This time of year is presentation season for both master’s and doctoral students. I see many presentations, and while some are clearly “not practiced at all,” there are also students who prepare thoroughly and deliver excellent presentations, including the Q&A session.

I believe that a “great presentation” depends as much on the quality of the Q&A as it does on the slides or the content of the speech. Personally, whether at academic conferences, international meetings, or internal university presentations, I find that the ones I consider “great” are those where the Q&A session goes well.

While the presentation itself can be managed through slide creation, verbal delivery, and individual practice, the Q&A session is different.

In my opinion, the best way to improve Q&A skills is to repeatedly practice presentations, such as in seminars or at academic conferences. It is not enough to just gather peers or junior students for practice, as they are unlikely to ask the questions you might actually face. It is better to invite senior students and professors who can spare the time to participate in your practice sessions.

Since the style of professors and review committees varies by university, it is hard to give a one-size-fits-all answer, but I believe there is a standard “form” (or flow) for Q&A sessions.

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1: Express gratitude (e.g., “Thank you for your question,” or “Thank you for your very insightful feedback.” This is also frequently mentioned in presentation technique guides.)

2: If possible, briefly state how the question relates to your research or why it is significant (e.g., “I believe your question concerns the methodology for XX,” or “Your question relates to the field of XX in my research area, so it is a very important point.”)

3: Answer the question concisely. Long answers are absolutely forbidden. If you ramble, it becomes unclear what you are trying to say. If it is a Yes/No question, answer with Yes or No first. (If a friend or junior student gives a long, rambling answer, tell them, “You blew it!”) If you cannot determine whether it is a Yes or No, start by saying, “That depends on the case,” and then briefly explain the reason.

4: Again, briefly mention the significance of the question (e.g., “Your question is very important from the perspective of XX, and it is something I must consider as I develop this research further. It provided a hint for determining future directions.”)

5: Express gratitude.
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I believe this is the basic form. However, in the case of review committees, questions that go beyond the scope of your research often arise. In such cases, you should state the scope and limitations of your research and briefly explain the value of the results obtained within that scope. Then, it is best to follow steps 4 and 5 of the form above.

As I mentioned in point 3, it is important to answer simply. First, clearly state what the answer is—yes/no, agree/disagree, etc. It is very important to have many people ask questions, and to achieve that, you must manage your time. Professors who are unable to ask questions may become frustrated, which can lead to a stricter review. The time taken by the presenter to answer and the time taken by the questioner to ask are the biggest factors in Q&A time management. While the moderator handles the questioners, the presenter must manage their own time. If your answers take too long, you may be scolded by the moderator. You will likely be scolded not only by the moderator but also by your supervisor after the review session. Taking too long to answer and then not being clear about what you want to say is the worst-case scenario. If a professor says, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say, so never mind,” that is…

If you don’t understand something, or only understand part of it, be honest and confirm it. If you answer without understanding, you will end up with a vague response, and a chaotic situation awaits. It is better to respond by saying, “I’m sorry, are you asking about XX?” or “I understood up to the point where you mentioned XX, but could you please explain the part after that again?”

Also, saying “I will correct it” should be a last resort. If it is clearly a mistake or something was missing, it is better to honestly apologize and say you will correct it. However, if that is not the case, you must still “fight” a little more “softly.” After all, you need them to understand your thinking (even if it is based on data).

However, this form only works if you understand your own research well and have done your homework. There is nothing more hollow than being asked at a final review, “So, what exactly are you doing?” You must also be able to show data when answering questions. You must always prepare backup slides for this purpose. For example, you cannot spend a long time explaining the experimental or practical procedures during your presentation. Therefore, leave the detailed talk for later. As for the discussion—which is where the most debate happens—you should also prepare backup slides describing previous research. If possible, create slides that visually represent the data actually included in your master’s or doctoral thesis. For my doctoral review, I prepared 58 slides for a 35-minute presentation and about 60 to 70 backup slides (a total of about 120–130 slides).

Even if you are told to “teach me” these things, you cannot learn them just by being told. You have no choice but to practice repeatedly and actively continue presenting at seminars and academic conferences. I don’t think the seminar in your own laboratory is enough. It is better to train by presenting at outside universities or study groups. By repeating this, you must master the form of Q&A and build knowledge and confidence.

No professor or senior student will ever tell you, “Let’s practice” (if they do, you are in a lucky lab with kind professors). Unless you say, “I want to practice, so please help me,” no one will help you.

Students facing review committees will likely have no break during the year-end and New Year holidays, but please do your best to be able to handle presentation practice, especially the Q&A session.