Oral defense occurs towards the end of research journey. You have finished your thesis. Your advisor is happy with it. Your committee may or may not have approved it depending on your program. Now, you have to stand up in front of everyone else. They are people you might or might not have known before the defense. Your task is to show what you have done. Your task is to provide evidence that you are an expert in the thesis or dissertation topic. You did it, not someone else. As a result, you can handle any question in this field of study. You will be able to discuss every part of it and show you knew what you were doing. The objective of the defense is to prove you are an expert in your thesis topic.
How do you prepare for the defense? You need to prepare a short presentation that will be discussed in the following section. This presentation needs to be easy, clear, understandable, and short. Make sure you get to the point that highlights your research journey. It should provide evidence that you know the topic well, and you can smoothly explain what you did in your research. You also need to be able to discuss the findings and conclusions. More importantly, you should be able to answer questions from the committee.
What will the committee ask you in your defense? Many questions can come up in your defense. The best way to prepare for it is to make a good thesis at the beginning. If you do not know what you are doing, then it is difficult or impossible to prepare for the defense. However, most programs and advisors will not let that happen.
If you break the questions into categories, they will be as follows:
What is the best answer in a defense? “That is a very important point. I will reflect it in my study.” During the defense, you will likely hear several common comments. For example, “This does not make sense.” “This needs to be changed.” “This is not accurate.” “This is not correct.” In each of these cases, you may clarify your opinion. Nevertheless, if you clarify your opinion once, and the other party does not buy it, then it is safe for you to say, “I will investigate and fix my thesis if necessary.”
During the defense, the committee wants you to graduate but before that, they want you to learn a bit more and the defense is their last chance to help you learn before you graduate. So give them that chance. Thank them for their contributions and help given since the beginning of the program.
When do people fail during the defense? The main reason is the failure to get your advisor’s OK. The committee may argue the advisor should fail you if you have misled him or her. The only reason you could fail that I can think of is an ethical violation. You just have to follow the rules.
During your defense, you may be able to use a power point presentation to go over your thesis or dissertation. The program may already have a template that students ought to use for their presentation. If so, the template should include parts required by the program. Just fill it in.
It is suggested to keep the presentation short. Use short sentences or just keywords that remind you of what you will be talking about. You should sound like an expert in your presentation. You are expected to have memorized the name of the author of your model journal article. You should know the theory you are basing your study on inside out. You have memorized some of the key findings of your study. This is because you have spent a good time studying them.
Some of the facts you want to mention in your presentation include the reason for selecting the topic. What makes this topic relevant to you on a personal level? What surprised you during your research process? What findings did you not expect that emerged and what does it mean? Did that affect your research study?
Your responses should be short and in relation to your study. Do not overdo it. What you should overdo though is your methodology and data collection. At least half of your presentation should be discussing your work, not anyone else’s.
Based on most common presentation templates, you will have to do an introduction to your thesis, where you will tell the audience what is going to be covered in your presentation. Then you will provide background on your topic and conclude it with your problem statement. Next, you will need to discuss why your problem statement is important. Then you will provide the research questions. After that, you can talk about what others have done to answer these questions. Do not repeat your literature review. Just briefly highlight a few. Then get into what you did. As you discuss your methodology, your tools, and your techniques, you can also refer to the relevant literature review.
What you did in the research project is the most important part of your presentation. The audience wants to make sure that it is your work, and you understand what you did. The presentation should prove that well. 16
As you discuss your methodology, you will provide your findings and conclusions. In addition, you probably are going to include references from the literature. Do not worry if you go back and forth between the chapters. The objective is to show all of your work during your presentation time.
It is always good to have figures or graphs that contain a lot of information on one screen. It also serves well during the defense to have your findings on one slide. If you have lots of information, consider printing it and hanging it on flip charts for easy reference.
Using flip charts offers a communication advantage during your defense. If your topic includes many similar components such as the analysis that generates different results, and the audience may be confused by which data belongs to which analysis, you may want to put each analysis on a separate flip chart. Therefore, they can point to the analysis they will discuss with you.
You may consider having every slide on a large piece of paper posted on the wall in order of your presentation. So, if someone asks you a question, you stand next to that post and discuss it. It also allows you to write on that slide, which may put an end to a comment brought by the committee. This also reduces confusion when you have to find a specific slide during the discussion.
Part of your presentation is to prepare for the defense. It is advisable to attend one before it’s your turn. Ask your advisor or your program coordinator how to attend a defense. It will motivate you and will provide valuable experience on what could be asked during yours. There are frequently asked questions during defense and they can be even more specific in your program. Different programs have a strategic plan for their program quality. Therefore, if you ask those before you about their experiences, there is a good chance you will get very similar, if not exactly the same common questions.
After your defense, you can celebrate with your family and friends. However, it is probably not the end of the journey. Sometimes, you are still not entitled to the degree. There is a good chance you will still have to address the comments by your committee. You will probably still have to consult with your advisor to see if you have fixed them properly and contact the committee to approve you for the degree.
Bloomberg, L. D and Volpe, M: Completing your qualitative dissertation: A Roadmap from Beginning to End (Sage 2016).
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Use the following steps when preparing for the oral defense of your thesis/dissertation.
1. Evaluation of oral examination is based on your presentation and your answers to questions from the examining committee.
2. Be well prepared for your presentation—academically, mentally and physically. Try to be well rested and focused before your oral defense.
3. In your preparation, don’t try to memorize all the studies cited in your thesis, but you do need to know the details of the few key studies that form the basis of your investigation.
4. You need to be familiar with larger issues, such as the basic assumptions, theoretical framework, paradigm, cross-cultural perspectives, Christian integration, etc.
5. More importantly, you need to have a deep understanding of the nature of your research problem and the major issues involved.
6. You may bring with you important materials for easy reference in the course of your defense; these may include key articles, computer print-outs of results, etc.
7. Your presentation is evaluated in terms of content and clarity as well as style.
8. Don’t speak too fast and don’t read from your notes.
9. Treat your presentation as a public address because there may be non-psychologists present at your defense. Therefore, don’t use too many jargons and don’t pack it with details. You need to tell people in simple, concise language:
10. Prepare handouts or power-points. Typically, they should include
11. Make sure that you space yourself well. Don’t spend too much time on one section. For example, you should not spend more than 5 minutes on introduction, since you are allowed only 20 minutes for your presentation.
12. Most of the questions are rather general and broad, dealing with substantial methodological, theoretical and application issues. However, some questions focus on specific points regarding sampling, statistical analysis, or some questionable conclusions.
13. Be prepared to clarify or elaborate on your assumptions, theoretical positions, methods, and conclusions. Often, an examiner plays the devil’s advocate to see how well you can think on your feet and defend yourself.
14. Occasionally, an examiner may ask a question which is unfair or cannot be adequately answered. After a few futile attempts, feel free to say that you don’t know the answer. You may even be bold enough to say, “Since none of my answers are acceptable, I would really appreciate it if you could give me some pointers or tell me what would be a correct answer.”
15. Here are some common questions:
16. Don’t rush to any answers. It is perfectly acceptable to think for a couple of seconds, or ask if you are on the right track. If you are not clear about the question, you are entitled to ask for clarification.
17. Try to be concise and to the point, but at the same time demonstrate that you have a good grasp of the complex issues involved. In other words, do not give superficial answers, but at the same time, do not go all over the map.
18. Put up a good defense without being defensive. Be confident without being cocky. A good defense means that you can provide strong logical arguments as well as empirical support o defend your position or conclusion. However, don’t be defensive when people criticize your study. If they are able to point out some real flaws or weaknesses in your study, accept their criticisms with humility, grace and gratitude.
19. Before the oral defense, talk to your advisor about areas of concerns based on external examiner’s comments. Then, discuss with your advisor how to best address these concerns. (Your advisor cannot tell you the specific questions the examiners will ask, but s/he can direct your attention to issues or areas that require some thinking or additional research.)
20. After the oral defense, meet with your advisor for debriefing and seek advice on how to revise your thesis.
An oral defense or viva is an oral examination in which a student defends his/her thesis to an audience of experts as part of the requirement for his/her degree.
How to survive a PhD viva : 17 Top Tips (2015)
Rebecca Ratcliffe from Guardian asked a number of academics and recent survivors for their tips:
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Just as the border agents have the important responsibility of ensuring that a traveler comply with all governmental requirements before passing through their checkpoint, likewise the members of your committee are expected to verify that your research and resulting thesis or dissertation fully meet procedural requirements of your institution as well as scholarly expectations of your discipline.
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Flamez, Brandé, A. Stephen Lenz, Richard S. Balkin, & Robert L. Smith. (2017). A counselor's guide to the dissertation process: where to start and how to finish. New York: Wiley.
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Murray, R. (2009). How to survive your viva: defending a thesis in an oral examination . Open University Press.
Sterne, N. (2015). Challenges in writing your dissertation: coping with the emotional, interpersonal, and spiritual struggles . Rowman & Littlefield.
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Fleming, R.S., Kowalsky, M. (2021). Presenting Your Research During the Oral Defense. In: Survival Skills for Thesis and Dissertation Candidates. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80939-3_34
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The questions are mostly open-ended and give you the chance to showcase your knowledge and understanding, as well as any future plans you may have regarding your research topic. A thesis defense usually lasts between one and two hours, depending on the area of your research. It starts with you giving a presentation of your interest, findings ...
A thesis defense gives you the chance to show off your thesis work and demonstrate your expertise in your field of study. During this one- to two-hour discussion with the members of your thesis committee, you'll have some control over how you present your research, but your committee will ask you some prodding questions to test your knowledge and preparedness. They will all have read your ...
Crafting a thesis is significant, but defending it often feels like the ultimate test. While nerve-wracking, proper preparation can make it manageable. Prepare for your thesis defense with insights on the top questions you can expect, including strategies for answering convincingly. Contents Mastering the thesis defense: cultivate a success mindsetQuestion 1: Why did you choose
20 defense questions: 1. The most common question you may be asked is what you learned from. the study you have done. You have to s um up your entire study in a few. sentences and remember the ...
REHEARSING YOUR PRESENTATION. Practice with a friend. Practice the technology of using Zoom/Teams. Record yourself and analzye. Time yourself - presentation should be about 20 minutes. Limit fillers like "um". DO NOT READ YOUR SLIDES!!!!!
If you were to do it all over again, what changes would you make? 2. What surprises did you find in your study? 3. What was the most challenging aspect of your research? 4. What specific aspects of your findings can be taken to practice? 5. How generalizable is your study?
10) What impact does your research have on the existing literature? Reflect on how your research made a contribution to the overall understanding of the field at hand. Think of why this was necessary and state that concisely. This will trickle into other thesis defense questions.
If you need assistance preparing for your dissertation defense or viva voce, get in touch with us to discuss 1-on-1 coaching. We can critically review your research and identify potential issues and responses, as well as undertake a mock oral defense to prepare you for the pressures and stresses on the day.
How to prepare for a thesis defense quick guide. Check with your department about requirements and timing. Re-read your thesis. Anticipate questions and prepare for them. Create a back-up plan to deal with technology hiccups. Plan de-stressing activities both before, and after, your defense.
For the session with your opponent, be prepared for both big picture and detail questions, on both your written thesis and oral presentation. The following are by no means exhaustive, but just a sample of some kinds of questions that have been asked in my experience (of course your own experience may vary). It's OK to take a moment to consider ...
Common Questions, Preliminary Defense. In your defense, you will be showcasing the evidence that you used within the dissertation. To help you prepare for this, common questions you may be asked include: Ensure you can explain your research in one to two sentences (to be able to do this shows your level of clarity on the project).
Oral Defense preparation, techniques, templates, best answers. By admin. November 9, 2016. Oral defense occurs towards the end of research journey. You have finished your thesis. Your advisor is happy with it. Your committee may or may not have approved it depending on your program. Now, you have to stand up in front of everyone else.
Consider These Example Defense Questions. What do you see as the main contributions of your research for your discipline, practitioners, and/or policy makers? In what ways, if at all, does your study contribute to the existing literature and/or prior research in the field? In what ways does it extend the literature?
data and outcomes. The final part of the presentation should include answers to the questions raised in the. evaluation forms. The length of the dissertation thesis defense is set from 1 hour to ...
2. Be well prepared for your presentation—academically, mentally and physically. Try to be well rested and focused before your oral defense. 3. In your preparation, don't try to memorize all the studies cited in your thesis, but you do need to know the details of the few key studies that form the basis of your investigation. 4.
This could be in the form of an oral presentation, a poster presentation of your findings, or you could be invited to a viva voce. Vivas, as they are usually known, are particularly common for research degrees such as MPhils or PhDs and are essentially a verbal defence of your thesis that is conducted in an interview style format.
The defense. Stand up is usual - sitting down is acceptable Maintain eye contact with examining committee while presenting Try to read as little as possible - very important! Do not read from your thesis and read as little as possible from your overheads/power point Speak clearly with sufficient volume Answer questions honestly and ...
Re-read your thesis - and keep up-to-date with research; As an examiner, you tend to stick to things you're an expert in when driving the questioning; Think about what you will or won't defend; Draw up lists of possible questions - especially ones you dread; It's not like sitting at a laptop where you can edit a sentence as you go along
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like After you choose your research question/project goal, which information guided your choice of a research method/artistic process?, How is the method/process you chose aligned with the purpose of your research? Which methods did you consider and reject?, What were the strategies you used to conduct a review of literature or gather ...
34.5 Things NOT to Do. Fail to allow your research advisor to facilitate the oral examination in the manner that they deem appropriate. Show frustration with the process or committee members at any point during the oral examination. Avoid actually answering the specific questions asked.