Learning and Teaching Unit
Question time is a period of time usually at the end of an oral presentation when members of the audience can ask questions or make comments about the material that you have presented. In most cases there will be a set amount of time for questions – 5 or 10 minutes. In some cases, the arrangements for questions will be informal and you will be expected to answer questions at various stages during the presentation. At other times, it might be quite formal and questions will be directed through the chairperson.
Question time allows members of the audience to:
Question time also allows you to:
When preparing for question time, think about who will be in your audience and try to anticipate likely questions and possible answers or responses.
Understanding the nature of your audience helps you to deliver a good oral presentation. Your audience will probably consist of:
Some members of the audience might be experts, while others will be there simply to gain insights into the nature of other honours or postgraduate students’ work. To include the wide range of audience members you will need to answer questions in simple language, using examples if you have any. Advanced technical language that is specific to your subject may be a barrier unless you know that you have an audience who are all specialists in your field.
Once you have thought about your audience, you can anticipate the kind of questions they are likely to ask. You will know the strengths and weaknesses of your research well enough to guess some of the questions that might arise, and place these into two categories.
Of course, there is no way of preparing answers to or strategies for every question. So rather than being disheartened when you get a question that you were not prepared for, you may find that some unexpected questions will provide you with an opportunity to develop your own ideas. If you find yourself saying something you hadn’t thought of before, it means the question period is going very well, and that you are interacting with the audience in a positive way. There will inevitably be gaps in your presentation, and in your knowledge of the material raised during question time. If you are asked for factual knowledge that you do not have, it is better to admit that you don’t know, or hadn’t thought about the answer, than to make something up.
You know your research better than anyone else, so you are entitled to speak with confidence about it. However, it is quite normal to feel nervous during question time as you cannot be sure what people are going to ask. Adopting a positive attitude toward your research and the audience can help you feel more confident, but there are also ways of interacting with the audience that can help to make the experience more enjoyable. General suggestions about overcoming nervousness during oral presentations are found in Making the Most of Oral Presentations.
Try to maintain eye contact with the person who has asked the question. If you do this, you will appear confident, and you will also be able to tell when the person is satisfied with the answer that you have provided. It is also useful to identify any nervous habits you might have (fidgeting, playing with a pen, pacing up and down) and try to control these habits. You could ask a friend or colleague to be in the audience and provide feedback on these elements of your presentation after the seminar/conference.
Some students may feel uncomfortable when teachers or other students look directly at them and ask a question. In Australian society, however, asking a question is generally considered to be a positive and friendly act rather than a sign of aggression. Similarly, direct eye contact is considered a sign of confidence and openness. When someone asks you a direct question, it usually means they are interested in what you have said and want to know more about your subject.
You can control the amount of time you spend answering each question. In a 5 to 10 minute question period, you will probably have time for 4 to 6 questions, if you keep your answers down to a maximum of two minutes. Alternatively, you may decide that one question is so relevant that you can devote a whole 5 minutes on it.
You might get asked a complicated question and need time to think about your answer. In this case, it is better to take your time, rather than to start speaking before you are ready. You can ask for a moment to think about your answer. Alternatively, you can ask the person to re-phrase the question. This will give you time to think while they speak – and their use of language might help you to formulate your answer. If you think that a particular question requires an answer that is longer than you have time for, you can always give a partial answer and then say “I can speak with you about this more after the seminar”.
You may get some questions that you don’t understand, or that are unclear as to the kind of answer that is required. This is often the case with multi-part questions. In this case, it is appropriate to say to the person “I didn’t quite understand that question” or “Can you be more specific about what you would like me to comment on?”
If you are asked a question that you do know how to answer, but can’t think of the right words, you can say “I can’t think of the answer to that at the moment. Perhaps it will come to me”. Once again, asking the person to re-phrase the question can be a useful strategy, as the language that the person uses will often remind you of what you are trying to remember.
It is reassuring to know that question time is designed to encourage discussion rather than to be a test of your own knowledge, and there is no expectation from the academic staff that you will know ‘the answer’ to every possible question that might arise. People do not tend to ask things like “How many bones are there in the human foot?” during question time. In most cases, questions will be on more general issues, and answers will take the form of thoughts or opinions, rather than basic facts.
You are not the only person participating in the question session, and in a good question and answer session, you will learn something, as well as the audience. If you feel during the question session as though you are being put under pressure, you can try to involve other members of the audience in a discussion about your subject. You can do this by asking questions of members of the audience after you have finished your own answer. If the session is going well, this kind of interaction will happen without any effort on your part - a member of the audience may respond to what anyone in the room has said. If you find the audience members speaking with one another as well as you, you can relax, knowing that you have created a good discussion.
You may notice, during your presentation as well as during question time, that some members of the audience appear restless, tired, or in a hurry to leave. There is no need to feel concerned by this; it happens to all public speakers at some stage. Not all the audience members will be interested in what you are saying and some of them might not understand it. Concentrate on making eye contact with members of the audience who already appear to be interested, rather than trying to make sure that everyone is paying attention.
Generally, questions can be divided into three varieties.
The majority of questions will be asked in a way that will allow you to expand or clarify aspects of your research. Sometimes these questions might be difficult and challenge you to think about your research in new ways, but their overall intent is to help you think more clearly and coherently about the information that you have presented, and to get this message across to the audience.
An audience member has not understood part of what you have said, and would like you to explain it again. For example:
“I didn’t quite follow your point about the relationship between the sea-grass habitat and process modelling. Can you explain that again?”
This type of question is common. All you need to do is repeat the part of your presentation that has been requested, adding some extra detail and emphasis. Speak slowly, highlighting the key words in the relevant section of your presentation, and make eye contact with the person who asked the question. If you repeat what you have said and the person still does not understand, tell them that you will speak to them about it after the seminar (with your supervisor present, if you wish).
An audience member has understood what you have said, but is unsure of the way in which some part of your argument works. For example:
“I’m unsure about your point about learning disorders. Can you say a little bit more about your proposed method of early detection?”
This type of question is also common. You need to distinguish carefully between clarification and repetition. In this example, the person is not asking you to repeat what you have said. They are asking for additional information and ideas. If you have material that you did not have time for in the main presentation (especially another example of your point, or more data), you can present it as a response to this kind of question. If you do not have extra material, you can say “That’s as much as I can say at this stage. I can discuss it with you further after the seminar if you like.”
Questions can often be really useful for helping you to take your research to the next stage. They might encourage you to think about a different theoretical perspective or use a method or technique that could produce new results or even rethink the implications of your research. Although these questions can often be tough, they show that your audience has engaged with your work in a constructive way. They can come in many forms, one example could be:
“I was really interested in your definition of passion in relation to work. I am currently doing research on elite athletes and wondered whether it would be directly applicable to this group of people or whether it would need to be changed in some way. Can you give me your thoughts on this?”
Your answer to such a question would be speculative, but informed by your research. Try to answer as honestly as possible, keeping an open mind about the way in which the question might shape the ideas in your research. It is often good practice to suggest a post-presentation meeting with people who ask these kinds of questions as they are obviously interested in your research and could stimulate new directions for you to pursue.
An audience member puts forward a series of questions and statements. For example:
“I found your point about birth control really challenging. Have you thought about the whole genetic engineering issue in relation to the politics of birth control? And what about adoption? Can you say a bit more about that generally?”
This means that the person is very interested in what you said and it has got them thinking. You are not expected to answer or comment on everything that has been said but you can give an answer to any part of the question that you want to speak on. Alternatively, ask for them to clarify precisely what they would like you to comment on.
While all questions can be disconcerting, some questions can be quite intimidating. In these instances, it is useful to remember that most of the audience will be supportive. Those people who ask intimidating questions are likely to do so because they have either not learned how to ask useful, thought-provoking questions or because:
Whatever the reason, intimidating questions are not necessarily comments on the quality of your research. A person who asks an intimidating question may not even be interested in your answer. Take your time with these questions and try to remain calm and be polite. No matter what is said, it is important not to be drawn into an argument during question time. Nor do you have to justify yourself to someone who asks a question in a manner you consider aggressive. Remember that the problem is not necessarily that there is anything wrong with your research, but that the person may not know how to ask questions in a constructive manner. Regardless of the intent of the question, you can still attempt to address it in a constructive manner. You can choose to either accept or reject criticism of your work. If you reject it, do so diplomatically, focusing on the issue and not the person.
Note that intimidating questions can be requests or statements based on exactly the same ideas as constructive questions, but they will be expressed in a different way, and there are different ways of handling them. Here are some examples of intimidating questions, with some strategies for dealing with them.
A member of the audience simply points out that something you have said is factually incorrect, but this new fact does not disrupt the basis of your argument. Example:
“You’ve named the Queen’s father as George the Fifth. In fact he was George the Sixth.”
In this situation, you just need to acknowledge the error, and confirm that you will rectify it. This is the easiest kind of intimidating question to respond to.
An audience member points out that you have not read something that they consider to be an important source. For example:
“You don’t seem to have read Smart’s book on childhood development. He makes exactly the opposite point to the one you are making.”
This example is based on the same subject as the constructive question on research material, but has been framed in a less constructive manner. If you have read the material, you can answer this by briefly stating the reasons you have not discussed it in your presentation. If you have not, you can simply say “I’d like to find out more about that”. In this situation, it might be better to turn to your supervisor to ask for a reference to the book, rather than continuing any interaction with the person who asked the question.
An audience member points out that you have not adopted what they consider to be an obvious method. For example:
“Why haven’t you isolated breathing difficulties as a factor in sleep loss? I would have thought that would be the first step in a project like yours.”
Once again, this example is on the same subject as the constructive question on method, but has been framed in a less constructive manner. If you can, briefly explain why you have not adopted the proposed method (e.g. “because it has been done before / because my methodology is to take a holistic approach / because it would require resources I don’t have”). If you hadn’t thought of the approach, you can simply say “That’s something to think about”, and arrange to discuss the issue with your supervisor after the seminar.
Question time can also be used for people to make a comment about your presentation. You might have provided them with a new way of looking at their own research problem or given them insight into something they had not previously considered. Sometimes the audience might make suggestions about ways that your research could be improved. These are usually offered in a collegial and constructive manner and are not intended to offend or suggest that you have done anything wrong.
An audience member is keen to show their approval for what you have said. For example:
“I really enjoyed that presentation. I’m struggling with similar material at the moment and I hadn’t thought of your approach. Thanks.”
There is no need for you to respond at length, because the person has not asked a question. You can simply indicate that you accept their positive feedback by saying something like: “Thank You, I’m glad that you appreciate what I have said”.
An audience member makes a suggestion regarding material that you might use in your future research. For example:
“Have you read Smart’s book on childhood development. He makes some interesting points regarding children’s sleeping patterns that might be useful to you.”
What you can say depends on your knowledge of the source in question. If you have not read the material that is being discussed, you can simply say: “Thanks. Can you give me a reference to that at the end of the seminar?” If you have read the material, you can discuss your views on it. You may point out the reasons why you have not found it useful in your research. Alternatively, you may say that you found it very useful, and mention the ways in which it has influenced your thinking.
An audience member suggests that you might adopt a different methodology to the one you have used to do your research. For example:
“You might consider trying to isolate breathing difficulties as a factor in sleep loss”.
Once again, what you can say depends on your knowledge of methodology. If you have previously considered the method being suggested and decided against it, you can tell the audience your reasons. Perhaps the suggested approach is impractical, too time-consuming, or has been done before. If you have not thought about the approach that is being suggested, you can simply say “I hadn’t considered doing that – it might be something to think about”.
A member of the audience makes a comment about the ideas you have raised, focusing on how your talk relates to what they are doing. For example:
“That reminds me of a situation a few years ago in which a well-known artist tried to take credit for a student’s work. The response from the media was just as you have described in this situation.”
This is a sign that you have delivered a good presentation. You can ask for a more detailed reference, discuss the implications of what has been said for your own research, or simply say “That sounds interesting, I’ll follow it up”.
A member of the audience makes a comment that is not really connected to your presentation. For example:
“That reminds me of when I lived in Africa. They have art there as well. Fascinating stuff, and some of it was very cheap too…”.
Remember in this situation that you are there to answer relevant questions, not to make sure that the discussion runs smoothly. It is best to say as little as possible and let whoever is chairing the session ask the audience for another question. If the chair does not take control, you can simply say “I think that is outside the scope of my study – I can’t comment on it” and invite another question.
When a question is asked of you, you can take a moment to run through a mental checklist, to help you decide the best way to answer. You can use the one provided here, or design one of your own that suits your needs.
So, if you feel as though you are being put under pressure during question time, remember that working through a checklist like this one can help to remove much of your anxiety, because it can remind you that you have a wide variety of options and strategies available to you. You can use whichever strategies suit you, so that you can come away from your question period feeling as though you have gained knowledge and insights, as well as having informed your audience.
Marshall, L 1999, A Learning Companion: Your guide to practicing independent learning, Murdoch University, Perth.
Stevens, M 1987, Improving your presentation skills: a complete action kit, Kogan Page, London.
