1. Guide for VIVA Presentation

2. Why I think this lecture part is important?
“In most of viva sessions that I have attended for the past 3 years, I found that ….
the viva examiners were not interested to listen the candidates’ presentation (including me). There must be a reason!”

3. STOP BORING
PRESENTATIONs!!

4. Possible reasons of bad presentation
Bad story telling.
Poor slides visual.
Too many insignificant details.
Poor body language.
Not well prepared, and it is very obvious.
Just read from slides.
No eye-contact.

5. Understand the purpose of viva examination
Basically, is to
Approve it is your own work
Make sure you understand what you did
Look for contribution to knowledge – worthy of Master/PhD

6. Let’s think positively that…
The Viva An Opportunity
To discuss your work with experts
To improve your arguments and thesis
Have free consultations

7. General procedure of Viva Examination in UTM
Introduction by Chairperson.
2-3 mins
Presentation
20 mins
Q&A session.
1 to 4 hrs
Discussion for the decision.
5 – to 10 mins
Announcement of the decision

8. Effective presentation skills
Good introduction to engage the audience
Not more than 2 mins per slides
Systematic flow.
Clear message.

9. General tips Choose a number of message to excite people.
Start with catchy phrase/picture/story to engage with audience.
Know your audience (expert/non-expert)
Plan/write what you want to say on a paper not on slides.
Practice a lots!

10. Good slides Minimum words-only keywords to help remember the points.
Good visually.
Just show the most important graph/table/ schematic diagram.
Animations when necessary.
Appropriate number of slides.

11. General flow
Solutions
Problems
Motivations

12. Structure of your presentation

13. Presentation in general
Never enough time to talk about everything (in 30 minutes time)
All of them reflect on you & need practice/polish
Focus on a clear goal and message.

14. Tips to Prepare Presentation Slides
Be neat, as 1st appearances is very important, boost up your confidence level too
Avoid trying to cram too much into one slide
Be brief
Use a large font
Use color to emphasize
Use illustrations to get across key concepts (may use limited animation)

15. Slide layout - Bad
This page contains too many words for a presentation slide. It is not written in point form, making it difficult both for your audience to read and for you to present each point. It looks much more complicated when the sentences are grouped in into a paragraph instead of in point forms. In short, your audience will spend too much time trying to read this paragraph instead of listening to you. Hence, this should be AVOIDED in your presentation slides.

16. Slide layout – Good Show one point at a time:
Will help audience concentrate on what you are saying
Will prevent audience from reading ahead
Will help you keep your presentation focused

17. Fonts - Good Use a decent font size
Use different size fonts for main points and secondary points
this font is 24-point, the main point font is 32-point, and the title font is 44-point
Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial

18. Fonts - Bad CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ!!
If you use a small font, your audience won’t be able to read what you have written
CAPITALIZE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ!!
Don’t use a complicated font

19. Color - Good Use font color that contrasts sharply with the background
Dark Blue font on white background
Use color to reinforce the logic of your structure
Ex: light blue title and dark blue text
Use color to emphasize a point
But only use this occasionally

20. Color - Bad
Using a font color that does not contrast with the background color is hard to read
Using color for decoration is distracting and annoying.
Using a different color for each point is unnecessary
Same for secondary points
Trying to be creative can also be bad

21. Background - Good
Use backgrounds such as this one that are attractive but simple
Use backgrounds which are light
Use the same background consistently throughout your presentation

22. Background – Bad
Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or difficult to read from
Always be consistent with the background that you use

23. Graphs - Good Use graphs rather than just charts and words
Data in graphs is easier to comprehend & retain than is raw data
Trends are easier to visualize in graph form
Always title your graphs

24. Graphs - Good

25. Statistic chart - Good

26. Figure-Good (CO2 sequestration)

27. Graphs - Bad Minor gridlines are unnecessary Font is too small
Colors are illogical
Title is missing
Shading is distracting

28. Figure - Poor
Poor image resolution

29. Too complicated to be understood
Figure - Poor
Too complicated to be understood

30. Preparation for Q&A Anticipate questions and prepare sample answers.
Common Q for viva
In one sentence, what is your thesis?
Why did you choose this topic?
What is novelty of your work?
Why didn't do the other ways?
What have you achieved/want to achieve?

31. Viva strategies & skills
Defining
Define & illustrate
Define & defend
Being specific
Being explicit
Elaborating
Highlights
Deflecting criticism
Murray (2003) pp.90-97

32. Handling Questions Take some times to understand the question.
Think before answer the question.
Answer with reliable facts.
Be calm.
Do not too deffensive or give in, depend on situation.

33. Prepare Closing Summarize Recommendation highlight important points
Contribution/achievement
Recommendation
suggest how your work can be improved

34. Preparation for VIVA presentation
Read through your thesis once again (theories, formulas, calculations, vocabulary)
If you spot errors in your thesis, prepare an error list and the replacement pages
Write down the questions the examiners are likely to ask in each chapter
Seek comments from friends and supervisors (mock viva)
Practice!!!

35. While doing your presentation…
Remember that you know more about your work that the examiners
Memorise your first few sentences so you don’t stammer at the start
Make eye contact
Speak clearly and loudly, try not to sound bored!
Be ready to skip slides if time is short
Understand the question fully before answering
Don’t defend very strongly for something not sure

36. After all…….

37. ASSIGNMENT (30marks) Prepare Presentation Slide
Submission deadline: 7th December 2015
Presentation will be done on 7th and 14th Dec 2015
15 minutes presentation

38. Organization & Structure Preparation (including visual aids)
Assesment Criteria
CRITERIA
Unacceptable
(1)
Acceptable
(2)
Moderate
(3)
Good
(4)
Very Good
(5)
Organization & Structure
Presentation shows little organization. Unclear relationships or transitions.
Difficult to follow presentation due to erratic topical shifts and jumps.
Some information is presented in logical order which is easy to follow.
Most information is organized and presented in logical order which is easy to follow.
All information is organized and presented in a clear, logical, interesting and novel sequence, which is easily followed.
Content & Knowledge
No grasp of information. Presentation has significant errors or omissions..
Uncomfortable with information. There are few errors or omissions. Lacks evidence of research.
At ease with content and moderately good elaboration and explanation. Limited evidence on research.
At ease with content and good elaboration and explanation. Clear evidence of research.
Demonstration of full knowledge of the subject with very good explanations and elaboration. Clear evidence of research.
Preparation (including visual aids)
Very poor preparation. Several graphics are not attractive and detract from the content of the presentation.
Poor preparation. Occasional use of visual aids, however they barely support the topic of presentation.
Moderately good preparation. Visual aids are moderately related to the topic of presentation.
Good preparation. Visual aids are attractive and related to the topic of presentation.
Very good preparation. Text and presentation are reinforced by the use of visual aids.
All graphics are attractive and support the topic of presentation.
Delivery
Significant mumbling and incorrect pronunciation of terms. Read nearly word by word from notes
No eye contact, rate of speech too fast or too slow. Have no confident.
Significant mumbling and incorrect pronunciation of terms. Relied heavily on notes.
No eye contact, rate of speech too fast or too slow. Does not demonstrate poise, confidence and/or audience awareness.
Occasional incorrect pronunciation of terms. Not relied too much on notes.
Moderately good eye contact, rate of speech. Moderately confident.
Voice is clear and at proper level. Most terms pronounced correctly. Not reading from notes.
Good eye contact, steady rate of speech, confidence.
Clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms. Not reading from notes.
Very good eye contact, steady rate of speech. Demonstrates poise, confidence, and audience awareness.