The EPQ presentation is the final and one of the most essential parts of your Extended Project Qualification. This is when you get to show what you've learned, how you managed your project, and communicate your journey to others. It's pretty daunting, especially for those who don't like public speaking, but here's how to deliver a presentation that leaves a strong impression and gets you top marks.
In this article, you will learn:
- How to get started on your project
- The best way to structure your presentation
- How to reflect honestly and critically
- Ways to engage your audience
- How to Prepare for the Q&A
- Practice speaking, not reading
- How to get top marks in the EPQ
Why the EPQ Presentation Matters More Than You Think
The Extended Project Qualification is one of the most exciting parts of your sixth-form years. It is a time in which you get to decide what to study and in what sort of timetable. It is time that you get to learn the skills that top universities want to see. And it is your opportunity to investigate a subject on your own, and be directed only by you.
However, it is also one of the most challenging aspects of these two years. All of these things that make the Extended Project so good also make it a little tough: the independent study, the self-motivation, and the ability to write academically and structure your time effectively on your own.
These aren’t easy tasks, let’s be honest. But they are important ones – and they are precisely the ones on which your EPQ grades will be based.
Do you have to present your EPQ?
Yes, that’s right. You have to stand in front of a PowerPoint presentation and talk about something that interests you to an audience of your choice. And a teacher will be grading you on it? Unfortunately, yes – this bit does suck.
However, here we’re going to be looking at all you need to know about the EPQ presentation. Believe us: you don’t have to worry half as much as you are. Here’s what you need to succeed, with some presentation tips to end.
And, to feel better again, here are the reasons why to do an EPQ.
EPQ Presentation Structure
So, firstly, what is the EPQ presentation? At the end of an Extended Project Qualification, all candidates need to present their work. This is part of the assessment and – yes – it is absolutely compulsory.
The presentation needs to last for ten minutes, followed by five to ten minutes of questions (which we’ll talk about in more detail below). Although it does not need to follow a specific structure, it should cover all aspects of your project, including its goals, conception, and, most importantly, a thorough review.
Find out more about the different elements of the EPQ.
Evaluate all aspects of the extended project, including outcomes concerning stated objectives and your own learning and performance.
Select and use a range of communication skills and media to present evidence-based project outcomes and conclusions in an appropriate format.
EPQ Presentation Mark Scheme
How is an EPQ marked? It is an important question, because it is good to know what sort of assessment criteria you are up against – and what sort of presentation skills you need to nail.
The "Review" section of the project is worth 20% of the overall EPQ marks.
For the AQA course, the presentation part is classed under the ‘Review’ section of the assessment. This comprises 20% of the total mark that you can get, and you will receive marks based on the way that you demonstrate several different things.
The breakdown of the grades and what percentage is attributed to each section is below. Remember, we are focusing on the review section. Be sure to review the full extended project mark scheme for more information.
| A01 | Manage | Identify, design, plan, and carry out a project, applying a range of skills, strategies and methods to achieve objectives. | 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| A02 | Use Resources | Research, critically select, organise and use information, and select and use a range of resources. Analyse data apply relevantly and demonstrate understanding of any links, connections and complexities of the topic. | 20% |
| A03 | Develop and Realise | Select and use a range of skills, including, where appropriate, new technologies and problem-solving, to take decisions critically and achieve planned outcomes. | 40% |
| A04 | Review | Evaluate all aspects of the extended project, including outcomes in relation to stated objectives and own learning and performance. Select and use a range of communication skills and media to present evidenced project outcomes and conclusions in an appropriate format. | 20% |
These include your communication skills, your “ability to present evidenced outcomes and conclusions”, and your capacity to evaluate your own work, progress, and strengths and weaknesses. You are mainly marked on your ability to review the work.
What to Include In An EPQ Presentation
The point is that your presentation, first and foremost, needs to be well-structured and clearly expressed. That means no rambling, mumbling, or going off script and getting lost. This is pretty crucial, and it is one of the reasons why you should practise your presentation outside the classroom before you get on and talk in front of people.
The second thing to note is that the presentation is less about your project and more about the way that you did it: the way you chose the topic, the way that you structured your research, and the way that you reached your particular conclusions. It doesn't even matter if some things didn't go particularly well, the point is to review them and show that you have learned and considered those elements.
Do you remember all that planning you did at the beginning of the EPQ – those desired outcomes? Refer back to them: this is how you evaluate your success.
| Section | Time (approx.) | What to Cover |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 2 minutes | Your topic, why you chose it, and what you hoped to achieve |
| Project Journey | 4 minutes | Research process, changes you made, challenges faced |
| Outcomes & Evaluation | 4 minutes | What you learned, what went well or not, how closely you met your original goals |
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Starting from the Beginning
So, the thing to remember about your EPQ presentation is to start from the beginning. And we mean the beginning of the whole qualification itself: this isn’t as daft and obvious as it might have otherwise sounded.
So, go right back to the beginning and look at what you had planned for the whole project. In this presentation, you are going to have to show how you met these initial ideas.
Did you do what you said you were going to do? Did you deviate a little – and, if so, why? Did you stick to the timetables that you had outlined? If not, show details of (academic!) reasons why. Your presentation is supposed to tell your story of your project from start to finish. Why you did it, how it went, and what you have learned.
This probably all sounds very dry. And, yes, the majority of people who are doing these presentations all wonder the same thing: how are you supposed to make this interesting to anyone?
However, the point is that it doesn’t have to all be about your evaluation. The best presentations will effectively interweave this with compelling information, utilising infographics, handouts, and presentation design, to highlight your project itself. This is inevitable. But the key is in making it interesting.
How to Make the EPQ Presentation Interesting
It is an important question: how do you make your presentation, with its fairly niche subject matter, actually enjoyable?
This matters even more when the EPQ presentation has to be delivered in non-academic language to a non-specialist audience. Remember, in a secondary school community – even in sixth form colleges or among people who are applying to Oxbridge or Russell Group universities – it might be the case that no one knows what you are talking about in your EPQ.
It is not surprising that other people don’t have specialist knowledge of black holes, nineteenth-century history, or the obscure works of English literature.
However, part of the ‘communication skills’ element of your presentation assessment is to be able to communicate those ideas in a way that everyone understands. Keep it simple, keep it light, and communicate your enthusiasm for the topic – if you have any left – more than the minute details of your subjects.
Finally, remember that the thing that is interesting about a topic for you might not be interesting for everyone else. The most effective presentation will be the one that acknowledges this and highlights the aspects that have a broader appeal.
EPQ Presentation Examples
All of this knowledge is very useful, but being able to watch some of the best EPQ presentation examples can help you to know what you are going to get out of it, and how to approach it.
It can also be helpful to explore podcasts and other resources. Although these may be harder to find, the podcast below features an interview with a driving force behind EPQ at the Culford School, providing additional background information.
The Q&A Session
At the end of the presentation – or rather, as the second half of the presentation – you will have a Q&A, a question and answer session that you will have to perform in just as well as in the scripted presentation.
This is the bit of the presentation that sounds scariest to most, because you’ll probably think that you can’t prepare for it. But scary is good – for your personal development, for your preparation for applications to higher and further education, and for entering the world of work.
Professional presentations do exist, and you may as well get used to them as soon as you can.
The other thing is that, for the Q&A, you can prepare. And you should. Remember that you control the audience – unless your head of sixth form or headteacher has told you otherwise (we’d be very surprised). And as long as you have a couple of sympathetic people in the audience, you can ask them to ask you specific questions.
Yes, this is legit, and everyone does it. So, tell your best mate to ask you a complicated-sounding question about some important part of your project. Ask another to do the same with a different question. You only have five or ten minutes, remember.
Some Presentation Tips for Your EPQ
We know that the EPQ is all about independent learning. However, academic success – in everything from your GCSE courses to your A Level courses – has always been about knowing how to play the game.
So, to end, let’s discuss some tips for your presentation that can help you nail your Extended Project Qualifications.
📝 Don’t just read the script
Whether in schools or for your first business presentation, the first piece of advice you will be given is this. Look up, make eye contact with your audience, and speak in a clear and confident tone. The first rule of public speaking.
🧑💻Don’t crowd the presentation slides
Too much text ain’t a good look. Microsoft PowerPoint slides are supposed to be a support to your speech, not the other way around. Keep the slideshow minimal.
⏳ Slow down and relax
In most EPQ presentations in most sixth forms, there will just be you, your mates, and the tutors who helped with your project, or any you invited. The EPQ presentation is not about academic excellence, but rather communication.
These tips should help you create another of the top EPQ presentation examples yourself. Though this is an important part of the grading, it is nothing to worry about. Be honest and try to evaluate the good and bad aspects of your project properly, as well as whether it met the aims you set out.
Still struggling to choose an EPQ topic? Check out our guide.
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