your research addresses and set the stage for the value and direction of your scholarly work. This slide is where your study's intent and potential impact are highlighted.

Template #3: Hypothesis

This slide introduces the pivotal propositions of your research. Numbered circular icons guide the viewer through a sequence of hypotheses. Each one of those hypotheses is circled in dashed lines. These lines indicate the iterative nature of scientific enquiry. The backdrop is an array of books that showcase the importance of knowledge and the comprehensive research underpinning your assumptions. The color coding—vivid gold to teal—provides a visual hierarchy. Why? Such color coding helps the audience distinguish and follow each proposed idea.

Template #4: Methods 

This template marks the blueprint for your in-depth research. It's divided into three primary sections: 'State Study Design,' 'Define Groups,' and 'Participant Demographics.' Each section is segregated with bold color blocks and dashed lines that guide the audience through the systematic approach of your study. The mustard, forest green, and teal color scheme looks visually harmonious but delineates each methodological step. In 'Participant Demographics,' precise age, height, and weight placeholders are also provided. Such attention to detail indicates the depth of your sample's characteristics.

Template #5: Statistical Analysis 

This slide displays the depth of quantitative validation in your research. It presents a table formatted to showcase the statistical comparisons between conditions of your study. The bold header row in a commanding shade of orange draws attention to the key metrics: Mean differences, standard errors, significance levels, and confidence intervals—you name it! The well-structured layout offers a clear, easy-to-follow matrix that expresses the relationships and variances within your data.

Template #6: Results

This slide showcases the outcomes of your research in a clear and impactful manner. Each result is showcased with the help of a donut chart! This offers a visual qualification to your findings. The color scheme changes as you go from one result to the next — subdued gold, teal, and blue. Such a color code differentiates each result and maintains the cohesive aesthetic of the presentation. The simplicity of the design ensures that the focus remains on the significance of the results themselves. Result? The audience can grasp the success metrics or key takeaways of your study. This slide highlights the achievements of your research without overwhelming you with details.

Template #7: Discussion

Your research is done, and your results are out, so now what? Well, the next step is to take a deep dive into the implications of your research results. This slide focuses on this. It includes three distinct segments that guide the presentation through key discussion points. This structure provides an organized framework for interpreting the data, exploring the significance of the findings, and considering their impact on the field. The background image sets the stage for an intellectual exchange. It reflects the collaborative and often communal nature of knowledge development. This slide is a platform for critical analysis and promotes thoughtful discussions.

Template #8: Conclusion/Findings

The slide is where the essence of your research is crystallized into key takeaways. It is meant to guide your audience through a sequence of significant revelations. It's segmented into four distinct parts and each one represents a cornerstone of your study's outcomes. The layout facilitates a concise summary of your most impactful results. This leads to a definitive statement of what your work contributes to the field. This slide sums up your presentation, and it is where your research narrative reaches its peak and presents a clear, decisive statement of your findings.

Template #9: Implication for Future Research

Research is a never-ending field. You reach one conclusion, and multiple potential research can stem from that study. This slide is designed to deal with these research opportunities. It offers six focal areas that highlight where subsequent research can expand upon your work. The slide is organized to prompt consideration of where the academic community can take the insights you've provided. Each segment invites researchers to delve deeper, challenge, or build upon their findings. This ensures the continued evolution of scholarly research in your field.

Template #10: References

This slide is a scholarly nod to the foundational work you have done for your research. It's a testament to the academic integrity and thoroughness of your study. It lists the sources that support your hypotheses, methodology, and conclusions. This slide acts as the final, crucial link in your research chain. It acknowledges the contributions of others and situates your work within the larger context of existing knowledge.

Charting New Horizons

Dissertation is the essence of your entire research and hard work. It can help you get across the myriads of academic scrutiny. A well-crafted dissertation shares your story through data, theories, and hard-won insights. This template acts as a stepping stone towards that end—articulate, precise, and engaging. Now, it's your turn to take this template and cast your story into the world. 

PS A 10-week dissertation report timeline helps you be in time and meet deadlines for research submission. Get these slides here.

Example dissertation powerpoint presentation slide with all 60 slides:

Move towards the center of action with our Example Dissertation Powerpoint Presentation Slide. They help you break away from the fringes.

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