🎬 Presentation Outline Generator
Get a slide-by-slide structure with a time budget for your conference talk, defense (viva), thesis proposal, lecture, lab meeting or any other research presentation — plus likely questions and a rehearsal checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How many slides should a research presentation have?
There is no universal number, because it depends on the type of talk and how dense your slides are. This tool uses typical pacing for each scenario — for example about 1.5 minutes per slide for a conference talk, under a minute per slide for a lightning talk and about 3 minutes per slide for a lecture — and shows you the resulting slide count for your time slot.
Does this tool create PowerPoint slides?
No. It produces a structure, a time budget, guidance for each section and likely questions. You then build the slides in PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides or LaTeX Beamer.
What does the optional AI step do?
After you generate an outline, you can ask the AI to write one key-message sentence for each slide based on your topic. It is instructed not to invent data, numbers or citations, and the outline works fully without it. Always review the sentences before using them.
How is time divided between sections?
Each scenario has typical time weights for its sections. These are adjusted for your audience, with more time on background for non-specialists and more on methods and results for specialists, and your Q&A time is set aside first if your slot includes questions.
Can I use it to prepare for a PhD or Master's defense?
Yes. There is a dedicated defense (viva) scenario with a chapter-by-chapter structure and likely examiner questions. Your institution's own rules on format and length always take precedence.
Is my text stored or sent anywhere?
The template outline is generated entirely in your browser. If you use the optional AI step, your topic and key points are sent to an AI service to generate the sentences, so avoid confidential or unpublished material.
About this tool
How it works: each presentation type has a typical section structure, time weights and pacing (minutes per slide) based on common conventions in research talks. The weights are sensible starting points, not rules — adjust freely for your field and venue.
⚠️ Always follow the requirements of your organiser, department, examiners or funder. They take precedence over any generic outline, especially for time limits, slide formats and defense procedures.
✔ Last updated: October 2026 · Report an error