Hello;

I was offered for a PhD interview by a graduate school. Selection committee wants me to present my previous work as a "chalk talk" without doing a Powerpoint presentation. I need to present it by drawing on a blackboard. Currently I have no idea how to manage it! Is there anyone else who experienced this kind of interview before? How should I plan it? If I can get some advice I really will appreciate it.

hi cevikatmaca, chalk talk is like a spontaneous presentation. It enables the interviewers to see your depth of knowledge and your proficiency at presenting, showing, explaining as well as answering, for example, you could get a question mid-way--and then if you are able to steer back the presentation to where you were (your focus).

Think of it this way--you are making cupcakes, but this time you're doing it by hand instead of using an electric mixer.

To prepare for it, do the same for powerpoint, except you need to explain in on the blackboard. Plan step-by-step. Ask the committee if you can have a few minutes before the interview to prepare your blackboard. For example, if you are explaining something on a graph, you'll need to at least have that graph drawn out first (to save time). That way, you draw your graph before you explain, then when you come to it, you just use your chalk and dot/line/circle the blackboard as you explain it. It's quite fun, actually.

Make sure when you plan, you have in mind the START, and the END ready. Of course the result and discussion part is the most fun. but you need to end it as well. People have started and not ended because they got distracted, and time's up.

Don't worry about it. Since you are already familiar with your previous work, just relax, let yourself go and enjoy it!

love satchi