A dissertation defense is one of the critical milestones one needs to cross to obtain a doctoral degree. It is a process that helps a candidate proffer their research knowledge to an audience of accomplished academics. Thus, preparing to defend a dissertation can feel distressing and burdensome, for one needs to tick several checkboxes at once. But, with the right set of steps and adequate practice, candidates can successfully overcome this unease.
A dissertation defense is a pivotal step that signals the completion of a doctoral candidate's journey. In a fundamental sense, it is an evaluation of the candidate's research, as enclosed within their dissertation, that typically precedes the process of dissertation submission.
Candidates should prepare a concise presentation outlining the various aspects of their dissertation research and demonstrate it in front of a committee. They also need to answer the questions posed by the committee concerning the dissertation and participate in any complementary discussions post the conclusion of the presentation. The defense itself is primarily oral, thus, also called viva voce, and usually 1-2 hours long.
Defending a dissertation is, objectively stated, one of the most arduous endeavors in a doctoral candidate’s life. The premise of the process - constricting research worth years into a 25-45 minute presentation and answering the barrage of questions thrown by the committee members - seems pretty straightforward. However, there are several apprehensions associated with defending dissertations that can upset the composure of even the most confident candidates. Typically, these include:
the unpredictable nature of the committee members
the barrage of questions thrown by the committee to "grill" a candidate
the fear of unintentionally skipping critical research details
the lack of enough practical experience
stage fright.
Thus, candidates need a comprehensive strategy that will help them cover all the aspects of their defense preparations.
The six preparatory steps mentioned below propose one such strategy that rightfully acknowledges the different facets of defending a dissertation.
An ideal way of excelling at defending a dissertation is to review the presentations of others.
Doing so helps candidates acquaint themselves better with the defense process and audience and address some common misconceptions firsthand.
Candidates should look for upcoming defense sessions in their university/college or other nearby institutions and attend them perforce.
Also, watching some outstanding defenses on sites such as YouTube is a great way to learn a few great tips and best practices.
Scholars are used to overcrowding their brains with the curriculum the night before an exam. However, harboring the same attitude when preparing for a dissertation defense can prove detrimental.
Candidates should commence the preparations before the university/college schedules the defense.
This is also the phase when candidates should frequently consult their advisors and practice speaking eloquently speech.
Doing so will help them acquire familiarity with speaking coherently and ensure consistency of their thoughts when defending the research.
The presentation slides are the foundation of an excellent defense and not just an accouterment.
Thus, candidates should ensure that all of their slides and subsequent contents are in order. In addition, they should review, edit and proofread the slides at least a few times for a seamless defense session.
The formatting of the slides is also a critical factor for the presentation.
Candidates should examine the layout, font colors, styles, backgrounds, clarity of images, etc., of the slides for enhanced readability for the committee and the audience.
To prepare for the questionnaire, candidates should try deriving their own questions from the dissertation. The questions can survey topics such as the purpose, scope & limitations of the research, anomalous findings/results, etc.
Candidates should also seek the help of their supervisors to develop more targeted questions.
Once the questions are ready, candidates should practice answering them while imagining themselves in a defense session. Doing so will help develop a suitable poise when answering the actual questions.
An intriguing introduction prominently serves four purposes:
attracts the complete attention of the audience and the committee members
emphasizes the intellect of the presenter
stresses the importance of the research
creates a positive first impression
Thus, when writing the speech content for the defense, candidates should draft a hook for the introduction. It can include an impressive fact related to the research data, an unusual finding, an anecdote, etc.
Regardless of how well-prepared a candidate is, technical difficulties can pose more problems than merely hindering the presentation’s flow.
Technical issues like data loss, data corruption, missing files, slow internet connection, faulty computer components, etc., can severely disconcert a candidate, causing them to make rudimentary mistakes during their defense.
Thus, candidates should always back up their presentations, check their devices for any faults, and ensure a stable internet connection in case of virtual defense sessions.
A dissertation defense is one of the critical milestones one needs to cross to obtain a doctoral degree. It is a process that helps a candidate proffer their research knowledge to an audience of accomplished academics. Thus, preparing to defend a dissertation can feel distressing and burdensome, for one needs to tick several checkboxes at once. But, with the right set of steps and adequate practice, candidates can successfully overcome this unease. Hence, readers looking forward to their dissertation defenses should consider the above six points and develop a practice routine to make the most of their preparatory efforts.
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This article gives you some important tips for your dissertation defense. To give you an opportunity to practice proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.
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