I have an interview on Friday for a PhD and have to give a 10 minute presentation on my final year project. I'm quite worried as not sure what they're really looking for. Any advice?!

My project involved molecular biology and electrophys and I had great difficulty getting results in 8 weeks (not through lack of trying!) I just feel like my project was a bit rubbish, and it really wasn't my fault. But it's going to look really lame if I stand there just making excuses.....

wow i really feel for you that much be so stressful your lucky you have an interview though wish i did

10 min presentation so aim for about 10 slides. Follow the usual format (intro/background to put the work in context, methods, results, discussion/conclusions) but in your case, I would concentrate on the methodology and trouble-shooting. It's a great opportunity for you to demonstrate your trouble-shooting skills and your perseverance in the face of adversity and they are must-have skills for any prospective PhD student! Practice your presentation until you are really comfortable with it and if you can, get feedback from your friends/peers/academics/anyone who will listen. Try to think of any obvious questions they might ask about the work so you can prepare possible answers. Best of luck, you can do it!

Hi,

agree with Ann. Also important is to try and be there first to check whether everything is working and to make you feel more comfortable with the setting. Nothing worse as starting powerpoint,then finding out that equipment is not working! (Always good to have a back up plan, few paper prints or hand outs etc. just in case problems with electronics).

Good luck!

maybe you can use this tool for alternative: Moyea PowerPoint to DVD Burner. It can convert your PPT files to dvd format files and burn them to dvd disc.Visit http://www.dvd-ppt-slideshow.com to learn more.

Remember to put lots of pics/graphs in and less text.

Thanks for all your suggestions....the interview has been and gone. It went really well, but still didn't get it! Bum. Actually giving up on the PhD idea for this year, going to try and get some lab experience first and maybe try again next year. It will give me chance to decide firmly which area I want to go in, and I think it'll be a good year out before knuckling down properly! What do you think? Any advice on getting technician/assistant jobs?! Do they all insist that you know the techniques already?

Hiya,

You could try doing a masters, it will give you the chance to do another lab project which may be extended say for 8 months which would give you more lab experience. Some masters have more than 1 lab project and so you may also get experience in a wider range of techniques and in different labs working under different supervisors.

is it not really expensive to do a masters though? i would like to do one but only reason am not is because of the money.....

It doesn't have to be expensive, I got a funded MSc from Birmingham Uni with living expenses.