Preparing for Presentations
and Vivas
Objectives
After this session you will be able to:
• Plan and structure a presentation.
• Deliver a presentation to meet the needs of
your audience.
• Use visual aids effectively.
• Deliver a ‘professional’ presentation.
• Prepare for and pass a viva.
Preparing the presentation
• Know your audience.
• Know your academic
programme
(especially its
requirements).
• Reconnoitre facilities.
Structure: beginning
•
•
•
•
Greet audience.
Introduce self.
State title of presentation.
When they can ask questions.
Structure: middle
The inductive approach:
• Fact + Fact + Fact + Fact therefore
Conclusion.
The deductive approach:
• Conclusion because Fact + Fact + Fact +
Fact.
The discursive approach
• Argument For. Argument Against.
Summary.
Structure: end
• ‘Flag’ the end: ‘So, in conclusion’ or
‘Finally…’.
• Emphasize small number of key points.
• Keep up energy and enthusiasm.
Present complex processes
by…
Process A
Process B
Process D
Process C
Using [Custom Animation] in PowerPoint
Create interest by…
• Using personal stories.
• Using cases.
• Using metaphors (e.g.,
research revealed that
management
orchestrated the
changes with great
skill). Metaphors also
allow for the use of
visual images.
Using visual aids – some deadly
sins (design)
The sin
The consequence
Using fonts that are too small.
Inability of audience to read the
information.
Using endless bullet point slides.
Complete audience boredom.
Making slides ‘busy’ and packed with
text.
Inability of audience to process the
information.
Using too many colours or
inappropriate colours.
Audience confusion.
Using too many animation effects.
Audience distraction or irritation.
Using visual aids – some deadly
sins (delivery)
The sin
The consequence
Facing the screen when talking, not
the audience.
Lack of ‘connection’ with the audience;
less interest in the presentation.
Reading from notes.
See above.
Technical problems such as the
equipment not working.
Embarrassed speaker and
embarrassed audience.
Flat, monotone delivery.
Audience falls asleep or ‘switches off’.
Delivery tips
•
•
•
•
Gain attention.
Use your body language.
Project your voice.
Handle questions politely.
Making presentations
interesting
• Use visual aids –
effectively.
• Maintain eye contact.
• Focus on the
audience.
• Be yourself.
• By being relaxed,
voice intonation/pace/
projection will be
enhanced.
From negative to positive
thoughts
Negative thoughts
Positive thoughts
I will ‘dry up’.
I have practiced this. I am fluent.
I don’t know enough.
I am the expert in the room.
Everyone will be looking at me.
I will command their attention.
I won’t know the answers to their
questions.
I know most of the answers; I can
always open issues up for discussion.
Avoiding stress….
• Practice, practice,
practice (know the
content and where to use
visual aids).
• Breathing…deeply and
slow it down.
• Remember the audience
IS on your side.
• Be aware of audience
and talk directly to them.
Team presentations
Get to know each other
Appoint a team leader
Decide on and allocate roles
Prepare a timetable
Share out the content
Plan the presentation
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
Preparing for a viva
Vivas perform at least two important
functions:
• They test the candidate’s knowledge of
their thesis to ensure that it is their own
work.
• They provide the candidate with the
opportunity to defend their ideas and, if
necessary, add further detail and
explanation.
Step 1: Select the examiner
Choose examiners who are…
Avoid examiners who are …
Highly respected in their field.
Unknown in their field.
Working in a research area related to
your own.
Working in a research area unrelated
or only tangentially related to your
own.
Broadly sympathetic to your central
arguments.
Likely to be antipathetic or even
hostile to your central arguments.
Publishing research using broadly
similar methodologies to your own.
Publishing research using
methodologies that contrast sharply
with your own.
Step 2: Become master of your
own work
Common limitations include:
• Key omissions in the literature chapters including
omitting significant theories or sources.
• A failure to present a set of coherent and well formulated
research questions.
• The lack of a coherent research design that is
appropriate to the questions being asked.
• Problems in sample selection, including a reliance on
convenience or volunteer samples, and a failure to
acknowledge the limitations of these.
• Failure to acknowledge alternative interpretations of the
data.
• Making exaggerated claims on the basis of limited data.
Step 3: Publish and reference
your own article(s)
• Good practice for academic writing.
• Shows that you are capable of writing at the
appropriate level.
During the viva: typical
questions
What were your reasons for choosing
this research topic?
How did you set about dealing with
ethical issues?
What do you think is your original
contribution to knowledge?
What do you think are the main
weaknesses of your work?
What alternative research
methodologies did you consider?
What are the major recent
developments in your subject area?
How do your findings relate to the
literature in your subject area?
What would you do differently if you
were to conduct this study again?
What surprises emerged during your
research?
How does your methodology fit with
your research questions?
Have your opinions changed during
the course of this research?
What do you see as the next steps in
this research?
‘Killer features’ the examiner
looks for…
• Has the candidate picked up the key debates in the
subject area? Are there any vital sources or debates
that have been missed?
• Has the candidate identified the main gaps in the current
literature on the research subject? Have these been
clearly articulated?
• From these gaps, have a set of research questions been
posed? Are they clearly formulated?
• Does the thesis contain helpful signposting to the
reader? Is it easy to find one’s way about the thesis? Is
it always clear what the candidate is trying to achieve in
each chapter and section?
• In presenting findings and discussion, does the
candidate return to the original questions to answer
them?
After the presentation…
• Be constructive about your performance and
that of other students.
• Reflect on what worked well and why.
• Reflect on what could have been improved
and why.
• Celebrate the achievement of delivering to a
large group.
Summary – presentations
• If preparing a presentation that will be assessed, keep
checking on the assessment criteria and follow them.
• Structure your presentation so that it has a clear
beginning, middle and end, and keep to a limited number
of key messages.
• Avoid ‘death by bullet point’. Try to maximize the use of
pictures, graphics and other visual images including the
use of visual metaphors.
• In delivering the presentation consider yourself as your
best visual aid. Stand confidently and face your
audience, making eye contact. Speak clearly with variety
in your tone and intonation.
• For team presentations, elect a leader and allocate roles
based upon experience and commitment.
Summary – vivas
• In passing a viva, it helps if the external examiner
understands and is not hostile to the research tradition
which informs your research methodology.
• If possible, get at least one of your own articles
published in the peer reviewed literature.
• Practice by undertaking a mock viva with your
supervisor.
• Know your work thoroughly including its main
weaknesses.
• Prepare to engage in a critical dialogue with the
examiner. Remember, you know your research better
than anyone in the room!