Are you ready for your upcoming thesis defense presentation?
While more than 33% of adults in the US have completed a bachelor’s degree, just under 10% go on to achieve a master’s in their chosen field. So if you’ve made it this far: congratulations!
Thing is, most students at grad and post-grad level are required to deliver a thesis defense presentation before their course ends — yourself included! This can be an incredibly challenging stage of your studies. A thesis defense demands time, commitment, and effort to get right.
But it’s not just what you present that matters — it’s how you present it, too. A great design is crucial, and to help you get started, here are seven presentation tips to keep in mind.
- Define your signature idea
- Know your audience
- Keep each slide focused on one point
- Less is more
- Carefully consider your typography
- Dial down your data
- Consistency is key
- 12 Free presentation templates for a Thesis Defense
Define your signature idea
Your thesis has a focus. A goal. A core concept.
And this should be incorporated into your thesis defense presentation’s design in every respect. A strong design will help to engage the committee and reinforce your expert understanding of your research area.
Aim to define your signature idea before you start designing your defense — don’t leave the visuals until the text’s complete. Building the different aspects of the presentation together keeps it cohesive.
The choice of colors, fonts, images, and visual touches should all support the point you’re making in your thesis, from the first slide to the last. Think about the message you want to implicitly deliver — for example, if your chosen field is sociology and you’re presenting a paper on at-risk or vulnerable communities, you don’t want the visual design of your presentation to come off too playful or informal. Similarly, if you want your audience to understand the gravity of your findings so far, make sure you use bold, clear typefaces to highlight the key take-homes.
The choice of colors, fonts, images, and visual touches should all support the point you’re making in your thesis, from the first slide to the last.
Sure, this adds extra time to the creative process. But it’s well worth it to deliver an authoritative, complete package.
Ask yourself:
- Does every image convey and support the text accompanying it?
- Do the colors and fonts give the presentation a professional finish?
- Is each slide clear, free of clutter, and easy to understand at first glance?
A yes for each of these questions means you’re on the right track. Follow it.
Know your audience
Your thesis defense presentation will be delivered to a committee in a formal environment. They want to see that you’ve developed an in-depth understanding of your graduate program and have built a thesis on solid foundations. A good presentation leaves the committee in no doubt that you’re ready for your next steps.
That’s why your presentation’s design is so important. One clumsy slide after another suggests you’re either too lazy to invest the time a good thesis defense demands or (worse) are not capable of success. The committee may assume you don’t take the program, your work, or your future seriously.
So consider your choice of colors, layout, fonts, and images carefully. Avoid anything too bright or garish. Be wary of risque photos or memes with the potential to offend. There’s room for humor, but only if it’s subtle and safe — if in doubt, stay serious.
Keep each slide focused on one point
You have a lot of points to cover in your thesis. You have an argument to make. You’ve spent years studying and building knowledge in your chosen subject.
Given the chance, you could probably spend hours talking about what you’ve already learned so far.
But you don’t have hours for your thesis defense presentation!
That’s why you need to balance information carefully to avoid hitting the committee with too much, too soon. Chances are, they’ve seen more than enough presentations overloaded with data and details. Keeping your defense simple will cut through all the other noise.
Work on narrowing the focus of each slide to cover one point. Just one. Condensing ideas is tough, especially when you’re discussing a complex issue. But taking your presentation one slide at a time ensures the audience can follow your argument clearly.
Less is more
Be sparing with text in your thesis defense presentation. You might be tempted to cram each slide with as much illuminating information as possible, but too much text can be off-putting.
Why? Because the committee doesn’t want to read block after block of words. They want to hear you argue your points with passion and authenticity.
If you really want to demonstrate the depth and breadth of your expertise, then keep each slide simple. Use just enough text to convey the meaning of your discussion, and use each slide as a jumping-off point.
Your audience should listen much more than they read.
So when playing around with content, be mindful of the white space on each slide. It keeps the focus on the slide’s content and helps viewers home in on the must-see elements.
Carefully consider your typography
Once you’ve chosen the right words, your cutdown text must look right to deliver maximum impact.
First and foremost, your text should be easy to read. Don’t force the committee members to squint from across the room, or (even worse) to ask what the words are. Choose colors which contrast with each other well and the text will seem to leap off the page.
Another key factor to consider is the setting in which you’ll deliver the presentation. Is it bright, with lots of natural lighting, or gloomier? Is it small or big? Narrow or wide?
Understanding the room’s size, shape, and lighting will help you create the most appropriate design. Where possible, visit the space ahead of time and get a feel for which typographic options are going to work best.
Dial down your data
It’s natural to add facts and figures to your thesis defense presentation. Data supports your argument and shows you spent time conducting research.
But your audience has to process what’s on the screen while you’re speaking, before and after you refer to it. They’ll struggle to do this if the slide is packed with information, and this overload will distract them from what you’re saying.
You can’t afford to lose their attention, nor can you afford to gamble with their interest. Your presentation is too important to compromise.
So, dial down your data and only use details that truly add weight to your argument. Provide just enough to show you’ve researched topics and take your thesis seriously. Present it in an eye-catching way that involves visuals, such as original or stock graphics (the type you might see in infographics).
Research shows visuals can improve the brain’s ability to learn by as much as 400%, stimulating the imagination and increasing the speed at which information is processed. If you incorporate dynamic pictures that help convey the meaning behind your data, you enhance the committee’s ability to digest it more quickly.
Consistency is key
Finally: consistency.
Each slide of your thesis defense must follow on from the one before it, in a smooth and logical way. On and on, right up to the end.
But the design has to be as consistent as the content.
Don’t switch color schemes or layout dramatically from one slide to another. Settle on one overall template and stick to it. Otherwise, a sudden shift in style could distract the committee and leave them struggling to grasp the thread of your argument once again.
Now, you’re ready to go!
Creating an impressive thesis defense presentation takes time. And a large part of this should be spent on perfecting your design.
Follow the steps explored above when building your presentation, and pay attention to even the most minor aspects of the design. Your committee wants to see you take the thesis seriously — so don’t give them any reason to doubt you!
12 Free presentation templates for a Thesis Defense
At SlidesCarnival we have many presentation templates with the serious and professional design needed to impress the committee at your thesis defense presentation. Have a look!
Looking for more presentation inspiration?
At SlidesCarnival, we have a huge library of Google Slides and PowerPoint templates that are completely free to download, edit, and customize. Browse the collection to find great design ideas that are sure to make your presentation stand out.
I cannot decide on the perfect template design for my Master Thesis Presentation. The Topic is Risk perception and Borrowers’ behavior related to loans. What do you suggest? The professors are all men rather boring and while I would like to choose vivid colors I am not sure if they are ideal either for my topic or for the audience.
Hello Lilian, I would recommend that you use the Thaliard template. It may seem too serious but the good thing about it is that it works with any background color. So you can change the navy blue for a more vivid blue and achieve a formal but not boring design.
Hey I am Mahilet. I am working masters thesis on legal protection and remedy of victims of human trafficking under Ethiopian laws. All the examiners are men. I am not quite sure what to choose. Please help me.
Hello Mahilet, any of our templates designed for Law & Justice topics should fit you well.
I can not decide on the template for my bachelor thesis presentation. The topic is Communication Anxiety among multidisciplinary health professionals during online sessions in COVID-19 or pandemic duration. Any suggestions please.
Since your thesis is related to the topic of communication between health professionals I would choose a template with blue tones. As for a thesis presentation the best is a sober and formal design I would recommend Nicholas, Gremio or Dercetus templates.
Hi, My professor asked me to improve my PPT for my thesis presentation. I am kind of stuck, my research is in Mini Grids and wonder what kind of PPT to use. Any ideas on what to use.
Hi Paul, It depends on whether you approach the subject from an engineering or an environmental point of view:
Valentine template is great for presentations on engineering. Solanio template is the perfect companion for sustainability presentations. Surrey template and Macmorris template work for both points of view because they have a perfect balance between the formal design of engineering and the green tones of sustainabilityHi my research is based on soft cheese infused with herbs and spices and I can’t decide on a suitable ppt. Any suggestions
Hi, I have some templates for food content, please check them out.
Hi there, my thesis is on sea turtles. I can’t decide on a template for my slides since my supervisor doesn’t want dark backgrounds, animated or with patterns. Which template would u suggest? Thanks!
Hi Josette, I would use the Ariel template as it has a clean and professional design. Use it keeping only the blue bordered slides and replace the images of plants & skies with others of oceans and sandy beaches.
Hello! I am Derbie. My thesis is on Design and Analysis of Front Bumper to Improve Energy Absorption. So, which color is the best fit for the PPT? Please suggest me. Thanks!
As this is an automotive related topic I would use blues and grays. With an occasional yellow detail as it’s a color related to vehicle impacts (we relate it to crash test dummies and police warning signs).
Hello, My thesis defence is on the 20th of February. My topic is slope stability analysis using bamboo and geotextile. Can you suggest a template for me?
Hello Maiesha, I think MacMorris template would be a great option. It has a professional look suitable for a thesis, but also its inclined shapes & green tones are reminiscent of the slopes and the natural materials used to stabilize them.
Hi, I’m looking for some template suggestions for my thesis defense presentation. My research explores the effect of the drug sildenafil on collegiate athletes who live and train in a state of chronic hypoxia (at altitude). The department committee are all relatively laid back. They will expect something professional but appreciate creativity. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
-WM
Hi, I think that Caius or Cerimon templates, with the right photos, would be perfect for your thesis.
Hi Jimena, what do you suggest for a thesis presentation about destination tourism?
I would recommend Cool Circles Presentation Template. Circles are a good visual metaphor for “destination”, and using the right tourism photos this design will completely suit your topic.
Hi, My PhD thesis is about low-light images enhancement. I am little confused and don’t know which template will be suitable for my thesis defense presentation. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you.
Since at its most basic “low-light images enhancement” deals with technology and “changing the color of pixels” I think Mowbray template would be perfect for your thesis.
Hi Jimena,
Wonderful guidelines! By following them, the one’s presentation would, definitely, be in another quality level (both aspects: content and visuals). Thank you so much for the share! (I will be applying as much of the mentioned advices as possible).
Kind regards,
Hey, my thesis is about fairness and bias in cyberbullying detection, what design would you recommend? Thanks in advance!
I would use Spark Business template, simply change the illustration in the cover with one more related to your topic (you’ll find several illustrations you can use in slide 36)
Hi, any recommendations on a good template for a presentation in Linguistics? I’m working on my graduation presentation and I really have no idea how I should design the presentation…
Sorry, I don’t know the linguistics field well, but I think any of our professional presentation templates will surely boost your content.
I’m looking for some template suggestions for my thesis defense presentation. It is about Urban planning using sustainability solutions.
Thanks
Hello Yaldina, I can recommend you Blue & Green Professional or Green Dynamic Business templates.
Hello Jimena, thank you for all the content! I am working on my Masters Thesis Presentation, could you suggest me a template. My is about Natural Hazards Risk Perception and Response.
Hello Elida, I would use the minimal nature template combined with the right photos.
Hi dear, my bachelor thesis defense is cooperative study between flat plate and frame structure in a high rise building but couldn’t decided the template for Civil Engineering department School.
Hello Jimena, thank you for all the content! I am working on my PhD Presentation, what design would you recommend. My topic is about women in higher education. Thanks :)