| •
Faculty Advisors • Pass With Distinction • Thesis Evaluation Rubric • Précis |
PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
The final step in completing the Honors Thesis requirement is the oral presentation. Presentations are scheduled during the seventh week of the semester. Fifteen to twenty minutes will be devoted to your presentation and up to 30 minutes will be spent on questions from the audience, especially your thesis advisor and the two Honors faculty members who have read your paper before the presentation. These faculty evaluators will come with questions for you. Keep the following tips in mind:
• Dress professionally. This thesis presentation is an important occasion, so dress in an appropriate and professional manner. You indicate that seriousness of purpose by your personal appearance. Finally, it is very important to create a favorable first impression in any public appearance.
• Know what you are going to say and how you're going to say it. Prepare an outline of the main talking points, as hesitation or searching for words suggests that you don't fully understand the thesis topic. Practice your talk several times, until you can deliver it smoothly without any obvious problems..
• Begin your talk by drawing from the Introduction and Discussion sections of your thesis. Be concise and include only the information necessary to make the main points of your thesis.
• Summarize the major findings of your research at the end of your talk. You may decide to end your talk by discussing how your study could have been improved or how it might be expanded in the future. End on a positive note!
• During the question and answer session, ask for clarification if you don't understand the question. Your advisor will be present to assist you if you get a question you can't answer, but it is your responsibility to field the questions.
• Don't exceed the allotted time. Fifteen to twenty minutes will pass very quickly. Make certain that you can cover the main points of your thesis in that time. If you exceed the time allowed, your presentation will be down-graded accordingly.
• Use visuals effectively. Powerpoint, overheads, or slides are a good idea, but don't read from them. Keep good eye contact with your audience and take the time to speak to each audience member.
• Make certain that your audience can understand your paper. If it is written in scientific terms, explain the main concepts in terms that everyone can understand. Use familiar analogies to explain difficult concepts.
• Have a professional demeanor. If you want your audience to take you and your work seriously, you should be earnest during your delivery. Any unnecessary use of sarcasm or jokes will diminish your credibility.
• If you have any concerns about what technology you will use or how to use it, call the Honors College well in advance of your designated time so that arrangements can be made for a "dry run."
• The Thesis Evaluation Rubric will be used by the Honors Faculty who attend your presentation.
Contact
us: honors@wsu.edu 509 335-4505
Honors College, PO Box 642012, Washington
State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2012 USA
Accessibility | Copyright
| Policies