If you are searching online for information on final year project presentation tips or how to present a final year project defence, you have landed on the right webpage.

But wait, Congratulations!!

I believe by now you’re done with your research work and getting ready for your project defence. But the question is – how do you give a great final year project defence presentation? Do you think giving a great research project presentation is hard to do?

It’s time to muster up the courage to learn in these amazing research project presentation tips.

Did you know?

Public speaking is something we encounter from time to time? (It could be while making an announcement, a debate, a presentation or even defending your seminar/project work). Yet many always run away from it.

I know, it could get really embarrassing out there when you are alone and facing a large audience.

But in this post, I am going to give out some useful tips and tricks on how you can make that great project defence and presentation you ever dreamed of.

Let’s get started:

How to give a great presentation for final year project defence

TIPS TO APPLY BEFORE YOUR DEFENCE

 

1. Make an in-depth research on your project topic:

• Consult different literatures relating to your topic (using keywords) and answer questions that you encounter during the research.

2. Create an outline:

• Start by covering a broader scope, then narrow down your point.

3. Arrange your findings:

• Eliminate unnecessary information and only note down relevant points.

4. Master your project topic:

• Be familiar and interested in your project work. You have to research thoroughly and get well acquainted with the research work

5. Focus:

• Concentrate your energy on some key chapters. Remember, your panel has already read your project. The most essential parts of your presentation are your overview and the most important findings of your study.
• One thing is to get your project completed another is trying to understand every chapter of your work. Most students who screw things up on their defence day are students who have failed to understand their chapter one, three, and four.
• Most questions lecturers asked on your final year project defence are on these chapters as these go a long way in telling them if you actually did your project yourself.

6. Prepare your presentation slides and arrange them in order:

• E.g: what you will say and
• when you will say it.
• These should be key points and statistics (that would be too difficult to remember e.g. dates, figures etc) on your powerpoint presentation templates (to keep you on topic)

See: How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation Slides: Quick & Easy Tips

7. Prepare for Questions:

• During your research, brainstorm some likely questions that may be asked during your defense.
• Have experts review your work and ask you questions. You may be lucky the panel will ask you those questions you have already prepared on.

8. Practice with friends / family members:

• Practice your presentation in front of family members and/or friends.
• They can give you support, feedback, and help make you comfortable with speaking in front of people.

9. Practice alone in front of the mirror:

• Practice your speech aloud several times alone.
• If you can’t find anyone else to practice with, try giving the speech to yourself in front of a mirror or furniture around your room until it feels natural

10. Choose the best visual aids to enhance your project defense presentation

11. Rehearse at the given venue:

• Find out the room or venue where you will be presenting your project research, and practice there, if possible.
• Knowing the venue, and testing out how loud you should be in order to be heard is an advantage.

12. Take slow, deep breaths before your speech.

13. Drink water:

• Drink water to keep your body hydrated and prevent dry mouth, and plenty of water the day before as well.

14. Look smart:

• Put on a nice piece of cloth (something smart that makes you comfortable) but don’t overdress.

15. Perform Vocal exercise

• Before you start your speech, do a “vocal exercise” in the privacy of a restroom. This will loosen you up and help to ensure your voice are good.

16. Eat a healthy meal

• Before your speech, eat a healthy meal (I recommend eating banana too) but not too much.
• If you already feel nervous, having a full-to-bursting stomach is not good.

17. Get a good night’s sleep: as simple as that.

18. Build up your public speaking skills:

• By watching YouTube videos on public speaking, you can learn a lot on how to build your public speaking skills.

TIPS TO APPLY DURING YOUR DEFEND

19. Avoid cramming:

• To avoid going blank while defending your project topics. Practice! Practice!! Practice!!!
• Discuss your project with your friends. This will help you remember your key points.

20. Never hold a piece of plain paper in your hand while speaking:

• It will flutter with every tiny movement.
• . If you need notes, write them on index cards.
• Look at points on your presentation slides to trigger your memory.
• Don’t read to your audience a long boring text.

21. Always speak in a loud, clear voice but don’t shout.
22. Avoid reading the contents on your powerpoint slide verbatim.

23. Be confident while presenting:

• You know more about your topic than the rest in the room, so be proud of what you have to tell them and enjoy yourself.

24. Maintain a good eye contact:

• Try to look at your audience, not the floor or the ceiling.
• If it makes you uncomfortable to make eye contact, look at people’s foreheads.

Instead of staring into many pairs of eyes, look at their hair. Focus on people’s foreheads. It will appear as if you’re making eye contact.

25. Smile: If you are really nervous smiling will help!

26. Exchange greeting with people in the room:

• Find several other people in the audience that appeal to you and “speak” to them.
• Give them a handshake and smile. If they can give you a cheers, or an encouraging smile, it can help unimaginably.

27. If you’re presenting in a class with other students, then try to go first:

• You should get a good grade, because your speech is the base for all other speeches

28. Don’t look down at your feet!

• Looking at your feet shows that you don’t feel confident and makes people want to just lose interest.

29. Practice standing still:

    Don’t turn back and forth, bouncing, and so on. But If you feel like moving around during your presentation, limit your use of stage just to ease tension.

Choreography will help take your mind off the audience.

30. While you’re up there, remember:

• Other students watching you are so nervous about their own presentations, they’re probably not paying all that much attention to you!

30. Make use of body language:

• Keep in mind that you will stand out more if you demonstrate while presenting.

32. Pay Attention:

• Before you provide answer to any question, make sure you truly understand the question being asked because providing an inaccurate or off-topic answer will also weaken the validity of your paper.

33. Be honest:

• If peradventure, you don’t know the answer, reply that you don’t have the information available to provide an accurate answer.
• Don’t try to fool the panel. They’re more likely to know the answer to the question you are being asked and they can tell when you provide a wrong answer.

34. Know your audience:

• Knowing who will be attending your final year project defence is an advantage on your part.
• It will help prepare your mindset on what to expect and reactions to expect while you’re addressing the panel.

35. Work with time:

• During your rehearsal, use stopwatch to time your project defence presentation. This help you to manage your time.
• On the day of your main defence, you may only have 5 – 10 min to present your work.
• Knowing how to manage your time well is key to a successful presentation

Important Tip:

• Pray well before you present. Anything can happen. And finally,

Goodluck!

 

Please if you have more tips to add to the list, share it in the comment below.