Creating well-structured slides and delivering a refined presentation within the designated timeframe is crucial for a successful PhD viva examination.
This factor greatly influences how the examiners or moderators perceive the research scholar, supervisor, or mentor.
Before designing the presentation slides, the scholar must carefully determine the content to include, taking into account what they should emphasize and what they can omit.
The difficulty lies in choosing the most noteworthy research findings and key contributions, given the vast amount of data collected during the research program, which usually spans 4 to 5 years.
Efficient time management is key, ensuring that the presentation emphasizes crucial aspects.
This article offers straightforward yet invaluable tips to prepare PhD viva-voce presentation slides.
Example of a Ph.D. Viva-Voce Presentation Slides Structure:
Here’s a structured approach for your PhD viva-voce presentation slides:
- Title Slide:
- Title of the Study
- Supervisor’s Name and Affiliation
- Scholar’s Name
- Date of Presentation
- Venue of Presentation
- Presentation Outline:
- Agenda or topics to be covered in the presentation
- Introduction:
- Brief introduction to the background of your study (2-3 slides)
- Research Gaps:
- Highlight the gap in existing literature or knowledge that your study addresses
- Problem Statement:
- Clearly state the purpose and intent of the research (4-5 lines)
- Objectives of the Study:
- List and number the key research objectives in a single slide
- Methodology:
- Present the methodology using a neat flowchart (1-2 slides)
- Results and Discussion:
- Highlight the most important findings and engage in discussion
- Conclusion:
- Summarize the results and discuss the research outcomes, including societal benefits
- Publication Details:
- Present any publications related to the study
- References:
- List relevant references used in the presentation
- Acknowledgment:
- Express gratitude to those who have contributed to your research
- Thank You Slide:
- Conclude with a thank you message
This structure provides a clear and organized framework for your PhD viva-voce presentation, covering essential aspects from introduction to acknowledgments and a thank you slide.
Tips for preparing a successful Ph.D. viva-voce presentation:
Here are some tips for preparing a successful Ph.D. viva-voce presentation:
- Introduce your study’s background concisely: Provide a brief overview of your research topic, emphasizing its significance and relevance using bullet points instead of lengthy paragraphs.
- Emphasize research gaps and state the problem statement: Emphasize the gaps in knowledge or existing limitations that your research addresses, clearly articulating your problem statement to establish the focus of your work.
- Outline the study objectives and methodology clearly: List the specific goals you aimed to achieve and present the methodology you used, using neat schematics or flowcharts to visually represent your research approach.
- Effectively present research findings and data: Share the important findings and data from your thesis in a simple and concise manner, using bulleted points instead of paragraphs. Save detailed explanations and scientific evidence for your oral defense presentation, using slides to highlight key results.
- Connect findings with relevant literature and emphasize novelty: Link your research findings with existing literature, showcasing how your work contributes to the field and addresses identified research gaps. Highlight the novelty and originality of your research, showcasing its unique aspects or approaches.
- Don’t use too many slides: Keep the number of slides limited (around 50 to 55) to maintain a concise and focused presentation. Maintain a smooth flow and logical connectivity between each slide to allow the audience to follow effortlessly.
- Utilize visual aids: Use schematics, graphs, and tables to represent data and experimental conditions effectively. Visual representations convey information more efficiently than detailed statements.
- Summarize research objectives and highlight societal benefits: Summarize your research objectives’ results, emphasizing key outcomes and their implications. Conclude by emphasizing the broader societal benefits or potential applications of your research.
- Add hyperlinks: Use hyperlinks in your presentation to provide easy access to extensive data, datasets, experimental procedures, or relevant literature.
- Use high-quality images: Pay attention to the quality of the images used in your presentation. Ensure they are clear, visually appealing, and easily readable for the audience.
Conclusion
A well-organized and polished presentation plays a crucial role in achieving success during a PhD viva-voce examination.
This presentation not only influences the perception of the research scholar, supervisor, or mentor but also leaves a lasting impression on the examiners or moderators. It is essential for the scholar to meticulously curate the content of their presentation slides, focusing on highlighting the most significant research findings and key contributions while managing the extensive amount of data gathered over several years.
To facilitate this process, we have outlined a general structure for PhD viva-voce presentation slides that can be tailored to specific requirements. Additionally, we have provided valuable tips aimed at preparing an impactful and effective presentation.
These tips encompass various aspects such as delivering a concise introduction, identifying research gaps, clearly articulating the problem statement, delineating objectives and methodology, presenting research findings and data succinctly, establishing connections with relevant literature, leveraging visual aids, summarizing research objectives, and concluding with a discussion on societal benefits.
It is also advisable to incorporate hyperlinks for accessing extensive data or references and ensure the use of high-quality and readable images.
Furthermore, maintaining a limited number of slides and ensuring a seamless flow and connectivity throughout the presentation are crucial elements. By adhering to these guidelines, research scholars can create compelling presentations that aptly communicate their research findings and leave a strong impression during their PhD viva-voce examination.