how to prepare powerpoint for thesis defense

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.

How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

What is a thesis defense?

How long is a thesis defense, what happens at a thesis defense, your presentation, questions from the committee, 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense, 1. anticipate questions and prepare for them, 2. dress for success, 3. ask for help, as needed, 4. have a backup plan, 5. prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer, 6. de-stress before, during, and after, frequently asked questions about preparing an excellent thesis defense, related articles.

If you're about to complete, or have ever completed a graduate degree, you have most likely come across the term "thesis defense." In many countries, to finish a graduate degree, you have to write a thesis .

A thesis is a large paper, or multi-chapter work, based on a topic relating to your field of study.

Once you hand in your thesis, you will be assigned a date to defend your work. Your thesis defense meeting usually consists of you and a committee of two or more professors working in your program. It may also include other people, like professionals from other colleges or those who are working in your field.

During your thesis defense, you will be asked questions about your work. The main purpose of your thesis defense is for the committee to make sure that you actually understand your field and focus area.

The questions are usually open-ended and require the student to think critically about their work. By the time of your thesis defense, your paper has already been evaluated. The questions asked are not designed so that you actually have to aggressively "defend" your work; often, your thesis defense is more of a formality required so that you can get your degree.

Check with your department about requirements and timing.
Re-read your thesis.
Anticipate questions and prepare for them.
Create a back-up plan to deal with technology hiccups.
Plan de-stressing activities both before, and after, your defense.

How long your oral thesis defense is depends largely on the institution and requirements of your degree. It is best to consult your department or institution about this. In general, a thesis defense may take only 20 minutes, but it may also take two hours or more. The length also depends on how much time is allocated to the presentation and questioning part.

Tip: Check with your department or institution as soon as possible to determine the approved length for a thesis defense.

First of all, be aware that a thesis defense varies from country to country. This is just a general overview, but a thesis defense can take many different formats. Some are closed, others are public defenses. Some take place with two committee members, some with more examiners.

The same goes for the length of your thesis defense, as mentioned above. The most important first step for you is to clarify with your department what the structure of your thesis defense will look like. In general, your thesis defense will include:

your presentation of around 20-30 minutes
questions from the committee
questions from the audience (if the defense is public and the department allows it)

You might have to give a presentation, often with Powerpoint, Google slides, or Keynote slides. Make sure to prepare an appropriate amount of slides. A general rule is to use about 10 slides for a 20-minute presentation.

But that also depends on your specific topic and the way you present. The good news is that there will be plenty of time ahead of your thesis defense to prepare your slides and practice your presentation alone and in front of friends or family.

Tip: Practice delivering your thesis presentation in front of family, friends, or colleagues.

You can prepare your slides by using information from your thesis' first chapter (the overview of your thesis) as a framework or outline. Substantive information in your thesis should correspond with your slides.

Make sure your slides are of good quality— both in terms of the integrity of the information and the appearance. If you need more help with how to prepare your presentation slides, both the ASQ Higher Education Brief and James Hayton have good guidelines on the topic.

The committee will ask questions about your work after you finish your presentation. The questions will most likely be about the core content of your thesis, such as what you learned from the study you conducted. They may also ask you to summarize certain findings and to discuss how your work will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Tip: Read your entire thesis in preparation of the questions, so you have a refreshed perspective on your work.

While you are preparing, you can create a list of possible questions and try to answer them. You can foresee many of the questions you will get by simply spending some time rereading your thesis.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense:

You can absolutely prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your thesis and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions. In addition, since you will know who will be on the committee, look at the academic expertise of the committee members. In what areas would they most likely be focused?

If possible, sit at other thesis defenses with these committee members to get a feel for how they ask and what they ask. As a graduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating test questions, so use this advantage to gather as much information as possible before your thesis defense meeting.

Your thesis defense is a formal event, often the entire department or university is invited to participate. It signals a critical rite of passage for graduate students and faculty who have supported them throughout a long and challenging process.

While most universities don't have specific rules on how to dress for that event, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.

It might help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your defense well ahead of schedule. This trusted person could be responsible for:

preparing the room of the day of defense
setting up equipment for the presentation
preparing and distributing handouts

Technology is unpredictable. Life is too. There are no guarantees that your Powerpoint presentation will work at all or look the way it is supposed to on the big screen. We've all been there. Make sure to have a plan B for these situations. Handouts can help when technology fails, and an additional clean shirt can save the day if you have a spill.

One of the scariest aspects of the defense is the possibility of being asked a question you can't answer. While you can prepare for some questions, you can never know exactly what the committee will ask.

There will always be gaps in your knowledge. But your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. You are not expected to know everything.

James Hayton writes on his blog that examiners will sometimes even ask questions they don't know the answer to, out of curiosity, or because they want to see how you think. While it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, but you would need to do [...] in order to find out.” This shows that you have the ability to think as an academic.

You will be nervous. But your examiners will expect you to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions, for example. Dora Farkas at finishyourthesis.com notes that it’s a myth that thesis committees are out to get you.

Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down and take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life.

Try meditational breathing right before your defense.
Get plenty of exercise and sleep in the weeks prior to your defense.
Have your clothes or other items you need ready to go the night before.
During your defense, allow yourself to process each question before answering.
Go to dinner with friends and family, or to a fun activity like mini-golf, after your defense.

Allow yourself to process each question, respond to it, and stop talking once you have responded. While a smile can often help dissolve a difficult situation, remember that nervous laughs can be irritating for your audience.

We all make mistakes and your thesis defense will not be perfect. However, careful preparation, mindfulness, and confidence can help you feel less stressful both before, and during, your defense.

Finally, consider planning something fun that you can look forward to after your defense.

It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed. Slow yourself down, and take a deep breath.

Your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. James Hayton writes on his blog that it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", but he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, you would need to do [...] in order to find out".

Your Powerpoint presentation can get stuck or not look the way it is supposed to do on the big screen. It can happen and your supervisors know it. In general, handouts can always save the day when technology fails.

Dress for success.
Ask for help setting up.
Have a backup plan (in case technology fails you).
Deal with your nerves.

PhD Dissertation Defense Slides Design: Start

Tips for designing the slides
Presentation checklist
Example slides
Additional Resources

Purpose of the Guide

This guide was created to help ph.d. students in engineering fields to design dissertation defense presentations. the guide provides 1) tips on how to effectively communicate research, and 2) full presentation examples from ph.d. graduates. the tips on designing effective slides are not restricted to dissertation defense presentations; they can be used in designing other types of presentations such as conference talks, qualification and proposal exams, and technical seminars., the tips and examples are used to help students to design effective presentation. the technical contents in all examples are subject to copyright, please do not replicate. , if you need help in designing your presentation, please contact julie chen ([email protected]) for individual consultation. .

Example Slides Repository
Defense slides examples Link to examples dissertation defense slides.

Useful Links

CIT Thesis and dissertation standards
Dissertations and Theses @ Carnegie Mellon This link opens in a new window Covers 1920-present. Full text of some dissertations may be available 1997-present. Citations and abstracts of dissertations and theses CMU graduate students have published through UMI Dissertation Publishing. In addition to citations and abstracts, the service provides free access to 24 page previews and the full text in PDF format, when available. In most cases, this will be works published in 1997 forward.
Communicate your research data Data visualization is very important in communicating your data effectively. Check out these do's and don'ts for designing figures.

Power Point Template and other Resources

CEE Powerpoint Slide Presentation Template 1
CEE Powerpoint Slide Presentation Template 2

Source: CEE Department Resources https://www.cmu.edu/cee/resources/index.html

CMU Powerpoint Slide Template

Source: CMU Marketing and Communications

https://www.cmu.edu/marcom/brand-standards/downloads/index.html

Use of CMU logos, marks, and Unitmarks

Email me for questions and schedule an appointment

2. Emphasize YOUR contribution

Having a ph.d. means that you have made some novel contributions to the grand field. this is about you and your research. you need to keep emphasizing your contributions throughout your presentation. after talking about what needs to be solved, try to focus on emphasizing the novelty of your work. what problems can be solved using your research outcomes what breakthroughs have you made to the field why are your methods and outcomes outstanding you need to incorporate answers to these questions in your presentation. , be clear what your contributions are in the introduction section; separate what was done by others and what was done by you. , 3. connect your projects into a whole piece of work, you might have been doing multiple projects that are not strongly connected. to figure out how to connect them into a whole piece, use visualizations such as flow charts to convince your audience. the two slides below are two examples. in the first slide, which was presented in the introduction section, the presenter used a flow diagram to show the connection between the three projects. in the second slide, the presenter used key figures and a unique color for each project to show the connection..

Xiaoju Chen Defense Slides with Notes

4. Tell a good story

The committee members do not necessarily have the same background knowledge as you. plus, there could be researchers from other fields and even the general public in the room. you want to make sure all of your audience can understand as much as possible. focus on the big picture rather than technical details; make sure you use simple language to explain your methods and results. your committee has read your dissertation before your defense, but others have not. , dr. cook and dr. velibeyoglu did a good job explaining their research to everyone. the introduction sessions in their presentations are well designed for this purpose. .

Laren M. Cook Defense Slides with Notes
Irem Velibeyoglu Defense with Notes

5. Transition, transition, transition

Use transition slides to connect projects , it's a long presentation with different research projects. you want to use some sort of transition to remind your audience what you have been talking about and what is next. you may use a slide that is designed for this purpose throughout your presentation. , below are two examples. these slides were presented after the introduction section. the presenters used the same slides and highlighted the items for project one to indicate that they were moving on to the first project. throughout the presentation, they used these slides and highlighted different sections to indicate how these projects fit into the whole dissertation. .

You can also use some other indications on your slides, but remember not to make your slides too busy. Below are two examples. In the first example, the presenter used chapter numbers to indicate what he was talking about. In the second example, the presenter used a progress bar with keywords for each chapter as the indicator.

Use transition sentences to connect slides

Remember transition sentences are also important; use them to summarize what you have said and tell your audience what they will expect next. if you keep forgetting the transition sentence, write a note on your presentation. you can either write down a full sentence of what you want to say or some keywords., 6. be brief, put details in backup slides , you won't have time to explain all of the details. if your defense presentation is scheduled for 45 minutes, you can only spend around 10 minutes for each project - that's shorter than a normal research conference presentation focus on the big picture and leave details behind. you can put the details in your backup slides, so you might find them useful when your committee (and other members of the audience) ask questions regarding these details., 7. show your presentation to your advisor and colleagues, make sure to ask your advisor(s) for their comments. they might have a different view on what should be emphasized and what should be elaborated. , you also want to practice at least once in front of your colleagues. they can be your lab mates, people who work in your research group, and/or your friends. they do not have to be experts in your field. ask them to give you some feedback - their comments can be extremely helpful to improve your presentation. , below are some other tips and resources to design your defense presentation. .

Tips for designing your defense presentation

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Last Updated: Jan 9, 2024 11:18 AM
URL: https://guides.library.cmu.edu/c.php?g=883178

Video on How To Do a Proper Thesis Defense Presentation

In this guide, we’ll provide you with essential tips and advice on how to ace your thesis defense and impress your committee. We’ll walk you through the essential elements of your presentation, such as your title page, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusions slides. For further infromation you can check our full article where we explain into detail how to use SlideModel PowerPoint Templates to save time creating your thesis presentation .

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Must-Have Thesis Defense Templates with Examples and Samples

Stepping onto the distinguished stage of your thesis defense is akin to performing a symphony of your research after losing many hours of sleep. The more time passes, the more your hands sweat, your heart beats faster, and your thoughts start racing. But what if there was a way to choreograph this terrifying experience into something beautiful?

Recent research by HigherEd Insights found that 90% of students who utilized well-designed thesis defense templates expressed enhanced confidenc e. These best thesis presentation ppt templates, carefully designed to highlight your research process, will save you time while presenting and add visual polish to your message.

Remember, your story has to amaze, educate, and convince the audience. Here is when the power of SlideTeam's Thesis Defense Templates becomes apparent. SlideTeam's templates will turn your study into an exciting narrative . When you use striking images that virtually jump off the screen with eye-catching statistics and bullet points, your presentation will be remembered as an unforgettable adventure.

It's time to transform your thesis defense from a nerve-wracking ordeal into a show that deserves a standing ovation. Here, we'll show you the ropes on thesis defense templates you can't live without. Get started today!

Deck 1: Sample PPT For Thesis Defense Presentation Slides

Template 1: prepare agenda for thesis .

This PPT Slide will serve as a map to help you and your audience navigate the complex terrain of your thesis. This slide serves as your presentation's road map, covering key points and concepts in a way that's both concise and thorough. By laying out your arguments logically, you may both wow your reviewers and avoid getting off track. This PPT Layout is perfect for any presenter since it eliminates any potential for error and sets the tone for a convincing defense of the argument.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Template 2: Thesis Presentation Outline: Guiding Your Narrative with Precision

This slide maps out your journey, from the grand curtain-raiser (Title Slide) to unveiling the behind-the-scenes mechanics (Methods), spotlighting your discoveries (Results), and culminating in a crescendo of insights (Conclusions). By offering a straightforward study design encompassing introduction, purpose, statistical analysis, discussions, and reference slides, this versatile slide empowers presenters of all disciplines to lead their audience through an immersive, well-structured thesis narrative.

Template 3: Title Slide to Fascinate First Impressions

This PPT Template includes your name, the qualifications of your thesis adviser, and your academic accomplishments, and it sums up the substance of your work. This slide is more than a formality; it's an introduction to your study that will captivate your audience. This slide may be used by presenters in any discipline to immediately establish authority, make an indelible impression, and communicate the value of their research. Put your best foot forward academically, and in life, by letting your title slide do the talking.

Template 4: Data-Driven Insights from a Statistical Analysis of the Thesis

This slide displays the results of careful data analysis, procedure processing which shine a light on the significant questions of your research. This PowerPoint Presentation can help anybody understand complicated results, whether scientists, economists, or social scientists. It's a visual representation of your analytical skills that will impress both data enthusiasts and quality assurance specialists.

Check out our blog on top thesis timeline templates to make your thesis more effective.

Template 5: Constraints on Your Research: Find Limitations

The limitations of your study are discussed here, whether they are related to the research's technique, data collecting, or overall scope. This presentation has a dual purpose: to show you understand where you might improve and start conversations about how to do so. This slide is helpful for all speakers, from novice academics to seasoned researchers, since it encourages honesty and demonstrates the speaker's ability to handle the complexity of their topic with modesty and understanding.

Deck 2: Thesis Defense Roadmap Individual Researcher Strategy Presentation

Template 6: do's and don’ts to defend content on thesis.

Examine the priceless "Dos and Don'ts to Defend Content" slide, your one-stop-shop for prevailing in the thesis defense. Here you'll learn tactical strategies (Do) to articulate your ideas with assurance, interact with reviewers, and provide considered responses to questions. This slide is a guidepost for students and academics alike; it will help you get through the tough examination of a thesis defense and flourish by giving you the tools you need to make your topic sparkle and persuade your audience at every turn.

Dos and Don'ts to Defend Content of Thesis

Template 7: Five-Year Roadmap for preparing thesis defense report

Use the "Five Year Roadmap" slide as a roadmap to efficiently organize your efforts leading up to the defense of your thesis. This well-crafted schedule covers everything from choosing a subject and completing literature reviews to honing your methods, analyzing your data, and writing up your findings. This slide serves as a map for students on academic adventures, outlining a path they may take to defend their theses successfully.

Template 8: Key Preparation Tips for Thesis Defense

Inside you'll discover a treasure trove of helpful tips, including how to dress for success, handle anxiety, delegate effectively, think ahead, and prepare answers to probable inquiries. To ensure a professional, composed, and confident presentation that makes an indelible impression, this slide is not only for students; it is a compass for everyone ready to convey their thoughts convincingly.

Template 9: Percentage of code-switching used by participants in Thesis Defense

This slide offers a graphical depiction of the Participant demographic's use of code-switching (the fluent mixing of languages) in their defense. This slide is useful for anyone studying language, culture, and education and for teachers looking to better their students' presenting abilities across languages. Get it from the link below.

Read our blogs on top one-pager templates available to prepare a thesis quickly and best.

Percentage of Code Switching used by Participants in Thesis Defense

Template 10: Thesis Defense Invitation Form with Required Documents

This slide provides a one-stop shop for organizing your thesis defense invitations. Date, time, and location are all included for the benefit of the speakers and the reviewers. This slide is more than just an invitation; it serves as a literature review that details the thesis topic, required materials, the extent of the research, and even a preview of what's to come. This slide is ideal for universities, academics, and presenters since it guarantees a well-prepared and organized defense.

Prepare a Thrilling Thesis with Us!

Let SlideTeam be the maestro behind the scenes of your exciting thesis defense symphony. Our essential Thesis Defense Templates will ensure your presentation is symphony in style and design. Raise the bar on your defense and leave your assessors in wonder. Use SlideTeam's potency to your advantage and start directing your future now. This is the station where you may tune in to greatness; each slide is a work of art.

FAQs on Thesis Defense

What is usually asked in thesis defense.

You may find everything you need to organize invitations for your thesis defense on the "Invitation Form with Required Documents" slide. The speakers and reviewers will appreciate the inclusion of the date, time, and venue. This slide is more than an introduction; it's a road map that lays out the thesis's subject, resources needed, research scope, and even a sneak peek at what's coming. Academic institutions, public speakers, and presenters may all benefit from this slide since it ensures a well-prepared and coordinated defense.

How do you prepare for a thesis defense?

Using a preexisting thesis as a starting point has several advantages when preparing for your thesis defense. Using a template is a great way to ensure that the formatting and style of your documents are consistent from beginning to end. They allow you to devote more time to writing and less on formatting. Templates adhere to strict academic guidelines, making them appropriate for use in the classroom and lending an air of professionalism to any assignment. Charts and diagrams may be easily included to enhance reading and comprehension. Also, with a good template, adjusting things is a breeze. As a result of their ability to streamline the writing process, enhance the paper's aesthetic appeal, and contribute to a polished, cohesive final product, thesis templates are an essential tool for effective and successful thesis preparation.

How do you start a thesis defense?

The first part of a thesis defense lays the groundwork for a strong presentation. Start by saying hello and thanking them for the chance. Introduce your topic with an attention-grabbing title slide, then go on to a summary of your study aims. Provide background information and describe your research topic or hypothesis explicitly. Create an outline of your presentation, emphasizing the most critical points. Get people interested by discussing the importance and applicability of your findings. Create a connection with the reviewers via brief, intriguing introductions. To provide an effective and confident defense of your thesis, you need to start well.

Why Use Thesis Templates?

There are several benefits to using a thesis template. Using a template as a starting point, you may maintain uniformity in your document's formatting and style. They help you concentrate on content rather than design, which saves time. Academic standards are followed by templates, making them suitable for use at universities and adding a touch of professionalism to any project. Integrating visual aids like charts and diagrams is simple, which improves readability and understanding. In addition, modifications may be made quickly and easily using a template.

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Thesis Defense PowerPoint: Presentation Structure and Slides Content

Last updated on September 15th, 2023

Writing a thesis is as important as defending it. The goal is not only to present one of the largest papers you ever worked on throughout the university years but also to build a strategy and create a presentation that answers all questions the audience might have.

Of course, today, this task is largely facilitated by modern technologies. PowerPoint and other programs let you create a perfect background for your defense. It helps you stay in control of the whole presentation and also includes all the important numbers and facts for the audience.

Thesis Defense PowerPoint: Presentation Structure and Slides Content

Creating a presentation for a thesis is not a piece of cake. Many students would say that they’d rather write a paper than work on a PowerPoint presentation. Since it’s academic, it also has its requirements and specifics. Of course, companies where you buy college essays can help you with pptx files as well. Yet, knowing all dos and don’ts to add your own voice to the presentation can help you ace your defense.

That’s why we decided to analyze a few structure and content tips to help you author your thesis defense presentation and make sure you get a high grade. But let’s discuss best presentation-making practices first.

What Should You Know About Presentation Making?

Before you start working on a presentation, you have to understand the level and the needs of your audience. If we talk about a thesis defense presentation , you will present your research paper to people knowledgeable in your field. There is no need to translate terminology in this case.

Remember that your presentations should be simple and easy to read. If you basically copy-paste the text from your thesis to the slides, you’ll create a wall of words. This brings zero value. Instead, you should make every slide look engaging. This can be achieved if you set to add only key facts there.

There is a golden rule for presentation making. Create no more than 10 slides, take no more than 20 min, and use a font size of no less than 30 points. If you follow it for every academic work you need a presentation for, you’ll most likely get a high grade.

How to Structure Your Presentation and What Content to Include?

Here are some slide guidelines that you can consider for thesis defense presentations:

1. Title Slide

The title page starts the whole presentation. It gives the audience an idea about the thesis and the course. Make it simple but appealing to highlight your scientific goals while following best academic practices.

A regular title slide page includes the thesis title, your name, university, and course details. Sometimes, it’s recommended to mention your advisor’s name on the title page as well. A title slide for a thesis presentation typically fits in one single slide.

2. Introduction of the Presentation

There is no surprise that your presentation will repeat the structure of your thesis to a certain extent. That means you’ll have to include a proper introduction into your presentation as well.

On that slide, you’ll need to mention the topic once again to keep the audience focused. Also, you’ll be giving more details about the questions and goals of your research. Your audience has to understand the purpose of the paper that is in front of them. You have to make it clear for them what things you are investigating in particular.

3. Acknowledgements Slide

Say Thank you to your collaborators for their help in putting this presentation together. You would also like to thank the teachers and professors who have helped you during the preparation of the thesis. Here is the place to do it. The acknowledgments slide can be added at the beginning of your presentation, or at the end.

4. Literature Review Slide

This slide is not a requirement. However, if you want to render literature sources that you used for your research based on certain criteria, this is the right place to do it. You can provide your audience with a brief understanding of the resources you relied on.

First of all, you can specify the theories that you consider in your research. Secondly, you can highlight weaknesses that exist in current research. In certain cases, it can help you avoid some uncomfortable questions throughout your defense.

5. Methodology Slide

Every thesis paper is written with its own methodology. It’s better to define the tools and methods right away to add a framework to your paper.

This part helps you narrow down your thesis, actually. This is a good thing because you won’t be asked questions pertaining to methods and information not used within your research.

How many slides you need to dedicate for the Methods content? The total number of slides will depend on the case, but typically you can consider from one to three slides. Slide 1 for Study Design, Slide 2 for Measures and Slide 3 for the Sample.

6. Presentation of Results

A few slides that show results should be one of the most comprehensive parts of your presentation. We highly advise you to check this section for all relevant numbers and findings to make it informative.

The thing is that thesis papers crafted by companies where you can order cheap essay online may not include formulas or calculations for diagrams and charts. Nevertheless, you’ll have to include infographics in your presentation.

This is why you have to request these calculations and formulas from your writers or ask them to work on the presentation as well. The point is that you have to know the depth of your research before you start defending it. These details are a part of your grade.

7. Discussion

The discussion part of your thesis presentation should focus on major findings from your research with regard to the discipline program and the goals of this study. You need to explain why you believe these findings are relevant and that much significant. Also, you may provide a few ideas on how your findings relate to what others found in the past. In addition, this is the part where you explain outstanding data or unusual results.

Remember that you are not limited by the number of slides in this section. However, you should keep in mind that only the most important ideas should go into the presentation.

8. Conclusions

To finalize your presentation, you must end it with a proper conclusion. Again, the best practices of presentation making suggest that you should include only key ideas in your slide. You need to convey the rest in a verbal message. This is a bit hard to do when it comes to the conclusion.

However, the goal is to answer the questions you set at the beginning. If you can prove or debunk your thesis statement, consider you have fulfilled your research mission.

9. Future Works or Future Directions slide

In order to make the most of this thesis presentation, future work will involve a number of different people. Some of these people will be responsible for creating the slides and videos that are used in the presentation, while others will be responsible for making sure that all the materials are up-to-date and error-free.

A timeline for this future work can be included in a future work slide, but what to include on this slide will depends on a variety of factors. In this slide, you can present the audience how you envision the future work of your research, who will be doing it, what resources are required, and the different milestones. Typically, a timeline slide design can be used in this section, but you can also use a multi-step slide to describe a list of points. This can be a final slide of presentation unless you want to give space for questions and answer section (Q&A).

Building your thesis is already a tough task. Presentation is considered an add-on that has recently become a must. That is why you should take it seriously and make sure you follow the tips above to ace your defense and wow everyone with your research.

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Trapped in dissertation revisions?

How to create a dissertation proposal defense powerpoint (+example), published by steve tippins on june 21, 2022 june 21, 2022.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:45 am

As part of the dissertation process, you will need to create a dissertation proposal defense PowerPoint to present a summary of the plan for your study. You will need to show how important your study is and how it is useful.

When creating the PowerPoint, keep in mind that you need to make sure all of your audience can understand all aspects of your study. The exact content for the defense PowerPoint varies by college, discipline and department, so it is important that you discuss with your committee chair about the requirements. However, we will give some general guidelines that apply to most institutions.

woman in orange jacket wearing headphones and working on her dissertation defense

The defense typically takes 20‐30 minutes. You should keep the timeframe in mind as you consider the information you will have in your presentation.

Except for aspects of your presentation, such as the research question(s) or hypothesis(es), do not just read the slides. Instead, explain or expand on what is on the slides. To ensure you keep within the timeframe, practice narrating your PowerPoint presentation.

Although the APA manual does not provide guidelines for creating a PowerPoint presentation, you will need to follow some of the APA style guidelines within your PowerPoint.

For example, provide in-text citations for quotes, paraphrases, images, graphs, and other information that should be cited. Also, you will need to provide a list of pertinent references.

The following are other format requirements for the slides :

Create 17-20 slides.
Do not provide a lot of information. Be concise and write a few sentences (approximately 1-7 on each slide).
Because your slides will contain only a small amount of information, any extra information that you want to touch on should be put in the notes section of the PowerPoint.
Write the information in your slides for visual appeal and optimum communication, using a legible font size.
You can use graphics and images to enhance and reinforce the information. However, ensure that they do not distract from your information.
You can use bullet points but keep them to a minimum of 3-4 for each listing.

Example Dissertation Proposal Defense PowerPoint Format

man in denim shirt using his laptop to create a dissertation proposal

The dissertation proposal will consist of three chapters, which you will be providing information on in the presentation. Although the contents and order of the contents may vary, there are some basic parts of the proposal that are usually required.

The following is a breakdown of the usual contents that are included in the presentation. Each of these headings below represents the titles of each slide. The information below the headings is the type of content you will need to provide.

Title (1 slide) :

Dissertation’s Title
Department of Program of Study/Name of University
Chair and Committee Members

Statement of the Problem (1 slide):

Provide the problem that your dissertation will address.

Purpose of the Study (1 slide):

Provide what the study will do relative to the issue(s) defined in the statement of the problem.

Significance of the Study (1 slide):

Provide the main argument of why the solution to the problem that you propose is important.

Research Question(s)/Hypothesis(es ) (1 slide):

Provide the research question(s) or hypothesis(es) relevant to your field of study, written exactly as it is in your dissertation proposal.

The Literature Review (2 slides):

These slides should consist of a coherent, organized overview of the main literature that frames your study’s problem, and the gap in literature that your study will address. Make sure that you include the sources.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework (1 slide):

This slide should consist of the theoretical/conceptual framework that will help you make sense of the phenomenon that you will investigate.

Research Design (1 slide):

Provide the framework for the methods of data collection and data analysis. Indicate whether the study will be quantitative or qualitative.

Sample and Population (1 slide):

Provide the population that refers to the entire group that you will draw conclusions about, and the sample that refers to the specific group that you will collect data from.

Data Collection (1 slide):

Provide the methods by which you will obtain the data. If the research design is quantitative, provide methods such as correlation and regression, mean, mode and median or others. If the design is qualitative, provide methods such as, interviews, questionnaires with open-ended questions, focus groups, observation, game or role-playing, case studies, or others.

Data Analysis (1-2 slides):

This slide should contain the process you will use to understand, gather, compile, and process the data you will obtain.

Limitations (1 slide):

In this slide, explain the nature of the limitations and how they will be overcome during your research.

Delimitations (1slide):

Provide the characteristics that describe the boundaries of your study and limit the scope, such as sample size, geographical location, population traits, or others.

References (1-2 slides):

Only provide those sources that you referred to in the presentation. Do not provide all the sources that you have in your dissertation proposal.

Thank You/Questions (1 slide):

Use this final slide to thank your committee and to request questions from them.

Note : For information about citing your references, refer to Chapters 9 and 10 of the APA Manual 7 th edition.

For instructions on how to create a PowerPoint, see How to Create a Powerpoint Presentation .

View this video for “ Tips and Tricks for your Proposal Defense Day Presentation ”

You can find several examples of students’ Dissertation Proposal Defense presentations online by searching for “Dissertation Proposal Defense PowerPoint.” You can also find one at this webpage .

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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10 Tips To Prepare PhD Thesis Defense Presentation

“ PhD thesis defense presentation is prepared at the terminal of the degree to show the research work in the form of a PowerPoint Presentation. Students often fail miserably because they lack knowledge of presentation. Here are some tips to help them.”

Firstly, congratulate yourself. You have gone through all the pains, problems, and stress and that’s come to over. PhD is a difficult task, indeed. So have done fantastic work, If you are on the way to preparing your PhD defense presentation.

But my friend, the game is yet not over. You are now at the critical phase and now chances of errors are less. For that 1-hour discussion session, everything should be nearly perfect. From your presentation (with a number of slides) to how you will present.

You have to care about every single point starting from the number of slides, text, visuals, content quantity, and audience attention to the final conclusion. Everything must be in your control.

But unfortunately, it’s not a story for many. Students fail to give a good presentation, even though their work is great. And advised for re-viva. There are so many reasons for that. Three major points that fail a presentation are– presentation preparation, delivery and audience engagement.

What is a thesis defense?

The thesis defense is a process to justify your work with logical arguments with the referees. To know more read this article: Defending a PhD thesis like a boss!- an in-depth Guide .

In this article, I will give you 10 tips– proven, practical and actionable to give an amazing PhD thesis defense presentation. Stay tuned.

10 Tips for PhD Thesis Defense Presentation

1. plan your presentation .

PhD is all about planning– I mean, proper planning. So, you also have to plan for your presentation. Remember, you are at the last stage of getting the honor hence things must be nearly perfect and in your favor.

Make a rough outline of the points you will discuss in the presentation. Don’t forget to include major and important points. Moreover, give a strong introduction by keeping in mind that the audience is totally unaware of the topic.

Plan how much text you will use, and the thing about how the evaluator understands and interprets it. Accordingly, prepare your answers. Last, constrain the content in the number of slides recommended by the university.

Organize each point in a logical sequence and around your research topic only. Don’t give too much information.

2. Text to the visual ratio

Your success in the presentation depends on the attention and retention time on each slide. So you should have to balance every slide with texts and visuals. Texts should create curiosity which visuals satisfy and vice versa.

If your text-to-visual ratio is good, people will give more attention to your talk. However, I strongly recommend not using visuals on every slide. Use when and only it’s needed. After all, it’s a professional demonstration.

Don’t fill too much text in a slide and the visuals too. Don’t use every image you captured for your results. Use it in the form of one master image, table or chart to show results. Visuals are great for the eyes– the next point explains.

3. Use visuals

Imagine there are two types of information on the slide, one written in the form of long text and another in the form of visuals, charts, bars, images and tables, where do you focus? What attracts you more?

Obviously the second one!

Summarize your ideas, findings and results in the form of a chart, bar, image, table or anything that looks good. Visual helps your audience to engage and at the same time makes things easier to understand.

Nonetheless, do care about the ratio. Don’t use too many visuals on every slide.

4. Number of slides

If I ask you, what is the main goal to present your work? To engage an audience and deliver your work. But your research work would only be delivered if people will engage with it. There is a psychology behind numbers.

People don’t want more if it isn’t understandable. So if at the beginning of the presentation, they know that you have 50 to 60 slides, they naturally feel bored. Try using fewer slides. It creates curiosity. Give more time to explain your point.

Ideally, I recommend using 20 to 22 slides.

5. Practice to present

Practice makes everyone perfect.

What is more important– Giving more time to prepare the presentation or on how to deliver it? As I aforementioned, planning is the key to success even though you know everything about your research.

Give more time for preparation. Know which slide contains which point, what is more important, and which slide would take more time. Where to stay and explain, and where to go in a rush. You should have to know everything in order to control the entire session.

Practice becoming more comfortable with the content you prepared. Record or observe your delivery scheme. Adjust your tone, speech, pace and body language accordingly.

6. Engage people

People will only admire your work only if they engage. So first, follow the previous point– focus on how you will deliver your presentation. In addition, create curiosity, ask questions, and give some amazing information timely, encourage them to ask questions.

Also, engage people psychologically— keep a small smile, look confident, and see in their eyes while explaining your point. Dress decently to attract. Use different hand gestures and styles to gain their focus.

7. Language

You should have a strong grip on the language. If not, work on it, at least for your presentation. Do use transition words to control the flow and engage people. Use emotions with each transition. Use can use words like— furthermore, in addition, however, unfortunately, fortunately, nonetheless, etc.

Do learn which transition work to use when, why and how, and accordingly use the exact emotion to use it. This increases the overall attention on your presentation.

8. Strong conclusion

All’s well that ends well.

Give a strong conclusion. To end your presentation, give a quick summary– verbally and conclude your point or research in a sentence that best describes it. Create a positive impact by explaining how it would help society or mankind.

Show a strong emotion to depict the conclusion. Your conclusion should satisfy the audience and inspire them to learn more and ask questions.

9. Be prepared for discussion

Now once your session ends, it’s now open for discussion. Encourage or confidently tell the audience to ask their queries. Answer each question to the point and logically. Explain concepts rather than points.

Admire them for asking questions, and say thank you for their involvement. In case you don’t know the answer, accept it and convince them that you will find the answer.

10. Technical considerations

The first slide should have your research title, name, guide name and all other credentials necessary.
The title should be large enough to read and bold.
Every slide should have titles and each must be readable enough.
Every slide should have a slide number.
The fond style for presentation is “Times New Roman”.
There are no guidelines for font size but every font should be readable enough.
Visuals are clear enough and have high quality.
Use bold, underline, and highlight when needed.
Use at least 1.5 spacing between lines.
The presentation file must be in ‘.ppt’.

Wrapping up

Our students have amazing experience delivering their presentations because we have a huge experience on how to prepare it, deliver it and play with the audience’s mind. Our students prepare well, follow our guidelines and know what questions the referee or audience will ask.

The reason is their preparation and control over their presentation. If you want to make your presentation amazing you can contact us. I will personally guide you in a 1-hour class. Nonetheless, by keeping these points in mind you can make a difference with your ppt.

I hope this information and tips will help you to deliver an amazing PhD thesis defense presentation.

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

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Dr Tushar Chauhan

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How to Prepare for a Thesis Defense

You’ve spent years on your studies to acquire your advanced degree, and whether a master’s thesis or doctorate, you need to know how to prepare for a thesis defense. Treat this as more of a siege than a defense, and be prepared to outlast any foe, any siege engine, any army at your gates.

You have already built up a great thesis, with instruction from professors, and maybe even the help of a great thesis writing service , and you are finally ready for your defense. What does that phase of your academic career look like?

In this article, we will give you the tools and tips to make it through. We will start with a preparation section, focusing on various aspects of how to study and what to study, then talk about the lead-up to the big day: preparing materials and handling anxiety. We’ll also touch on what to do on the day and how a thesis defense will, or could, go. At the end of it all, you will have a clear idea of how to approach the preparation for, and the defense of, your thesis.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 12 min read

Know your thesis.

We put this first knowing that it is the most important element of your entire presentation. The crux of your defense hinges on this. You must know your thesis, backwards and forwards. There must be nothing about it that you have forgotten. However miniscule the detail, and however insubstantial to your thesis that detail ultimately is, you must nevertheless know it.

When it comes time to question you, after presentation of your work, questions you cannot answer will strike you down. Knowledge is your shield.

Know the Big Picture: What Are You Trying to Prove?

While you will already be intimately familiar with your research, readings, and revisions of your opus, you should still allot yourself time prior to your defense in which to know crucial elements of your thesis front to back. This is your primary concern.

What are you trying to prove? This is your number one concern, and being able to state this clearly, and back up your efforts with sources and arguments, is the main point of your thesis defense.

So, start with the big picture. Know your main points and the crux of your arguments. You have one, main thrust with this thesis, and you have one, primary tentpole holding it up. No doubt you have more evidence than one primary source, but inevitably one will have more weight and potency than the others. Start there and work your way out.

Don’t memorize words to say, but memorize the web of arguments you have woven together to support your work. Your research was about X, and you have Y as a result, and now you share that and defend your assertions.

You can’t memorize the whole thesis – it will be large – but you can memorize a few, important points that support your main argument, and give credibility to your assertions. Again, you aren’t memorizing a speech to give, but you should know some of your more crucial statistics and datapoints so you can reference them easily.

Know Your Secondary Sources

It’s not just enough to know what your own thesis says, but you must be knowledgeable about its foundations. Your thesis is built on sources and materials that you have cited and referenced throughout. These deserve your attention as well.

If you are being questioned and, without a beat, you can cite chapter and verse on the proofs for your claims, this gives your own arguments depth and clarity. A successful thesis will add to the knowledge base of your field, but it must be built on the knowledge that came before. Knowing your secondary sources demonstrates your knowledge, shows how your thesis connects to that knowledge, and solidifies your arguments through the foundational assertions of prior experts.

Are you looking for grad school tips that will help you succeed in your application and once you get in? Watch this:

Sun Tzu Was Right

“Know your enemy,” wrote the philosopher and military commander Sun Tzu, “as you know yourself, and you will have victory in many battles.”

Your thesis makes a claim, adds to the body of knowledge in your field, and does so with evidence, research – not to mention panache – and is given its gravitas by the myriad of sources and proofs that you have to offer. Great, but don’t forget about those who disagree.

In most fields – certainly all the ones worth studying – anybody who makes a claim will have that claim challenged.

This is, perhaps, the most important step to preparing your defense: know why your detractors will say your thesis is wrong. If you can “steel man” – the opposite of “straw man” – their arguments, and phrase counter-arguments to your own statements – as well as anybody who holds those ideas would – then you have already, essentially, anticipated many, if not all, of the questions the examining board will put to you.

With that knowledge, you will also know to prepare defenses, explanations, and counter-arguments to each of these perceived complaints. Make sure that your counter-arguments would satisfy the majority of reasonable, educated persons in your field – if not any potential naysayers themselves.

Of course, having the main points, secondary points, data, references, detractions, and answers to those detractions all at your mind’s immediate beck and call would be wonderful; but, if you can manage to memorize all of that reliably within your head, don’t count on nothing but pure, rote learning to bring up all of this information. We recommend you keep quick reference notes to help you.

When you’re asked a question, having quick access to well-kept notes will serve you well. Notes themselves are nice, but you also need to be able to access them quickly. Any paradigm that works for you will do, but here is a sample schema for you to consider:

From a dollar store or office supply store \u2013 with reference numbers to bookmark key passages. These reference numbers will correspond to your table of contents. "}]">

Again, use any rubric you want, but pick a system and make sure it works for you. How do you know it works? By testing it.

A Baptism of Fire, and How to Avoid It

That term - “baptism of fire” – refers to being trained via a quick shove onto a battlefield. You might also think of mother and father bird shoving their younglings out of the nest, peeping encouragement at them to fly.

Don’t let this happen to you. Check your wings first.

Mock interviews are extremely useful for interview preparation. Arrange a mock thesis defense. Get professionals who know what they are doing to grill you on your thesis. A professional mock panel will simulate the time, let you run through your presentation, and put you through your paces by asking insightful, challenging questions; they might even ask questions you didn’t anticipate – in which case, lucky for you it was caught beforehand.

Or, not so lucky. Lucky is what happens to a soldier in a baptism of fire, but you’re not doing that. You’re preparing, training, and refining your methods to be bulletproof before anybody fires upon you at all.

A mock defense will simulate the real thing as close as possible, likely even giving you a taste of the nerves and letting you learn how to cope with anxiety. Plus, you can test your filing system for quick recall.

Before the Day - What to Get Ready

The most crucial elements to get ready are anything that you will directly need. That is to say that you should have access to your presentation itself, as well as your notes, and anything else that you’ll require for the defense. Everything else is secondary, and while it’s not a great idea to show up without combing your hair, at least you can still mount a defense with bedhead; you can’t defend your thesis without your critical notes.

With that said, definitely comb your hair. Presenting your thesis is about presenting yourself, as well, so put on some professional-casual clothes so you are comfortable and presentable.

Bring along anything else you need to be comfortable in the room, such as a water bottle or pencils and a notepad – anything you might want to help you succeed.

The exception: don’t overload so much that you are carrying multiple bags around with you.

Want to learn how to prepare for thesis defense questions? Check this infographic:

On the Day - Mental and Anxiety Control

The very nature of the activity of thesis defense means that you will be spending your presentation and your day on the defensive. This is, inherently, a stressful position to take, but a strong aggravating factor is the stakes of the event. This is a momentous occasion. You are at the proverbial moment of truth where you will either advance to the next, major phase of your career, or you will be forced to reconcile yourself to returning and revising – another revision and exploration and another defense.

Naturally, it follows that stress management is going to be one of the most important aspects of your day.

Prevention is the Best Cure

Give yourself an on-the-day boost by planning your studying and preparation well in advance. This will enable you to take a break before the actual day. If the day before your thesis defense can be one spent in contemplation, meditation, or relaxation, you’ll have a much better mental state for the defense itself.

Also of utmost importance: sleep. Maintaining a decent sleep schedule can be nigh-impossible, let alone sporadically getting in the actual recommended hours of sleep that your doctor really wants you to get. Nevertheless, make an extra effort to get a lot of rest, ideally within a sleep schedule, so that you are bright-eyed come defense time.

Long-term Stress Management

The rise of app culture is seen by some as the fall of civilization – particularly those spiritual or personal aspects of life. Tech is really just a tool, however, and finding a good meditation app can give you the right tech-based buddy system to keep you in good mental health. Meditation can be a great stress-management technique, and trying out some basic techniques will help you to stay alert, focused, and calm on your big day.

Physical Health IS Mental Health

How are you eating? Do you get out to exercise?

These are things that can easily fall by the wayside while pursuing higher academics. There is a reason that there is a cliched stereotype of undernourished, sleepless academics: it’s hard to absorb, retain, and study knowledge at this demanding level while maintaining a good balance with the more physical aspects of your life. Nonetheless, good physical health is strongly linked with good mental health, and you should pursue both.

Remember Step One...

Preventing panic is often a case of focus being unable to override insecurity. You’ve already taken care of your knowledge base: know your thesis. With that, you can keep insecurity at bay. Now for focus. What is the first thing you have to do when you get in the room? You’ll have some opening remarks, but even before that, you’ll likely want to quickly introduce yourself and welcome and thank your thesis screening panel. Forget everything else. Stop worrying about it, because you just have to do that first thing.

Concentrate on the Next Thing

After that, keeping yourself from getting distracted by insecurity is a question of focusing on whatever you must do next. You’ve made it through your introduction: great. What’s next? Since you’ve composed a careful set of notes, and carefully arranged those notes on your desk, table, or podium – or computing device – you can glance down and look to “point two” to carry you forward. Focus on doing your best job on that point. Once it’s over, focus on point three. Keep on in this way, and you have exorcised the twin demons of distraction and insecurity.

Fix Mistakes with No Fanfare

What if you misspeak? Just go back over it and fix the error quickly. “I’m sorry, I meant to say that 33% of the population favors blue above other colors, not 30 %. ”

Once you’ve fixed the error, move on. Dwelling on it does nothing at best, and exacerbates your problems at worst.

What if your PowerPoint presentation gums up? What if your computer freezes? What if the projector won’t project?

Remember that everybody in the room deals with glitches and tech errors, just like you, and do your best.

Don’t hide it – it's not hidden – but just briefly acknowledge the problem, “It seems the computer has frozen. Pardon me,” and see if you can fix it. If you can’t, rely on your notes to keep going. If you have infographics or charts and data that you wanted to highlight, offer to show those elements to the thesis screening panel, or to describe the data they need.

You’re being judged based on your logic, reasoning, rationales, recommendations, findings, data, and the effectiveness of your thesis. Nobody’s going to dock points from your presentation if there was a power failure.

Plus, if you’ve followed our advice thus far, you have redundant note systems with you, and you’ll be fine.

How to Stay Calm, Generally

Keep your breath under control. This ties in with meditation, to some extent, but controlled breath will keep your heart-rate down and your anxiety levels far more controlled than they would otherwise be. That is not to say that you won’t feel any anxiety, per se, just that – statistically speaking – you are far more likely to have far less anxiety.

Many people like to imagine a humorous image, particularly of their audience, to calm themselves down. This might work for you, but what this technique is getting at is a way to take your mind off of your anxieties and force it to focus on something else.

To do this, you needn’t go to the cliché of imagining anybody in underwear. Rather, just have a calming image or idea in your head that you can focus on. Pick something that makes you calm, or brings out a smile, and something that you can concentrate on to stop any panic moments and take away the snowball effect that happens whenever you dwell on something negative or that makes you anxious.

A Final Tip on Courtesy

Remember to be courteous, gracious, and polite. It really helps if you remember the names of the people on your thesis panel, so write those down if you have to.

What Does a Thesis Defense Look Like?

A thesis defense consists of a short presentation – about twenty or thirty minutes – on your thesis, followed by a discussion. That discussion is the actual defense of your thesis, as the thesis panel will be asking you questions and challenging you on your research, your conclusions, and your ideas.

The questioning period might take another twenty minutes or an hour, or even longer. There is no guaranteed time duration, so be prepared for a lengthy discussion and debate after your presentation.

Standard format would probably include the use of a PowerPoint-type accompaniment to your summation of your thesis. It is recommended that you provide more than just a lecture. If you want your panel to have anything like infographics, charts, or statistics, you need to provide it, either as part of a visual slideshow presentation, handout sheets, or both.

Common Types of Questions and How to Respond

Knowing what kind of thesis defense questions can come your way will be very advantageous for you because it will help you understand the kinds of answers you need to give.

Probing Questions

These feel your argument out a bit, just to test and see if you know your stuff, or if you’ve just memorized a very specific subset of data. These will seem almost unbearably easy if you have studied extensively while researching your thesis. If you haven’t, they will be painfully difficult. If you cannot answer these basic questions, you will seem as though you have crafted a thesis with blinders on, and it is unlikely you will survive further, deeper rounds of questioning.

Data Clarification

Maybe a chart didn’t go deep enough. Maybe somebody is curious if that statistic you gave was per capita or not. These clarification questions will just seek to clear up any misconceptions or blind spots in your presentation. This is why it’s important to know both your material and the secondary sources and citations you have made. If you understand all of this information thoroughly, you’ll be able to go deeper than any one chart and explain everything. This is also why it’s necessary to keep quick reference cards and tables of contents. If you blank on that per capita question, your index card won’t.

Opposing Viewpoint and Supporting Data

These questions will seek to challenge your ideas and stress your thesis by digging deep. They will present opposing views and find out whether or not you have considered alternate points of view. These are the most crucial questions to have excellent answers to, because these are the questions that directly challenge your work and are what you are “defending” your thesis from. We have already warned you to know your “enemy” as you know yourself. We stress this again here: have top-grade answers to cutting questions, or fail in your attempt.

Arm yourself with knowledge of your own thesis and an anticipation of what your detractors might, or do, say, and then practice, practice, practice.

At the end of a long period of vigorous study, get some rest, keep calm, and fire up a meditation app – or go for a walk.

In short: follow our advice, your common sense, and trust to your knowledge base and the research and readings you’ve done over the past years, and you’ll have a solid thesis defense.

Ideally you will dedicate several weeks to thesis preparation. Start about three to five weeks ahead of the defense and put aside some time every day to work on some aspect of your defense.

There isn’t really such a thing as too much prep. You could take too many notes and wind up with a very large, unwieldy reference binder, but even that is mitigated by your “table of contents.”

Err on the side of “too much” rather than “not enough.”

They’re probably just testing your knowledge of the material versus whether or not you just memorized a speech. Treat this as a probing question and answer in reference to your work. If this is an accident, don’t draw attention to it, and don’t get exasperated.

Say it’s outside of your field or area of study, but explain why you didn’t go there. So, if they ask about something peripheral, acknowledge that this isn’t part of what you’ve learned, why you are aware of it, and why you didn’t pursue further research into that area. Above all else, don’t fake knowledge you don’t have.

Numbers may vary, but three to five is fairly typical.

If you need a short break, to use the restroom, for instance, you can ask for one.

Have talking points and a firm knowledge of your facts and ideas, but don’t memorize set speeches. You can come off sounding robotic and impersonal. Worse, if you are asked a question and you find yourself getting lost, you might not remember details of your speech without the “ramp up” into any given part. Better to know the data, rather than the exact words.

In the event that you are not awarded your master or doctorate, you will most likely be given the chance to revise your thesis and try again. The committee will give you feedback, and you will revise accordingly.

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How to Effectively Prepare for Your Thesis Defense

You’ve completed your research study, written your thesis, and think you’re done! If only it were this easy. Before you finish with your thesis, there is one last hurdle to overcome: the thesis defense.

What is a thesis defense?

A thesis defense is an opportunity for you to present your research study before other academic professionals who will evaluate the quality of your academic work. While a thesis defense can sometimes feel like a cross-examination in a court of law, in reality, there is no need to fear your thesis defense as long as you are well-prepared. In this article, we’ll talk about how to prepare for a thesis defense, what to expect at the defense itself, and what comes after your defense.

Why do I have to defend my thesis?

At your thesis defense, you will discuss everything you’ve learned with a group of interested examiners who are eager to hear your thoughts.

The fundamental purpose of a thesis defense is to prove that you have mastered your subject and can be considered as a knowledgeable expert in your field, thereby allowing you to graduate successfully. For many students, a thesis is one of the first attempts at conducting original research and demonstrating that you are equipped to function as an independent expert in your field. If qualified academic professionals can assess your work, question your methods and results, and confirm that your study is sound and novel, then you meet the requirements.

The exact format and expectations for your thesis defense will differ depending on the region you study in and your institution’s rules for the thesis program. The thesis defense meeting may have just two or three examiners or may have a whole panel of examiners along with an audience.

If the thought of facing your professors, peers, and parents to present your research study makes you feel dizzy, you aren’t alone . Moreover, a thesis defense is a great opportunity for you to hone your public speaking skills as well as talk about your research study. At your thesis defense, you will discuss everything you’ve learned with a group of interested examiners who are eager to hear your thoughts.

While the format for a thesis defense will vary, as mentioned above, most thesis defenses consist of:

Presenting your research study (using PowerPoint or other similar tools)
Answering questions from your thesis committee
Receiving feedback from your thesis committee

So how can you prepare for it? Let’s talk about some important tips.

Preparing: Before the defense

It is useful to attend multiple defenses and ask others who have gone through the process what it was like.

The best way to prepare for a thesis defense is to attend other defenses at your institution so that you know what to expect. It is useful to attend multiple defenses and ask others who have gone through the process what it was like. Senior students are often happy to provide advice and can give you specific insights about particular examiners as well as details of the administrative process at your institution.

You should also talk to your thesis advisor well in advance of your defense about what to expect. Ask whether you need to shortlist your own committee, how long your presentation should be, and how long the thesis defense will be. The duration of a thesis defense varies by the degree level as well as the institution. On average, expect your defense to be at least an hour long, possibly longer for a Ph.D.

What should my presentation cover and how can I prepare it?

While preparing your presentation, also prepare a list of questions and answers that you think are likely to be asked by your committee.

You will need to prepare a presentation that will cover the details of your research study. It is wise to rehearse this presentation multiple times in advance of your thesis defense so that you will be comfortable when you actually present in front of your audience. While preparing your presentation, also prepare a list of questions and answers that you think are likely to be asked by your committee. If you can, enlist the help of a classmate or friend to be the examiner. They can ask you questions about your research study so you will be able to practice addressing these questions.

One mistake many students make is assuming that all members of their defense committee will thoroughly read their thesis prior to the defense. This is simply not always the case. For this reason, you should make sure your presentation makes sense to someone who has not actually read your thesis. A typical thesis defense presentation gives:

An introduction to the topic
Explains how the study is significant in the field
Covers the main highlights of the methodology and results of the study
Picks out the main points from the discussion and conclusion

What should I do the day before my defense?

Before your thesis defense, make sure you have backups of everything you need saved in multiple formats and multiple locations.

Before your thesis defense, make sure you have backups of everything you need to be saved in multiple formats and multiple locations. Put your presentation and your thesis on a USB drive, email it to yourself, upload it to the cloud, and print it out. Leave nothing to chance: you want to be absolutely prepared to defend your thesis short of an act of God obliterating the venue. In addition, make sure you prepare hard copies (printouts) of both your thesis and slideshow for the committee members. It need not be professionally bound at this stage, but they will appreciate having reference material on hand.

Finally, there are some practical steps to take in preparation for the thesis defense. Choose your outfit in advance (you should dress professionally) and practice presenting in it. You should also make sure you know the exact location of the thesis defense venue. Scope out the venue before your defense, if possible, so you can imagine yourself there while you rehearse. If you are presenting virtually, test all your equipment in advance and have a backup plan in case your internet goes out or your computer suddenly crashes. Most importantly, make sure that you eat well and get proper rest the night before. Don’t stay up late rehearsing last minute in the hopes of improving your chances of passing your defense. You will do much better if you are well-rested and alert.

Time to shine: At the defense

Try to stay calm and remember you are not on trial!

What can you expect on the day of the defense?

Typically, you will enter the room, set up, and begin your presentation once the committee indicates that they are ready. As mentioned above, it is always advisable to bring hard copies of both your thesis and slideshow for the committee. That way, they can easily refer to what you are talking about as you present. Make sure you also bring a pencil and notebook with you to take notes, and some water, because you will get thirsty as you talk.

After you are done with the presentation, the committee members will ask questions. Try to stay calm and remember you are not on trial! Your committee generally wants you to succeed, but they also want you to prove that you really know what you’re talking about. Do your best to answer their questions and never be afraid to admit when you don’t know something. It is much better, to be honest than to be caught lying or making something up during your thesis defense.

After the question and answer session, depending on your institution, you may be asked to leave the room while the committee deliberates. You may also be present while they discuss the merits of your defense and make suggestions for how to revise it. Alternatively, they might adjourn to another room if there is a large audience present. After they deliberate, they will usually thank you for your time, and your defense will be over. At some institutions, they will inform you if you passed right away, while at others, you will find out after a few days.

How does my committee decide if my work is good or not?

In general, you can expect your thesis defense and your thesis as a whole to be evaluated based on the below criteria:

Whether the thesis meets the departmental requirements
Whether the research study is logical and clear
Whether the stated objectives are met in the study
Use of primary and secondary literature
Use of relevant and up-to-date sources
Methodological rigor
Your ability to critically analyze data, facts, relevant literature, and synthesize information into a coherent narrative
Writing quality and flow
The validity of your conclusions based on your data and analysis
The relevance and importance of your research study in the field
Your ability to clearly and coherently present what your thesis is about
Your ability to answer questions about your work accurately and in-depth
Your ability to acknowledge and consider other theories or perspectives and explain why you dismissed one theory in favor of another

In summary, the examining committee want to know:

Did you meet the thesis criteria set by your institution?
Did you perform high-quality research work?
Do you know what you are talking about?

After the defense: What’s next?

After your thesis is approved, you will need to have it professionally bound and then submit copies to your university.

After your thesis defense, you should definitely celebrate and congratulate yourself for all your hard work! Unfortunately, you aren’t quite done yet. Although the committee may notify you about passing, it is also very likely that you will be asked to make some changes to your thesis before you are finally done. You should work with your advisor to finalize and incorporate any comments you received into your work as quickly as possible.

After your thesis is approved, you will need to have it professionally bound and then submit copies to your university. You will also get the chance to order copies for yourself. This process also differs by institution, so make sure you talk to the administration department to figure out what you need to do and when to complete this process.

All in all, while a thesis defense is a scary and overwhelming event, it is also an incredible achievement. Earning your degree is no small feat, and you should definitely feel proud of yourself once you have done it! Check out our site for more tips on how to write a good thesis, where to find the best thesis editing services , and more about thesis editing and proofreading services .

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To prepare for your thesis defense, make sure that you:

Find out your institutional requirements

Talk to your advisor well in advance about what to expect and prepare

Attend defenses of other students to see what they are like

Prepare your presentation early so you can rehearse it

Rehearse your presentation with a timer

Make a list of questions and answers about your research study

Enlist a friend to be the examiner and ask you questions

Prepare multiple backups of your materials (USB drive, Google Drive/Cloud storage, email, hard copy)

Have a plan for computer/internet problems if you are presenting virtually

Eat well and get a good night’s rest before the defense

Arrive at the defense venue early enough to test any IT equipment or internet connection

What should I do to prepare for my thesis defense? +

Find out your institution’s requirements
Attend other thesis defenses
Speak to your advisor
Prepare and practice your presentation
Enlist a friend or classmate to act as the examiner and ask you questions while you practice

How long is a typical thesis defense? +

Every institution is different, but most thesis defenses are at least an hour long.

What should my thesis presentation actually contain? +

A typical thesis defense presentation introduces the thesis topic, explains how your study is significant in the field, and covers the main highlights of the methodology and results of the study. It finally picks out the main points from the discussion and conclusion section of your thesis.

What if I fail my thesis defense? +

The odds that you will fail are extremely low! Most advisors and committees do not let a candidate schedule a defense unless they feel the candidate is ready. So, don’t worry about it. However, if you do fail for some reason, your institution will have a process for you to apply to try again.

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Jellyfish Coastal Invasion Thesis Defense

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Download the "Jellyfish Coastal Invasion Thesis Defense" presentation for PowerPoint or Google Slides. Congratulations, you have finally finished your research and made it to the end of your thesis! But now comes the big moment: the thesis defense. You want to make sure you showcase your research in the best way possible and impress your advisors. That's where this amazing template comes in. With it, you can be sure that your presentation will be top-notch and you'll be well on your way to success. Create a perfect presentation for your next thesis defense by using this template now!

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How To Do a Proper Thesis Defense with a PowerPoint Presentation
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.
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Use an appropriate language register (avoid informal language), but be approachable and natural. "Welcome to the thesis defense on [the title of your thesis]". Next, introduce yourself with your name and give a short description of your background and occupation. Don't forget to say "thank you for attending!".
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Keeping your defense simple will cut through all the other noise. Work on narrowing the focus of each slide to cover one point. Just one. Condensing ideas is tough, especially when you're discussing a complex issue. But taking your presentation one slide at a time ensures the audience can follow your argument clearly.
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Define your presentation's theme. 4. Design simple and focused slides. 5. Include data visualizations. 6. Practice makes perfect. Things to keep in mind to help you nail your presentation. You've reached the home stretch in your journey toward your post-graduate degree.
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Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense: 1. Anticipate questions and prepare for them. You can absolutely prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your thesis and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions.
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2. Know Your Audience. Most people give their thesis defense presentation to an academic panel. This panel will look to see if you've developed a thorough understanding of your topic and thesis. They'll also be looking to see if you've got a solid foundation for your argument.
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How to use ChatGPT to structure your argument. We can use language learning models like ChatGPT on help our curate the structure of our thesis presentation. Let's sees a step-by-step solution on wie to apply those. Step 1: Defined the degree topic press research queries.
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This Guide was created to help Ph.D. students in engineering fields to design dissertation defense presentations. The Guide provides 1) tips on how to effectively communicate research, and 2) full presentation examples from Ph.D. graduates. The tips on designing effective slides are not restricted to dissertation defense presentations; they can ...
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Tips for Your Oral Presentation. The following are the common tips to ace your defense thesis presentation: Practice your thesis presentation. Select the main points of your thesis presentation. Prepare for the unexpected question from your committee. Don't provide a baseless answer. Take a deep breath to avoid nervousness.
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In this guide, we'll provide you with essential tips and advice on how to ace your thesis defense and impress your committee. We'll walk you through the essential elements of your presentation, such as your title page, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusions slides. For further infromation you can ...
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Preparing Your PowerPoint. Topic 3: Preparing for Defense. In this activity, you will draft your PowerPoint for your proposal defense. During your defense you will typically have 10-15 minutes for your presentation. There are approximately 9-12 slides. They have read the study, so focus more on findings and implications, less on literature.
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Have a plan for computer/internet problems if you are presenting virtually. Eat well and get a good night's rest before the defense. Arrive at the defense venue early enough to test any IT equipment or internet connection. For more tips on how to write a good thesis, where to find the best thesis editing services.
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How to Pull Off Your Thesis Defense With a Great Presentation

1. Properly structure your slide deck

Thesis Presentation vs. Dissertation

2. Choose which ideas to illustrate

3. Define your presentation’s theme

4. Design simple and focused slides

5. Include data visualizations

6. Practice makes perfect

Things to keep in mind to help you nail your presentation

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Must-Have Thesis Defense Templates with Examples and Samples

Deck 1: Sample PPT For Thesis Defense Presentation Slides

Template 2: Thesis Presentation Outline: Guiding Your Narrative with Precision

Template 3: Title Slide to Fascinate First Impressions

Template 4: Data-Driven Insights from a Statistical Analysis of the Thesis

Template 5: Constraints on Your Research: Find Limitations

Deck 2: Thesis Defense Roadmap Individual Researcher Strategy Presentation

Template 7: Five-Year Roadmap for preparing thesis defense report

Template 8: Key Preparation Tips for Thesis Defense

Template 9: Percentage of code-switching used by participants in Thesis Defense

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1. Title Slide

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4. Literature Review Slide

5. Methodology Slide

6. Presentation of Results

7. Discussion

8. Conclusions

9. Future Works or Future Directions slide

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