defend thesis

Defending a thesis is presenting your research work to a professors’ panel to grade your presentation abilities. Also, your argument during the presentation ascertains that you understood your research topic. But, you must submit your thesis or dissertation first so that your lecturer can grade it before your defense presentation.

Most students want to know what defending thesis means after or when about to complete their graduate degrees. In most countries, writing a thesis is a vital part of finishing a graduate degree. Generally, a thesis or a dissertation is a significant paper related to the student’s study field. After handing in a thesis, the professor or lecturer assigns the learner the data for defending their work.

A thesis defense presentation occurs during a meeting comprising a committee of at least two professors and the student. The professors belong to the student’s program. Also, the session can include professionals from other learning institutions or experts in the student’s study field. The meeting attendees ask the students some questions about their work to understand their focus area and field.

Usually, these questions are open-minded, requiring the learner to think about the work critically. Since the student submits the paper for evaluation before the presentation, the panel already understands the work. But the board doesn’t design the questions to require the student to defend their work aggressively. In most cases, this procedure is a formality for getting a degree.

What Is The Purpose Of Dissertation Defense?

The thesis or dissertation defense aims to achieve two things.

First, it provides a presentation occasion and recognition of the accomplished doctoral work. Second, it presents a chance for formal evaluation and discussion of your thesis.

Ideally, the purpose of the dissertation defense is to assess the completed research work’s merits and the doctoral candidate’s ability to explain or interpret their research outcomes and implications. After the dissertation committee chair deems the paper ready for a defense, they allow the student to schedule their presentation meeting.

The student contacts the committee members to identify the time and date acceptable to them. Also, the learner secures the conference room for the presentation and serves all committee members with copies of the thesis.

What Does It Mean To Defend A Thesis Successfully?

The requirements of a dissertation defense process vary from one learning institution to another. However, a successful defense entails presenting the main argument to the dissertation committee or academic faculty with primary points evidence.

A good defense must have clear and convincing logic lending credence to the primary concept that the body of the paper advances. For instance, if your thesis argues that consuming meat is unethical, you may present arguments about animal abuse cruelty from farms and factories to make your claim legitimate.

How Long Is A Thesis Defense?

At this point, you’re no longer bothered by the question, what does it mean to defend your dissertation? However, you want to know your presentation or defense duration. The duration of a dissertation presentation or defense depends on the degree requirements and the institution.

Perhaps, the best way to know the duration your presentation should take is to consult your institution or department. But a dissertation defense takes 20 minutes in most cases, though it can take up to two or more hours. Also, the presentation duration and the number of questions the committee has for the candidate will influence this duration.

What’s more, the nature of your thesis will determine the duration of its defense. For instance, a master’s thesis takes longer to defend than a bachelor’s thesis. Nevertheless, your defense should fit the introduction, literature review, findings, and more time structuring the presentation. Therefore, take adequate time to prepare for the session. All in all, several factors, including your academic field and paper, determine the duration of the session.

How To Prepare For A Thesis Defense

Adequate preparation is among the best tips for ensuring a successful dissertation defense. Therefore, ensure that you understand the content of your thesis and the questions to expect from the dissertation panel. Also, ensure that you have a timetable showing the chronology of the presentation day.

The dissertation committee expects you to keep time because if you delay, you may have to wait for the next time the panel will allocate your defense. Additionally, make sure that you’ve handed in your thesis at least a month before the defense date.

How To Prepare For Thesis Defense In Six Steps

The end of a graduate degree might seem far away when starting. However, it comes up faster than most learners think. Perhaps, that’s because working on a thesis is a lot of work. What’s more, you have to master the content of your paper to ensure a successful defense. Additionally, decide the best way to present and defend your thesis. For instance, select the defense template, theme, and structure. After that, follow these steps from our best academic editing help and thesis writers to prepare a successful dissertation defense.

Follow these tips, and you will be ready for the defense when the day comes. But the essential thing is to master the content of your paper and anticipate questions that the committee might ask.

How To Start A Thesis Defense Presentation

Once you have everything ready for the presentation, follow these steps to start your dissertation defense presentation.

Practical Thesis Defense Tips: How To Do It

After starting defending your thesis, delve deeper into the oral presentation of your work using appropriate sound equipment and visual aids. Follow this format to present your dissertation.

Introduction: Explain why the study was necessary Literature review: Tell the committee about the findings of other scholars on your subject or topic. Research methodology: Explain the research methods you used in your study and why. Findings: Explain your research findings to the committee. Discussion: Discuss your findings and deductions. Implications, suggestions, limitations, and conclusions: Explain the impact of your study, setbacks, and findings. Also, suggest a path for future studies on the topic or subject. Answer questions: The committee members will ask you questions and expect you to respond. Leave the room: After presenting your defense and answering the committee’s questions, you can leave the room to allow the panelists to deliberate. Come back to the room: The committee will invite you back after the deliberations. The supervisor will share the committee’s decision with you.

The student receives all written work copies after the oral examination. Remember to observe dissertation defense etiquette even if the committee asks questions that deem unnecessary to you. Be polite, formal, and composed throughout the presentation.

Get Professional Thesis Writing Help

You can’t defend a thesis before writing it. However, you might lack adequate time to select a unique thesis topic, research it, and write a custom paper, and of course, buy dissertation online . That’s where our experts come in. We’re a professional team of academic writers helping learners write a quality thesis, defend them, and score the top marks. Our knowledgeable thesis specialists can also provide vital advice or guide you through the defense process.

If stuck with a dissertation or unsure about the defense process, our native writers can help you. We offer cheap and efficient academic writing services online 24/7. Contact us today!

How long is a thesis paper?

The length of your thesis will depend on your faculty, department, or study field. However, a bachelor’s thesis is usually 40 to 60 pages long. On the other hand, a master’s thesis ranges between 60 and 100 pages. A Ph.D. thesis has an average of 204 pages.

Nevertheless, the actual words for a Ph.D. thesis depend on the university and the subject. That’s because most learning institutions set the length requirements. Learning institutions set the minimum length and not the maximum word count or page number in most cases. Therefore, ask the supervisor about your paper’s length before learning how to defend your dissertation.

How long is a thesis defense?

The dissertation defense duration depends on the technicality of the paper and the degree that a student is pursuing. An undergraduate degree’s defense can last an hour, while a master’s degree defense can take one and a half hours. A Ph.D. degree defense can last two or more hours.

What happens during a thesis or dissertation defense?

The professors allocate the students time for their presentation or defense. After that, the panelists will ask questions, and the student will answer. The committee requests the student to summarize their study deductions in some cases

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How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 14, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

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You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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What Does it Mean to Defend a Thesis?

If you are in the process of researching or writing a thesis, you are probably aware that defending a thesis will be an integral component of completing the process. While you may be familiar with the phrase “defend your thesis,” this does not mean that you fully understand what this process will entail. Below you will find a brief summation of what a thesis is as well as what it means to successfully defend a thesis.

The Thesis-A Brief Overview

Although broadly defined, a thesis is basically a brief summary of a theory or idea that is submitted in the form of a textual document, such as an academic paper. While research papers and argumentative essays will typically contain a thesis statement, the term “thesis” generally refers to a longer document that is prepared by a graduate-level student. In these cases, the thesis can be a precursor to graduation. Yet another factor you can consider to gain clarity regarding what constitutes a thesis is the difference between a thesis and a dissertation. The thesis is typically the final aspect of attaining a master’s degree while individuals who complete a dissertation do so to obtain a doctoral degree.

Defending a Thesis-The Basics

Individuals who write a graduate-level thesis will almost always be required to defend a thesis. While the requirements for this process will typically vary from institution to institution, defending the thesis generally incorporates presenting your main argument to an academic faculty and supporting your primary points with clear, convincing logic that lends credence to the fundamental concepts being advanced within the body of the work. For example, if an individual completes a thesis arguing that meat consumption is unethical, she or he might present arguments pertaining to the cruel abuse animals are subjected to in farms or factories to legitimate the claim.

Getting It Right-Components To Success

In order to make the process of defending your thesis as successful as possible, the following components of the endeavor are often emphasized:

Presentation Skills

In order to successfully defend a thesis, you need to be able to present your arguments effectively. To accomplish this objective, you should practice and attain feedback regarding your presentation strengths and weaknesses. In many cases, a learning institution will offer free workshops designed to help students enhance their presentation skills. These workshops can provide you with feedback on things such as the overuse of filler words like “um.”

The Dry Run

To ensure that your presentation skills can be objectively analyzed and critiqued by others, it’s a good idea to do a dry run. By delivering your thesis to colleagues or trusted friends, you can obtain feedback that helps you improve upon your presentation abilities. To accomplish this objective, the dry run audience needs to be proficient in:

• offering feedback regarding the effectiveness and coherence of your presentation • asking questions you haven’t considered yet • asking you questions which you think an examining committee might ask • providing you with feedback regarding your presentation skills in terms of any ineffective physical or verbal behaviors you may be participating in • offering feedback regarding which aspects of the presentation were strong, coherent, convincing, or otherwise effective

Anticipating Questions

When you defend your thesis, examiners will ask questions based on the information you present. To ensure that you perform well during this portion of the presentation, it is important that you try to anticipate the types of questions that will be asked . For example, if you are defending a thesis regarding why meat consumption is unethical, an examiner might ask you whether the presence of humane factory farms delegitimate your primary arguments. By anticipating the questions that examiners are likely to ask, you gain the opportunity to formulate clear, articulate responses that will strengthen your presentation.

While there are several aspects of graduate-level learning that can facilitate personal growth and intellectual development, defending a thesis can be particularly effective in generating these outcomes. Now that you have a basic understanding of what defending a thesis involves and how to do it well, you can move forward with confidence in the completion of this academic project.

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Going into college, students may need to make a lot of decisions. First-year students may have to deal with choosing their degree programs and moving into their dormitories. With the evolving educational system in the U.S, many schools are retrofitting their curriculums and offering more academic options. Most universities are leaning into holistic development and incorporating diversity into their programs. With this, according to the U.S. Census Bureau , there’s an upward trend in the number of college graduates in the country every year.

In terms of academic programs, there are different fields to choose from, including architecture, communications, and business. In addition to the various fields, there are also several majors to choose from, such as computer engineering, public health, and graphic design. Most programs are designed for classroom learning and experiential learning.

College students may also take up minors that complement their major, or it may be from a different field, such as one that fits their interests or may help them with their future careers. Some minors may include urban planning, creative writing , or different cultural studies. Aside from this, students may also have to face choosing between a two-year or four-year undergraduate program.

Undergraduate Programs

After high school, students may either earn a bachelor’s degree or opt for an associate degree. The two degrees vary primarily by the duration of the academic program. Bachelor’s programs typically take four years to finish. In fact, according to a report , 41% of students earning a bachelor’s degree finish it within four years. This requires the student to finish 120 credit hours, providing broad education based on various subjects and an academic major.

Basic subjects, such as history, social sciences, and mathematics are usually covered within the program’s first half. Students are exposed to subjects dealing with their chosen major, like business or engineering majors, towards the second half. Bachelor’s degree programs may be divided into Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). B.S. degrees usually deal with mathematical sciences, while B.A. degrees may include social sciences and fine arts.

On the other hand, associate degrees are earned by taking up 60 credit hours, which usually takes two years to finish. Most community colleges and state universities offer this degree program. If you’re planning to finish an associate degree, you must complete a program consisting of different subjects under general education, a concentration in a particular field, and different electives based on your interests.

What is a Thesis?

Most bachelor’s degree programs include a thesis during the student’s last year in college or senior year. In most programs, a thesis is primarily designed to ensure students understand their field or major. It serves as a culmination of what they have covered in their curriculum. Students are generally required to think critically about the work they do and answer open-ended questions.

A good thesis may aim to provide solutions to problems from different fields backed by reliable data. It may come in different forms, such as exploratory thesis, development project, and production. A development project may aim to create or enhance existing standard practices or working methods. This may involve suggesting improvements to maximize certain parameters. For example, students may study the effects of automating businesses to improve their productivity.

On the other hand, the production thesis involves creating new products or formulating new tools. This may be practiced in advertising or business marketing, where students may be asked to produce marketing tools or new products.

Lastly, an exploratory thesis may deal with either a development thesis or production. It may involve evaluating certain procedures qualitatively or quantitatively. Additionally, the method may involve the exploration and testing of theoretical ideas. In this type of thesis, students often gather the data to be used in the thesis independently.

Who Needs a Thesis?

Thesis writing isn’t always necessary for completing academic programs. It usually depends on the course track and whether or not making a thesis fits the subject taken. Nowadays, many schools offer both a thesis route and a non-thesis one to fit their students’ preferences.

For the non-thesis track, students are given the option to take more classes instead of completing a thesis. It also applies to students seeking additional subjects within their field. Alternatively, you can either conduct research or complete supervised fieldwork rather than writing a thesis.

Students earning an undergraduate degree in a certain field and major may present a topic related to their major. There are many majors to choose from. Some majors requiring a thesis include Philosophy, Business Administration, and Literature. A variety of subtopics may be selected for research and investigation.

For example, a civil engineering student taking up a major in structural design may present a thesis about the effects of an earthquake on the building’s structural safety. In the same way, English majors may tackle topics related to different authors and literary works across different genres. Business majors may present different proposals to improve production procedures or test out strategies to increase sales turnout.

Thesis Process

Writing a thesis paper is usually the final requirement before graduation. If you’re in your senior year, this is vital in ensuring a diploma. Thesis-writing takes a long process and involves a lot of patience since it may involve tedious works such as data collection and research. Here are the different phases involved in creating a thesis:

Establishing the Thesis Problem

This also involves knowing your topic and creating the thesis title. By reading current researches or theories on your topic, you may check if there is a research problem to be solved. It’s best to formulate a clear research question that identifies all the relevant issues. It’s also best to find a faculty advisor with ample knowledge on the subject you’ll be tackling. Build a strong working relationship with your chosen advisor from whom you’ll be getting insights. Ask for their teaching schedule so you’ll know when to approach them for consultation.

Creating a Plan

Some thesis advisers require a project plan at the start. This is to ensure that there’s a proper procedure and thought process followed from research to defense. If you’re struggling with creating a plan, you may start with an outline of your proposal. Then you may slowly build up your research per section. It’s important to know where to find your sources and what topics to research on.

Doing your Research

Students are required to read related literature and previous projects related to your topic. This may help in being more familiar with the subject matter and in establishing your methodology. Setting up the project often takes up a substantial portion of research time for most students.

Writing the Thesis Paper

This doesn’t just involve writing the final output. Thesis-writing is done from the start of the project to establishing the research of the topic and gathering needed data. Another important aspect of a thesis paper is the analysis of the result of the experiment and how it can solve the problem stated at the start of the thesis. Lastly, conclusions and recommendations are crucial in completing a thesis paper. It’s important to relate the conclusion to the statement problem. Then, you may draw recommendations from the conclusion.

Editing and Submission

After creating your final output, the advisor usually goes over the paperwork and recommends edits to improve the flow and data tabulation. Seek guidance and be open to criticism ! This is important in polishing certain sections of the thesis paper. Certain guidelines may also be set to keep all the reports uniform. It’s important to follow the prescribed guidelines such as the font size, font style, and cover page. After all the editing is done, most departments require several formal printed copies of the manuscript for submission to the panel.

Defending the Thesis

Students defending their undergraduate thesis usually present their study, along with the results and how they came up with it. If you’re presenting data, prepare illustrations and graphs to organize them and show correlations efficiently. It is advisable to keep your presentation concise based on the limited discussion time given to you.

To draft an effective presentation, you may start by discussing the background of the study and its problem statement. Then, you may show how you could gather the data needed to solve or support your study’s objectives. After presenting the methodology, you may present the results effectively by creating graphs and charts. The final part of the presentation would be your study’s conclusion.

The thesis defense is usually presented to a panel consisting of different faculty members knowledgeable about the subject. Following the presentation, the panel will be asking a series of questions that are relevant to the write-up. Some questions may tackle the research methodology and the significance of the study. It is why it pays to be ready and possess exceptional knowledge of the thesis paper.

Common Parts of a Thesis

Introduction

With the introduction, it’s important to give a clear overview of what the paper will be about. Aside from stating the subject, this section is also a good start to introducing the purpose of the study and its intended audience. It’s also the part where you can establish the boundaries for the study, which may help you focus more on getting focal results. Background information is also best discussed in this section.

Problem Statement

When dealing with the problem statement, it’s important to be specific with the subject and its terms. This is so you can focus on a particular problem and avoid investigating a broad range of problems associated with a topic. This may lead to unmanageable methodologies, and chances are, you’re proposal may be rejected.

The key is to have a topic that you’re interested in and find a specific problem or subtopic that you want to delve more into. Aside from specifically stating the problem, this section may include a short description of how to solve it. It may also include a summary of the proposal’s purpose and scope.

Literature Review

The literature review may come in a separate section or as part of the introduction. Either way, it’s best to find various sources related to the topic and problem. It’s best to include different sides of the subject and organize them in a structured layout.

Methodology

This section includes how data is gathered and how it will be analyzed. You may also describe how you chose the research design and formulated the methods. Don’t forget to include the description of each procedure so readers may understand them more. You may also include certain limitations to the method applied. This may show the readers that you are aware of your constraints and have taken the necessary steps to manage them.

Results and Discussion

This section outlines the results after following the methods in the previous section. Most of the data in the research may be found in this section, and its analysis may be found in the discussion. You may use different graphs and tables to show the data in a more organized manner. The discussion section shows the interpretation of the illustrations and the correlation of the results to the questions at the start of the thesis. It’s best to cite references while discussing the results, adding more credibility and scientific backing to the claims.

It’s best to summarize the important information obtained in the conclusion since some readers may go to this section right away. To effectively write your conclusion, it’s important to relate the results of your experiment or research to the objective and problem of the study. You may enumerate and summarize the results when relating them to the study’s objectives. Be sure to include recommendations on improving data-gathering methods and suggest other areas that other researchers may focus on.

Recommendations

You may also add a section containing recommendations that are related to your topic. This may include suggesting further studies or diving into a similar subtopic to support different claims. It’s important to write this section with the target audience in mind. You may separate each recommendation according to its appropriate audience.

Citing your sources is an important element in an effective thesis paper. You may organize all your references in one section, alphabetically, to keep them in order. This may help the readers read on research topics and may make your statements more credible. Footnotes are also beneficial but having a section listing all your sources will make the paper more organized.

Tips in Writing Your Thesis

Writing a thesis paper comes in different parts. In every section, you may face different challenges and hardships. With this, here are some tips to consider when writing your thesis:

How to Improve Your Thesis Defense Presentation

Going into a thesis defense can be both challenging and stressful. It’s important to consider it as an opportunity to share your knowledge and understanding of the research. Be sure to discuss your topic and results with your panel in great detail and reconsider simply throwing in arguments for the sake of it. Your presentation will also play a pivotal role during a thesis defense.

It’s best to look for simple presentation templates since the panel may be distracted with full graphics. Make sure that the colors used in your slides are easy on the eyes and keep the animation minimal. You may prepare a clear presentation structure that starts with a title and a brief introduction to the study. Your introduction may include the field of the topic and its relevance. Keep it short, as you might need more time to discuss the latter sections of the report. You may include highlights from literature related to the study, followed by the research methodology.

Aside from showing relevant information such as its sample population and type of study, make sure to enumerate the steps taken clearly. You may use bullets to create an organized methodology presentation. Also, be sure to include why you chose the specific methodology and how your data was analyzed.

The next part of your presentation will include the results of your experiment or survey. It’s important to highlight the important data and results . Improve your presentation by showing the collected information in graphs or illustrations such as bar graphs or pie charts. When presenting data through graphs, make sure to use contradicting colors that may emphasize differences and label them accordingly to avoid any confusion.

In the discussion section, present only the significant findings and how it is relevant to your topic. Make sure that the conclusions are concise and answer the problem statements of the study. You may include the limitations of the study, along with your suggestions through the recommendations section. You may end your presentation by sharing your conclusion and recommendation.

Ace your Oral Defense

Defending your thesis is the last step of your thesis and probably the most nerve-wracking too. Your oral defense may make or break your entire thesis journey, so it’s best to exert effort on acing it. With this, here are some tips to take control of your thesis defense:

Start with an introduction.

It’s best not to jump into the report right away. Take your time in introducing yourself or your groupmates if you’re working in pairs or threes. You may also acknowledge the members of the panel. This also gives you some time to ease into your place and prepare for the presentation. However, it’s best to make your introductions quick since you may be given a limited time to present.

Calm your nerves.

Getting nervous before a presentation is normal. However, you shouldn’t let it get the best of you and everything you have worked hard for. Being nervous while presenting may lead to you talking fast, which may confuse the panel. It may even cause you to forget and miss the report’s important highlights. It’s best to take a deep breath and take your time in going over the presentation. It’s also alright to pause before answering any question from the panel. This allows you to think and articulate your answer more clearly.

Prepare beforehand.

It’s important to go over the report several times and review the results to understand them fully. Aside from understanding the thesis paper, find time to prepare for the presentation used for the oral defense. Knowing its flow and highlights may help you maintain your confidence during the presentation. Be sure to practice and prepare what you’ll be saying. Despite sounding scripted, preparing a script may help you finish the presentation within the given time constraint.

Formulate possible questions.

One way to effectively prepare for an oral defense is to anticipate the panel’s questions. Take time to think about possible questions and scenarios that may be raised. Take time to list them down and research each one. This may also give you additional insight into your subject that you have missed previously. Understand the questions and formulate your answers in advance.

Keep it short but concise.

Most students are given a short time to present their thesis. If you’re presenting your thesis, it’s integral only to include the main points and important information. You may include relevant results and organize them through graphs or tables. Avoid adding unnecessary animations that may take time and go straight to the point in terms of presentations. You may save time by following PowerPoint templates designed for presenting studies.

Be confident.

Be confident , or at least try to pretend until you finish the whole defense. It’s important to maintain eye contact, especially with the panel. Appearing timid may show that you’re not prepared or knowledgeable of your topic. Additionally, it’s important to talk clearly and emphasize certain words, which may help you avoid sounding monotonous. You may create an outline and prepare handy notes that you can check from time to time.

Questions Frequently Asked During Thesis Defense

Answering questions is part of every thesis defense. After sharing your thesis presentation, the panel will be asking various questions to clarify certain areas of the study. To evaluate your understanding of the topic, you may be asked to expound on the different methods applied to the research. It’s important to be aware of the usual questions so you can prepare in advance. Here are some of the possible questions to be asked in a thesis defense:

What Happens After the Thesis Defense?

After presenting your thesis through an oral defense, the panel will deliberate on the results and produce amendments to the study. Some may be given a passing mark wherein there are no changes to be done. This takes you a step closer to graduation. However, there are times where panelists may suggest certain revisions to the thesis paper.

These revisions vary from major to minor amendments. Sometimes the student will need to redo an oral defense to present the changes to their study. Some revisions may be as small as changing some literature reviews or as big as restructuring the methodology and gathering the data again. Failure marks are also possible but very rare since there is usually no limit to the revisions to be made. It may take longer than usual to finish the entire thesis process.

The Takeaway

Different undergraduate degrees come with various requirements. One of which is creating a thesis paper. Bachelor’s degree programs typically involve a thesis in the student’s final year of college. It’s a culmination of what the student has covered throughout their course or major. A thesis paper comprises different sections such as its introduction, methodology, and conclusion. Each section supports the established main topic and the study’s problem statement.

If you’re finished with editing and submitting your thesis paper, the last part of the process is presenting your study in front of a panel through a thesis defense. This is vital for teachers to understand how you worked with the thesis. It may also help them assess if you’re knowledgeable enough about the topic covered.

During the thesis defense, it’s best to show a short presentation to allow time for some questions from the panel. In terms of presenting data, be sure to organize them through charts and graphs and label them accordingly. Use slides that are simple and visually pleasing. When presenting, it’s recommended to come prepared and be confident when addressing the panel. The panel may not expect you to know everything, but they will most definitely watch how you conduct yourself during the thesis defense.

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Public Lecture

Dress Professionally

Items to Bring to the Defense

The Closed Examination

Address Questions with Confidence

Final Corrected Copies of the Thesis

Department/program requirements prior to termination of student status, publishing your final thesis.

Binding Your Final Thesis

Before Defense

After completing the research required for your thesis, you should inform your graduate administrator that you have started the process to prepare for your defense. A master’s thesis defense committee must include your advisor, a second faculty member from your program, and a faculty member from outside of your department.

Please note: If the advisor is not in a student's program, the committee would consist of four members: the advisor, two faculty in the program, and one outside faculty member.

When you and your advisor begin thinking about defending, check the academic calendar for deadlines. Defenses can be held on any day the Arts, Sciences and Engineering Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (AS&E GEPA) is open for business (i.e., not weekends, evenings, or holidays, or the days between Christmas and New Year’s).

You must reserve a room for your oral presentation and for your closed exam. Check with your graduate administrator to determine who will schedule the room for your thesis defense .

Let your graduate administrator know as soon as all of the members of your committee have agreed to a specific date and time for the defense. Your graduate administrator will advise you of any program-specific requirements for the defense, as well as prepare your thesis defense paperwork. They will also help you determine who will schedule the room for your thesis defense and who will obtain the signatures for your paperwork.

You should provide your committee members at least one week to read and comment on your thesis before the thesis defense.

Participating Via Video Conferencing

While you and your advisor must both be physically present in the room for the defense, other committee members are allowed to participate in the defense remotely via Skype or other video conferencing technology. This must be approved by the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs before the dissertation is registered for defense.

We strongly recommend that international students meet with an International Services Office (ISO) representative. The ISO will provide information on visa options, documentation, and timelines for applying for a visa for employment in the United States.

In your final semester (the semester in which you defend), if you have completed all your credit requirements, you will register for one of the following registration categories:

899: Master’s Thesis —Non-credit bearing registration category for a master’s student who has completed all of the requirements for the degree except the thesis and is in residence as a full-time student.

895: Continuation of Enrollment —Non-credit bearing registration category for a master’s student who has completed all of the requirements for the degree except the thesis and is not in residence as a full-time student.

For more information about these categories, see the registration page .

The Preparing Your Thesis manual is a great resource to help you bring your dissertation up to the required standard of organization, appearance, and format for the University of Rochester. While this document is specifically for PhD Dissertations, the same formatting rules apply for master’s theses. Before preparing the defense copy of your thesis, check the contents of the manual carefully to help avoid mistakes that can be time-consuming and costly to correct.

Before beginning your thesis you should consult with your advisor for your department or program’s preferred style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago).

Including material produced by other authors in your thesis can serve a legitimate research purpose, but you want to avoid copyright infringement in the process. For detailed instructions on avoiding copyright infringement, please see ProQuest’s Copyright Guide .

You must provide copies of the thesis to your committee members. You should check with your committee members to see if they prefer printed or electronic copies (or both). Printed copies do not need to be printed on heavyweight, expensive paper unless there is the need to do so for figures and images.

Printing and binding a thesis can be expensive. You can use the Copy Center or FedEx Office to print and bind your thesis.

“Registering” simply means that you have presented a thesis document, which you intend to defend, to the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs. Your thesis must be approved as ready to defend by your advisor, as noted by the advisor signature on the Master’s Thesis Defense Appointment Form (this form can only be accessed by staff).

Your defense must be at least five full working days after you register. When registering, you must present a bound defense copy of your thesis to the Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA).

The copy of your thesis that you register will be returned to you usually within a few days before or after the defense, with possible corrections that must be addressed in the final thesis.

The Defense

Below you will find suggestions to help you get ready for the defense and information to give you a sense of what to expect.

The best way to know what happens and the best way for you to prepare for your defense is to regularly attend the defenses of your colleagues. You should also speak with your advisor to get a sense of his/her specific expectations of a defense.

Guidelines for Presentations

Use PowerPoint or Other Software to Create Slides

You should prepare a presentation of the research that comprises the thesis. Your slides should encapsulate the work and focus on its most salient contributions. In preparing, ask yourself these questions: “What do I want people to know about my thesis? What is the most important information that I can present and talk about?” Here are some basic tips:

If your defense includes a public lecture, we recommended that you do a trial run of your presentation a day or two before your defense in the room that has been booked for your public lecture. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the space and the equipment and to address any problems that arise during the trial run.

Plan your public lecture to allow enough time for questions. Present enough information so that the audience understands what you did, why you did it, what the implications are, and what your suggestions are for future research.

The date/time/location of your defense and thesis topic are advertised to your program and beyond. Friends and family are welcome to attend the public lecture. Faculty and students in the audience are given the opportunity to ask questions.

Plan to dress professionally for the defense in the same way you would if presenting a paper at a conference or for a job interview. You will be standing for a long time on the day of your defense, which will be important to keep in mind when selecting shoes.

Essentials that you should bring include:

You will be asked to leave the room while your committee reviews your program of study, grades, and decides whether the thesis is acceptable/not acceptable. The committee decides whether members will ask sequential questions or whether each member will be allotted a specific time period for questioning.

You will be called back into the examining room and questioning will begin. After all questions have been addressed, you will be asked to leave the room while your committee decides the outcome of the exam. You will be asked to return to the room to be informed of the outcome.

At the conclusion of your defense, your committee will either determine that you have passed or failed the exam. In the event that the outcome is a failure of the exam, you may request reexamination after four months have passed.

After the Defense

You can submit the final corrected copies of your thesis as soon as you address any remaining comments that were brought up during the defense or noted in the registration copy of your thesis, which will be returned to you usually within a few days before or after the defense.

You need to submit two unbound copies of your final thesis to the AS&E GEPA office, located in Lattimore 206.

Each department and program has its own process for students who are ending their student status. Be sure to check with your graduate administrator to determine if there is additional paperwork that you need to complete before your student status is terminated.

The University of Rochester requires all master’s thesis candidates to deposit their theses for publication with the University libraries. Two hard copies of the thesis (unbound) are required by the GEPA office to provide to the University libraries .

Binding Your Final Master’s Thesis

Your department may want a bound copy of your thesis. Please check with your graduate administrator to determine this and how the cost of binding is covered. You may also want a bound copy for yourself and others.

InvestEd Philippines

Oct 4, 2019

Top 10 Ways to Successfully Defend Your Thesis

Never mind the cold sweat that’s running down your brow or the butterflies in your stomach — they are all normal as most students would say. You check the time on your wristwatch, iron out your formal attire with your sweaty hands, and try your best to delight in the last few minutes before you face the panel.

By now, you’re pretty sure that you can address all the questions they will throw at you — except that you suddenly had a mental block because your nerves just won’t settle down. You start to become fidgety, place your palms on your face, and try your hardest not to break down. We know that’s pretty brutal, but this could be the unfortunate scenario you might find yourself in if you come unprepared for your thesis defense.

Presenting a good statement and laying down your justifications on paper is winning half the battle during thesis season. Successfully defending your work is another matter. Whether you’re in college or graduate school and your thesis defense is fast approaching, these ten useful tips will get you ready and confident to face the panel and help you become eloquent in your subject matter.

Know your audience

This is the first rule of public speaking and it will do you a lot of good if you follow it. Think about it; your audience will hear and process every word you say and will give you feedback on whether or not you were understood or otherwise.

Considering that you are talking to respected leaders in the academe, you may want to review how you structure your presentations, take a second look at your slides, and weed out what’s not relevant for the panel. Know who they are and what expertise they have regarding the subject you will be talking about.

Remember that your audience will always expect to learn something new from you and this could be to your advantage as long as you can justify what you say and be able to answer extemporaneously when queried about specifics.

Introduce yourself as someone who is credible

This doesn’t mean you have to present slides to sell yourself like the proverbial pen. Give the panel the impression that you are a master of your subject matter by providing them an overview of your research, its importance, and why they should give you a listen.

Make sure you have factual bases for your claims and conclusions because these are the main foundations of a strong defense. When caught in an inconclusive theory, admit that you haven’t qualified it yet. Stretching your conclusions to unnecessary lengths might just confuse your audience more and jeopardize your chances of a good defense.

Make your presentation worthwhile

Most members of a thesis panel can also get tired from listening to a number of students defending their theses all day. This is all apart from their respective professional stresses. Giving them some engaging story might just give them relief. Try to inject relevant reports that will help you prove your points during your defense. Give them a walkthrough on how you came up with your pieces of evidence, how you went about your experiments, as well as the struggles and strides you’ve made to draw your conclusions. If you remain coherent, you’ll find yourself an attentive audience.

Be keen to detail

Bear in mind that every detail, even the small ones, are important. You wouldn’t want your audience to lose interest in your propositions due to a missing label on your presentation or if your graphs are misrepresented. This could actually be annoying for them. Review your visual aids twice or thrice as necessary especially if you are presenting a great deal of visual data.

Mind your transitions

Keeping your presentation lucid is equally important as keeping your audience’s interest. Prior to your defense, check if your presentation slides cover everything you want to present by segments, and mind how you go from one to the other. Being consistent and articulate from how you developed your thesis statement down to your ‘take-aways’ will always play an important factor during your thesis defense.

Don’t rely on visual aids and colorful Powerpoint presentations to thrill your audience. What they’ll expect from your defense is an intelligible presentation of arguments and findings so make sure that you rehearse a couple of times before D-day.

Refrain from reading your pointers from the slides that you present. That’s a no-no in the realm of formal presentations. These slides serve as mere complements you use to further emphasize key particulars or present graphs and charts which could be too difficult to explain verbally. Practice makes perfect, and part of the practice is to know your stuff by heart.

Gather feedback

You may also want to try and practice your defense with your fellow students as your audience. This way you can gather constructive feedback and refine your work before your defense. Start with this practice early and do it as much as you can with different audiences until you perfect what you want to say or discover what you need to work on. If you give more time for preparation, the higher the chances you have to defend your thesis successfully.

Check your equipment

This one is pretty basic but equally important. Some unprepared students who do not test the school’s or their personal equipment prior to their defense may suffer technical malfunctions and unnecessary stresses. Take a minute to check your projectors, laptop, audio, and all other technical equipment you need to deliver a clear and smooth presentation. You’ll thank yourself later.

Stick to your premises

Embrace your knowledge and be confident. As to how dogs can smell fear, so can your professors or subject experts call you out when they sense that you are just rambling on. As long as you keep your statements aligned with your conclusions and make sure that your paper is tight and free of loopholes, you’ll be fine.

Stay humble

Be confident but stay humble. Academic elders usually frown upon conceited students who give off an air of dominance over them. Respect is always the proper decorum whenever you are in the halls of the academe so exercise it.

When it comes to financial assistance on your thesis phase, InvestEd can help you weather the storm and make college life a whole lot easier. InvestEd is the Philippines’ leading education loan provider offering flexible payment plans suited for students like you. Learn more about their programs and services here .

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How would one fail a master thesis defense?

So I have to defend my master thesis in computer science in two weeks. It's in Germany and the thesis is 30 credits. I'm wondering what could make someone fail his defense? In my thesis I mainly compare different approaches and algorithms and did experiments on them to answer some research questions. Would I fail if, for example, during the discussion a mistake in my comparison and evaluation approach is discovered which makes my results meaningless? Although I discussed my approach and everything I did with my advisor (postdoc not the prof), yet I still fear that I might have done something wrong and then everything collaps.

I still remember reading a question on this site where someone mentioned that he discovered a vital mistake in his PhD thesis after two years of the defense which made almost his entire thesis useless. Yet of course he didn't lose his PhD degree. So if something like this happens, but during the defense, what could happen?

So how would one fail his master thesis defense? Just to calm down a bit and feel safe and secure!

Edit: I passed with an excellent grade :D.

3 Answers 3

Would I fail if, for example, during the discussion a mistake in my comparison and evaluation approach is discovered which makes my results meaningless? Although I discussed my approach and everything I did with my advisor (postdoc not the prof), yet I still fear that I might have done something wrong and then everything collaps.

This should not happen unless:

(In the first two cases, your advisor is in big trouble, too.) The point of the master thesis is that you should demonstrate that you can investigate a scientific question under supervision (or something similar – check the regulations, if you wish to know). One mistake does not change this.

Moreover, in some examination regulations I am aware of, there is a procedure for the case that some important but localised flaw is detected in your thesis. For example, you could be given a month to amend your thesis.

I have not experienced or heard of such a case but from what I have gathered, you pass if you:

Even if you suffer from a mental breakdown due to nervousness or similar, you probably can repeat the defense – at least with any reasonable examination regulation and examination committee. I am aware of one case where somebody had a nervous breakdown for understandable reasons¹ and the examination board let him repeat the exam. If you look into your examination regulations, there are probably some clauses that allow the examination board to do some things at their own discretion in exceptional cases.

Be aware though that being very difficult to fail does not make the defense unimportant. A bad defense may seriously (and in particular more than nominally) affect your thesis degree, which in turn has a huge impact on your total degree. In particular having passed a thesis with the lowest possible degree (or something close to it) is something you definetely do not want to have in your vita².

¹ It’s very complicated, but you might compare it to the following: In the middle of the defense, somebody who was the defender’s girlfriend until six months ago enters the room being obviously pregnant in her ninth month. ² Unless you are in one of those few disciplines where this is the norm.

Evaluation criteria varies vastly, not only across different countries and cultures but even amongst different institutions within a country.

The only way I can imagine anyone failing a thesis defense here in Sweden is if you have a mental breakdown during presentation or questioning.

Alternatively if the defending student has plagiarised parts his/her work, that would also be a likely fail but otherwise, if you are allowed to defend, then you have practically passed already.

It's pretty rare for a student to fail the defense of a master thesis in the Swedish systems, but I have seen a few over the years. The three most common reasons include:

Note that unlike a PhD thesis the professor does not have lot of skin in the game. Having a PhD student fail a defense is extremely embarrassing and can end the career of a professor. Having a master student fail a defense isn't considered such a big deal.

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How to Defend a Dissertation

A candidate for an advanced degree must write up his research in a dissertation and then defend it orally before his committee. The dissertation defense comes after the long and laborious work of writing the dissertation and can be the source of anxiety for the student. Here are some tips to quell the anxiety and make the process run smoothly.

Know Your Material

After several years of research and several months of writing it up as a dissertation you probably know more about the topic than anyone else in the world. Review everything anyway. This has two advantages. First, half-forgotten references and lab work will be fresh in your mind, instead of buried somewhere in a few hundred pages of print. Therefore, you will be able to respond easily and promptly to questions that come up. Second, knowing that you are well prepared will give you confidence when you begin the presentation .

Narrow the focus

Your written dissertation is long, maybe 200–300 pages. The members of your committee have already read it, so there is no need to go over every detail. Stick to the main points, discuss the most important results . If the committee members want to hear more details, they will ask.

Prepare Visual Aids Carefully

Time you spend preparing visual aids will be amply rewarded in the time saved during the oral defense. The usual pattern of a dissertation defense is the same as that of any presentation— introduction, body, conclusion —or as it is often expressed, “tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.” The introduction describes the problem attacked and why it is important. The body describes the plan of attack and the results. Then follows a brief conclusion.

Defending the dissertation may seem old hat. Perhaps you have already given the essence of the defense in group or department seminars. Go through the graphs a few times anyway, speaking the words you will be saying. This will give you a sort of unconscious “muscle memory” of the tongue that will stay with you during the presentation. Even if you know what you want to say, the words might not come easily unless you rehearse .

Don’t worry too much about the defense. Your committee wants you to pass. If there were some major problem with your work, they would almost certainly have told you prior to the defense. Smile, be courteous, and don’t be afraid to interject a touch of humor now and then. I rather enjoyed my dissertation experience. Speaking to a handful of professors that I knew well, answering questions concerning the work, genially agreeing that one experiment was worth ten theories, I felt a glow of collegiality. And when after a short wait in the hallway, I was called in to shake hands with them as a newly minted Doctor of Philosophy, I actually felt like one.

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How I defended my dissertation online: 7 Researchers share their experience

Alyssa Lobo

Have you ever been so nervous that your palms were dripping with sweat? I have. In fact, on the day of my master’s thesis defense. I carried a handkerchief, just to wipe my clammy hands. I was so out of breath that my advisor had to remind me to breathe before I began. I am sure preparing to defend a PhD dissertation is even more nerve-wracking! Every researcher has to defend his or her PhD dissertation, but the experience is unique to everyone. Those who are defending experience a rollercoaster of emotions, from apprehension and panic to anticipation and relief. It is a big milestone and a very important day for a researcher.

Yet, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many final year PhD and masters students have been unable to experience a traditional dissertation defense. The pandemic has disrupted almost all aspects of academic life, including how the dissertation defense is carried out. Several researchers have had to defend their work online – and this is not a situation that they would normally have expected to face. To know more, I spoke to some newly minted PhDs and grad students who have successfully defended their dissertations online. Specifically, I asked them these questions: Do you recall your initial thoughts when you learned about having to defend remotely?

The response they shared were illuminating. Here’s what they had to say:

João G. Motta

PhD in Geology, University of Campinas, Brazil

My first thought was 'Am I ready for this?' By that I mean, I was considering all the stress of letting something so important as presenting your 4 years' worth of work and dedication to be resting on something as delicate as an online connection. Your research is all in your head and we know that it is often difficult to communicate effectively even if we are face to face with interlocutors. I prepared myself by reading my dissertation and the papers it contained many times. As some work had been published more than a year ago, I was a bit cloudy in my mind. I had prepared the talk like 1.5 weeks before and practiced like 4 times. I asked both senior and less experienced colleagues to participate, so that they could give me feedback. It was challenging to keep up with the general COVID-19 situation - like the actual quarantine, escalating infected people and death numbers, worrying about my family members and such. The defense went quite well. There were some delays as one of the panel members was a bit out of sync. The online platform we chose was Google Meet (for corporate reasons, not advertising) and things went smoothly. I was using my cell phone as a hotspot as the internet connection in my place was a bit unpredictable and I had a better upload bandwidth with my cell phone (check with your carrier beforehand about plans and data quota). It was stressful, as it was supposed to be, I think. The panel was quite happy with my work and we only discussed some minor points. As at least half of the work was already published (dead and gone, haha!), it was relatively simple to defend. In the end, we only had minor interruptions (e.g., muted voices, robot voices, clear cuts, barking dogs) but I tried to keep my chin up. It took almost 5 hours but it was smooth. I had a strong beer right after I got their decision. In Brazil you present to the panel, discuss and they gather to decide (you are out of the room at this moment) and you know the results right after they decide. I think it is good for the candidate and the supervisor to have a trial on the selected online platform. It would be better if the professor hosts the conference as there is already a lot of tension on the candidate. Some actual tests might do good - I have had one test with my supervisor. My supervisor even had run tests on the platform with panel members who were less familiar with such online systems. I think that was good for alleviating errors and during the actual defense. I strongly recommend candidates practice their talk with friends online to check fluency, errors, and timing. That is a tip I would give to someone defending face to face as well. Having a backup plan over internet access or platform is essential. It is also good to have someone you trust around, getting you water, food, or any other sort of face to face help. I heard about some online trolls getting into online defense meetings... that sounds quite bad, so take care of the security of the selected platform. If it is in agreement with your program, it would be helpful for the panel to send questions two or three days before so you can get prepared to answer in case it is difficult over the internet. I hope people keep calm during the defense and have some spark of joy and contentment after it all passes. Enjoy with the ones you can at the moment.

Chelsea Miller

PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

I realized I would have to defend remotely over the course of a few days or a week. Things in early March were really touch and go, at least where I’m at in eastern Tennessee, and we weren’t initially aware of the temporal extent of the quarantine. The thought occurred to me one day and I sort of brushed it off, since it made me uncomfortable. Then I started asking people in my life if they thought it might be necessary for me to defend virtually, and more and more people said they thought it would be. I was stressed at that point because of all of the uncertainty. Finally, a few days later, my advisor calmly informed me I would be defending over Zoom and also giving my exit seminar (which is a requirement in my department) over Zoom. It took me a few more days to grow comfortable with the idea, but by the time of my defense, I had adapted to it. I didn’t have all that much time to prepare for the virtual defense, since it was decided about a week prior to my defense date. But in reality, the virtual defense presented fewer challenges than an in person defense. My internet connection at home is good (thank goodness—that would truly have been a struggle if it was not!), and I didn’t have any issues with connectivity. So I set up two laptops, one with my zoom meeting and the other with my notes and chapters, and sat at my desk at home talking with my committee for a few hours. It was very odd, but not particularly challenging. The defense went well. I expect it was shorter than it would have been in person, but having never defended before, I don’t know for sure. There were some very awkward pauses since two of my committee members chose not to have their video on, only audio, so I wasn’t able to make eye contact with them or judge their nonverbal responses. I spent a lot of time talking to a black screen, wondering how my words were being received. But in the end I passed, and I have to give a huge shoutout to my advisor who went out of his way to reassure me throughout the day that things were going well! My biggest recommendation is for folks to try their hardest to be somewhere with good internet. I can’t imagine how awful this experience would have been if I’d had to deal with connectivity issues while trying to defend my dissertation! Also, it helped me to have my partner take our two dogs out of the house for the duration of the defense. We have a small house and they can be distracting. I had bought an outfit for my defense to boost my confidence prior to the pandemic hitting, and I decided to still wear it even though I was just at home. It helped me feel more professional. And, since I was sitting at my desk for several hours, I let myself wear cozy slippers and have a heating pad on my back to ease my anxiety. There are definitely ways to make the best of a bad situation! My biggest regret is that I wasn’t able to celebrate with my friends afterwards. I spent six years preparing for that day, and when it was over I had several nice texts and phone calls, but ultimately it was just another day at home. I’ve definitely felt a bit let down in the weeks following, and I’m disappointed I won’t be able to attend my graduation commencement ceremony, which my entire family was planning on being in town for. But these sacrifices are small in the grand scheme of things, and I’m grateful for technology that enabled me to proceed with my defense and stay on track to graduate.

Annisa Sidi

Foreign Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia; PhD in Politics at the University of Otago, New Zealand

I've known since last year that my defense would take place virtually (my scholarship and visa would run out before the projected date for the viva), so I had time to process it. I wasn't happy, but it wasn't an option to travel to New Zealand from Indonesia just for the viva on my own funds. I didn't know, of course, that online defenses would be the norm this time around. I knew my own dissertation, but the logistics were a bit of a challenge. The internet connection at my place can be patchy and I didn't want to take a chance. I also have a five year old kid who co-sleeps with me, and the viva took place at 3 a.m. in my location. Solution: I had to book a hotel room with high-speed internet and leave the child with his grandparents. Thankfully hotels still operated on the day! It went smoother than I expected! The university provided an IT support technician who stayed with us for the entire process. The exam chair did an excellent job making sure everyone spoke in turns.I guess, make sure to have adequate infrastructure (quiet place, good internet). Have a glass of water at the ready. If possible, ask the university to provide IT support. Ask a support person to be there in the room with you, if possible.

Timo Vollbrecht

Composer and saxophonist, Adjunct Professor at NYU Steinhardt’s Jazz Studies Department, PhD in Jazz Studies, New York University, USA

Photo courtesy: Desmond White

I just successfully completed my doctoral defense in the field of Jazz Studies at New York University. For my PhD, I conducted a case study on legendary record producer and founder of the ECM label Manfred Eicher. In this study, I investigated the collaborative creative process in the recording studio. I knew that a remote defense via Zoom was the right thing to do given the current health crisis. Naturally, I was a little disappointed. I see the defense as a unique opportunity: five high-profile professors and researchers, who have read your entire dissertation, gather in one room to give you feedback and advice. This is a rare situation, which is rather luxurious, and will not repeat itself so soon. I would have wished for a more personal experience that could result in a deep conversation about how my document could be the best it can be, and about which steps to take moving forward. For this, an in-person defense is more conducive. However, I am glad that, in the end, I was able to follow through with my defense even though we are currently in lockdown; technology is amazing. To be quite honest, I hardly prepared anything for my defense. Or let's put it this way: the writing of my dissertation was my preparation. I felt confident enough to be able to defend my research because I am still so deep in it. The day before my defense, I re-read my introduction, method section, conclusion, and skimmed through my bibliography in order to be able to respond to any questions that would address the literature that I had referenced in my report. It went very well. The committee raised some important points and offered constructive advice. The criticism was mild overall, and I received a full pass. The Zoom app worked well overall and I got a lot out of it. The most important thing is to check your technology. Make sure that your internet connection is fast and stable and that you understand the software being used for the defense. Also, adjust the lighting so that you are well lit and everybody can see you. Dress like you would dress for an in-person defense, although this might feel weird since you are in your living room or study. In addition, prepare like you would for an in-person defense. This depends on your individual research project, of course.

Lorenzo De Vidovich

PhD in Urban Planning, Design and Policy, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

I actually do not recall my thoughts. When I figured out I would have to defend the dissertation remotely, I was preparing the slides, and honestly little has changed for me. Nonetheless, I was a bit sorry to not meet the members of the jury and not have a traditional face-to-face discussion. The defense went well, no internet connection problems, fortunately. Actually, not defending physically almost removed any pre-defense tension... until the defense day. I woke up just realizing, "OMG, I am going to defend my dissertation in two hours" and so, the importance of this moment suddenly dawned on me. Anyway, everything went well, it was a positive moment for me. To the researchers preparing for their online defense, do not underestimate the importance of the moment just because it won't be a traditional discussion. Stay focused, stay strong; even though it is not easy when done at home. At the same time, enjoy the moment, smile and take advantage of the uniqueness of the moment. Not all candidates can do their PhD via Skype.

Emily Haines

PhD in Health Policy and Management, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA

Around the same time, three things became clear to me that my defense would be done remotely, my hooding ceremony would be cancelled, and all of the other pomp and circumstance surrounding my graduation probably wouldn't be happening. Honestly, I was really disappointed. Throughout graduate school, I was, for a number of reasons, convinced I wasn't going to make it to the finish line. So, coming up on my defense, I was so incredibly proud of myself. Initially, it just felt like COVID-19 was detracting from some really big life moments - stealing my thunder. Eventually, I was just grateful I was able to move forward with everything, remotely or not. I have seen a lot of people's dissertation work get pushed back because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As far as the technology goes, I honestly didn't do much to prepare for it, outside of talking over the logistics with my advisor and making sure my Zoom account could accommodate plenty of people. I did do a trial run with my mom, though. I knew she wanted to call in and, not being very tech savvy (to say the least), she wanted to make sure she knew how to put herself on mute. I went back and forth as far as sharing the Zoom call-in information. I ended up not disseminating it outside of my department listserv and immediate family. I was a little bit paranoid to share publicly after seeing on Twitter that people had had Zoom security issues, with internet trolls interrupting their defense. The defense itself went beautifully, I think! Since my advisor and I had both been quarantining for 2+ weeks, I decided to do it from her house. I think it made a huge difference having her there in terms of making it more engaging and making it feel more like the big moment that it was. I think doing it alone from my house would have been a bit lonely. During my presentation, talking directly into my computer's camera was a little bit strange. I have public speaking anxiety, though, so it honestly probably alleviated my nerves a little bit doing it remotely. The only tech-related issue we encountered was bringing the public back in after the private committee discussions. My advisor ended up saying that folks could call back in after 30 minutes, but the committee discussions ran a little over that. Luckily, only a few people tried to call back in and we just asked them to wait another 10-15 minutes and try back. I think, looking back, we probably should have just told the public to drop off after the presentation and the public Q&A, and not offered to have them join again later. When it came time for my committee to deliberate, I stepped outside. When my advisor called me back in and told me the good news, it really felt like just as much of a celebration as it would have been, had everyone been there in person. My committee stayed on the call for a while to congratulate me and share in the moment. It really ended up not being a let-down after all. As far as lessons learned, I would recommend that PhD candidates, with their advisors/chairs, walk step-by-step through how the defense will go and plan for logistics for each piece (e.g., figuring out a plan for public vs. private components). Even though I could have worn pajama pants, I opted to get dressed up as if it were happening in person - I think that made it feel more real and put me in the right mind set. I also recommend having video celebrations with loved ones afterwards to make sure the day feels special! I had a group video chat with my family afterwards and I know that was special for me.

Alyssa Granacki

PhD in Romance Studies (Italian), Duke University, USA

As the situation with COVID-19 became increasingly serious in mid-March, I knew a remote defense was a possibility. I held out hope that at least my committee would be able to meet in person until my university banned all on-campus activities in late March. Initially, I was disappointed. However, I was also relieved that there was still a way for me to move forward with this major milestone. My committee was extremely supportive, which made the process relatively painless! In addition to the preparation I would have done for an in-person defense, I checked lighting, technology, and the internet connection in the space where I was planning to do my defense. I also made sure (with the help of our department's administrative assistant) that my committee members had all the details for the Zoom call. We had a small snafu in the beginning as one faculty member struggled to get on the call, but after that it was smooth sailing. Although I was a little nervous the conversation wouldn't be as vibrant via Zoom, my committee proved me wrong. My best advice to anyone else preparing to do a virtual defense is to prepare as best you can, but accept the hiccups that inevitably come with a new format. If you are flexible and stay calm, you're likely to get as much out of a virtual defense as an in-person one. Finally, have a bottle of champagne chilling, so you can celebrate once you pass!

Whether a dissertation/thesis defense happens in person or online, the fact remains that it is an experience to remember. These seven researchers are from different parts of the world, work in different disciplines, and experienced (and overcame) various obstacles in the path to their defense. If you are preparing for your viva coce during this difficult time - take heart from their experiences and remember that you are not alone. We're here to support you!

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Published on: Apr 28, 2020

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Thesis and dissertation defenses are public events and are advertised throughout the university. Your graduate coordinator can answer any questions on how you should prepare. Please complete the following steps before you may hold your defense:

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Millennial generation abschlussarbeit defense präsentation, kostenloses google slides-thema und powerpoint-vorlage.

The millennial generation has been getting a lot of attention lately, and for good reason! Born between 1982 and 2000, millennials have seen a huge shift in modern culture. We've watched the introduction of the internet, social media, and smartphones, leading to all kinds of amazing opportunities. If you’ve focused your thesis research on this generational group, this creative template with a retro style will help you prepare a visual and unique presentation for the defense. Surprise the committee and get the best mark with a unique slideshow!

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The time is now to prepare for China conflict, Army leaders say

WASHINGTON — Top civilian and uniformed Army leaders said 2023 will be a pivotal year to train new capabilities and equip U.S. forces to deter China from attacking Taiwan.

During a panel discussion at the American Enterprise Institute, Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and U.S. Army Pacific Commander Gen. Charles Flynn spoke about the “linchpin” role the service plays in joint force operations, despite perceptions that the Indo-Pacific is a Navy and Air Force dominated theatre.

“We’re really building out our integrated air and missile defense capabilities, for example, to be able to protect those kinds of staging bases that are going to be key,” Wormuth said at the Feb. 27 event. “We offer the opportunity to provide security indications to the broader course to again to provide intra-theatre sustainment, setting up initial stockpiles, setting up forward air refueling points, protecting them.”

Part of those missile defense capabilities include long-range hypersonic weapons. Wormuth announced during the panel that the Army’s first battery of long-range hypersonic weapons will be a part of the service’s first multi-domain task force in the fall, following current training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

Despite efforts by Washington and its allies to dissuade China against reclaiming the self-governing island, Flynn said the People’s Liberation Army’s preparations do not reflect a country building up its defenses, rather a country preparing for a military conflict outside of its borders.

“They are rehearsing, they are practicing, they are experimenting, and they are preparing those forces for something,” he said. “But you don’t build up that kind of arsenal just to defend and protect. You probably are building up for other purposes.”

In January, Gen. Mike Minihan , who leads Air Mobility Command, urged his troops to prepare for war in memo leaked on social media. He predicted Chinese President Xi Jinping, now in his third term, would take advantage of possibly fraught elections in Taiwan and the United States in 2024.

Wormuth, although not directly mentioning the memo, said she did not agree with Minihan’s perspective on China’s timeline. Flynn highlighted how much manpower and resources it would take to build an invasion force to even get off of mainland China — and the complexities of crossing more than 80 miles of water and holding gains once forces have landed.

“The complexity of a joint Island random campaign is not a small matter,” Flynn said. “You have to be an incredibly professional, well trained, well led force, and they’re working on it. But I will tell you that, in my part, from my perspective, they’re not 10 feet tall. They have work to do, and I think that now’s the time for us to get into position to be able to deter that event from happening.”

Zamone “Z” Perez is a rapid response reporter and podcast producer at Defense News and Military Times. He previously worked at Foreign Policy and Ufahamu Africa. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he researched international ethics and atrocity prevention in his thesis. He can be found on Twitter @zamoneperez.

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KEEP CALM AND DEFEND YOUR THESIS
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Defending Your Thesis
Tips on how to defend your thesis

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The Thesis
Thesis statement
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THESIS FINAL DEFENSE

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How to prepare an excellent thesis defense
During your thesis defense, you will be asked questions about your work. The main purpose of your thesis defense is for the committee to make sure that you actually understand your field and focus area. The questions are usually open-ended and require the student to think critically about their work.
Preparing to defend your thesis from home
Due to COVID-19, defending your graduate thesis or dissertation in person is likely off the table. That doesn't mean you have to wait to defend. Many schools and programs are allowing remote defenses — meaning you could find yourself defending from your living room! In this presentation, a recent psychology doctoral student that completed a ...
What Is A Thesis Defense?
Defending a thesis largely serves as a formality because the paper will already have been evaluated. During a defense, a student will be asked questions by members of the thesis committee. Questions are usually open-ended and require that the student think critically about his or her work.
Defending Your Thesis 2023+- Tips for Your Dissertation
The thesis defense is your opportunity to take the stage and to demonstrate the growth and progress you have experienced in your years as a graduate student. This is your chance to showcase your research abilities, as well as to finish your degree requirements.
Thesis Defense
A thesis defense is an act of presenting your work to a panel of professors so they can grade your presentation abilities. In retrospect, the argument is essential to ascertain that you understood the topic. You have to hand in your paper first so that the lecturer can grade it before you appear for the defense.
Thesis Defense Steps: Full Guide How to Prepare and Present
A thesis defense is an act of presenting your academic work to a panel or committee of professors and other involved scholars. From this, they can gauge or grade your abilities in presenting your work. The arguments presented during the thesis defense are to ascertain that you have understood the course and your selected topic.
How To Do a Proper Thesis Defense with a PowerPoint Presentation
Thesis Defense Overview. A thesis defense is composed of two parts - a thesis and a defense. Thesis, according to Grad School Hub, represents a student's collective understanding of his or her program and major. Universities often include a thesis in every course as one of the final requirements to earn a particular graduate or postgraduate ...
Thesis Defense: Everything To Know About Defending A Thesis
Defending a thesis is presenting your research work to a professors' panel to grade your presentation abilities. Also, your argument during the presentation ascertains that you understood your research topic. But, you must submit your thesis or dissertation first so that your lecturer can grade it before your defense presentation.
How to Write a Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay. It usually comes near the end of your introduction. Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you're writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across.
What Does it Mean to Defend a Thesis?
In order to successfully defend a thesis, you need to be able to present your arguments effectively. To accomplish this objective, you should practice and attain feedback regarding your presentation strengths and weaknesses. In many cases, a learning institution will offer free workshops designed to help students enhance their presentation skills.
What is a Thesis Defense?
Defending the Thesis Students defending their undergraduate thesis usually present their study, along with the results and how they came up with it. If you're presenting data, prepare illustrations and graphs to organize them and show correlations efficiently.
Preparing for a Master's Defense
Before preparing the defense copy of your thesis, check the contents of the manual carefully to help avoid mistakes that can be time-consuming and costly to correct. Before beginning your thesis you should consult with your advisor for your department or program's preferred style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago).
Top 10 Ways to Successfully Defend Your Thesis
Top 10 Ways to Successfully Defend Your Thesis | by Keith Peters | InvestEd Philippines | Medium Write Sign up Sign In 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Refresh the page,...
What is a thesis defense?
A defense presents evidence for a thesis. apprpropriate depends on what kind of thesis is being defended. Thesis: process X is a feasible way to do task Y One defense for this kind of claim is an analysis of the complexity, or completeness, or whatever, of the theoretical algorithm. In computer science,
How would one fail a master thesis defense?
The three most common reasons include: Did not show up to defend the thesis (AKA: Lose on walkover) Doesn't know the material of the thesis (AKA: Didn't write it) Unable to hold a discussion about the thesis (AKA: hid in a corner) Note that unlike a PhD thesis the professor does not have lot of skin in the game.
13 Tips to Prepare for Your PhD Dissertation Defense
1. Start Your Preparations Early. Thesis defense is not a 3 or 6 months' exercise. Don't wait until you have completed all your research objectives. Start your preparation well in advance, and make sure you know all the intricacies of your thesis and reasons to all the research experiments you conducted. 2.
How to Defend a Dissertation
The usual pattern of a dissertation defense is the same as that of any presentation— introduction, body, conclusion —or as it is often expressed, "tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them." The introduction describes the problem attacked and why it is important.
How I defended my dissertation online during COVID-19 ...
Every researcher has to defend his or her PhD dissertation, but the experience is unique to everyone. Those who are defending experience a rollercoaster of emotions, from apprehension and panic to anticipation and relief. It is a big milestone and a very important day for a researcher. Yet, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many final year PhD and ...
Plan your Defense
Thesis/Dissertation Defense and Revisions. Typical defense format: The student presents the results of the research in 15-30 minutes, followed by questions from the audience and committee. Once the questions and answers are complete you and the audience are then asked to leave the room while the committee members discuss the defense. The ...
The Perfect Defense: The Oral Defense of a Dissertation
Dr. Valerie Balester of Texas A&M University talks about how to prepare and what to expect when defending your dissertation.#tamu #Dissertation #Defensehttp:...
Millennial Generation Thesis Defense
The millennial generation has been getting a lot of attention lately, and for good reason! Born between 1982 and 2000, millennials have seen a huge shift in modern culture. We've watched the introduction of the internet, social media, and smartphones, leading to all kinds of amazing opportunities. If you've focused your thesis research on ...
The time is now to prepare for China conflict, Army leaders say
He is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he researched international ethics and atrocity prevention in his thesis. He can be found on Twitter @zamoneperez.