How to structure your viva presentation (with examples)

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Most PhD vivas and PhD defences start with a short presentation by the candidate. The structure of these presentations is very important! There are several factors and approaches to consider when developing your viva presentation structure.

Factors to consider when developing a viva presentation structure

Structuring your viva presentation traditionally, structuring your viva presentation around key findings, structuring your viva presentation around key arguments, structuring your viva presentation around case studies, final thoughts on viva presentation structures.

A PhD viva or PhD defence is often one of the last steps that PhD students have to pass before receiving a doctorate. The viva or defence usually starts with a short presentation of the PhD candidate on the PhD thesis.

Presenting a whole PhD in a short amount of time is very challenging. After all, a PhD is often the result of several years of work!

It is simply impossible to include everything in a viva presentation.

Therefore, tough choices have to be made in terms of what to include, what to highlight, and what to exclude.

The structure of a viva presentation plays a crucial role in bringing across the key messages of your PhD.

Therefore, there are several factors to consider when developing a viva presentation structure:

  • Available presentation time : Viva presentations usually last between 10 and 20 minutes, but every university has different regulations. Developing a structure for a viva presentation that lasts 10 minutes is different from developing one for a presentation that lasts 20 minutes or more. Thus, find out how much time you are allowed to present!
  • The key contribution of your thesis: The structure of a viva presentation should reflect the content and key messages of the PhD thesis. For instance, if you have written a very theoretical PhD thesis, it makes no sense to structure your whole presentation around your data collection and analysis. Make sure that the viva presentation structure is in line with your main messages.
  • University standards: It is recommended to discuss your ideas and plans for your viva presentation structure with others, as each university may have may be different (and even unspoken) rules and standards. Ask your supervisors about their preferred viva presentation structure. And talk to your peers who defend their theses before you.
  • Clear storyline : Every presentation should have a logical structure which allows the audience to follow a crystal-clear storyline. This is also true for viva presentations. Thus, clarify your storyline and develop a presentation structure that supports it.

A very traditional viva presentation structure simply follows the structure of the PhD thesis.

This means that the viva presentation covers all parts of the thesis, including an introduction, the literature review, the methodology, results, conclusions, etcetera.

Example of a traditional viva presentation structure

The advantage of this rather traditional format is that it provides information on each thesis chapter. Furthermore, it is relatively easy to prepare.

The disadvantage of this traditional format is that it is very challenging to fit all the information in a – let’s say – 10-minute presentation.

Furthermore, it can result in a presentation that is quite boring for the examiners, who have read the thesis in preparation for the viva.

One interesting way is to structure a viva presentation around the key findings of the PhD research.

For instance, you can select your three main findings which you each connect to the existing literature, your unique research approach and your (new) empirical insights.

Example of a viva presentation structure around key findings

A viva presentation structure around key findings emphasises the unique contribution of a PhD thesis, particularly in empirical terms.

A challenge of this structure, however, is to narrow down the presentation to a handful of key findings.

Furthermore, it might be tricky to find enough time during the presentation to discuss your theoretical framework and embed your discussion in the existing literature when addressing complex issues.

A viva presentation structured around key arguments is very similar to one that is structured around key findings. However, while key findings place more emphasis on the empirical data, key arguments operate at a higher level:

Arguments are sets of reasons supporting an idea, which – in academia – often integrate theoretical and empirical insights.

Example of a viva presentation structure around key arguments

So, for example, your key argument 1 is your stance on an issue, combining your theoretical and empirical understanding of it. You use the existing theory to understand your empirical data, and your empirical data analysis to develop your theoretical understanding.

A viva presentation structure around key arguments is probably the most difficult viva presentation structure to choose.

However, if it is well done, it is probably the most academically strong and advanced way of defending your PhD.

Another common way to structure a viva presentation is around case studies or study contexts.

This structure is only applicable when the PhD thesis includes a comparative (case study) analysis, which is quite common in the social sciences and humanities.

A presentation can, for instance, first discuss the theoretical framework and research approach, then present Case 1, and then Case 2 or more if applicable.

Example of a viva presentation structure around case studies

A viva presentation structure around case studies can be easy to follow for the audience, and shed light on the similarities and differences of cases.

However, as always, you need to reflect on whether the structure supports your key message. If your key message does not centre around similarities and/or differences in cases, this is not the structure for you!

Every PhD thesis is unique, and therefore also every viva presentation structure should be unique.

The key to a good viva presentation is to choose a structure which reflects the key points of your PhD thesis that you want to convey to the examiners.

The example viva presentation structures discussed here intend to showcase variety and possibilities and to provide inspiration.

Never just copy a viva presentation structure that worked for others .

Always think about what fits best to your thesis, asking yourself the following questions:

  • What is the main message of my PhD that I want to share during my viva?
  • How do I develop a crystal clear storyline to bring this main message across?
  • How can I structure my viva presentation to support and facilitate this storyline?

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PhD Defense Template

You’ve done the hard work to prepare your PhD dissertation, and now there’s only one step left: your defense. And Beautiful.ai has the perfect presentation template to help you along the way.

These customizable template slides have all the basic elements of a PhD defense presentation, including an abstract, methodology, research findings, executive summary, and more. The result? A streamlined presentation that’s as professional as it is impressive. All with just a few clicks of the mouse. 

Our PhD defense template can also help you:

  • Customize your PhD presentation for different audiences
  • Synthesize months of academic work into a concise presentation
  • Successfully defend your PhD thesis to your panel

Use our template to create an effective PhD defense presentation

Your PhD defense presentation is a critical step in your academic journey – one that requires a smart and sophisticated format, layout, and story flow. That’s why our template includes everything you need to create an effective presentation. Tailoring this defense template to your unique PhD thesis is simple. Whether you need to create additional data points or showcase more findings, you can quickly bring your visions to life with these customizable templates and our entire library of professionally designed template slides.

Title Slide

Pro Tips for creating your own PhD defense presentation template

When you are thinking of creating your own impactful Phd defense presentation, keep these best practices in mind:

Condensing hours and hours of research can be daunting. Build an outline or table of contents first, then simply stick to that structure as you create your presentation.

It can be easy to get caught up in your research and findings, but don’t forget to answer critical questions like, ‘Why is this important?’ and ‘What results have you achieved?’

Remember: You aren’t recreating your entire thesis into a visual presentation. Limit the amount of content and data you add to each slide.

Your PhD defense presentation is your chance to share all of your hard work. Don’t be afraid to showcase bits of your personality throughout.

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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

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Top 7 tips for your defense presentation

1. show why your study is important, remember, your audience is your committee members, researchers in other fields, and even the general public. you want to convince all of them why you deserve a ph.d. degree. you need to talk about why your study is important to the world. in the engineering field, you also need to talk about how your study is useful. try to discuss why current practice is problematic or not good enough, what needs to be solved, and what the potential benefits will be. , see how dr. posen and dr. malings explained the importance of their studies..

  • Carl Malings Defense Slides with Notes
  • I. Daniel Posen Defense Slides with Notes

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..

phd viva presentation ppt template

  • 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. .

phd viva presentation ppt template

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. 

phd viva presentation ppt template

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
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Home Collections Education PPT Template For PhD Presentation

PPT Template for PhD Presentation and Google Slides

PPT Template for PhD Presentation and Google Slides

Enlightening PhD Presentation Slide

PhD is a rigorous and demanding program that offers in-depth research opportunities and specialized knowledge in your chosen field. A PhD is the highest academic degree one can achieve, and it opens doors to advanced positions in academia, research, and industry. Our PhD PowerPoint template offers a sleek and professional design with HD images to help you present your research and findings in a visually engaging way. With this template, you can impress your colleagues and defend your thesis. 

Features of the template

  • 100% customizable slides and easy to download.
  • Slides are available in different nodes & colors.
  • The slide contains 16:9 and 4:3 formats.
  • Easy to change the colors of the slide quickly.
  • Well-crafted template with an instant download facility.
  • Highly compatible with all versions of PowerPoint.
  • It is a high-definition title slide.
  • Amazing for academic presentations.
  • PHD Dissertation
  • PHD Defence
  • Academic Degree
  • Qualification
  • Doctor Of Philosophy

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Ace Your Viva Presentation: Tips and Tricks

The thought of an oral presentation can be a huge source of stress and anxiety for many students, while some just blossom in such situations. If you’re one of the former, though, don’t panic. With decent preparation and practice, you too can successfully master your viva presentation.

But first: what is a viva presentation?

Vortrag

Viva voce is a Latin phrase most often translated as “by word of mouth.”  In academic circles, a viva presentation is an oral exam in which you defend your thesis.

After the thesis is defended, it’s discussed by a small panel. Among those present are the examining professors, but there may also be research assistants, members of the relevant department or even fellow students.

The purpose of this defense is to show examiners how knowledgeable you are on your research topic, that you have internalized what you have learned and know how to apply it.  In effect, it shows that you are well prepared to enter into academic discussion.

In principle, the viva presentation won’t make an entire grade’s difference, but it can tip the proverbial scale in your favor. It does offer some major advantages: You can clear up any ambiguities, assuage any doubts your examiners may have, and show that your stand by your research.

Viva Presentations 2 1024x683 1

Preparation is key

After months or even years of hard work, the thesis is finished, the last formatting mistakes corrected, the bibliography painstakingly checked one last time and hooray, it’s finished! Time to celebrate! And then you get an invitation to the viva …

So, the wine bottle is re-corked and it’s back to the desk. But the good news is: you’ve actually already done most of the preparation. That’s what all the in-depth research you did to create your thesis was. You’re already an expert on your topic, so now you just need to explain it to your examiners clearly and calmly. That’s why it doesn’t make sense to start preparing for your viva before your thesis is finished and you’ve answered all your own questions.

Your supervisor should already know what to expect and the purpose of the viva is to present your results. Some people just hand in their thesis with huge relief and then put the whole thing out of their mind for a while.

This isn’t necessarily a problem but when the viva presentation is due, you really need to give yourself time to familiarize yourself with the topic again. Re-read your thesis a few times to get your results and methods fresh in your mind and you’ve already done much of the prep work for your viva.

Kolloquium Prasentation Vorbereitung

Organizational details

You need to check the examination regulations of your institution to find out what will be required of you during your viva presentation. How long should the presentation last? Who will be present? How will the discussion group be structured at the end? Studies have shown that anxiety is significantly lessened if you know exactly what to expect. Don’t ignore these details.

Make sure you have the right power supply for the projector and whether your slide format is compatible with the projector. An article on slide formats and the difference between 4:3 and 16:9 can be found here .

Know how long your presentation should be. This often depends on what type of work you’re presenting. Be sure to keep this in mind as you create your slides.

Also, think about whether or not you want to provide a handout. Even if it isn’t explicitly required, examiners will often use a handout as a guide when asking their questions, allowing you to better control the discussion that follows.

You can find helpful tips on handouts here .

Lastly, think about what you’re going to wear for your viva presentation. If you’re not sure, take a cue from your examiners. If they wear a suit or dress to other viva presentations, it’s safe to assume that the dress code for your viva will be on the formal side. It’s important to look neat and tidy, but you should also feel comfortable. The wrong shoes or clothing that is too tight can negatively impact the way you present. You can find more helpful tips on clothing here .

Viva-PowerPoint-Presentation

Technical details

The most popular tool for giving a viva presentation is PowerPoint. On the day of your presentation, get there early to make sure your devices are working. It also helps to be familiar with PowerPoint’s features, such as Presenter View. This fantastic tool will help you stay on track during your viva presentation. For more information on Presenter View, click here .

In general, the rule for viva presentations is: Keep It Simple . This is a defense of your academic research and your slides should express that. Keep it classic and factual. Use a uniform font and a neutral, preferably white, background. You can use backgrounds from PresentationLoad:

White bakckground 1

In principle, you should use as little text and as few key points as possible, but it’s also essential to document your research accurately. Room for interpretation can be very dangerous here.

Naturally, it depends on the preferences of the examiners, but a little more text than in normal presentations is definitely allowed. If the nature of your work allows, graphics, photos or flowcharts are a good way to offer some variety and to clearly present complex issues.

Screenshot 2022 05 30 110919

How to structure a successful viva presentation

bild kolloquium eng

Like your thesis, your viva PowerPoint presentation should follow a certain structure. It is advisable to follow the structure of your thesis. After all, you have already given it a lot of thought and made sure that everything is in a logical context.

This way you can save yourself additional work. But remember – the presentation is not about retelling your thesis word for word. Just give the most important and interesting aspects.

Follow these points to create a solid structure for any viva presentation:

1) Relevance

Your thesis dealt in depth with a particular question, a specific aspect of research. In the first part of your viva PowerPoint presentation you introduce it and explain why it is relevant. What is the benefit for academic understanding, the general public, a specific avenue? Why this question in particular?

This allows you to show your audience why you chose your topic and why they should pay attention to what you have to say. All this needs to be supported by a professional introduction. You can find tips on how to do this here .

2) Background

This is where you set out the background of your research question in more detail, i.e. the most important theories and approaches that already exist on the topic, or which prompted your question. This helps your listeners prepare for any complex interrelationships, and clarifies the basis on which you have built your work.

In this part you set out how you approached your work. Was your research qualitative or quantitative? Did you conduct interviews, analyze data, evaluate a particular body of literature? This is your chance to show your examiners how carefully you worked and explain why you chose this particular method.

4) Findings

Now to present the results of your research. Were there any surprises? If so, how did you deal with them? Are the results consistent, where did you encounter difficulties, and how did you solve them? Use this section to talk about your research in a transparent and honest way. It’s an opportunity to show that you have dealt with the topic seriously and in depth, rather than just choosing the easiest way.

5) Conclusion

At the end, summarize your work clearly and concisely, and answer the research question posed at the beginning. You can also express your personal opinion as to whether you have achieved the result you expected or whether your research has come to a surprising conclusion.

Finally, you will need a well-rounded conclusion to your viva presentation. You can read tips for the perfect presentation ending here .

Whether you have to present your sources at the end of your viva is something to discuss with your supervisor or read up in the regulations. If in doubt, however, it’s better to be on the safe side with a list of sources.

Viva-PPT-Presentation

Viva presentation: example

Since every viva is different, there is no one example of a great PowerPoint viva presentation. In our blog you will find numerous examples of how a well-structured and appealing PowerPoint presentation can look. For example, here . These should serve as a guide; it’s important to adapt the presentation to your personal requirements and your audience.

Make sure your narrative is clear and consistent throughout your presentation (as it was in your thesis).  It might be a good idea to ask your supervisor to show you good viva presentation example from previous years or to give you tips on where you should focus your attention.

Successful-Viva-Presentation

General tips for a successful presentation

Almost there! You’ve created and double-checked your PowerPoint viva presentation and you’re feeling confident about your research work. For many people, though, creating the content is the easy bit; it’s the thought of speaking in front of others that terrifies them. It’s just a fact that in order to defend a thesis, you first have to be attacked .

1. Be prepared for critical questions and comments. Think through what possible aspects of your work might attract criticism, and prepare your rebuttals in advance. It helps to let friends or family read your work and ask questions.

2. The same friends and family can be amazingly useful as a practice audience. Deliver your presentation a few times in front of others and in a relaxed environment. This will help you feel more confident when it comes time for your viva presentation. Your trial audience may discover inconsistencies you’d missed, and can often provide valuable feedback on how your slides look, your speaking style or your body language.

3. Body language is very important when you’re giving your presentation; it can affect your persuasiveness. Stand upright (or sit if you need to). A small amount of movement can emphasize your engagement with the subject, but try not to look restless.  Getting your words across means you mustn’t turn your face away from the audience. Small gestures can underline your words, but too much fidgeting will look like nerves. 

Practising giving your presentation will soon get your body language expressing ease and confidence. To learn how to best prepare for a presentation, read our blog article on the right body language

4. Many people tend to speak far too quickly in presentations, probably to get the whole thing over as quickly as possible. While this is understandable, it means the audience misses half your words! Try to breathe calmly and speak evenly.

Time can seem to speed up when you’re in a stressful situation, so speak more slowly than you think right. And taking a proper breath in between phrases will help ground you.  You can find tips on how to prepare your speaking voice for your viva presentation in this blog post .

Your test audience can give you very good feedback here. When you practice your presentation, use a stopwatch to make sure that you stay within the given limits. Once you know that you won’t overrun even when speaking calmly, you can avoid the temptation to rush during the official presentation.

5. Pro tip: Do you have to give your viva presentation online? If so, some things will of course be different, starting with what program you use to stream your presentation. You can find out what options you have in this blog post . Click here to read more about what to pay attention to when giving an online presentation.

powerpoint-summary

While knowing what you want to say is important, DON’T try to learn your entire presentation by heart. Even if you somehow did manage to, it would end up sounding artificial and you could be easily thrown off track if you miss a word or someone interrupts with a question. The best strategy is to memorize a few key points and speak freely.

Take a deep breath before you start and remember that you have no reason to be nervous. Nobody knows your work as well as you do; you’ve done all the research and can consider yourself an expert on your topic.

And if a mistake does happen, here are some tips on how to react to it with confidence.

If the examiners seem receptive to it, a little small talk before you start can help you to relax. And once you start, remember that you’ve practiced hard and are well prepared to give an impressive viva presentation. Good luck!

Any questions about this article or need help creating a viva presentation? Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for tips. We’d love to help.

We’ve already shared a lot of links with tips on how to improve your presentation . Here are some more that may interest you:

  • PowerPoint animations
  • PowerPoint Morph
  • Humor in presentations
  • Add images to your presentation with an app
  • PowerPoint slide master
  • The right presentation background
  • How to create flowcharts

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Tips to Prepare PhD viva-voce Presentation Slides

Best Ph.D. viva ppt slide preparation tips

Dr. Sowndarya Somasundaram

Tips to Prepare PhD viva-voce Presentation Slides

Table of contents

Sample ph.d. viva-voce presentation slides, tips to prepare ph.d. viva-voce presentation slides.

Preparation of neat PhD viva -voce presentation slides and presenting them in a perfect manner in the given time is very important for a PhD viva-voce examination as it going to give a good impression on both research scholar and supervisor or mentor by the examiners or moderators.

Before designing the presentation slides, the scholar has to decide what to include and what not to include in the slides. It is always a big deal for a scholar to include all the research findings, data in the presentation that was obtained during the research program (4 to 5 years).

The scholar has to remember that the presentation should include only the major research findings and key contributions as time management is important. Therefore, in this article, iLovePhD framed simple and useful tips to prepare Ph.D. viva-voce presentation slides.

The format of the presentation slides is presented below. This would give you an idea to prepare the slides.

phd viva presentation tips

  • Give brief introduction about the background of your study. Always present the points in a bulleted manner (4 to 5 points) rather than paragraph.
  • Highlight the research gaps or the need for the research study and present your problem statement clearly.
  • List the objectives and methodology of your study with neat schematics.
  • Present the important research findings and data presented in your thesis in a simple and bulleted manner. Don’t explain it as a paragraph in the slide rather you can give the detailed explanation with scientific evidences during your defence presentation.
  • Connect your findings with past relevant literatures and emphasis the novelty of your research.
  • Use schematics, graphs, and tables with experimental conditions rather than detailed statements.
  • Summarize the results of your research objectives and conclude the research outcomes with societal benefits.
  • Use hyperlinks at appropriate places for presenting huge and important data (Datasets, experimental procedures, literatures).
  • Ensure the quality of the images as it should be clear and readable.
  • Limit your presentation slides to 50 to 55 slides.
  • Check the flow and connectivity between each slide.

We hope this article would be very much useful for the Ph.D. research scholars who are preparing their defense presentation slides irrespective of their area of research. We wish you all the best!!!

Also Read: Top 38 Possible PhD Viva Questions

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Dr. Sowndarya Somasundaram

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iLovePhD is a research education website to know updated research-related information. It helps researchers to find top journals for publishing research articles and get an easy manual for research tools. The main aim of this website is to help Ph.D. scholars who are working in various domains to get more valuable ideas to carry out their research. Learn the current groundbreaking research activities around the world, love the process of getting a Ph.D.

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Viva presentation ppt templates

Free Academic Presentation Templates

In this post, I’m sharing presentation templates from ‘ Awesome PhD Presentations’ workshop held recently. The free Viva slides templates are handcrafted for a viva-voce presentation. Rather than distracting the audience, the clean and simple templates will let your key messages shine. Where less is more…

phd viva presentation ppt template

With further edits, they may be used in any academic and/or professional presentations. Normally, such templates cost between RM100-180.

To my blog readers, the templates are FREE to download, just scroll to the end of this post =)

Check out these Canva and PowerPoint tutorials on Skillshare!

phd viva presentation ppt template

Check out and download THREE more FREE academic presentation slides: the latest MAYA (2021), SHINE and FEARLESS .

CC BY-NC 4.0: Modify as you wish and give credit where it’s due

The templates are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 which means that you may modify etc them for non-commercial use. That is, you may edit the slides anyway you want for a presentation during viva, proposal defence, conferences, grant applications/evaluation, assignments and so on. For as long as they are not used for any commercial, sales or profit-making effort and/or situations.

All I ask from you is to kindly give credit when you use them – as indicated in Viva slides . Spread the word, share the free templates and happy presenting!*

Read Me… Notes about the templates:

Editable slides.

All slides are readily editable and can be customised to your presentations.

Work best in latest versions of Powerpoint2016 and Keynote. However, I’m afraid I’m unable to say if the templates would work in earlier versions.

Drag & drop your own images

Most of the (fern) images can be replaced with your own images. Click on the image, delete it and drag & drop a new image. The new image can be re-sized accordingly.

To edit the ‘Distribution…’ slides, modify:

(i) gradient fill (change ‘position’ % accordingly, the pink box). Please see the screengrab below. (ii) edit the red ‘doughnut’ chart via linked excel form. Double-clicking it will take you to the excel form.

phd viva presentation ppt template

Researchers – Grab editable Canva templates in clean and modern designs.

Say ‘No’ to bullet points

Present your points in a visually attractive manner so that your audience can quickly grasp what you’re presenting. Use the ‘Research Objectives’ slides to replace bullet points.

Powerpoint Templates (~3MB): Available for PC/Mac as PPTX file (i) Widescreen** and (ii) On-screen 4:3*** Fonts: Arial, Calibri. Keynote Templates for Mac only (~11MB): On-screen 4:3*** Fonts: Avenir New (my favourite).

Download the free presentation templates

Click on the following GoogleDrive links to download the templates. There are 7 files in each shared folder.

Powerpoint-Widescreen**

Powerpoint-4:3-On screen***

Keynote(MacOnly)***

Hope you’d find them useful in helping you presenting your work. And if I get new ideas, I do hope to share a couple more templates in the near future. Watch this space 😉

Level up your PowerPoint design skills with Skillshare! FREE for 2 months.

phd viva presentation ppt template

Further notes: *If you’re wondering about minimalist slide/presentations, do read Presentation Zen and Elevate books. Uncluttered, clean designs let your audience focus on what matters the most i.e. your message. **suitable for a presentation on a flatscreen TV, monitor (rectangle shape). ***suitable for a projector screen.

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From admission to dissertation. Tips on making the PhD journey happy, productive and successful

Viva Presentation tips

18 tips to pass your Viva presentation

Viva Presentation of your PhD thesis requires you to prepare thoroughly. Viva Voce defense could be a failure if you don’t present properly. Learn tips on how to do PhD viva dissertation defense that makes you pass in doctoral viva. Face Viva exam confidently with an impressive opening speech. Keep some sample PhD viva questions and answers readily.

  • Adjust voice as per the room size during the presentation of PhD viva.
  • Clear Audibility is the first step for viva Voce success.
  • Present Confidently viva thesis presentation.
  • Do not stammer while defending PhD viva voce.
  • Learn how to make an appropriate eye contact during PhD viva presentation.
  • Keep ready some ready-made sample PhD viva answers.
  • Know how to extend PhD viva validity.
  • Never say you don’t know about any question
  • Try to give your best from nothing during doctoral viva presentation.

Here are my detailed advanced tips on how to pass viva voce during your PhD studies. These viva tips will help you remain confident throughout your presentation

What is a Viva Voce?

A PhD scholar does not consider completing the thesis paper an accomplishment because they are still required to go through the viva voce process.

Although there are countries such as Australia that do not require one to do so, others like the United States necessitate the scholar to go through the process.

A viva voce is an oral examination whereby the researcher is required to stand before a panel of examiners to defend their dissertation .

This is why it is essential for the scholar to ensure that they have clearly mastered the field and the chosen topic by conducting the research on their own.

During the viva voce, the evaluators are at liberty to ask whatever question they feel is related to the topic and the candidate has the obligation of answering the question satisfactorily.

Simply put, a viva voce is an oral presentation that is aimed at proving that the researcher commands knowledge on the topic and has gained knowledge on the field of study.

When is PhD Viva voce examination conducted during PhD

A PhD viva voce examination is the last thing that comes in the PhD process whereby the researcher is required to present themselves before evaluators and answer any questions thrown at them regarding the thesis.

That said, the viva voce comes after the candidate has submitted their thesis to the faculty. Upon receiving the research paper, the evaluators may require the scholar to present themselves in person and required to exhibit what they have learned during the Ph.D. process.

Therefore, a viva voce comes after submission of the thesis and before the candidate earns the doctorate title.

How long is the PhD Viva Voce Presentation with example

Many Ph.D. candidates are concerned by the duration that a viva voce takes and we would like to point out that it all depends on how prepared one is for the same.

Traditionally, a viva voce is supposed to take ninety minutes with no hassles. However, it boils down to the examiners’ decision and if they feel that the time is not enough, then they can extend the process up to three hours.

The purpose of the process is to evaluate how much knowledge one has acquired during the Ph.D. and whether they are capable of answering questions related to their topic.

Therefore, it is true to state that the length of the viva voce will depend on the examiners. If the candidate does not satisfy their expectations, they are bound to ask more questions thus the process I likely to take more time

How many examiners will site in PhD Viva Examination

Many scholars are concerned about with the viva voce since it makes almost all candidates nervous as is the case of any situation where one has to stand before viva examiners and defend their work.

When one is deemed qualified to do a Ph.D., they are assigned a supervisor who ensures that the Ph.D. process is not marred by challenges through offering advice to the scholar.

The examiners are mostly two all of which should come from the university’s faculty. To ensure that the evaluation process is effective, they are mostly chosen from the same field as the candidate. Although it is not a must, there are occasions where the examining body may also comprise of external members.

This implies that the minimum number of examiners is two but they can be more according to the university’s decision.

Viva Preparation Questions

  • What is the new thing that one feels to read your PhD dissertation?
  • How do you prove this experiment can change the way others think?
  • Explain the validity of your proposition with some examples.
  • Give one strong why should we accept your thesis to be authoritative.
  • What influenced you to make your thesis stand out from others

Why is PhD Viva Presentation conducted

A thesis is nothing short of a research paper which means that the scholar is expected to have taken their time to conduct thorough research using advanced techniques.

The main reason why a viva voce is conducted is to give the researcher an opportunity to defend their work before they are graded whether they meet qualifications or not.

The first thing that the scholar should know is that they should be able to defend their thesis which means that they should be aware of everything that is in the research paper. The reason for this is because one can never know what the examiners will ask and from which section of the thesis they will derive their questions.

It is essential that the scholar must ensure that they are prepared adequately by going through their thesis and ensure that they are able to answer any question arising from the same.

There are candidates who may be tempted to have other people write their thesis and although it may be perfect, the viva voce reveals the truth depending on whether they can defend the thesis or not.

Be what you are in your PhD Viva Exam

According to many candidates, the viva voce is an impeachment whereby they feel like they are grilled, but in a real sense, it is designed to prove to themselves and others whether they are in a situation to defend their title as a doctor of philosophy in their field.

It is therefore important for the candidate to ensure that they do not fall prey to brown nosing. They should not direct their efforts to sweet-talk the examiners by trying to impress them. Instead, the scholar is advised to play their role and prove to the evaluators that they are capable of defending what they have written in the thesis.

It is recommended that the scholar should be calm, relaxed and confident in their thesis and have the courage to stand before the examiners and express themselves.

The candidate should recognize the importance of the thesis and this is partly the reason why they have the responsibility of choosing their own topic and doing the research.

Never give one-word answers during Viva Voce viva exam

A viva voce must not be confused with a multiple choice questionnaire thus the researcher must appreciate that it is intended to diminish curiosity.

This cannot be achieved by giving one-word answers because the scholar is required to explain themselves as reflected in the thesis. Important to note is that a person’s standing or view on a certain view cannot be explained in a short statement.

The reason for this is because when one is asked a question during the viva voce, they are expected to state their position on the matter. The statement is not enough because it only triggers more questions.

Therefore, it is necessary that the scholar must support their claim by giving explanations as to why they support their arguments. In fact, the primary purpose of the viva voce is to ensure that the scholar can defend what they advocate for thus they should be in a position to give explanations and proof of what they are saying.

Be confident throughout the session (not over confident) during doctoral viva

According to human nature, there are people that find it easy to stand before others and air their view but the viva voce does not recognize that. It is essential that the scholar must be in a position to present themselves and stand for what they have presented to the faculty and the world.

At this level of learning, it is expected that the scholar must be confident enough to ensure that they can speak in front of a crowd leave alone two or three examiners. Confidence is a virtue that must be acquired by all scholars to ensure that they can stand before others and teach them or address key concerns that affect society.

However, the candidate must take caution not to be overconfident and the main reason for this is that too much confidence is interpreted as arrogance.

The bad thing about this is that the examiners are likely to get the wrong impression about the scholar. This is true because among the virtues that a Ph.D. teaches the candidate is patience and respect for others.

Do not show that you are afraid of Viva Voce of dissertation

The human mind is designed in such a manner that it controls the entire body and command activities that the individual will like and those that they will not.

One of the reasons why most scholars fail the viva voce process is that they tend to develop a negative attitude towards the same even before they go through the process.

It is essential that the scholar must be confident and not only outwardly but also inwardly. We recommend the scholar to ensure that they take all necessary measures to ensure that they do not exhibit fear in front of the examiners.

It is understandable that anyone is capable of nervousness while in front of a panel of examiners. However, we recommend that the scholar must pay attention to two things to boost their confidence. The first element is that they should prepare adequately for the process.

The second is that they should develop a positive attitude towards the viva voce. Adhering to these two advises is bound to increase the scholar’s confidence in themselves and their thesis.

My top Viva advice is to practice before one month

In the scholar’s life, before they take the Ph.D. course, it is true to say that they have gone through many examinations and passed. It is not automatic to pass an examination and it requires a lot of dedication and sacrifice.

Although there are individuals that may be tempted to take a shortcut, there is only one recipe to passing. All examinations require a lot of preparation and a viva voce is not exceptional.

This implies that the scholar must take their time to prepare for the viva voce beforehand. It is recommended that the candidate should take at least one month to prepare themselves.

It may seem like a difficult thing to do but we remind the scholar that they have a supervisor who has knowledge about the viva voce and they can offer useful advice that can make the process easy for the candidate.

Dress proper and be neat and formal during thesis viva preparation

The short description of a viva voce is that it is an oral presentation and therefore it means that there must be physical appearance.

Appearance has a powerful effect in that it creates a lasting impression on the examiners and therefore, the way that one presents themselves before the evaluators automatically make them judge the candidate’s character. The scholar wants the evaluators to be on their side and therefore the first thing that should pop in the scholar’s mind is creating a good impression.

It is essential because it may affect the examiners’ judgment which implies that a good impression is likely to yield good results while a bad impression is likely to yield bad results.

It is crucial that the scholar must dress formally for the viva voce and they should be neat. The proper dressing makes the scholar look responsible and in a position to defend their thesis.

Read your thesis once and thrice and prepare sample PhD viva answers

The viva voce is an oral presentation of the thesis and therefore it is necessary that the scholar must ensure that they have a proper understanding of their thesis before they engage with the examiners.

It is purposeful for the scholar to have 100% knowledge of the thesis even though it is common to forget some points. To avoid mistakes arising from being unable to answer some examiners’ questions, we recommend the scholar to make a point of revising the thesis before and after submitting to the faculty.

Some scholars might consider reading the thesis twice sufficient but this is not the case.

Others may be overconfident and feel that they do not have to read the thesis again but this is usually a recipe to disaster. It is our recommendation that the scholar reads through the thesis at least three times to ensure that they are familiar with all the points discussed within.

Learn how to start your opening speech of PhD Viva

It may sound tricky to summarize a paper comprising of at least 50,000 words in as little as five minutes but it is possible and the scholar should practice doing so.

Essentially, the examiners expect the scholar to have mastered their thesis and therefore they should be able to point out the problem surrounding the topic as well as the causes and recommended solution briefly.

At the onset of the viva voce, the scholar must be in a position to introduce the dissertation to the examiners briefly. This involves presenting an overview of the research paper.

Among the different sections of the thesis is the abstract section which was explained as a summary of the research paper. While preparing for the viva voce, the candidate is advised to consider the abstract and use it as a guideline for the oral presentation.

Listen to what your examiner is asking clearly

The easiest way to fail in any examination is answering the wrong questions or failing to address what the examiner requires.

It is mandatory for the candidate to pay attention to what the examiner is asking and carefully analyze points that they require from the candidate.

By doing so, the scholar is in a position to give the right feedback with reference to the thesis. It means that it is important for the candidate to concentrate during the viva voce and they should ensure that they are not distracted by anything else. 100% concentration is a requirement for the viva voce process if the candidate is going to answer questions satisfactorily.

Do not argue under any circumstance (just defend)

It should be noted that a viva voce is not a form of a debate where two parties are engaged in arguing. The candidate should note that the examiners are already professors and they are not there to engage in a battle of wits.

What they require from the candidate is proof that they have learned during the research and that they are in a position to demonstrate that they command knowledge in their specific fields.

That said, rather than argue, the candidate must ensure that the presentation is based on defending the thesis and shows the validity of the scholar’s standing regarding the points presented in the dissertation.

Pass- short corrections-resubmit- Fail after Ph.D. Viva defense

After the oral presentation, the examiners make a point of presenting their results to the candidate which point out areas that were sufficiently answered and those that were not.

The candidate should look into areas where they gave wrong answers and make a point of researching and making the necessary changes.

The correct answers should be passed to the examiners. The candidate must ensure that the correct answers are written as briefly as possible.

Do not write stuff on your hands or hold slip while defending viva thesis

During the oral presentation, it is necessary that the scholar avoids writing points in their hands or slip. It is so because it acts as a way of showing that the scholar has not prepared sufficiently for the viva voce.

In addition, it creates the impression that the researcher is not fully aware of the content in the thesis. Using written points give the impression of someone who is presenting a speech that has been written for them.

The candidate does not want the examiners feeling that they have not done the research for themselves as this would automatically lead to a fail.

How to do viva presentation with an impressive eye contact

A good presentation is one that the candidate commands presence before the examiners as it shows that they are confident with their work. It also shows that the scholar has worked hard for the thesis and they have nothing to fear regarding the viva voce.

One way of showing the examiners that the candidate is prepared and has dedicated themselves to the research is by making constant eye contact with the examiners.

The researcher should also be careful not to give too much attention to one examiner and instead they should keep eye contact with all the researchers during the whole viva voce.

Plan some expected questions and your answers

Whichever situation that one finds that they are required to make a presentation before a panel or a group of people, the first thing that the person does is to prepare adequately.

It is useful for the candidate to expect some questions that are likely to be asked during the presentation and therefore the scholar should make a list of some of them and work on possible answers.

Although one cannot fully predict the type of questions, it is important for the candidate to conduct a research of previous viva voce that have been done on the same field. Also, the scholar must consult the supervisor who may have useful advice.

Be ready to explain the drawbacks of your thesis cleverly

There is no perfect research and all of them are liable to limitations which the candidate must make a point of acknowledging before they are asked.

The scholar must be prepared to mention the drawbacks and explain why they arise. Merely stating the drawbacks is not enough since it will only make the examiners curios and therefore the candidate must defend the thesis wit-fully taking care to show that the limitations could not be avoided.

Challenges encountered during the thesis should be noted since they might be helpful in explaining the limitations or drawbacks.

Make rehearsals before two days of your viva voce

It has been noted that the scholar must ensure that they are fully prepared for the viva voce before meeting the examiners. Apart from reading through the thesis at least three times, the candidate should ensure that they prepare for the presentation prior to the scheduled day of the meeting.

If possible, the candidate is advised to look for friends and prepare a mock viva voce whereby they act as the examiners and ask questions that the candidate feel could potentially be asked.

This process should be done at least two days before the presentation. A rehearsal is important because it assists the candidate to engage how much they know pertaining to their thesis and some areas that may not have been given adequate attention can be addressed.

Never say “I don’t know” Somehow defend PhD viva (Be it wrong its ok)

A research paper consists of a lot of content and it may not be possible to remember everything that is contained in the same. It is common for the examiners to ask questions that the candidate has not prepared themselves to answer but this should not deter them from answering.

In case the candidate encounters such questions, they should not hastily state that they do not have the answer. Instead, the candidate should take their time and reflect on the thesis and analyze the connection between the question and the thesis.

It is understandable if the answer is not correct but at least the candidate should try to answer the question.

Prepare some positive statements of English to use them during presentation of your viva

One way of preparing for the viva voce is to ensure that one has answers to the examiner’s questions. The main areas of concern are the main points and how they are relevant to the topic.

A presentation must have statements that can be defended at all times since they help the scholar to show the importance of the thesis to the community. Such statements must be positive in nature and exhibit backing up of the thesis.

They should be prepared in English since it is the universal language that is applicable to almost all job specifications in the job market.

How to present PhD viva presentation positively

Positive statements are one way of the researcher showing that they have confidence in themselves and the thesis. Throughout the viva voce, the candidate must ensure that they have a positive attitude which is essential because it draws the examiners on their side.

A positive attitude makes it possible to answer questions easily and there is a likelihood that the examiners may not ask questions that put the candidate in bad situations. It enables the scholar to be motivated and therefore they are able to answer questions freely without feeling tense.

Be audible and do not look shy during thesis viva presentation

It is understandable that some people may have difficulty in standing before people and speaking their minds. However, the scholar is advised to remember that this is their dissertation and the presentation is among the stakeholders that determine whether one will pass or fail.

To counter shyness, the candidate is advised to prepare themselves adequately before the viva voce process. It is important because it boosts the candidate’s moral and level of motivation.

A scholar that is prepared becomes confident in themselves and they also develop a positive attitude which makes it easier to face the examiners and answer any question hurled at them without fear.

If you have had any experience with public speaking skills, you can do this task very easily. But unfortunately, you might have been lazy not to learn these skills when your English Teacher taught you during your school days. You need to give your count now while doing your Ph.D. viva. These skills are very necessary to get through these oral sessions. The way you speak is what matters seriously for the examiners or the reviewers.

Once you are through enough to make it, you can become successful. This way you can become a lot more confident and you will pass this viva without any doubt. While presenting do remember that you have to make some preparation for the last two months. This preparation is the only backbone for your viva. If you do not prepare beforehand you will face trouble while presenting your Ph.D. viva oral

When you keep this in mind, there are some other tips, I want to give here. See how PhD candidates do their viva online. If you go on to youtube you will get many videos in real time. Learn from them how they are able to present during such stressful sessions. I suggest you watch at least one video about Ph.D. viva or any other sessions with respect to Viva. This will surely give you fuller knowledge and viva presentations presentation tips about viva

When you want to give Ph.D. viva, try to show respect who are around you. They may be irritating sometimes to face. But you must never lose temper if someone asks you an inappropriate question. These type of unrelated questions are very common while giving your Ph.D. viva oral examination.

Master all the techniques on how to face audience and PhD supervisor during your viva voce. The way you speak, the way you behave, the way you respond, the way you manage, the way you present. All such skills must be learned before going to viva session.

You cannot make yourself a bluff in front of others for simple questions. So in order to avoid this, you must take your viva seriously and make sufficient preparation.

Never lose heart rather increase your active participation in the viva. If someone corrects you, accept it humbly and proceed to the next defending minutes. So Ph.D. viva is not a big problem if you follow all these suggestions throughout the reading on how to do Ph.D. Viva Voce.phd viva tips

Syam Prasad Reddy T

Hello, My name is Syam, Asst. Professor of English and Mentor for Ph.D. students worldwide. I have worked years to give you these amazing tips to complete your Ph.D. successfully. Having put a lot of efforts means to make your Ph.D. journey easier. Thank you for visiting my Ph.D. blog.

is PhD tough

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Basic Customizable PhD Dissertation

Basic customizable phd dissertation presentation, free google slides theme, powerpoint template, and canva presentation template.

Being formal and creative can be your main highlights when presenting your phD if you use this modern presentation template for your defense. The design is like a canvas you can use to give life to your investigation and your results because it’s completely editable. Adapt the slides to the requirements of your research and your speech and let the elegance of its design surprise the committee and get you the best mark!

Features of this template

  • 100% editable and easy to modify
  • 28 different slides to impress your audience
  • Contains easy-to-edit graphics such as graphs, maps, tables, timelines and mockups
  • Available in different colors
  • Includes 500+ icons and Flaticon’s extension for customizing your slides
  • Designed to be used in Google Slides, Canva, and Microsoft PowerPoint
  • 16:9 widescreen format suitable for all types of screens
  • Includes information about fonts, colors, and credits of the free resources used

How can I use the template?

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Combines with:

This template can be combined with this other one to create the perfect presentation:

Basic Customizable PhD Dissertation Infographics

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Home PowerPoint Templates PowerPoint Themes PhD Dissertation PowerPoint Template

PhD Dissertation PowerPoint Template

Research Image Background Cover

The PhD Dissertation PowerPoint Template provides a professional structure and layouts designed for dissertation presentations. A dissertation is the work submitted to support the conclusion of an academic degree or professional qualification, presenting the author’s research and findings in an area of study. The PhD Dissertation PowerPoint Template is designed as an academic presentation slide deck where the PhDc will compile it work in a supporting document of their message.

The educational PowerPoint template of PhD dissertation contains 9 slides, with diagrams, charts, and shapes for describing your research and thesis. These PowerPoint templates will help prepare a compelling dissertation defense. The comprehensive slide deck of dissertation covers a structured approach of documentation. All the diagrams and data charts will be useful for documenting a PhD dissertation following the traditional sections structure:

  • Abstract – Discuss the abstract model of what you are trying to prove. Implemented as a Text slide with abstract background graphics
  • Introduction – A background of work, basic terminologies, and problem description. The layout is created as an Hexagon picture including placeholders and the dissertation presentation agenda theme.
  • Literature Review – Discuss related work, analysis, and interpretation. Designed as 4 segments with infographic icons to discuss thesis literature.
  • Methodology – Describe the methodology used in your research. You can use the 4 steps curved timeline diagram for the research model.
  • Research Findings – It involves proof of model, type of study and tools to gather supporting data. Magnifying glass 4 steps puzzle diagram research metaphor
  • Results – Data collected from various sources and analysis for proof of thesis. Custom stacked data-driven chart template for reports
  • Discussion – 4 sections to display presentation discussion points
  • Conclusion – 6 sections for research questions, answers, contribution, and future work

Every dissertation has its specifics, but this structure will help you diagram your presentation, following best practices. You will be able to tell your dissertation story in a compelling way, which will engage your audience.

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phd viva presentation ppt template

your phd viva

Your PhD Viva:

Jun 30, 2012

190 likes | 959 Views

Your PhD Viva: . The Unofficial Guide. By Daniel Osei-Joehene. Structure. Preparing for the PhD Viva Convention of the PhD Viva Structure of PhD Viva Difficult PhD Viva Questions Useful References. 1. Preparing for the PhD Viva. What is the PhD Viva Exam?.

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Presentation Transcript

Your PhD Viva: The Unofficial Guide By Daniel Osei-Joehene

Structure • Preparing for the PhD Viva • Convention of the PhD Viva • Structure of PhD Viva • Difficult PhD Viva Questions • Useful References

1. Preparing for the PhD Viva • What is the PhD Viva Exam? • A ritual ceremony as a right of passage

1. Preparing for the PhD Viva • The Examiners? • Choose your examiners with your supervisor • Who would you like to work with most? • Who can help your career (academic/gov/com etc.)? • Institutions that have post-doc projects etc. • Consider experience & location • Inexperienced examiners can be the most demanding • Examiners who must travel far

“Show me the Money”   “Show me the Knowledge” 1. Preparing for the PhD Viva • What most examiners expect from an LSE PhD!

1. Preparing for the PhD Viva • Anxiety of Uncertainty ! • Role playing • (with supervisor/friends etc.) • Useful Preparation Strategies • Write a good dissertation you can defend :-) • Familiarise yourself with all aspects of your work • What is your contribution - KEY • What are the strengths and limitations of your work? • you should be able to say something meaningful for both...

2. Convention of the PhD Viva • The LSE Convention for the PhD Viva? • Show respect for the occasion: • Dress and behave accordingly

3. Structure of PhD Viva • Introduction • Examiners questions/discussion • Conclusion

3. Structure of PhD Viva • Introduction • “We want you to know you have passed” • The examiners will ask you to introduce your work: • “Please can you tell us about your PhD work”? • “Please give us an idea of what your thesis is about and the ideas behind it?” • Be brief • Show interest in your topic • Set agenda of the discussion

Remember who’s the BOSS • You know your work better than anyone • You are the expert not your examiners or your supervisor! 3. Structure of PhD Viva • Examiners questions/discussion • Sequence of questions • Sequential or Thematic order

3. Structure of PhD Viva • Concluding Section • What would you have done differently? • Plans for future research / publishing?

4. Difficult PhD Viva Questions • Types of difficult questions • “Why didn’t you do it my way” or “I would have done it differently”…! • Given what you’ve done there are some problems: • Misunderstanding of work needing clarification • A difficult question that must be addressed

4. Difficult PhD Viva Questions • Dealing with difficult questions • Hold your ground, but know when to let go! • Don’t try to deflect good questions or valid points • Be honest - don’t try and hoodwink the examiners • Show enthusiasm and interest - especially in defeat

5. Useful References • Google “PhD Viva” - caution! • Books: • “How to Survive Your Viva:”by Rowena Murray (2003) • “Authoring a PhD:” by Patrick Dunleavy (2003)

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The PhD Proofreaders

Prepare for your viva. One question at a time.

Prepare answers to the most common phd viva questions with this interactive template. it’s free to download and it’s yours to keep forever. , the easiest way to prepare for your viva.

Our free PhD Viva Questions template lets you familiarise yourself with the most common questions. It’s been designed in collaboration with Professor Peter Smith, author of Palgrave’s  The PhD Viva. 

The template is interactive and editable, meaning you can fully prepare model answers in advance of the big day. 

Enter your email address and we’ll deliver it straight to your inbox. For free. We’ll also send you tips and advice on how best to prepare for your viva and any corrections you may get. 

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PhD Viva questions

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Free PowerPoint Templates

Free PhD PowerPoint Template

PHD PowerPoint Template

PhD PowerPoint template is a thesis or lecture PowerPoint presentation background that you can use as a free educational resource for teachers or professors. This PhD PowerPoint template can also be used as a free academic PowerPoint template slide for teaching with PowerPoint presentations or as a free e-learning PowerPoint template. You can create nice PowerPoint presentations using University PowerPoint backgrounds as well as other educational PowerPoint slides and themes for Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 and 2010. The template can also be used by PhD Online Colleges looking for free PowerPoint presentations as well as PhD candidates looking for free backgrounds for their thesis or presentations in PowerPoint. The doctorate slide design can be used for professionals as well as PhD candidates looking for a free PhD PPT background.

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phd viva presentation ppt template

IMAGES

  1. Presentation of PhD Viva

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  2. PhD Dissertation PowerPoint Template

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  4. PPT

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  5. PhD Viva Voce in 2021

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VIDEO

  1. PhD Viva Presentation

  2. Presentation Slides for Final VIVA VOCE

  3. Tips for PhD Viva Voce presentation #profdrrajasekaran #research

  4. Preparing For Your Dissertation Defense (Viva Voce): 9 Questions You MUST Be Ready For (+ Examples)

  5. How to prepare the power point presentation for viva

  6. Pre Ph.D Viva Presentation by Shreya Jain

COMMENTS

  1. How to structure your viva presentation (with examples)

    A very traditional viva presentation structure simply follows the structure of the PhD thesis. This means that the viva presentation covers all parts of the thesis, including an introduction, the literature review, the methodology, results, conclusions, etcetera. Example of a traditional viva presentation structure.

  2. PhD Dissertation Google Slides Theme and PowerPoint Template

    Free Google Slides theme and PowerPoint template. In order to achieve the highest academic degree there is, you need the best presentation for your dissertation. Years of hard work will pay off with this free template by Slidesgo, which can help you focus on your message without having to worry about the visual design. The color palette is ...

  3. PhD Defense Template

    A streamlined presentation that's as professional as it is impressive. All with just a few clicks of the mouse. Our PhD defense template can also help you: Customize your PhD presentation for different audiences. Synthesize months of academic work into a concise presentation. Successfully defend your PhD thesis to your panel.

  4. How to structure your viva presentation (with examples)

    A viva presentation structure near case studies can is easy to continue fork the audience, and shed bright on the similarities furthermore differences of bags. How do ME prepare for a PhD Viva, PhD viva how, PhD viva questions - PhD Assistance. However, as always, i need to ponder on whether the texture supports your key message.

  5. PhD Dissertation Defense Slides Design: Start

    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 ...

  6. PPT Template for PhD Presentation and Google Slides

    Features of the template. 100% customizable slides and easy to download. Slides are available in different nodes & colors. The slide contains 16:9 and 4:3 formats. Easy to change the colors of the slide quickly. Well-crafted template with an instant download facility. Highly compatible with all versions of PowerPoint.

  7. Ace Your Viva Presentation: Helpful Tips & Tricks!

    In general, the rule for viva presentations is: Keep It Simple. This is a defense of your academic research and your slides should express that. Keep it classic and factual. Use a uniform font and a neutral, preferably white, background. You can use backgrounds from PresentationLoad:

  8. Tips to Prepare PhD viva-voce Presentation Slides

    Tips to prepare Ph.D. viva-voce presentation slides. Give brief introduction about the background of your study. Always present the points in a bulleted manner (4 to 5 points) rather than paragraph. Highlight the research gaps or the need for the research study and present your problem statement clearly. List the objectives and methodology of ...

  9. Free Academic Presentation Templates

    Viva slides, quickly design your academic presentations using these templates. With further edits, they may be used in any academic and/or professional presentations. Normally, such templates cost between RM100-180. To my blog readers, the templates are FREE to download, just scroll to the end of this post =) Check out these Canva and ...

  10. Chapter 8: PPT Slides and Viva Presentation

    Aim and Objecti v es. 8 CH 8: PPT Slides and Viva Presentation By: Dr Amer Jameel Shareef. Scope of This Stud y. • It refers to the boundaries, limitations & focus of a. particular study ...

  11. How to structure your viva presentation (with examples)

    ADENINE very traditional viva how structure simply follows the structural of the PhD thesis. This means that the viva presentation covering any parts of the dissertation, including an introduction, which literature review, the methodology, results, conclude, etcetera. Example of a traditional your presentation structure.

  12. Minimalist PhD Dissertation. Free PPT & Google Slides Template

    Simple, clean, and classic, these minimalist PhD dissertation slides are great as a Google Slides template, PowerPoint theme or Canva template. Keep the layout as it is or add, delete, and re-order slides. Choose your own color scheme and font combination. Upload images, photos, and illustrations. Easily add charts, graphs, and other figures ...

  13. 18 tips to pass your Viva presentation

    Keep some sample PhD viva questions and answers readily. Adjust voice as per the room size during the presentation of PhD viva. Clear Audibility is the first step for viva Voce success. Present Confidently viva thesis presentation. Do not stammer while defending PhD viva voce.

  14. Basic Customizable PhD Dissertation Presentation

    Free Google Slides theme, PowerPoint template, and Canva presentation template. Being formal and creative can be your main highlights when presenting your phD if you use this modern presentation template for your defense. The design is like a canvas you can use to give life to your investigation and your results because it's completely editable.

  15. Free PHD Viva PowerPoint Templates For Research Presentations ...

    Free PhD Viva PowerPoint Templates For Research Presentations Presentations-EdiThumbs.pptx - Free download as Powerpoint Presentation (.ppt / .pptx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or view presentation slides online. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site. ...

  16. PhD Dissertation PowerPoint Template

    The PhD Dissertation PowerPoint Template provides a professional structure and layouts designed for dissertation presentations. A dissertation is the work submitted to support the conclusion of an academic degree or professional qualification, presenting the author's research and findings in an area of study.

  17. Viva Presentation Template

    Use this presentation template to present updates, bonus features, new services or products to your customers, new clients or potential investors. Change colors, fonts and more to fit your branding. Access free, built-in design assets or upload your own. Visualize data with customizable charts and widgets. Add animation, interactivity, audio ...

  18. PPT

    Jun 30, 2012. 190 likes | 959 Views. Your PhD Viva: . The Unofficial Guide. By Daniel Osei-Joehene. Structure. Preparing for the PhD Viva Convention of the PhD Viva Structure of PhD Viva Difficult PhD Viva Questions Useful References. 1. Preparing for the PhD Viva.

  19. PhD Viva Questions [Interactive Template]

    The easiest way to prepare for your viva. Our free PhD Viva Questions template lets you familiarise yourself with the most common questions. It's been designed in collaboration with Professor Peter Smith, author of Palgrave's The PhD Viva. The template is interactive and editable, meaning you can fully prepare model answers in advance of ...

  20. PHD PowerPoint Template

    PPT Size: 212.6 KiB | Downloads: 44,889. Free PhD PowerPoint Template is saved under Education templates and use the following tags: Abstract Lines. PhD PowerPoint template is a thesis or lecture PowerPoint presentation background that you can use as a free educational resource for teachers or professors. This PhD PowerPoint template can also ...