“Top notch job!”, “Well done, excellent!” read the report of my Ph.D. qualifying exam. Buried among these was one more comment, “Very good comeback!” Yes, it took me a second attempt to pass my Ph.D. qualifiers.
The first time I presented my thesis proposal, a peculiar combination of overconfidence and fear set my approach. I felt cocksure about my subject area, so I neglected it. On the other hand, I re-read the foundational core courses from my first year of Ph.D. studies because I felt the need to revisit them. I didn’t realize I was reading material unrelated to my research proposal.
I had heard it from one too many people about thesis presentations - “You need to know everything about everything!” It may have a speck of truth in it, although, if you ask me, it is the worst possible advice one can get.
Alt text: A PhD student presenting his research with committee members paying close attention to his talk. Generated using Canva AI
The second time, I not only passed the exam, but I aced it with a whopping 90%. I was strategic in my approach and have consistently been following these strategies ever since.
For any presentation, be it your thesis proposal or your defense, the real hurdle is the PowerPoint presentation, not so much creating the slides, but fielding questions from committee members.
💡
Here are six strategies to ace your talk.
UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE: I don’t deny that failing once helped me realize the purpose of my presentation. But it doesn’t have to be that hard. Make no mistake, I knew the format. Once I realized the purpose, things became clear. The committee members test graduate students’ aptitude to undertake the proposed research or defend it sincerely. Read your research proposal from an outsider’s point of view. It helped me predict some questions that were asked. If possible, find a friend in a different field to recognize any clarifications they need about your research proposal.
KNOW YOUR RESEARCH IN AND OUT: A couple of years into the Ph.D. program, you may know your research like the back of your hand. But thesis presentations are all about articulating your research lucidly to an audience. The committee members want to be assured that you indeed understand the significance of your research and the basis of the proposed hypothesis. Most of the answers can be found in the proposal if adequate time and effort were dedicated to writing it. The references listed in your research proposal are also a valuable source of information. So reading some of these seminal papers thoroughly and not just skimming through it will set a foundation for your existing knowledge base.
BACK TO THE BASICS: Brush up basics in the broad subject area that fits your specific field of research. I created a list of buzzwords from my proposal and looked up every single one online or in a textbook to make a connection with my research. For example, if your research proposal is to understand the mechanism of a particular protein involved in insulin release, then it doesn’t hurt to know the synthesis, processing, and packaging of insulin in addition to knowing the part of the brain that regulates its release. You may even score brownie points for knowing a bit of history about insulin’s discovery if the committee members happen to ask you about it. Make sure you leave no stone unturned, but within the scope of your research project.
ADVISOR’S ADVICE: If you find yourself stuck at any point, your advisor’s expertise in this field can come to your rescue. Discuss the research project informally with your advisor at least two or three times. I was enlightened with some novel insights every time I sat down with my advisor. Vocalize your thought process to get your advisor’s opinion on it. Given your advisor’s experience in the field, they are a good judge of the type of questions that may be hurled at you. Remember, this may be your first few talks in this field but not your advisor’s!
READ TO RETAIN: You must spend two to four months preparing for your talk. Read in a way so it lasts in your memory. While we each have our methods, three is my magic number. I retain information that I have read atleast three times. I would go back to the list of buzz words and remember their context and relation to my research.
PRACTICE, AND PRACTICE EARLY: Finalize your slides 10 - 15 days before your presentation date and practice your talk with a real audience. Find a set of people who are genuinely interested in listening to your talk and question you later. Additionally, it would definitely help if you practiceyour talk in the same conference room as your presentation. Utilize the week after the practice talk to polish your slides.
Be proud of your research, believe in it, and look forward to sharing your research with your committee members. No one knows your research better than yourself.