Many universities are currently in the midst of diploma defence season. In order to present their work in the best possible light, students take a responsible approach to preparing accompanying materials, including presentations. At first glance, creating a presentation does not seem difficult. However, in order for it to be effective and complement the presentation harmoniously, certain rules must be followed. Which ones? Below, we will review the five most common mistakes students make when designing presentations.
1. Overloading slides with information
Many students try to put as much information as possible on their slides, believing that this will demonstrate the depth of their work. As a result, the presentation turns into a set of slides overflowing with text, complex tables or graphs that are difficult to perceive.
This, in turn, leads to the audience losing interest, and the speaker often simply reads the text from the slides and looks unprofessional.
How to avoid this mistake?
- follow the "6x6" rule: no more than 6 lines of text and 6 words in each line;
- use short sentences instead of full sentences: to avoid overloading the slides with text, avoid unnecessary words. For example, instead of ‘During the study, we found that method A is more effective than method B,’ write ‘Method A is more effective than method B.’
- replace part of the text with visual elements: diagrams, graphs or graphic images will help to present the material more clearly.
2. Lack of presentation structure
A presentation without a clear structure looks chaotic and makes it difficult to understand the material. For example, students may pay too much attention to the introduction but fail to reveal the results of the study or omit the conclusions, which are a key element for the commission.
How to avoid this mistake?
- follow the standard structure: introduction (1-2 slides), methodology (1-2 slides), research results (2-3 slides) and conclusions (1-2 slides). This will allow you to devote sufficient attention to the key aspects of your research work.
- contents: add a slide with the presentation plan at the beginning so that the audience understands how your presentation is structured.
3. Incorrect visualisation
Visualisation has a significant impact on the quality of a presentation. Poor design can ruin the overall impression of your work. Bright colours, illegible fonts, low-quality images or incompatible styles reduce the audience's concentration and make it difficult to perceive the material.
Special attention should be paid to the overall style of the presentation — it must comply with academic standards. For example, you should not use overly decorative designs with flowers or unnecessary graphic elements. Instead, slides should be restrained, minimalistic, and well-structured.
How to avoid this mistake?
- presentation template: choose a template with a neutral colour palette Use a single template with a neutral colour palette (2-3 shades, for example, blue, white and grey);
- fonts: choose legible fonts such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman, with a size of at least 24 pt for the main text and 32 pt for headings.
- high-quality images: make sure that all images, graphs or diagrams are high-resolution and look clear even on a large screen.
4. Inconsistent timing
Another important aspect is the timing of the presentation. Usually, 10-15 minutes are allocated for the presentation. However, students often do not take time constraints into account, resulting in presentations that are too long or, conversely, too short.
How to avoid this mistake?
- planning: calculate the time for each slide, for example: for a 7-minute presentation, it is optimal to have 7-10 slides (on average, 1 minute per slide).
- practice: rehearse your presentation with a timer to make sure it fits within the set time limit.
- time for questions: remember that in addition to the actual presentation of your thesis, you need to allow time for questions from the committee and reviewers.
5. Lack of consistency between the report and the slides
Quite often, the report and presentation appear to be two separate elements: the slides contain one set of information, while the oral presentation contains another. As a result, the audience loses the connection between the visual material and what the student is saying. This disconnect reduces the effectiveness of the presentation and creates an impression of inconsistency.
How to avoid this mistake?
- synchronise the text of your speech with the slides: when preparing, make sure that your theses logically correspond to the content of each slide.
- avoid repetition: do not read the slides verbatim, but expand on the information presented on them. Slides should emphasise the main points, not duplicate the text of the speech.
- use prompts: you can add short phrases or keywords to help you stay on track and not get confused during your speech.
An accompanying presentation for defending your diploma is not only a way to visualise the results of your work, but also an opportunity to demonstrate your competence and confidence. By avoiding information overload, creating a clear structure, ensuring high-quality design and adhering to the regulations, you will be able to create a presentation that will make a positive impression on the commission.
If you need help writing your diploma work, contact "Scientific Papers". Our team of specialists will prepare a paper on the topic you need, according to the deadlines you set. To get a free consultation, leave a request on our website, and a manager will contact you shortly. Let's open new horizons in science together!
