Book report presentation template
A book report presentation for primary and middle school: title, author, setting, main characters, plot without spoilers, favourite part, themes and a recommendation.
Presentation12 cardsAbout 15 min to speakAdvancedUniversity
Thesis defence opening presentation (viva)
Opening presentation cue cards for a thesis or dissertation defence or viva voce: research problem, contribution, methodology, key findings, limitations and future work.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Opening
Thank you, [chair or examiners' names], for being here. My thesis is titled [title].
In the next [fifteen to twenty] minutes I will outline the problem, my approach, my main findings and the contribution I believe the work makes.
- 2
The research problem
- Context: [field and the issue it faces]
- The gap: [what was not known, tested or explained]
- Why it matters: [theoretical or practical importance]
- 3
Research questions
- [Research question one]
- [Research question two]
- [Research question three, if any]
- 4
Position in the literature
My work builds on [key body of work] and responds to [debate or tension].
It differs from earlier studies by [new data, method, context or theory].
- 5
Methodology
- Design and why: [design and rationale]
- Data or materials: [sample, sources, corpus, cases]
- Analysis: [methods, tools or framework]
- Ethics and rigour: [approval, validity, reliability, reflexivity]
- 6
Key finding one
[Finding]
Evidence: [chapter and figure or table]. This answers question [number] by showing [interpretation].
- 7
Key finding two
[Finding]
Evidence: [chapter and figure or table]. This was [expected / unexpected] because [reason].
- 8
Key finding three
[Finding]
Evidence: [chapter]. Together, the findings suggest [overall picture].
- 9
Contribution
- To theory: [contribution]
- To method: [contribution, if any]
- To practice or policy: [contribution]
- 10
Limitations
- [Limitation one] and how I addressed it: [mitigation]
- [Limitation two] and its effect on the claims: [effect]
- 11
Future work and close
Future research could [direction one] and [direction two].
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.
- 12
Answering examiners
- Pause and take a note of each question before answering.
- Clarify if needed: Do you mean [interpretation]?
- Refer to the thesis: In chapter [number], I discuss this.
- Accept a fair point: That is a valid limitation; if I extended the work, I would [change].
How to use this template
Use this template for the opening presentation at a thesis or dissertation defence, often called a viva voce or viva in the UK, Australia, Ireland and many Commonwealth countries, and a defense in the US and Canada. Practice varies: some universities expect a formal public talk of fifteen to thirty minutes, others a short summary before questions, and some none at all, so check your institution's rules. The cards cover the problem, research questions, your place in the literature, methodology, key findings, contribution, limitations and future work, ending with a card of strategies for answering examiners. The emphasis is on contribution, because that is what examiners are judging. It suits masters and doctoral candidates in any field.
Tips
- Confirm the expected length and format with your supervisor or the chair in advance, and time your opening to finish a little under it.
- Lead with your contribution. Examiners have read the thesis; they want to hear you state clearly what is new and why it matters.
- Point to chapter, figure and table numbers on your cards, so you can direct examiners to evidence quickly.
- Bring a marked-up copy of your thesis with tabs on key sections, plus a list of any corrections you have already found.
- Hold a mock defence with your supervisor, lab or peers, and ask them to raise the hardest questions they can think of.
- Treat questions as a conversation between researchers. Defending your choices calmly matters more than having every answer.
Make it fit
- For a five-minute summary at the start of a viva, keep the problem, contribution, one card of findings and the close.
- For a public PhD defence with a general audience, add an extra card that explains the problem with an everyday example.
- For an honours or undergraduate dissertation oral, combine literature with the problem and focus on method and findings.
- For an online defence, share slides from a second screen and keep the cards and your thesis within reach of the camera.
- For a defence in a second language, add pronunciation notes for key terms and practise the opening until it feels natural.
Updated October 28, 2026