online dissertation defense

Virtual Defense: Top 5 Online Thesis Defense Tips

A Master’s or Ph.D. research defense is that momentous event you have been waiting for! It is that day when you want to proudly demonstrate your passion for research to everyone who have been a part of this long journey. It’s your chance of fulfilling your dream and acquiring the degree you have worked ceaselessly for. While researchers until now were well versed with defending their thesis in person, the standstill brought by the pandemic has made us adapt newer methods to keep our work going. With advances in the technological field, it has now become easier for researchers around the globe to defend their thesis virtually.

Top 5 Tips for Effective Online Thesis Defense

Your supervisors, mentors, and colleagues are eager to hear the principle applications and significant implications of your research. Defending your thesis right from the comfort of a living room was not something researchers had ever envisioned! Several institutes have updated their procedures and examination policies to support virtual defenses. It is important that you carefully read and understand the structure, protocol, and requirements well in advance to help you plan your thesis defense skillfully. Here we present top 5 tips for effective thesis defense remotely.

1. Perfect Your Pre-Defense Preparation

• Universities and institutes have  revamped their thesis submission and defense protocols  to better suit remote requirements.
• Talk to your faculty administration department and the dissertation committee chair to decide the conferencing platform and how to structure the open research defense.
• Test your system prior to the actual defense from the same location you plan to use on D-day! Learn how to switch or share screens, control your microphones and camera, how to allow questions following your presentation, etc.
• Contact your university’s technical and IT support team for tips to enhance the technological experience.
• Share your final presentation file with the committee a few hours before the thesis defense. This way you could get to correct some typos before presenting it during the defense.

2. It is All About the Research Defense Setup

• Ensure you set up your system in a quiet and well-lit room. It is always advisable to have a light source behind your camera, or to your side.
• Remember that it’s a professional set-up. Dress formally and avoid over accessorizing.
• Sit against a plain, light-colored wall. Ensure there is no distracting artwork or bright windows in the background. You may also make use of blur-out or a subtle virtual background provided by the platform you are using. Test this in advance to check if it looks good.
• Create two rooms- a main room for public interaction and presentation, and a breakout room for private discussions with the dissertation committee or your supervisor.
• Presenting your work through a webcam is indeed different than  in-person presentation . Therefore, position your system and webcam to eye level ensuring a better face-to-face contact.
• It becomes easier to point out things on slides while presenting in person. However, it could not be done that remotely. Instead add subtle animations and highlight pointers on your slides that you want to emphasize on while defending your thesis.

3. Practice, Practice and Practice!

• Practice your talk with your colleagues, in-house mentors and supervisors. Their feedback will be instrumental in adjusting the pace of your presentation. You can also take advice from people who have previously defended their thesis using this mode. Furthermore, presenting your work to friends from other fields will help you get diverse perspectives on your work.
• Record your practice sessions to critique your presentation skills and improve based on your performance.
• Anticipate questions in advance  and prepare your answers well. Some very frequently asked questions include: 1) How does your work contribute to broader area of research? 2) Do you plan to advance your current work?
• Read recent papers published by your examiners. Remember that your examiners are leading-experts in your field of research and it is definitely a plus if you let them know how you work can relate or sync with their research goals. For instance, if one of your examiners is developing a novel technique to deliver drugs within the human body, you could suggest some ways in which your research can be aligned with theirs.

4. Begin Your Thesis Defense Early

• Reboot your system, make all the essential updates, turn off applications that might pop-up unexpectedly to ensure a smooth run. Ensure that you have a strong internet connection to support video conferencing.
• Log in to the  video conferencing software  at least 20-30 minutes in advance to ensure the technology is working fine for everyone! Talk to your attendees about how you plan to proceed with the defense.
• Request the examination committee members to login 10-15 minutes prior to your actual research defense time to check for any technical issues on both ends.
• It is recommended that you use two screens to manage your slides and video panel. In case, you cannot have a second screen, check with your committee if you can keep your camera switched off while presenting.

5. Do You Have a Plan B?

• Even the best made plans may go for a toss! Rather than panicking in the moment, it is better to have an alternative technology solution ready if something goes wrong or stops functioning mid-way through your defense.
• Discuss plan B with your supervisor/committee members, mentioning the circumstances under which you may have to implement plan B.
• Keep a backup hardware ready to use in case there are some technical glitches.

Do you remember your first reaction when you learned about having to defend your thesis online? What do you think will be the major challenges? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. If you have any questions related to thesis defense, post them  here  and our experts will be happy to answer them! You can also visit our  Q&A forum  for frequently asked questions related to research writing and publishing answered by our team that comprises subject-matter experts, eminent researchers, and publication experts.

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

• Career Corner
• Trending Now

Recognizing the signs: A guide to overcoming academic burnout

As the sun set over the campus, casting long shadows through the library windows, Alex…

• Diversity and Inclusion

Reassessing the Lab Environment to Create an Equitable and Inclusive Space

The pursuit of scientific discovery has long been fueled by diverse minds and perspectives. Yet…

• AI in Academia
• Reporting Research

How to Improve Lab Report Writing: Best practices to follow with and without AI-assistance

Imagine you’re a scientist who just made a ground-breaking discovery! You want to share your…

Achieving Research Excellence: Checklist for good research practices

Academia is built on the foundation of trustworthy and high-quality research, supported by the pillars…

• Promoting Research

Concept Papers in Research: Deciphering the blueprint of brilliance

Concept papers hold significant importance as a precursor to a full-fledged research proposal in academia…

How to Manage Your PhD Timeline for Smoother Research Completion

7 Steps of Writing an Excellent Academic Book Chapter

Top 12 Potential PhD Viva Questions and How to Answer Them

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

What should universities' stance be on AI tools in research and academic writing?

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Machine learning
• Social justice
• Black holes
• Classes and programs

Departments

• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Architecture
• Political Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
• Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
• Lincoln Laboratory
• School of Architecture + Planning
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

Inside the new world of online dissertation defenses

Press contact :, media download.

*Terms of Use:

Images for download on the MIT News office website are made available to non-commercial entities, press and the general public under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives license . You may not alter the images provided, other than to crop them to size. A credit line must be used when reproducing images; if one is not provided below, credit the images to "MIT."

Previous image Next image

Call it another MIT innovation. When PhD student Jesse Tordoff passed her dissertation defense this month, she learned about the outcome in a new way: Her professors sent a thumbs-up emoji on the Zoom screen they were all sharing.

Welcome to the new world of the online dissertation defense, one of many changes academia is making during the Covid-19 pandemic. For generations, dissertation defenses have been crowning moments for PhD candidates, something they spend years visualizing. At a defense, a student presents work and fields questions; the professors on the dissertation committee then confer privately, and render their verdict to the student.

Which, in Tordoff’s case, was delivered in good humor, via a familiar little symbol.

“That was my most 2020 moment, learning I passed my defense by Zoom emoji,” says Tordoff, a biological engineer specializing in self-assembling structures.

With the pandemic limiting activity on the MIT campus from mid-March onward, moving dissertation defenses to Zoom has been a necessary adjustment. MIT students who defended dissertations this spring say they have had a variety of reactions to the change: They appreciated that family members could suddenly watch their defenses online, and some felt more relaxed in the format. But students also felt it was more challenging to engage with their audiences on Zoom.

And, inevitably, social distancing meant students could not gather in person with advisors, friends, and family to rejoice, as per the usual MIT tradition.

“That feeling of celebration — it is not something you generate by yourself,” says André Snoeck, who in late March defended his dissertation on last-mile issues in supply chains, for MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics.

That moment when you learn you have passed your doctoral dissertation defense. Congratulations to @MITSloan 's Dr. Maarten Meeuwis! @MIT @MITGradStudents @MIT_alumni @MITSloanAlumni pic.twitter.com/U7wNdmBPx7 — MIT Sloan PhD (@MITSloanPhD) April 21, 2020

On Zoom, grandparents in the room

Dissertation defenses are typically quasipublic events, where an audience can attend the student’s presentation but then leaves before faculty tell a student if the defense was successful. Many MIT departments stage parties afterward.

A defense on Zoom means the circle of attendees is no longer restricted by geography — something students appreciated. 

“My mom logged on in South Africa from her retirement village and watched online,”  says Ian Ollis, from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, who in May defended his dissertation about public perceptions of mass transit in the Boston area. “She wouldn’t have been able to do that if it was done in person.”

Julia Zhao, a Department of Chemistry PhD student, says the defense was a unique opportunity for family and friends to watch her in a professional setting.

“It was nice to see all my friends, and my family could attend too,” Zhao says, whose research focuses on polymers that have both metal and organic components. “They were going to fly in for graduation but not attend my defense, so they got to sit in on that and listen to me talk about what I’ve been doing the last five years. So that was really cool.”

Tordoff also felt that on Zoom, she could focus more easily on her remarks.

“I was less nervous than if I had been standing up there in front of a group of people,” Tordoff says. “I was sitting on my couch.” One reason for that good feeling, Tordoff adds, is that when she logged on to Zoom before the defense, the only other people already there were her grandparents, watching from England.

“I was so happy,” Tordoff says. “That never would have happened in person.”

And in Snoeck’s case, his advisors did orchestrate a virtual toast after the defense, so they could celebrate simultaneously, if not in the same room.

Congratulations Dr. Julia Zhao ( @jouleszhao )!!! Today was her defense through zoom!!! We are so proud of how you finished your PhD through a pandemic in such an impressive fashion!!! @ChemistryMIT #PhDone #AcademicChatter pic.twitter.com/En5gCtDZjQ — The ~Remote~ Jeremiah Johnson Group (@johnsonchem) May 1, 2020

Kudos from strangers

At the same time, MIT students note, being on Zoom limited their interaction with the audience, compared with the nature of an in-person talk. 

“You can’t read the room,” Ollis says, adding: “It’s different. You don’t have a complete perspective on the audience — you see squares of people’s faces, whereas if you do it live, you get a sense of who you’re talking to by seeing faces you recognize.”

The slightly mysterious nature of Ollis’ audience became apparent to him almost immediately after he wrapped up his online defense.

“There were quite a few people watching, who, well, I didn’t know who they were,” Ollis says. “I’ve been staying in the Ashdown grad dorm, and I was walking to the elevator after doing the defense, and somebody walked past who I didn’t recognize, and said, ‘Hey! Good job! I enjoyed that!’ I had no idea who the person was.”

Overall, Ollis says, “I thought it was a good experience. I got good feedback from people.” Even so, he adds, “I prefer being in a room with people.”

For his part, Snoeck, who has accepted a job with Amazon, felt his defense was somewhat “more like a series of Q&As, rather than a conversation” — simply due to the dynamics of the format, like the segmented nature of Zoom and its slight delays in audio transmission.

“It is weird to have a conversation with some lag in it,” notes Zhao, who will soon begin a job with a Boston-area startup, developing hydrophobic coatings. “But I made an effort to say, ‘If I interrupted, please continue.’ It is a little awkward.”

I am very happy, honored and thankful to announce I successfully defended my PhD at MIT last Monday! Special thanks to all mentors and colleagues for your guidance and support during the last five years. pic.twitter.com/bsn4RA2nbk — Felipe-Oviedo (@felipeoviedop) May 14, 2020

The blended defense

That said, for years now, academic faculty have sometimes been participating in dissertation defenses via Skype, Zoom, and other platforms. That typically happens when dissertation committee members are located at multiple universities, or when a professor is traveling for research or a conference. In Snoeck’s case, one of his committee members was already going to join remotely from the Netherlands anyway.

Zhao noticed a student in her department webcasting their defense last year, which seemed “a little out of the ordinary” in 2019, she recalls. But from 2020 onward, it may become standard.

“It’s kind of nice to have an extra component of people who aren’t in town but want to participate in the closing of your degree,” Zhao says. “It will definitely be more normalized, I think.”

Not all MIT PhD students defend dissertations. In MIT’s Department of Economics, the thesis consists of three papers that must be approved, and there is no formal defense, although finishing students do give fall-term presentations. Still, even for economics students, this year seems different.

“The biggest challenge has been a feeling of a lack of closure,” says Ryan Hill, a graduating MIT PhD in economics, who studies the dynamics of scientific research. “It’s been a long road.” In that vein, Hill adds, “I was really looking forward to commencement, and the doctoral hooding ceremony.” Those events will take place on May 29, online, with an in-person ceremony to be held at a later date.

To be sure, Hill is keeping matters in perspective. “In the grand scheme, it’s not bad,” says Hill, who will spend a year as a Northwestern University postdoc, and has accepted a tenure-track job at Brigham Young University.

For any new PhD, crossing that academic finish line is a huge achievement — and relief. Zhao, for instance, had to scramble to complete her lab research before MIT shuttered, and then finish writing the thesis, before the dissertation defense could occur.

“It’s been a pretty crazy two months,” Zhao reflects. “I’m just happy to be done with it.”

Share this news article on:

Related links.

• Article: “Zooming past a milestone”
• Office of Graduate Education

Related Topics

• Graduate, postdoctoral
• Commencement
• Center for Transportation and Logistics
• Urban studies and planning
• School of Architecture and Planning
• MIT Sloan School of Management
• School of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences

Related Articles

MIT student applies her doctoral research to the Covid-19 emergency

Life and learning find a way during a pandemic

Hacking life inside and outside the laboratory

Risk, failure, and living your life: The economics of being an early-career scientist

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

Exploring the history of data-driven arguments in public life

Read full story →

Three from MIT awarded 2024 Guggenheim Fellowships

A musical life: Carlos Prieto ’59 in conversation and concert

Two from MIT awarded 2024 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

MIT Emerging Talent opens pathways for underserved global learners

The MIT Edgerton Center’s third annual showcase dazzles onlookers

• More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

• Map (opens in new window)
• Events (opens in new window)
• People (opens in new window)
• Careers (opens in new window)
• Accessibility
• Social Media Hub
• MIT on Facebook
• MIT on YouTube
• MIT on Instagram

Defending Your Dissertation: A Guide

Written by Luke Wink-Moran | Photo by insta_photos

Dissertation defenses are daunting, and no wonder; it’s not a “dissertation discussion,” or a “dissertation dialogue.” The name alone implies that the dissertation you’ve spent the last x number of years working on is subject to attack. And if you don’t feel trepidation for semantic reasons, you might be nervous because you don’t know what to expect. Our imaginations are great at making The Unknown scarier than reality. The good news is that you’ll find in this newsletter article experts who can shed light on what dissertations defenses are really like, and what you can do to prepare for them.

The first thing you should know is that your defense has already begun. It started the minute you began working on your dissertation— maybe even in some of the classes you took beforehand that helped you formulate your ideas. This, according to Dr. Celeste Atkins, is why it’s so important to identify a good mentor early in graduate school.

“To me,” noted Dr. Atkins, who wrote her dissertation on how sociology faculty from traditionally marginalized backgrounds teach about privilege and inequality, “the most important part of the doctoral journey was finding an advisor who understood and supported what I wanted from my education and who was willing to challenge me and push me, while not delaying me.  I would encourage future PhDs to really take the time to get to know the faculty before choosing an advisor and to make sure that the members of their committee work well together.”

Your advisor will be the one who helps you refine arguments and strengthen your work so that by the time it reaches your dissertation committee, it’s ready. Next comes the writing process, which many students have said was the hardest part of their PhD. I’ve included this section on the writing process because this is where you’ll create all the material you’ll present during your defense, so it’s important to navigate it successfully. The writing process is intellectually grueling, it eats time and energy, and it’s where many students find themselves paddling frantically to avoid languishing in the “All-But-Dissertation” doldrums. The writing process is also likely to encroach on other parts of your life. For instance, Dr. Cynthia Trejo wrote her dissertation on college preparation for Latin American students while caring for a twelve-year-old, two adult children, and her aging parents—in the middle of a pandemic. When I asked Dr. Trejo how she did this, she replied:

“I don’t take the privilege of education for granted. My son knew I got up at 4:00 a.m. every morning, even on weekends, even on holidays; and it’s a blessing that he’s seen that work ethic and that dedication and the end result.”

Importantly, Dr. Trejo also exercised regularly and joined several online writing groups at UArizona. She mobilized her support network— her partner, parents, and even friends from high school to help care for her son.

The challenges you face during the writing process can vary by discipline. Jessika Iwanski is an MD/PhD student who in 2022 defended her dissertation on genetic mutations in sarcomeric proteins that lead to severe, neonatal dilated cardiomyopathy. She described her writing experience as “an intricate process of balancing many things at once with a deadline (defense day) that seems to be creeping up faster and faster— finishing up experiments, drafting the dissertation, preparing your presentation, filling out all the necessary documents for your defense and also, for MD/PhD students, beginning to reintegrate into the clinical world (reviewing your clinical knowledge and skill sets)!”

But no matter what your unique challenges are, writing a dissertation can take a toll on your mental health. Almost every student I spoke with said they saw a therapist and found their sessions enormously helpful. They also looked to the people in their lives for support. Dr. Betsy Labiner, who wrote her dissertation on Interiority, Truth, and Violence in Early Modern Drama, recommended, “Keep your loved ones close! This is so hard – the dissertation lends itself to isolation, especially in the final stages. Plus, a huge number of your family and friends simply won’t understand what you’re going through. But they love you and want to help and are great for getting you out of your head and into a space where you can enjoy life even when you feel like your dissertation is a flaming heap of trash.”

While you might sometimes feel like your dissertation is a flaming heap of trash, remember: a) no it’s not, you brilliant scholar, and b) the best dissertations aren’t necessarily perfect dissertations. According to Dr. Trejo, “The best dissertation is a done dissertation.” So don’t get hung up on perfecting every detail of your work. Think of your dissertation as a long-form assignment that you need to finish in order to move onto the next stage of your career. Many students continue revising after graduation and submit their work for publication or other professional objectives.

When you do finish writing your dissertation, it’s time to schedule your defense and invite friends and family to the part of the exam that’s open to the public. When that moment comes, how do you prepare to present your work and field questions about it?

“I reread my dissertation in full in one sitting,” said Dr. Labiner. “During all my time writing it, I’d never read more than one complete chapter at a time! It was a huge confidence boost to read my work in full and realize that I had produced a compelling, engaging, original argument.”

There are many other ways to prepare: create presentation slides and practice presenting them to friends or alone; think of questions you might be asked and answer them; think about what you want to wear or where you might want to sit (if you’re presenting on Zoom) that might give you a confidence boost. Iwanksi practiced presenting with her mentor and reviewed current papers to anticipate what questions her committee might ask.  If you want to really get in the zone, you can emulate Dr. Labiner and do a full dress rehearsal on Zoom the day before your defense.

But no matter what you do, you’ll still be nervous:

“I had a sense of the logistics, the timing, and so on, but I didn’t really have clear expectations outside of the structure. It was a sort of nebulous three hours in which I expected to be nauseatingly terrified,” recalled Dr. Labiner.

“I expected it to be terrifying, with lots of difficult questions and constructive criticism/comments given,” agreed Iwanski.

“I expected it to be very scary,” said Dr. Trejo.

“I expected it to be like I was on trial, and I’d have to defend myself and prove I deserved a PhD,” said Dr Atkins.

And, eventually, inexorably, it will be time to present.  

“It was actually very enjoyable” said Iwanski. “It was more of a celebration of years of work put into this project—not only by me but by my mentor, colleagues, lab members and collaborators! I felt very supported by all my committee members and, rather than it being a rapid fire of questions, it was more of a scientific discussion amongst colleagues who are passionate about heart disease and muscle biology.”

“I was anxious right when I logged on to the Zoom call for it,” said Dr. Labiner, “but I was blown away by the number of family and friends that showed up to support me. I had invited a lot of people who I didn’t at all think would come, but every single person I invited was there! Having about 40 guests – many of them joining from different states and several from different countries! – made me feel so loved and celebrated that my nerves were steadied very quickly. It also helped me go into ‘teaching mode’ about my work, so it felt like getting to lead a seminar on my most favorite literature.”

“In reality, my dissertation defense was similar to presenting at an academic conference,” said Dr. Atkins. “I went over my research in a practiced and organized way, and I fielded questions from the audience.

“It was a celebration and an important benchmark for me,” said Dr. Trejo. “It was a pretty happy day. Like the punctuation at the end of your sentence: this sentence is done; this journey is done. You can start the next sentence.”

If you want to learn more about dissertations in your own discipline, don’t hesitate to reach out to graduates from your program and ask them about their experiences. If you’d like to avail yourself of some of the resources that helped students in this article while they wrote and defended their dissertations, check out these links:

The Graduate Writing Lab

https://thinktank.arizona.edu/writing-center/graduate-writing-lab

The Writing Skills Improvement Program

https://wsip.arizona.edu

Campus Health Counseling and Psych Services

https://caps.arizona.edu

https://www.scribbr.com/

Preparing For Your Dissertation Defense

13 Key Questions To Expect In The Viva Voce

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) & David Phair (PhD) . Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2021

Preparing for your dissertation or thesis defense (also called a “viva voce”) is a formidable task . All your hard work over the years leads you to this one point, and you’ll need to defend yourself against some of the most experienced researchers you’ve encountered so far.

It’s natural to feel a little nervous.

In this post, we’ll cover some of the most important questions you should be able to answer in your viva voce, whether it’s for a Masters or PhD degree. Naturally, they might not arise in exactly the same form (some may not come up at all), but if you can answer these questions well, it means you’re in a good position to tackle your oral defense.

Viva Voce Prep: 13 Essential Questions

• What is your study about and why did you choose to research this in particular?
• How did your research questions evolve during the research process?
• How did you decide on which sources to include in your literature review?
• How did you design your study and why did you take this approach?
• How generalisable and valid are the findings?
• What were the main shortcomings and limitations created by your research design?
• How did your findings relate to the existing literature?
• What were your key findings in relation to the research questions?
• Were there any findings that surprised you?
• What biases may exist in your research?
• How can your findings be put into practice?
• How has your research contributed to current thinking in the field?
• If you could redo your research, how would you alter your approach?

#1: What is your study about and why did you choose to research this in particular?

This question, a classic party starter, is pretty straightforward.

What the dissertation or thesis committee is assessing here is your ability to clearly articulate your research aims, objectives and research questions in a concise manner. Concise is the keyword here – you need to clearly explain your research topic without rambling on for a half-hour. Don’t feel the need to go into the weeds here – you’ll have many opportunities to unpack the details later on.

In the second half of the question, they’re looking for a brief explanation of the justification of your research. In other words, why was this particular set of research aims, objectives and questions worth addressing? To address this question well in your oral defense, you need to make it clear what gap existed within the research and why that gap was worth filling.

#2: How did your research questions evolve during the research process?

Good research generally follows a long and winding path . It’s seldom a straight line (unless you got really lucky). What they’re assessing here is your ability to follow that path and let the research process unfold.

Specifically, they’ll want to hear about the impact that the literature review process had on you in terms of shaping the research aims, objectives and research questions . For example, you may have started with a certain set of aims, but then as you immersed yourself in the literature, you may have changed direction. Similarly, your initial fieldwork findings may have turned out some unexpected data that drove you to adjust or expand on your initial research questions.

Long story short – a good defense involves clearly describing your research journey , including all the twists and turns. Adjusting your direction based on findings in the literature or the fieldwork shows that you’re responsive , which is essential for high-quality research.

#3: How did you decide on which sources to include in your literature review?

A comprehensive literature review is the foundation of any high-quality piece of research. With this question, your dissertation or thesis committee are trying to assess which quality criteria and approach you used to select the sources for your literature review.

Typically, good research draws on both the seminal work in the respective field and more recent sources . In other words, a combination of the older landmark studies and pivotal work, along with up-to-date sources that build on to those older studies. This combination ensures that the study has a rock-solid foundation but is not out of date.

So, make sure that your study draws on a mix of both the “classics” and new kids on the block, and take note of any major evolutions in the literature that you can use as an example when asked this question in your viva voce.

#4: How did you design your study and why did you take this approach?

This is a classic methodological question that you can almost certainly expect in some or other shape.

What they’re looking for here is a clear articulation of the research design and methodology, as well as a strong justification of each choice . So, you need to be able to walk through each methodological choice and clearly explain both what you did and why you did it. The why is particularly important – you need to be able to justify each choice you made by clearly linking your design back to your research aims, objectives and research questions, while also taking into account practical constraints.

To ensure you cover every base, check out our research methodology vlog post , as well as our post covering the Research Onion .

#5: How generalizable and valid are the findings?

This question is aimed at specifically digging into your understanding of the sample and how that relates to the population, as well as potential validity issues in your methodology.

To answer question this well, you’ll need to critically assess your sample and findings and consider if they truly apply to the entire population, as well as whether they assessed what they set out to. Note that there are two components here – generalizability and validity . Generalizability is about how well the sample represents the population. Validity is about how accurately you’ve measured what you intended to measure .

To ace this part of your dissertation defense, make sure that you’re very familiar with the concepts of generalizability , validity and reliability , and how these apply to your research. Remember, you don’t need to achieve perfection – you just need to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your research (and how the weaknesses could be improved upon).

Need a helping hand?

#6: What were the main shortcomings and limitations created by your research design?

This question picks up where the last one left off.

As I mentioned, it’s perfectly natural that your research will have shortcomings and limitations as a result of your chosen design and methodology. No piece of research is flawless. Therefore, a good dissertation defense is not about arguing that your work is perfect, but rather it’s about clearly articulating the strengths and weaknesses of your approach.

To address this question well, you need to think critically about all of the potential weaknesses your design may have, as well as potential responses to these (which could be adopted in future research) to ensure you’re well prepared for this question. For a list of common methodological limitations, check out our video about research limitations here .

#7: How did your findings relate to the existing literature?

This common dissertation defense question links directly to your discussion chapter , where you would have presented and discussed the findings in relation to your literature review.

What your dissertation or thesis committee is assessing here is your ability to compare your study’s findings to the findings of existing research . Specifically, you need to discuss which findings aligned with existing research and which findings did not. For those findings that contrasted against existing research, you should also explain what you believe to be the reasons for this.

As with many questions in a viva voce, it’s both the what and the why that matter here. So, you need to think deeply about what the underlying reasons may be for both the similarities and differences between your findings and those of similar studies.

#8: What were your key findings in relation to the research questions?

This question is similar to the last one in that it too focuses on your research findings. However, here the focus is specifically on the findings that directly relate to your research questions (as opposed to findings in general).

So, a good way to prepare for this question is to step back and revisit your research questions . Ask yourself the following:

• What exactly were you asking in those questions, and what did your research uncover concerning them?
• Which questions were well answered by your study and which ones were lacking?
• Why were they lacking and what more could be done to address this in future research?

Conquering this part dissertation defense requires that you focus squarely on the research questions. Your study will have provided many findings (hopefully!), and not all of these will link directly to the research questions. Therefore, you need to clear your mind of all of the fascinating side paths your study may have lead you down and regain a clear focus on the research questions .

#9: Were there any findings that surprised you?

This question is two-pronged.

First, you should discuss the surprising findings that were directly related to the original research questions . Going into your research, you likely had some expectations in terms of what you would find, so this is your opportunity to discuss the outcomes that emerged as contrary to what you initially expected. You’ll also want to think about what the reasons for these contrasts may be.

Second, you should discuss the findings that weren’t directly related to the research questions, but that emerged from the data set . You may have a few or you may have none – although generally there are a handful of interesting musings that you can glean from the data set. Again, make sure you can articulate why you find these interesting and what it means for future research in the area.

What the committee is looking for in this type of question is your ability to interpret the findings holistically and comprehensively , and to respond to unexpected data. So, take the time to zoom out and reflect on your findings thoroughly.

#10: What biases may exist in your research?

Biases… we all have them.

For this question, you’ll need to think about potential biases in your research , in the data itself but also in your interpretation of the data. With this question, your committee is assessing whether you have considered your own potential biases and the biases inherent in your analysis approach (i.e. your methodology). So, think carefully about these research biases and be ready to explain how these may exist in your study.

In an oral defense, this question is often followed up with a question on how the biases were mitigated or could be mitigated in future research. So, give some thought not just to what biases may exist, but also the mitigation measures (in your own study and for future research).

#11: How can your findings be put into practice?

Another classic question in the typical viva voce.

With this question, your committee is assessing your ability to bring your findings back down to earth and demonstrate their practical value and application. Importantly, this question is not about the contribution to academia or the overall field of research (we’ll get to that next) – it is specifically asking about how this newly created knowledge can be used in the real world.

Naturally, the actionability of your findings will vary depending on the nature of your research topic. Some studies will produce many action points and some won’t. If you’re researching marketing strategies within an industry, for example, you should be able to make some very specific recommendations for marketing practitioners in that industry.

To help you flesh out points for this question, look back at your original justification for the research (i.e. in your introduction and literature review chapters). What were the driving forces that led you to research your specific topic? That justification should help you identify ways in which your findings can be put into practice.

#12: How has your research contributed to current thinking in the field?

While the previous question was aimed at practical contribution, this question is aimed at theoretical contribution . In other words, what is the significance of your study within the current body of research? How does it fit into the existing research and what does it add to it?

This question is often asked by a field specialist and is used to assess whether you’re able to place your findings into the research field to critically convey what your research contributed. This argument needs to be well justified – in other words, you can’t just discuss what your research contributed, you need to also back each proposition up with a strong why .

To answer this question well, you need to humbly consider the quality and impact of your work and to be realistic in your response. You don’t want to come across as arrogant (“my work is groundbreaking”), nor do you want to undersell the impact of your work. So, it’s important to strike the right balance between realistic and pessimistic .

This question also opens the door to questions about potential future research . So, think about what future research opportunities your study has created and which of these you feel are of the highest priority.

#13: If you could redo your research, how would you alter your approach?

This question is often used to wrap up a viva voce as it brings the discussion full circle.

Here, your committee is again assessing your ability to clearly identify and articulate the limitations and shortcomings of your research, both in terms of research design and topic focus . Perhaps, in hindsight, it would have been better to use a different analysis method or data set. Perhaps the research questions should have leaned in a slightly different direction. And so on.

This question intends to assess whether you’re able to look at your work critically , assess where the weaknesses are and make recommendations for the future. This question often sets apart those who did the research purely because it was required, from those that genuinely engaged with their research. So, don’t hold back here – reflect on your entire research journey ask yourself how you’d do things differently if you were starting with a  blank canvas today.

Recap: The 13 Key Dissertation Defense Questions

To recap, here are the 13 questions you need to be ready for to ace your dissertation or thesis oral defense:

As I mentioned, this list of dissertation defense questions is certainly not exhaustive – don’t assume that we’ve covered every possible question here. However, these questions are quite likely to come up in some shape or form in a typical dissertation or thesis defense, whether it’s for a Master’s degree, PhD or any other research degree. So, you should take the time to make sure you can answer them well.

If you need assistance preparing for your dissertation defense or viva voce, get in touch with us to discuss 1-on-1 coaching. We can critically review your research and identify potential issues and responses, as well as undertake a mock oral defense to prepare you for the pressures and stresses on the day.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

You Might Also Like:

12 Comments

Very interesting

Interesting. I appreciate!

Really appreciating

My field is International Trade

Interesting

This is a full course on defence. I was fabulously enlightened and I gained enough confidence for my upcoming Masters Defence.

There are many lessons to learn and the simplicity in presentationmakes thee reader say “YesI can”

This is so helping… it has Enlightened me on how to answer specific questions. I pray to make it through for my upcoming defense

Lovely to hear that 🙂

Really educative and beneficial

Interesting. On-point and elaborate. And comforting too! Thanks.

Thank you very much for the enlightening me, be blessed

Thankyou so much. I am planning to defend my thesis soon and I found this very useful

Very interesting and useful to all masters and PhD students

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

• How It Works
• PhD thesis writing
• Master thesis writing
• Bachelor thesis writing
• Dissertation writing service
• Dissertation abstract writing
• Thesis proposal writing
• Thesis editing service
• Thesis proofreading service
• Thesis formatting service
• Coursework writing service
• Research paper writing service
• Architecture thesis writing
• Computer science thesis writing
• Engineering thesis writing
• History thesis writing
• MBA thesis writing
• Nursing dissertation writing
• Psychology dissertation writing
• Sociology thesis writing
• Statistics dissertation writing
• Buy dissertation online
• Write my dissertation
• Cheap thesis
• Cheap dissertation
• Custom dissertation
• Dissertation help
• Pay for thesis
• Pay for dissertation
• Senior thesis
• Write my thesis

Dissertation Defense: Steps To Follow To Succeed

A dissertation defense is arguably one of the most important milestones in every student’s career. While it signals that your tenure as a student is soon about to close, it validates all your efforts towards your thesis.

Being cautious about including all the necessary details is very important to successfully complete your dissertation proposal defense. This article tells you everything that you need to know about writing a defense that can add great credibility to you as a student.

What is A Dissertation Defense?

The first thing that you need to learn is what is a dissertation defense and what is its purpose. In simple terms, it is a presentation made by a student to defend all the ideas and views that are presented in a dissertation.

The presenter must include details like what is the reason for choosing specific research methods, the theory that has been selected for the paper, and other such points. This presentation is made before an audience that comprises of the university committee, professors and even fellow-students. It is met with questions and answers that gives the student an opportunity to provide more clarity on the dissertation in order to convince the committee to approve it.

Stages of a Dissertation Defense

One of the most important dissertation defense tips provided by several professors is to breakdown the process into three steps:

• Preparation : This stage involves collection of all the necessary information that must be included in the defense dissertation and making all the arrangements for the actual meeting.
• The defense meeting : This is where you decide how you will present the defense. The actual meeting is hugely reliant on the performance, body language and the confidence in your oral defense.
• After the defense meeting : This stage, also known as the follow up, requires you to make the necessary revisions suggested by the university committee. You can even provide bound copies of the whole dissertation to distribute among different members of your departments. In the follow up stage, one must also think about expense that are related to publishing the Ph.D. dissertation defense as well as printing additional copies of the manuscript, if required.

How Long is a Dissertation Defense?

The first thing that a student should know is how long does a dissertation defense last? The length has to be carefully calculated to make the impact that you want. One of the most important steps in the dissertation preparation is to understand how much time each department allocates to the closing oral defense. When you plan in the early stages of your dissertation itself, you can write it in a manner that allows you to defend it in the allocated time.

Usually these meetings including the presentation, the oral defense and the question and answer session last for about two hours. In most cases, these two hours also encompass the time needed by members of the committee to deliberate.

How to Prepare for the Dissertation Defense

Now that you know how long is a dissertation defense, the next step is to prepare well enough to make your presentation impressive.

Here are some tips on how to prepare for a dissertation defense:

• Watch other students in action to learn about different presentation styles. You can attend defenses of different colleagues in your department as well as other departments in your university.
• Get all the details about the deadlines and the rules of your college or university about scheduling your defense.
• Scheduling is also a very important part of your preparation. It is important to note that members of the committee and University chairs need to make time for these defences in a very packed schedule. Coordinate the date, venue and time of your defense as early as possible.
• Prepare a manuscript adhering to the necessary formatting rules. Review your manuscript thoroughly before you hand it in. During your PH.D, your faculty will also assist you with the defense. For this, they must have a crisp and polished copy of your manuscript.
• Most colleges have the facility for a pre-defense meeting. This is the best opportunity to sort out any concerns that you may have about the actual meeting. It is a good idea to ask the chairs what types of questions may be put forward and if there are any problems with the defense that need to be resolved. When you prepare for a pre-defense meeting, think of it as the final one and give it your all.
• Put together all the material that you need for the defense. A detailed, yet to-the-point presentation must be prepared.
• The final stage of preparation is practicing your presentation over and over again. It is not just the presentation but also the approach towards the questions that you must practice.

Tips To Nail Your Actual Meeting

With these tips you will be one step closer towards a successful defense that will help your dissertation pass and be approved:

• All meetings should begin by addressing the chair. Make sure you thank all the committee members and the advisors for the efforts that they have put it. This gives you a professional start to the presentation.
• The presentation should cover the following subjects in brief:
• The research topic
• Literature review
• The methods used for analysis
• The primary findings of the research
• Recommendations of additional research on the subject in the focus.
• Do not get rattled by any discussions among the chairs. They will deliberate on any disagreements or topics of interest. This is a part of the process and is not a reflection of the presentation itself.
• There are two questions that are commonly asked that you should be prepared for. This includes the weaknesses of the dissertation and the research plans that you have made post-dissertation.
• Use subtle gestures when you are talking. Do not overuse your hands when doing so. The whole meeting including the question and answer session should have a very formal appeal.
• The tone of your voice must be assertive without making it seem like you are trying to hard. Be clear and enunciate when you speak.

Once the questions have been answered, the committee will leave the room. Then, after the deliberation, you will be informed if your dissertation has passed or not.

For affordable thesis writing assistance , get in touch our team today. The pricing is cheap but students can be assured of top notch quality in all our final products.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment * Error message

Name * Error message

Email * Error message

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

As Putin continues killing civilians, bombing kindergartens, and threatening WWIII, Ukraine fights for the world's peaceful future.

Ukraine Live Updates

College of Education

• Our Mission & Vision
• Leading with Passion
• Culture & Community
• Commitment to Equity and Justice
• Great Minds Think Illinois
• The Research One Advantage
• News, Events & Announcements
• Impact Report
• Alumni and Advancement
• College of Education Bylaws
• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Online Programs
• Principal & Superintendent Endorsements and Degrees
• International Programs
• Course Finder
• Program Finder
• Faculty Research Sites
• Public Engagement
• Dean's Distinguished Speaker Series
• Bureau of Educational Research
• Faculty Directory
• Curriculum & Instruction
• Education Policy, Organization & Leadership
• Educational Psychology
• Special Education
• Find Emeritus
• Find Graduate Students
• New Faculty 2023-24
• Undergraduate Students
• Graduate Students
• Online Students
• School and Community Experiences
• 2024 Convocation

How to Defend Your Dissertation, Virtually

by Nitasha Mathayas, PhD / Apr 9, 2020

Tips on preparing, presenting, and celebrating from a new PhD.

On March 24, one day after in-person meetings and instruction at the university were halted and moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic, Nitasha Mathayas earned a new title: PhD. She delivered her dissertation defense—on students’ sensemaking using gesture-augmented simulations—via Zoom to her committee of Curriculum & Instruction faculty, her family, and friends. Over the next several weeks, many doctoral students will face the same situation. Here, Nitasha shares her experience and advice for holding a successful virtual dissertation defense.

Prepare Well in Advance

• Online meeting setup and structure: Several days before your defense is scheduled, talk to your dissertation committee chair and decide your conferencing platform and how to structure the meeting. One of my committee members, Dr. Stina Krist, hosted the Zoom video conference call and made me a co-host. She also managed the breakout session for the private discussion.
• Practice, practice, and practice some more on Zoom! (Or whatever video conferencing platform you choose to use.) Don’t just practice your talk like you normally would in person. Try giving the talk a few times to make sure you test everything out. I practiced my talk on Zoom three times with my colleagues and their feedback helped me adjust my pacing and presentation. Shout out to my Education peers for coming online multiple times on late evenings for me. You know who you are!
• Make adjustments: I like to point when presenting in person. But I could not do that remotely, so instead I added subtle animations and bolded things on my slides. While there is a laser pointer option with PowerPoint, it is better that the slides themselves highlight things you need to emphasize.
• Strong internet connection: While practicing, I figured out my home internet was not good enough to run the video call and my presentation, so I went to campus (was the only one there, social distancing was practiced), used an ethernet cable, set up a lamp, and ensured my environment looked professional.
• Professionalism matters: On that note, do everything you can to look professional. Dress formally, use a good webcam that is centered on your face (no weird angles). Use good lighting (add more lamps if needed) and have a clean background (no bright windows, distracting artwork, no pets in the background).
• Last call: Touch base with your dissertation committee a few days ahead of your scheduled defense to see if they have specific requests. For instance, one of my committee members asked me for my slides ahead of time.

Check—and Double-check—your Tech

• Connectivity: Before the defense begins, see if your committee members can hop onto the call 10 minutes early to check for issues on both ends.
• Two screens recommended: In terms of technical set up, I used my laptop and a second monitor. I presented my slides on my laptop and transferred Zoom’s control bar and attendee video to the second screen. This way there was nothing in front of my slides while I used them.
• Single screen works, too: If you use a single screen, you may have to minimize your speaker view to see your slides. If not, you might have to leave some empty space on your slides so you can put the attendee video there. A few people could not see text on my slides as their video panel obscured it.
• Test screen sharing options : Zoom has multiple options and things may get confusing if you use PowerPoint's automatic presenter mode. I set mine to use the primary screen only. I did not have access to slide notes, but I did not need them as I had practiced it well enough.
• Backup hardware: Keep a backup device (or two) ready to go in case you have technical issues. I had a backup laptop with me that I thankfully did not have to use. Yet later that evening, my dock gave out and my second screen went green. I really lucked out there. Phew!
• Record yourself: You can watch video of practice sessions to critique yourself, and you will also want to remember to record your actual defense.

Present, then Celebrate!

• Slides: I shared my final presentation file with my committee a few hours before my defense by uploading it to Box. This way they could access the slides at any speed they wanted, and I got to correct some typos without emailing them multiple versions. The upload file was the final version though, it was not a draft.
• View your committee: Ask other attendees to log off and log onto the call again after all dissertation committee members have joined, so that the committee appears on top of the speaker view.
• Explain the process: My chair described how we would structure the conversation. My presentation was about 30 minutes. He requested that my committee ask me clarification questions during the talk but to hold substantive questions for later.
• Questions: There was time for audience questions at the end from non-committee attendees. Audience members were asked to turn their video off during the talk but to turn it back on while they asked me questions. This really helped keep the committee’s videos up on top and I could see them when I needed to.
• Main room and breakout room: The main room was used for the public portion of the defense and was recorded, and then committee members moved to a breakout room that was not recorded. My family and friends waited with me in the main room while my committee discussed.
• Audience: I am glad I invited my friends to attend my oral defense. I was nervous and having them there made me much more confident when I talked. And they cheered with me when my advisor informed me that I had passed!
• Positive takeaways: There were some unexpected perks of my online defense. My friends and family from India were in attendance, which would not have happened if the talk was on campus. This way they were given the same experience as everyone else. Also, the Zoom session was recorded (a personal choice that everyone agreed to but is optional) so I now have a video of one of the most important days of my life to look back upon.
• Celebrate! Finally, plan to celebrate yourself. You did it! You made it! You deserve it! This is an important milestone, and it is unfortunate that you cannot celebrate in person. I set up a second Zoom party between 6-8 p.m. that evening and invited friends, committee, and family. We all toasted in our respective homes and people hopped on and off the call during that time. I was able to feel thankful and connected for a while. My friends and colleagues have given me so much and I was glad I could cherish that moment.

P.S. I also bought myself a Ph.Diva shirt. It’s not coming off for a few days. No one can smell it but me… phew for social distancing right now! Good luck fellow colleagues. You will all be great!

15 Best Tools for Online Thesis and Dissertation Defenses

This post may contain affiliate links that allow us to earn a commission at no expense to you. Learn more

Do you have challenges in your online thesis defense preparations? Discover the Best Tools for Online Thesis and Dissertation Defenses to streamline the process.

With the rise of remote and online learning, academia faces the challenge of ensuring quality thesis and dissertation defenses are carried out seamlessly. The solution? Leveraging modern software tools designed to cater to the unique demands of such a critical academic exercise.

Table of Contents

Online defenses are a blend of presentations , discussions, and feedback sessions. To ensure they run smoothly, a set of tools that optimize interaction, clarity, and professionalism is vital. The tools discussed in this article are selected based on their proficiency in assisting scholars in presenting their years of hard work.

Best Tools for Online Thesis and Dissertation Defenses

#1. zoom: best for large panel video conferencing and recording.

• Major platform for video conferencing.
• Features advanced recording options.
• Supports large groups.

Zoom has quickly become a staple in academic circles due to its scalability. It effortlessly supports video conferences with multiple panelists, making it ideal for thesis and dissertation defenses where large dissertation committee members are involved.

• Ease of Use: Simplifies the joining process for participants.
• Recording Features: Enables capturing the defense for future reference.
• Stable Connectivity: Offers a reliable connection, ensuring a smooth defense process.

Zoom, with its intuitive interface and robust features, ensures that every participant, be it a panelist or a student, experiences an uninterrupted and comprehensive defense session.

How much does it cost?

• $0-$199/year

Source: https://zoom.us

#2. Skype: Best for small group video communications

• Long-standing video communication tool.
• Well-suited for smaller groups.
• Includes file-sharing options.

Skype, a pioneer in video communication, remains relevant in academia. It’s particularly effective for smaller defense panels, ensuring intimate and focused discussions between students and their advisors.

• Direct Communication: Offers clear audio and video quality.
• File Sharing: Facilitates sharing of key documents during defenses.
• User-Friendly Interface: Easy for participants of all tech levels.

Skype remains a trustworthy choice, ensuring clarity in communication and facilitating a more personable defense environment for smaller groups.

• $0-$8.39/month

Source: https://www.skype.com

#3. Microsoft Teams: Best for integrated student’s presentation with chat

• Comprehensive platform integrating chat and video.
• Seamlessly combines presentations with discussions.
• Efficient document collaboration features.

Microsoft Teams, beyond just a communication tool, has woven itself into the fabric of academia. It brings the classroom’s vibrancy online, ensuring thesis defenses are as interactive as they would be face-to-face.

• Integrated Chat: Merges real-time feedback with ongoing presentations.
• Document Collaboration: Enables multi-user edits and suggestions.
• Streamlined Interface: Melds chats, videos, and files in one window.

Microsoft Teams shines in bridging the gap between a physical defense and a digital one, fostering an environment of collaboration and open dialogue.

• $4-$12.50/month

Source: https://www.microsoft.com

#4. Google Meet: Best for quick video calls with screen sharing

• Quick setup for video calls.
• Efficient screen sharing capabilities.
• Compatible across devices.

Google Meet, born from the tech giant’s foray into video communication, serves academia with simplicity. With a straightforward setup, it ensures that defenses go on without the fuss of software complications.

• Quick Access: No bulky downloads or installations.
• Clear Screen Sharing: Makes presentations visually clear.
• Cross-Platform: Accessible from desktops to smartphones.

For those seeking an uncomplicated, direct tool that doesn’t skimp on quality, Google Meet stands out. It ensures that the focus remains on the defense, not the software.

• From $6/month

Source: https://meet.google.com

#5. Slack: Best for collaborative communication with video option

• A hub for team-based communication.
• Integrates text chats, channels, and video calls.
• Facilitates organized, topic-specific discussions.

In the academic labyrinth of communication, Slack emerges as a beacon, not just simplifying but elevating the discourse. Imagine having a virtual academic lounge where everything, from casual brainstorming to intense defense discussions, finds its rightful place. Slack’s channels and integrated video options serve as the modern agora for scholarly exchanges.

• Topic-Centric Channels: For streamlined and organized conversations.
• Integrated Video Calls: Seamless switch from text to face-to-face discussions.
• Collaboration Boost: Enhances teamwork through shared resources and instant feedback.

Slack seamlessly melds the casual with the formal, creating a mosaic of interactions where scholars can bounce ideas, share insights, and prepare for the pivotal moments of their academic journey.

• From $8.75/month

Source: https://slack.com

#6. Cisco Webex: Best for formal, secure virtual defenses

• Robust platform for professional virtual meetings.
• High-level security protocols in place.
• Features for presentations, collaborations, and interactive defenses.

Cisco Webex isn’t just another video conferencing tool; it’s akin to the distinguished breakout room where gravity meets grace. Tailored for formal engagements, it mirrors the sanctity of traditional defenses, but with a digital touch. The security it offers ensures that every discussion remains confidential, making it a top pick for scholars and universities alike.

• Rock-Solid Security: Ensures confidential discussions remain private.
• Professional Interface: Mimics the feel of formal defense settings.
• Interactive Features: Enhances the defense experience with tools for collaboration and feedback.

Cisco Webex offers more than a virtual meeting space; it’s an arena where academic rigor meets cutting-edge technology, ensuring every defense is both secure and sophisticated.

Source: https://www.webex.com

#7. GoToMeeting: Best for large online gatherings

• Optimized for large-scale video conferences.
• HD quality video and clear audio.
• Calendar integrations for scheduled defenses.

In the bustling world of academia, GoToMeeting has risen as the go-to for gatherings that stretch beyond the usual size. Its finesse in managing large online audiences makes thesis and dissertation defenses feel like grand academic events, echoing the lecture halls of yore.

• Smooth Scaling: Comfortably accommodates growing participant numbers.
• Crystal Clear Quality: Ensures every slide and word is understood.
• Effortless Scheduling: Integrates with calendars for timely reminders.

For those moments when the virtual room seems bursting with attendees — from professors to peers — GoToMeeting ensures the defense remains a grand, yet seamless affair.

• $5-$20/month

Source: https://www.goto.com

#8. Miro: Best for real-time whiteboard brainstorming

• Virtual whiteboard for visual thinkers.
• Collaborative space for brainstorming and feedback.
• Tools for creating, drawing, and annotating.

Miro steps in when words fall short, offering a canvas for academic minds to visually represent and discuss their concepts. Like a whiteboard in a cozy university room, it invites interactive feedback, questions, and those brilliant ‘aha!’ moments.

• Interactive Canvas: Enables dynamic idea mapping.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple users can draw and comment.
• Diverse Toolset: Offers shapes, texts, drawings, and more.

In the often abstract realm of research, Miro provides a tangible space to sketch out ideas, engage with feedback, and see the bigger picture, quite literally.

• $0-$10/month

Source: https://miro.com

#9. Prezi Video: Best for dynamic visual presentations

• Transforms regular presentations into visual stories.
• Non-linear format for engaging content flow.
• Allows presenter to be on-screen with their content.

Leaving behind the monotony of slide-after-slide presentations, Prezi Video spices up academic discussions. By blending the presenter with their content, it crafts a storytelling experience, ensuring the defense is not just heard, but also felt.

• Dynamic Design: Makes content transitions lively.
• Engaging Interface: Keeps the audience hooked with its flow.
• Personal Touch: Blends the charisma of the presenter with their research.

In a world where engagement is gold, Prezi Video ensures the audience is not just seated, but enthralled, making every defense a memorable narrative.

• $7-$19/month

Source: https://prezi.com

#10. Acrobat Reader: Best for document highlighting and annotations

• Standard for viewing and annotating PDFs.
• Features to highlight, comment, and underline.
• Secure and widely compatible.

Acrobat Reader has stood the test of time, consistently proving its worth in academia. It’s not just about viewing documents; it’s about diving deep, annotating, and discussing the intricacies of a research paper, one highlight at a time.

• Deep Dive: Enables in-depth document reviews.
• Collaborative Annotations: Collect feedback from multiple sources.
• Universal Compatibility: Recognized and accessible across devices.

When it comes to dissecting a document, understanding its nuances, and collaborating on its content, Acrobat Reader remains an unmatched ally in the academic world.

• $19.99-$29.99/month

Source: https://get.adobe.com

#11. SlideShare: Best for hosting defense slides online

• Premier platform for hosting presentations.
• Accessible to a broad online audience.
• Offers options for embedding and sharing.

In our increasingly connected academic landscape, SlideShare emerges as a beacon for sharing knowledge far and wide. Think of it as a global lecture hall where defense slides find an audience beyond the confines of a university. For scholars seeking to make their mark and share their insights with the world, SlideShare becomes a powerful companion.

• Global Reach: Widens the audience base exponentially.
• Embedding Options: Allows presentations to be showcased on various platforms.
• Interactive Engagement: Encourages comments and discussions on slides.

In a time when knowledge dissemination is as crucial as its creation, SlideShare bridges the gap, ensuring thesis and dissertation content reaches corners of the world previously thought unreachable.

• Not provided

Source: https://www.slideshare.net

#12. Loom: Best for pre-recording demonstrations

• A tool for creating video messages and demos.
• Combines camera feed with screen recording.
• Simplifies sharing with link-based access.

Loom weaves itself into the academic tapestry by bringing a human touch to digital communications. While texts and slides present data, Loom adds the essential element of human expression. Whether it’s a complex demonstration or a heartfelt acknowledgment, Loom captures the essence, making defenses feel personal, even from afar.

• Humanized Demonstrations: Combines presenter’s reactions with screen content.
• Instant Sharing: Eliminates bulky attachments with direct link sharing.
• Feedback Loop: Allows viewers to comment and respond directly.

In the labyrinth of data and research, Loom stands out as a reminder of the human spirit behind every thesis. It’s more than a tool; it’s a bridge connecting emotions, expressions, and education.

Source: https://www.loom.com

#13. Trello: Best for organizing defense agendas

• Visual tool for task and agenda management.
• Cards and boards system for organized planning.
• Enables collaborative input.

Amid the whirlwind preparations of thesis defenses, Trello acts as a grounding force. Like a trusted planner filled with sticky notes and reminders, it helps scholars and committees alike to visualize the defense flow. From setting the agenda to allocating time for discussions, Trello’s boards and cards become the guiding map for a structured and successful defense.

• Visual Organization: Clearly outlines defense stages and timings.
• Collaborative Planning: Allows inputs from various defense stakeholders.
• Flexibility: Adapts to changing agendas with drag-and-drop functionality.

The magic of Trello lies in transforming chaotic preparations into a symphony of organized events, ensuring every defense resonates with clarity and purpose.

• $17.50/month

Source: https://trello.com

#14. Mentimeter: Best for real-time feedback and polls

• Engages audience with real-time polls.
• Generates instant feedback during presentations.
• Diverse question formats for varied interactions.

Gone are the days when a defense was a one-way street. Enter Mentimeter, where the line between presenter and audience blurs, fostering a dynamic dialogue. It invites the audience, be it peers or professors, into the heart of the discussion, letting their feedback and questions shape the course of the defense, all in real time.

• Engaged Discussions: Energizes defenses with audience interactions.
• Instant Insights: Provides a pulse of the audience’s thoughts and queries.
• Variety in Interaction: Offers polls, open-ended questions, and more.

Mentimeter doesn’t just facilitate defenses; it revolutionizes them, making them collaborative arenas where knowledge is not just shared, but co-created.

• $11.99/month

Source: https://www.mentimeter.com

#15. Backchannel Chat: Best for moderated live discussions

• Live chat platform specifically for educational settings.
• Offers features for moderation and control.
• Encourages real-time discussions without disruptions.

In the heart of vibrant academic discussions, Backchannel Chat offers more than just a platform for chatter. It presents a structured, yet fluid space where discussions flourish without derailing. 

Envision a seminar room where side conversations add value, rather than noise. Backchannel Chat recreates this ambiance, making it essential for online defenses.

• Moderation Mastery: Provides tools for educators to steer the conversation.
• Educational Emphasis: Designed with academia in mind.
• Diverse Interactions: Supports polls, questions, and multi-threaded conversations.

Backchannel Chat’s strength is its capacity to harness the collective intellect of an audience, turning side chats into insightful discussions, ensuring every voice is valued, not just heard.

Source: https://www.commonsense.org

Amid the ever-evolving landscape of academia, these tools aren’t just facilitators; they’re game-changers. They not only uphold the traditions and nuances of journal articles, thesis, and dissertation defenses but elevate them, creating experiences that are memorable, engaging, and truly befitting the digital age.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

We maintain and update science journals and scientific metrics. Scientific metrics data are aggregated from publicly available sources. Please note that we do NOT publish research papers on this platform. We do NOT accept any manuscript.

2012-2024 © scijournal.org

Mar. 30, 2020

Tips & tricks: virtual thesis defense and submission.

Rice's virtual defenders

With the world moving online, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies revamped the process for thesis defense announcements and thesis submission, and students and thesis committees quickly moved to an online defense process. Defenses are moving forward as while our scholars are maintaining the social distancing recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.

Newly minted doctor Anna Babushkina of BioSciences was the first at Rice to present her thesis to a partially remote committee due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“It was a lot at first,” she said. “Everything happened in such a short timespan. My defense was happening early Monday, and I think the first time I had heard of Zoom was Friday afternoon.”

Facing the unknown and making a mental adjustment to the new method, she said, was the hardest part, but her fears about the technology quickly dissolved. “It was easy! Zoom was not that hard to figure out,” she said.

Edward Valentin of History defended his thesis entirely remotely, and said the process was very smooth. Valentin, Babushkina, and graduate program administrators Lydia Westbrook and Rachael Eaton below give their advice for getting ready for Zoom defenses, both from the student and administrative perspective.

1. Set up a pre-defense meeting & troubleshoot with your committee. “One thing that really helped was that I met with my program administrator, Lydia Westbrook and my adviser, Caleb McDaniel, to do a test run of all the technology, experimenting with the microphone and the virtual breakout room,” said Valentin.

Westbrook noted the meeting was also helpful in outlining how the defense structure would be laid out - when time for questioning comes in, how questions would be received, and when the breakout room will be utilized. See her thorough example here . It’s also a good time to decide if the defense will be recorded. “I recommend a pre-meeting to other students and administrators, and I’m insisting on them for our other defenses this semester,” she said.

After the pre-meeting is a good time to check in with your committee and ensure they have everything they need before your defense. Is their internet adequate? Do they have Zoom downloaded? Does their microphone work well?

2. Practice your defense in Zoom before you send out a zoom link with your announcement. “Make a test meeting, invite your friends and try to play with the mic and video,” said Babushkina. “I tried logging in from my computer and my phone at the same time and realized it was not going to work, so troubleshooting was helpful to figure those things out.”

Be sure to look at the Zoom tutorials offered by Rice, and reach out to OIT if you get stuck. They have a list of best practices and training to get you up to speed.

When sending your announcement, remember that your virtual room is pretty big! “What was nice was people not at Rice interested in what I do being able to check in and see my defense,” said Valentin. “There were 24 people watching and they couldn’t necessarily have all fit in one room.”

3. Your preparation may be a mix of old and new techniques. “Test that you have a reliable internet connection before your defense starts,” recommends Valentin. “Test to make sure the camera angle is right. If you’re sharing your screen, become comfortable with that, and really practice muting microphones because it’s kind of like the reply-all button. Have good microphone discipline.”

Think about other forms of preparation as well. Assign co-hosts to help manage microphones for you. Plan your professional attire. Do practice runs with your peers and get their feedback. Be aware of your body language and how that translates to an online audience. Do you need a glass of water nearby? Will you use headphones?

4. Utilize the tools available to make the virtual more “real”. “There is a feature in Zoom that allows you to share an application screen, plugin HDMI, etc.,” said Babushkina. “There is also a feature in PowerPoint which allows you to have a laser on screen like a real laser, using your mouse,” she added. Think about the things you have “IRL” that need to translate into a virtual environment. Test all of these tools out in your practice session with friends, and keep track of which ones you like!

Worried about uninvited guests? Utilize a meeting password, set screen sharing to "host only", and disable the following: file transfer, "join before host" option, and "allow removed participants to rejoin" option. See more tips from Zoom on this topic here , and more on security from OIT here .

5. Make sure your meeting has enough time scheduled. All Rice students have been provisioned to Zoom Pro. Verify that this is the case by looking at your account settings by clicking on your initials on the top right of your zoom app. If you find that your meetings tend to cut off after a set period of time, reach out to the Office of Information Technology so they can help troubleshoot. Your meeting can have a programmed length of time, so to be on the safe side, make sure you have enough time built in for introductions, your defense, the committee breakout, questions, and of course - celebration!

6. Assign co-hosts, and ask for help when you need it. Whoever hosts the meeting, be sure that the presenter is assigned as a co-host, so they can share their screen and control video and microphone muting as needed. Westbrook notes that co-hosts must be using their NetID to be assigned hosting duties. Make sure your co-hosts know what is expected of them and when they should jump in.

Do you need help the day of? Utilize your program administrator. “It was so helpful having admins in the room at the same time, because we could do multiple things at once and test from different accounts and computers,” said Babushkina.

7. Check-in with everyone when you start the meeting, set any ground rules. Make sure everyone can see and hear you. If someone has trouble, encourage them to speak up. Remember to lay any ground rules that you previously decided on in your pre-meeting. Who should be allowed to ask questions, and should those be held until the end? Should questions be asked only utilizing the chat feature, the raise your hand feature, or will you open the floor, so to speak? Remember to be patient with questions. There may be a lag, or people may be formulating their thoughts.

8. Utilize the breakout room. During the meeting, the hosts can create “breakout rooms” within Zoom, so that the committee can confer while the student waits in the main area, or manage the defense in the same way that it is done traditionally during the meeting. This avoids having to have to separate meetings running. Practice with this tool during your pre-meeting.

9. It’s going to be OK. It might seem intimidating, but you’ve got your ducks in a row.

“I would encourage students to expect that there may be some technical hiccups but to focus on defense preparation,” said Biosciences graduate administrator Rachael Eaton. “Know that the committee and audience are sympathetic to the added challenges of holding the defense remotely. Try not to let the technical stuff frazzle you, everyone is in the same boat and will be understanding. Everything will be OK.”

10. Celebrate! Congratulations, doctor! Take the time to celebrate your accomplishment - it’s well-deserved. Know that your GPS ducks are coming . And because you can’t immediately walk to Valhalla, keep some scissors nearby to cut your tie - and maybe keep some champagne chilling in the fridge.

Additional Resources: Getting started with Zoom Zoom Meeting Privacy & Security Best Practices for Video Conferencing Zoom Tutorials Rice Video Conferencing Options and Instructions Tips & Tricks: Teachers Educating on Zoom

Want to Get your Dissertation Accepted?

Discover how we've helped doctoral students complete their dissertations and advance their academic careers!

Join 200+ Graduated Students

Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission

Get customized coaching for:.

• Crafting your proposal,
• Collecting and analyzing your data, or
• Preparing your defense.

Trapped in dissertation revisions?

Preparing for your dissertation defense, published by steve tippins on april 4, 2019 april 4, 2019.

Last Updated on: 30th August 2022, 04:43 am

Preparing for your dissertation defense is one of the most important things you’ll do as a doctoral candidate. Now that you’ve completed your dissertation, it’s up to you to present the results to your committee.

However, the results aren’t just about your study. Your committee wants to see what you learned through the process and whether you are ready to take on the responsibility of being a scholar.

What is a Dissertation Defense?

When you finish your dissertation and your committee has said you are ready to move forward, there is a formal meeting–your dissertation defense–where you have the opportunity to explain what you did and what you found.

Your committee then has the opportunity to ask questions related to your work, the implications of what you found, and your future. It is a chance for you to stand before your peers and be welcomed into the academy. Defending your dissertation is one of the great rites of passage into the world of academia.

How to Prepare for Your Dissertation Defense

Rather than write a quick list of dissertation defense tips, I thought I’d create a comprehensive guide to defending your dissertation. After chairing and sitting on countless dissertation committees, these are the steps I recommend you take.

Cultivate The Right Attitude

Perhaps the most important thing to have as you prepare to defend your dissertation is a revised view of your academic self. You’ve spent years gaining knowledge on your chosen subject, and now is your time to shine. While it’s natural to be nervous — after all, you’re jumping the highest hurdle in academia — keep in mind that this is your moment to shine and that you are now an expert on the topic.

One way to look at the dissertation defense is as a rite of passage. You are being tested, and just as with any rite of passage, the more rigorous the test, the prouder you will be of making it through.

During the process of your defense, keep this in mind: your committee tests you not only to ensure your worthiness but also to enable you to see just how much you know; to step into your new role as “expert.”

Prepare For Your Committee’s Questions

With this attitude in mind, you will want to prepare to demonstrate your expertise. That means anticipating questions the committee may have about your research.

If your dissertation asserts the likelihood of a recession in the presence of particular economic indicators, your committee will want to know what socio-political conditions are linked to these indicators. If you found that high achieving students are more likely to have had parents who volunteered in their schools, your committee members will likely ask you to speculate about how to increase parent involvement in schools.

In other words, you’ll need to be able to participate in discourse beyond your results — questions that speak to the relevance and implications of your research.

This kind of preparation goes beyond creating a PowerPoint of your findings (though that is necessary too); it’s part of your stepping into your expert role.

One thing I always tell my students is “Be able to explain your topic to your grandparents,” because to elucidate someone who knows nothing about the topic (no offense to the grandparents!) you must know it inside and out.

Of course, you’ll also want to know your topic well enough to discuss the topic with the top researchers in the field, but at this stage, you’ll have read enough of their work that you’ll feel you know them personally. It’s usually more difficult for academics to simplify than to complicate.

To ready yourself for potential questions, give your abstract to a few friends outside your academic program and have them ask you questions about your study. The advantage is their “outsider” perspective; you’ll have fun answering their questions and will likely have to make a few new neuronal connections to do so. Practicing like this will also help you relax during the actual defense.

Here are some questions you may be asked during your dissertation defense :

• “What are the strengths and weaknesses of your study?”
• “What was the most surprising thing you found?”
• “What will you do next with your results?”
• “If you could do this over, what would you do differently?”

Organize Your Presentation

Keep in mind that your presentation to your committee can double as your presentation to the faculty at any university to which you apply; your preparation will serve a dual purpose. You’ll need, therefore:

• a concise overview of the literature in which your study is grounded,
• a clear description of your study’s purpose, methodology, and findings,
• and a discussion of the implications of these findings.

Naturally, you will need to consult your department’s and college’s specific requirements, but every dissertation committee (and faculty search committee) will want to fully understand these basic elements of your work.

I have provided a list of questions to help prepare your dissertation defense. If you have time restrictions I would put more emphasis upon your results and the implications of your work. Think of organizing your slides according to these questions:

1. Why did I choose to study this? Don’t be afraid to reveal something personal about your motivation, as long as you can do so with poise and dignity. Your committee members will appreciate this humanizing element but keep it brief!

2. What have other people interested in this topic found? If your study is the next clue in the hunt for answers about this topic, what were the clues that led you here? What paths have past researchers gone down — both fruitful and not? What solid theoretical foundation stands under your study?

This portion of your presentation is the easiest to overdo. You will likely need to edit it again and again to ensure it is both concise and comprehensive. Stick to the major themes in your presentation but be prepared to answer questions about less dominant streams of research.

Hack Your Dissertation

5-Day Mini Course: How to Finish Faster With Less Stress

Interested in more helpful tips about improving your dissertation experience? Join our 5-day mini course by email!

3. How did my research question evolve? Answering this question links your research to what has already been established, placing your study in the stream of knowledge. Keep it brief but don’t skip this step, as it is key to showing you as an academic, rather than a student.

4. How did I organize my study? This is a description of the basics of your study and the “whys” of these choices. You can expand a bit here, as the decisions you made at this stage demonstrate your ability to think critically about approaching a research question. Why did you choose your particular methodology? What was the benefit of this design over another option you might have chosen?

5. What did I find? You can begin this section with what you expected to find and why, then explain what you actually found. Keep this section simple and factual.

6. What do the findings mean in relation to the question? Whether or not your findings matched your expectations, they tell you and your colleagues something important about the topic. What is it? Can we speculate that this is a promising area of research, or is this a path we might think of as a dead end? What, exactly, does this study tell us?

7. What’s next for me and for the research? You’ll want to give your committee (and any faculty search committee) a preview of your prospective academic career. What new questions has your study sparked for you? What would you hope other researchers would look at next? How do you intend to fit into the academic conversation on this topic?

Depending on your committee and requirements, you may want to include potential grants you will consider applying for to fund your next study. (This inclusion becomes more important when applying for academic positions.)

Prepare Yourself Mentally

Going back to attitude, remind yourself that a dissertation defense is your opportunity to step into your new role. This is your domain now. Breathe deeply and feel the pride that comes with a job well done. Know that you belong in this realm and the dissertation defense is your chance to prove it. Be humble, too; after all, you stand on the shoulders of giants.

Getting enough rest the night before, drinking water and bringing some with you to drink when your mouth gets dry, and being wise about what you consume prior to the defense (maybe go easy on the carbs and caffeine) are all obvious but frequently overlooked pointers. Your committee members want to know you can handle the pressure and take care of yourself under duress .

You might want to give yourself a few minutes of silence and rest before heading in to defend. Take those moments to recognize whatever you’re feeling, then humbly begin your academic career by presenting your most important work to date. And then get ready to roll up your sleeves for the next one. Congratulations, Doctor!

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

Related Posts

Dissertation

What makes a good research question.

Creating a good research question is vital to successfully completing your dissertation. Here are some tips that will help you formulate a good research question.  What Makes a Good Research Question? These are the three Read more…

Dissertation Structure

When it comes to writing a dissertation, one of the most fraught questions asked by graduate students is about dissertation structure. A dissertation is the lengthiest writing project that many graduate students ever undertake, and Read more…

Choosing a Dissertation Chair

Choosing your dissertation chair is one of the most important decisions that you’ll make in graduate school. Your dissertation chair will in many ways shape your experience as you undergo the most rigorous intellectual challenge Read more…

Make This Your Last Round of Dissertation Revision.

Learn How to Get Your Dissertation Accepted .

Discover the 5-Step Process in this Free Webinar .

Almost there!

Please verify your email address by clicking the link in the email message we just sent to your address.

If you don't see the message within the next five minutes, be sure to check your spam folder :).

Dissertation Defense

What is a dissertation defense?

The final oral examination for a doctoral candidate, commonly known as the dissertation defense, represents the conclusive formal stage prior to the submission of the dissertation manuscript and the conferral of the doctoral degree. This examination centers on the dissertation itself and its relevance within the candidate's area of academic specialization.

A successful defense is the peak of your academic career, so don’t treat it lightly. Make sure that you take enough time to learn everything there is to know about the topic and prepare well. If you look at your paper and it seems raw or unfinished, and especially if your academic advisor says so, it might be best to take another semester for prep. We don’t mean to scare you, but it truly is a responsible moment, and if you fail your defense, all the years of hard work will be wasted.

Defending doctoral dissertation is not going to be easy. If you don’t get to choose the members of your board and you will be met with unfamiliar faces, you might start to panic and feel lost. This is exactly why you need to be over-prepared. In fact, there’s no such thing as being overly prepared when it comes to your defense. Think of all the possible questions your dissertation committee members may have, even the most far-fetched ones, and then find the answers.

Doctoral dissertation defense process

During the dissertation defense, the candidate delivers an oral presentation of their dissertation to the Supervisory Committee (refer to the Supervisory Committee Policy) and to a public audience. The length of both the oral presentation and the subsequent question-and-answer session is determined through consultation between the Committee and the candidate, ensuring it meets the specific requirements and standards of the process.

The dissertation defense process, often the culmination of a doctoral program, is a critical step in the journey towards earning a PhD or similar advanced degree. This process involves several key stages designed to assess the quality, originality, and contribution of the candidate's research. Here's a general overview:

• Completion of the Dissertation : Before the defense can be scheduled, the dissertation must be completed. This involves conducting original research, writing up the findings, and often, revising the document based on the advisor's feedback.
• Submission of the Dissertation : Once the dissertation is completed and approved by the advisor, it must be submitted to the department or dissertation committee for review. This submission typically includes a written document detailing the candidate's research findings and conclusions.
• Scheduling the Defense : After the dissertation is submitted, a defense date is scheduled. The timing of this can vary widely depending on the institution and the specific requirements of the department.
• Preparation for the Defense : The candidate prepares a formal presentation of their research findings. This presentation is typically structured to highlight the research question, methodology, key findings, and the significance of the work.
• The Defense Event : The defense itself is a public forum in which the candidate presents their research to the dissertation committee and often, an audience of peers, faculty, and sometimes the general public. Following the presentation, committee members and sometimes audience members ask questions related to the research and the findings.
• Question and Answer Session : This session allows the committee to probe the candidate's understanding of the research area, methodology, and conclusions. The candidate must defend their research choices and conclusions, demonstrating deep knowledge of the subject.
• Committee Deliberation : Following the Q&A, the committee deliberates in private to decide whether the candidate has successfully defended the dissertation. Criteria for success can include the originality of the research, the soundness of the methodology, and the significance of the contributions to the field.
• Outcome Announcement : The committee then informs the candidate of the outcome. Possible outcomes can include pass, pass with minor revisions, pass with major revisions, or fail, although specifics can vary by institution.
• Completion of Revisions (if required) : If the committee requires revisions, the candidate must complete these before the degree can be officially awarded. The scope of revisions can vary significantly.
• Final Submission : After any required revisions are made and approved by the committee, the final version of the dissertation is submitted to the university. This often includes submitting bound copies of the dissertation and making it available through the university's library or institutional repository.
• Graduation and Degree Conferral : Following successful defense and submission of the final dissertation, the candidate is eligible to graduate and receive their doctoral degree.

This process is a significant milestone in an academic career, representing the transition from student to scholar and contributing new knowledge to the field.

Even though it may seem horrible and nerve-racking, the process of defending your dissertation is pretty straightforward. And if you take your time to prepare for it well, you will not have any problems with the defense itself.

The scariest part is presenting your work to a group of professionals. You have to show your proficiency in the field, ability to think critically and withstand criticism. Most colleges and universities will allow you to choose your own committee. So, try to take your pick as early as possible so you’re not left with people the rest of your group didn’t want. 

How to defend dissertation?

Navigating your dissertation defense involves thorough prep, including understanding your institution's format, mastering your material, anticipating committee questions, and perfecting your presentation. During the defense, remain poised, address inquiries with depth, and interact professionally. Post-defense, be ready for revisions. Ensure professional attire, early arrival, and confidence in your expertise. Embrace feedback as growth. Celebrate this significant academic milestone, as it's not only an examination but a showcase of your scholarly journey.

Defending your dissertation is a pivotal moment in your academic career. Here's a step-by-step guide to prepare for and successfully defend your dissertation:

Let’s assume that your dissertation paper is done and approved. The next step after choosing your committee would be preparation. In one of the committee meetings, you will discuss how much time you have for your defense and the Q&A session afterward. Normally, the whole defense lasts about an hour, but it can vary depending on the number of doctoral students defending on the same day. 

Preparing for your defense means getting thoroughly acquainted with your paper. It might seem like a ridiculous piece of advice if you’ve written it yourself, yet, with a paper of that size, it’s easy to get lost. If you’ve used a dissertation writing service , you need to take special care in learning the contents of your paper. 

Prepare a presentation that you will be showing to the committee. Make sure the slides are clear and easy to understand, with most information placed in the speaker notes. You don’t want to overload the slides with text. 

Analyze your dissertation and think of all the possible questions the defense board members may have afterward. It’s hard to anticipate what a professional may ask about your ‘rookie’ paper, so it might help to speak to your academic advisor before the PhD defense . They might shed some light on the inconsistencies and possible lack of analysis in some areas. 

How to prepare for defense day?

When the day of defending dissertation finally comes, no matter how prepared you are, it will still be stressful. So, it makes sense to come over-prepared. Learn your dissertation text by hard.

Find every grammatical mistake and fix it. Get acquainted with every letter and word and really make sure it’s perfect. If you are convinced your paper is perfect, it will be hard for the defense board to convince you otherwise. 

How do I know I’m ready for my PhD dissertation defense?

Your academic advisor is your best friend in this situation. They have lots of experience in the matter, and they will be the first person to tell you if your paper is defense-proof. If you see them doubting or if they are asking lots of questions, use those questions as learning points. 

Most likely, they criticize you not because they hate you. But because they want to show you your gaps in knowledge. This is a powerful tool to help you find blank spots and fill them

What should I bring to my PhD thesis defense?

• Presentation Materials : This includes any slides or visual aids you'll use to support your talk. Ensure they are ready and compatible with the equipment available.
• Laser Pointer : Useful for highlighting specific areas or data on your slides during the presentation.
• Copy of Your Dissertation : Have at least one printed copy for your own reference. It's helpful for addressing specific questions or sections during the Q&A.
• Pen or Pencil : For making quick notes or annotations based on feedback or questions you may receive.
• Notepad : To jot down notes, questions, or reminders during the defense.
• Bottle of Water : Keeping hydrated is important, especially since you'll be speaking for an extended period.
• Backup of Your Presentation : Have a backup on a USB drive or accessible online in case of technical difficulties.
• Any Necessary Forms : Sometimes, there are forms that committee members need to sign post-defense. Check with your department for any such requirements.
• Questions for Your Committee : Have a list of questions or clarifications you might want to ask your committee after your defense.
• A Watch or Timer : To keep track of your presentation time and ensure you cover all points within the allotted duration.

Depending on how long is a PhD defense, you will need a different supply. If you are planning to sit through your whole class’ defense, you will need lots of water, some snacks to eat during the breaks, and your presentation materials.

However, if you are allowed to only show up to your defense and not listen to the entire class defend their dissertations, the most important thing you need to have is your dissertation and presentation. And don’t forget to bring some water, it can help you calm down if you get stressed.

Why does the dissertation length vary?

Various elements, such as institutional standards, the research's complexity, the extent of analysis, and the presence of supplementary materials, can determine a dissertation's length.

The length of your defense may also depend on how long is a dissertation . If your dissertation is 70 pages, your defense will definitely run shorter than if it is 300 pages long. The length of your paper will also influence the length of your PowerPoint presentation and the number of questions you get.

But how do you defend a dissertation? Defense is just an academic word for presenting your findings. You do your research, you present it to the board, and they ask you questions. By answering these questions, you defend the legitimacy and academic value of your doctoral defense research.

The key here is preparedness. Being well-acquainted with the contents of your paper and being able to defend it is your key to success. If you’re not sure about some parts of your dissertation, consult your academic advisor. They will be willing to help and advise you on whether you should take another semester to prepare.

Of course, it’s a great thing that ‘ write my dissertation ’ services exist. You can address a service like Studyfy and rely on it completely in the dissertation writing process. If you do, you can order your dissertation chapter by chapter and bring each draft to the professor for their notes and critiques.

What else do I need to know?

The most important part is you need to be prepared to defend dissertation meaning, and you need to know your dissertation by heart and be ready to justify every word in it. Sure, it may sound terrifying but thinking that millions of people have done that before you might give you some ease. 

How long is a dissertation defense?

Normally, defending my dissertation shouldn’t take more than an hour and a half. It usually lasts anywhere between 30 minutes and 1,5 hours.

It depends on your academic level, the number of people defending, and your preparedness. If the committee members sense you’re ill-prepared, they will ask you more questions.

It’s not because they want to thank you, but actually because they want to give you more chances. Asking more questions is usually an attempt to find an area that you’re very good at to give you a chance to redeem yourself.Your doctoral defense ia an important part of your doctoral journey, and it's bound to be more intense than a bachelor’s one. That’s only natural. Since your doctoral dissertation will be more in-depth, show a deeper understanding of the subject and better proficiency. 

The length of your defense will depend on many factors. But the most important one is your preparedness and confidence. If you are not prepared well, the dissertation committee will ask you lots of questions. They do that to find an area of study that you are good at, but at that moment, it might make you even more stressed. So, coming prepared is the best thing you can do for your defense to be successful. 

Using services like Studyfy is also an option. Yet, you must understand that if you show up with a perfectly written paper, yet you have no idea what it’s about, it will raise even more questions. That’s why you must prepare very well, regardless if you write your paper yourself or outsource it. If you still have some questions about how to write a dissertation , make sure to read our guide.

What is the key to dissertation defense?

Comprehensive Preparation: Familiarize yourself with your institution's defense protocols and engage in extensive practice. Segment your thesis for easier presentation, manage timing, highlight essential arguments, and anticipate likely inquiries. Organize a practice defense session to gain comfort with the procedure.

The most important thing you need to do to defend my dissertation is to start your prep early enough. What does it mean to defend your dissertation? Your defense is the pinnacle of all the hard work you've put in your studies throughout the years. Every time you write a paper, you must understand that you may use that research for your dissertation. So, your prep for dissertation defense starts as soon as you enter college.

What is defending a dissertation? Are there dissertation committee members?

Defending dissertation meaning is the process of presenting your research and findings to the board. Regardless if you buy dissertation or write it yourself, you will need to defend it. This is why you need to prepare carefully for your defense - study your paper through and through, think about all the possible questions you may be asked and think of the answers.

The dissertation committee or the dissertation chair are faculty members that will simply ask dissertation defense questions - some about research methodology, and some about the primary role of your work. Before the actual oral defense, try setting up a mock defense with your friend and go over the important topics.

How long is a thesis defense?

It depends on the length of your paper. Since your master’s thesis will probably be a bit shorter than a doctorate dissertation, you can count on your oral defense lasting up to an hour. Again, the length of the doctorate defense depends on how well you are prepared and how you handle the professors’ questions. 

Virtual dissertation defense recommendations

We strongly recommend using the following Zoom meeting settings and in-meeting management strategies to ensure you have a secure and productive Dissertation Defense meeting, while also allowing for participation and input, as appropriate, from meeting attendees.

• The thesis/dissertation advisor should create separate Zoom meetings for the public and private components of the defense, particularly if the public defense includes individuals other than the student and the committee. The Zoom meeting access details for the private component of the defense should only be communicated to the student and the committee and not shared with others.
• Students are encouraged to hold one or more practice defenses with a select group of friends, fellow students, or other close colleagues to rehearse the components of delivering a defense using Zoom.  
• Be prepared for a possible system crash during the Zoom meeting and don’t panic if it happens - you should be able rejoin the meeting after a system reboot. Have contact information (voice, text, email) on hand for any co-hosts in case you need to inform them of the crash so that the co-host can notify other participants.

In your general Zoom settings, you should set the following meeting options:

These settings will affect all of your Zoom meetings, so you may need to adjust some back depending on your needs for other meetings. You will need to adjust these from the main UNR Zoom web page: https://unr.zoom.us .

• Make sure private chat is disabled. Leave the normal chat function enabled and restrict it once in the meeting so the Host/Co-Host can send messages to the group, but no one else can send chat messages.
• Under Screen sharing, make sure sharing is disabled for participants.
• Disable Annotation. This will turn off participants ability to annotate on a shared screen during a meeting.
• Disable Whiteboard. This will turn off the whiteboard function for participants.
• Make sure Nonverbal feedback is enabled. The Nonverbal feedback setting is located just a little below the Sharing settings, make sure this is enabled so participants can raise their hands and engage in other nonverbal communication.

When you create/schedule your Dissertation Defense meeting, use the following settings:

These options are set when you schedule your meeting. They will help to ensure that you meeting is attended only by those participants who you intend to invite.

• Generate Meeting ID Automatically – This will also help to ensure the security of your meeting as the meeting ID will be new and randomized for each new meeting you create.
• Require Meeting Password – This setting should be checked by default, but it is a good practice to keep the password enabled. This will also help ensure the security of your meeting.
• Set Participant Video to off – This will turn off participant video by default.
• Enable join before host – This will place any meeting participants in waiting room if they join the Zoom meeting before the meeting Host.
• Mute Participants upon entry – This will mute all participants when they enter the meeting. A Host or Co-Host will need to unmute users before they can speak.
• Enable waiting room – This feature places all participants in a waiting room until allowed into the room by the meeting Host/Co-Host. (This feature is now be locked “On” for security purposes.)

Once in the meeting, disable participant chat:

The first thing you should do immediately after you start the meeting as the host is to restrict the Chat function. This will restrict the chat function so only Hosts and Co-Hosts have the ability to send chats. All participants can see the chats that get sent.

To restrict the chat function:

• From the Zoom meeting window, click on the Chat button on the lower toolbar to bring up the chat panel.
• In the chat panel, click on the … button and select “ Participants Can Chat With: No One ” from the drop-down options.

Meeting Management

Ideally you should have at least one Co-Host to help manage participants. Most of this will take place using the manage Participants panel. Make sure you have this toggled on, by clicking Manage Participants in the bottom toolbar.

• All participants should be muted on entry, but if they are not you can use the Mute All button to mute and select the option in the dialog box that opens that prevents participants from unmuting themselves.
• During the meeting the Host and Co-Hosts can control participant video as needed by using the Stop Video It will stop the participant's video stream, so they are unable to start their video. If the participant if off by default, you will see the Ask to Start Video option.
• The PhD student and any panelists should be elevated to Co-Hosts , this will allow them to control their own webcams and mics as well as allowing them to use the chat function as needed. They will also have the ability to share their screen/present. The meeting Host can elevate any participant to Co-Host. (There is no limit to the number of Co-Hosts you can have.)
• Depending on if you are using chat at all or not, use either chat or a verbal announcement in the meeting to direct participants to use the Raise Hand function in the Participant panel to be recognized and unmuted, so they can speak to the group. Ideally this could be moderated by a Co-Host.
• In the event that a disruptive participant gets into your meeting, use the Remove function on the Participant panel to remove them from the meeting immediately.

If you have questions or concerns about your dissertation defense meeting setup – or would like to discuss your meeting or setting more specifically, please email [email protected] .

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

What is a thesis defense?

How long is a thesis defense, what happens at a thesis defense, your presentation, questions from the committee, 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense, 1. anticipate questions and prepare for them, 2. dress for success, 3. ask for help, as needed, 4. have a backup plan, 5. prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer, 6. de-stress before, during, and after, frequently asked questions about preparing an excellent thesis defense, related articles.

If you're about to complete, or have ever completed a graduate degree, you have most likely come across the term "thesis defense." In many countries, to finish a graduate degree, you have to write a thesis .

A thesis is a large paper, or multi-chapter work, based on a topic relating to your field of study.

Once you hand in your thesis, you will be assigned a date to defend your work. Your thesis defense meeting usually consists of you and a committee of two or more professors working in your program. It may also include other people, like professionals from other colleges or those who are working in your field.

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. By the time of your thesis defense, your paper has already been evaluated. The questions asked are not designed so that you actually have to aggressively "defend" your work; often, your thesis defense is more of a formality required so that you can get your degree.

• Check with your department about requirements and timing.
• Re-read your thesis.
• Anticipate questions and prepare for them.
• Create a back-up plan to deal with technology hiccups.
• Plan de-stressing activities both before, and after, your defense.

How long your oral thesis defense is depends largely on the institution and requirements of your degree. It is best to consult your department or institution about this. In general, a thesis defense may take only 20 minutes, but it may also take two hours or more. The length also depends on how much time is allocated to the presentation and questioning part.

Tip: Check with your department or institution as soon as possible to determine the approved length for a thesis defense.

First of all, be aware that a thesis defense varies from country to country. This is just a general overview, but a thesis defense can take many different formats. Some are closed, others are public defenses. Some take place with two committee members, some with more examiners.

The same goes for the length of your thesis defense, as mentioned above. The most important first step for you is to clarify with your department what the structure of your thesis defense will look like. In general, your thesis defense will include:

• your presentation of around 20-30 minutes
• questions from the committee
• questions from the audience (if the defense is public and the department allows it)

You might have to give a presentation, often with Powerpoint, Google slides, or Keynote slides. Make sure to prepare an appropriate amount of slides. A general rule is to use about 10 slides for a 20-minute presentation.

But that also depends on your specific topic and the way you present. The good news is that there will be plenty of time ahead of your thesis defense to prepare your slides and practice your presentation alone and in front of friends or family.

Tip: Practice delivering your thesis presentation in front of family, friends, or colleagues.

You can prepare your slides by using information from your thesis' first chapter (the overview of your thesis) as a framework or outline. Substantive information in your thesis should correspond with your slides.

Make sure your slides are of good quality— both in terms of the integrity of the information and the appearance. If you need more help with how to prepare your presentation slides, both the ASQ Higher Education Brief and James Hayton have good guidelines on the topic.

The committee will ask questions about your work after you finish your presentation. The questions will most likely be about the core content of your thesis, such as what you learned from the study you conducted. They may also ask you to summarize certain findings and to discuss how your work will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Tip: Read your entire thesis in preparation of the questions, so you have a refreshed perspective on your work.

While you are preparing, you can create a list of possible questions and try to answer them. You can foresee many of the questions you will get by simply spending some time rereading your thesis.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense:

You can absolutely prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your thesis and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions. In addition, since you will know who will be on the committee, look at the academic expertise of the committee members. In what areas would they most likely be focused?

If possible, sit at other thesis defenses with these committee members to get a feel for how they ask and what they ask. As a graduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating test questions, so use this advantage to gather as much information as possible before your thesis defense meeting.

Your thesis defense is a formal event, often the entire department or university is invited to participate. It signals a critical rite of passage for graduate students and faculty who have supported them throughout a long and challenging process.

While most universities don't have specific rules on how to dress for that event, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.

It might help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your defense well ahead of schedule. This trusted person could be responsible for:

• preparing the room of the day of defense
• setting up equipment for the presentation
• preparing and distributing handouts

Technology is unpredictable. Life is too. There are no guarantees that your Powerpoint presentation will work at all or look the way it is supposed to on the big screen. We've all been there. Make sure to have a plan B for these situations. Handouts can help when technology fails, and an additional clean shirt can save the day if you have a spill.

One of the scariest aspects of the defense is the possibility of being asked a question you can't answer. While you can prepare for some questions, you can never know exactly what the committee will ask.

There will always be gaps in your knowledge. But your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. You are not expected to know everything.

James Hayton writes on his blog that examiners will sometimes even ask questions they don't know the answer to, out of curiosity, or because they want to see how you think. While it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, but you would need to do [...] in order to find out.” This shows that you have the ability to think as an academic.

You will be nervous. But your examiners will expect you to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions, for example. Dora Farkas at finishyourthesis.com notes that it’s a myth that thesis committees are out to get you.

Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down and take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life.

• Try meditational breathing right before your defense.
• Get plenty of exercise and sleep in the weeks prior to your defense.
• Have your clothes or other items you need ready to go the night before.
• During your defense, allow yourself to process each question before answering.
• Go to dinner with friends and family, or to a fun activity like mini-golf, after your defense.

Allow yourself to process each question, respond to it, and stop talking once you have responded. While a smile can often help dissolve a difficult situation, remember that nervous laughs can be irritating for your audience.

We all make mistakes and your thesis defense will not be perfect. However, careful preparation, mindfulness, and confidence can help you feel less stressful both before, and during, your defense.

Finally, consider planning something fun that you can look forward to after your defense.

It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed. Slow yourself down, and take a deep breath.

Your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. James Hayton writes on his blog that it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", but he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, you would need to do [...] in order to find out".

Your Powerpoint presentation can get stuck or not look the way it is supposed to do on the big screen. It can happen and your supervisors know it. In general, handouts can always save the day when technology fails.

• Dress for success.
• Ask for help setting up.
• Have a backup plan (in case technology fails you).
• Deal with your nerves.

Search Icon

Events See all →

Earth week 2024.

This is a campuswide week of events, lectures, and volunteer opportunities designed to educate and inspire action related to environmental justice, climate, and nature-based solutions. This year’s theme is Restore & Regenerate.

Various locations

Excellence in Graduate Teaching Reception

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Penn Graduate Student Center, 3615 Locust Walk

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

College Green

Maggie Nelson

6:30 p.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk

Campus & Community

The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually

When most aspects of university life moved online because of covid-19, so, too, did the thesis defense for ph.d. candidates. despite some challenges, the shift had unexpected benefits..

At the end of a dissertation defense, after the presentation ends and the committee has done its deliberating, there’s a special moment. Away from the audience, the doctoral candidate meets with committee members to hear their thoughts, then together, the group reenters the room. For the first time, the student gets introduced as a doctor. 

“Everyone hears that and cheers,” says Elise Tarbi , who recently earned her Ph.D. from Penn ’s School of Nursing . 

As most aspects of University life moved online this spring because of COVID-19, so, too, did dissertation defenses, the final hurdle before a doctoral candidate finishes years of graduate study. Though a virtual event meant that the pronouncement of doctor and the celebration that follows couldn’t happen in person, the shift had some unexpected benefits. 

Without the need for everyone to be physically be in the same space, scheduling conflicts became slightly less daunting. Ph.D. candidates felt added support from others in their shoes, mentors, department administrators who worked to make the process as seamless as possible. And more family and friends could participate from afar.

“When I got the news that I was going to be defending online, I was heartbroken,” says Aja Carter , who earned a doctorate from the Department of Earth and Environmental Science in the School of Arts & Sciences . “But now I think the way this was done is how theses should always be done. My grandma was able to come and that was awesome. I have family in the Caribbean who were able to watch. The room I would have defended in holds 30 people.”

Nearly 60 showed up to hear Carter discuss the paleontology that’s dominated her life for the past six years. The defense experience may have gotten flipped on its head, she says, but the virtual one turned out to be just as rich. 

Technological challenges

Whether a PowerPoint will load or videos will run smoothly is always a consideration for live talks. But when that presentation is a dissertation defense via technologies suddenly being used by hundreds of millions of people daily, it can add anxiety to an already stressful situation. What happens if someone freezes? Who can provide a technical assist? How will a disruption affect the presentation flow? 

Tarbi, who studies patient-clinician communication during serious illness, turned to her academic community on Twitter. She found tips on keeping presentations engaging and on navigating technical logistics like muting an audience and sharing a screen. Two friends from her cohort were defending around the same time, so for weeks the trio practiced for one another. 

“We were the first three to do it in the School of Nursing, and we were figuring it out together,” says Tarbi, who starts a postdoc at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in July. “We did run-throughs and talked through how we could handle potential problems, like if no one can see your presentation or if you have a Zoom bomber. I don’t know how I would have done it without that network.” 

Paul Masih Das , who earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Physics & Astronomy in the School of Arts & Sciences in April, says beyond the technologies, his biggest concern was connectivity. 

“I don’t spend that much time at home,” says Masih Das, who studies how to fabricate and characterize materials just a few atoms thick. “I was a little worried that my internet would fail or that I would have general computer problems. I tried to minimize that by practicing with my classmates and lab mates, by testing the internet connection multiple times. These are problems you don’t think about when you have an in-person defense.” 

Sometimes a glitch does occur but doesn’t end up mattering, like during Carter’s defense. She studies how the structure of the vertebrae in the spinal column changed over time and how that affected the way animals move. She uses short videos to illustrate her points. But during the defense, the videos she prepared—which worked fine from her end—didn’t play for the audience, who saw still images or nothing at all. She was unaware of the hiccup until much later. “I’m really happy that didn’t come across for me during the talk,” she says, “that I didn’t have to see confused faces.” 

A broader audience 

Beyond small snafus, technology didn’t hinder the recent graduates’ experiences. In fact, most say the virtual setting brought a much wider audience than if they’d done the defense in person. 

Aldo Anzures Tapia , who completed the Education Linguistics program in the Graduate School of Education , focuses on early childhood education in Indigenous contexts in Mexico. Family, friends, peers, and professors joined his online discussion, as did people from the town where he conducted his fieldwork. “After a defense, you want to hug people and you want to celebrate. In my case, it was just closing the computer,” he says. But “it did warm my heart to see so many people.” 

For Douglas Guilbeault , who earned his Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication , the remote defense provided a way to share with the important people in his life what he had spent the past five years doing. 

“It’s the most significant and meaningful project I’ve ever done,” says Guilbeault, who starts as an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, in July. “It was really special for me to think that all these people from different times in my life could hear about it at the same time. Everyone was in the same virtual room. It was cool to have that.” 

Such a moment was unlike any Peter Dodson had experienced in nearly four decades of mentoring Ph.D. students. Carter and Erynn Johnson, his final two mentees, both defended their dissertations virtually to substantial audiences. “I was pleasantly surprised at how well both went,” says Dodson, who has appointments in the  School of Veterinary Medicine  and the School of Arts & Sciences. “Young people are more adept at technology than some of us old dinosaurs are, but both students are very good speakers and each gave the best presentations that they’ve ever given.” 

Tarbi describes the experience as a “crazy blending of all worlds,” of committee members and professors, family members and friends from college, even nursing colleagues listening in from clinics, masks firmly in place. 

Unparalleled support 

Doctoral students, who take years to finish their degree, rely on peers, family, friends, faculty, and administrators along the way. But in light of pandemic-related circumstances beyond anyone’s control, the students’ support networks seem to have pushed even harder to ensure a smooth process. 

Guilbeault mentions Annenberg’s assistant dean for graduate studies, Joanne Murray, who worked out all the technical kinks leading up to his defense. Tarbi recalls how her advisor, Penn Nursing’s Salimah Meghani , graciously answered five frantic emails the week leading up to hers. Carter’s family and friends held a surprise virtual party for her after she finished. 

“The thesis was exhausting, but the parties after were also exhausting,” she says. “What a great complaint to have.” 

And all still got to celebrate being called a doctor for the first time. Tarbi’s committee members left the public Blue Jeans room where she’d given her presentation and moved to a private room to discuss the talk. When the consultation finished, she and her committee reentered the room. “Welcome Dr. Tarbi,” said Meghani. Everyone cheered and clapped; Tarbi cut a cake on screen. 

“Leading up to the defense, I had so much anxiety. Initially I was grieving the loss of this big ceremony I’d been looking forward to. But I adapted to it because there are so many things we’re grieving right now,” she says. “Then I had a lot of anxiety about the technology, which I think was displaced anxiety I would have had no matter what. On the day of, though, it was amazing.”

Picturing artistic pursuits

Penn celebrates operation and benefits of largest solar power project in Pennsylvania

Solar production has begun at the Great Cove I and II facilities in central Pennsylvania, the equivalent of powering 70% of the electricity demand from Penn’s academic campus and health system in the Philadelphia area.

Education, Business, & Law

Investing in future teachers and educational leaders

The Empowerment Through Education Scholarship Program at Penn’s Graduate School of Education is helping to prepare and retain teachers and educational leaders.

Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

‘The Illuminated Body’ fuses color, light, and sound

A new Arthur Ross Gallery exhibition of work by artist Barbara Earl Thomas features cut-paper portraits reminiscent of stained glass and an immersive installation constructed with intricately cut material lit from behind.

25 years of ‘LOVE’

The iconic sculpture by pop artist Robert Indiana arrived on campus in 1999 and soon became a natural place to come together.

The top 10 thesis defense questions (+ how to prepare strong answers)

Crafting a thesis is significant, but defending it often feels like the ultimate test. While nerve-wracking, proper preparation can make it manageable. Prepare for your thesis defense with insights on the top questions you can expect, including strategies for answering convincingly.

Mastering the thesis defense: cultivate a success mindset

Question 1: why did you choose this particular topic for your research, question 2: how does your research contribute to the existing body of knowledge, question 3: what are the key findings of your research, question 4: can you defend your research methodology, question 5: how did you analyze the data and what challenges did you encounter, question 6: what theoretical frameworks or references underpin your research, question 7: how did you address ethical considerations in your research, question 8: in what ways does your research contribute to the field, question 9: how did you ensure your research was free from bias, question 10: where can future research go from here.

Nurturing a success mindset for your defense is pivotal. This means adopting a mental outlook geared towards achieving favorable outcomes during your thesis defense. To truly excel in this pivotal academic moment, it’s imperative to cultivate both confidence and composure.

Confidence enables you to present your research with conviction, while composure allows you to navigate any challenges with grace and clarity.

Remember, you know your thesis best, so trust in your expertise.

In essence, a success mindset encompasses the belief in your abilities, coupled with the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure.

Stay composed and focused, relying on your thorough preparation. If you encounter a question you can’t answer, gracefully guide the conversation back to familiar topics.

Use strategic responses when needed. For example, if a question goes beyond your thesis scope, acknowledge its relevance but steer back to your focused areas. Similarly, if you’re unfamiliar with a theory or literature, admit it but offer related insights or perspectives.

By embracing these principles and staying confident and adaptable, you’ll navigate your thesis defense with ease.

This question delves into the origins of your academic journey, aiming to understand not just what you studied, but the underlying motivations and processes that drove your exploration. It’s not merely about the superficial aspects of your research, but rather about the deeper intellectual curiosity that ignited your quest.

To effectively respond, take the opportunity to elaborate on the intricacies of your journey. Begin by unpacking the specific interests or questions that sparked your intellectual curiosity in the subject matter. What events, experiences, or influences led you to delve into this particular area of study? Providing an anecdote or example that vividly illustrates the genesis of your scholarly pursuit can be helpful.

Moreover, discuss the gaps you identified in the existing literature that motivated you to contribute to your field. What deficiencies or unanswered questions did you observe? How did these gaps inspire you to embark on your research journey with the aim of filling these voids? By articulating the specific shortcomings in the current body of knowledge, you demonstrate a nuanced understanding of your research area and underscore the significance of your work.

Additionally, highlight any personal or academic experiences that played a pivotal role in steering you towards your chosen topic. Whether it was a transformative educational experience, a profound personal interest, or a meaningful encounter, these experiences can offer valuable insights into the origins of your scholarly pursuits.

In summary, when articulating your narrative, consider the following key points:

• Unpack the specific interests or questions that sparked your intellectual curiosity.
• Discuss the gaps in the existing literature that motivated your research.
• Highlight any personal or academic experiences that influenced your choice of topic.

This question delves into the vital role your research plays within the existing body of knowledge, urging you to articulate its significance and impact. It’s not merely about the subject matter you’ve studied, but also about the unique contributions and advancements your research brings to your field. To effectively respond, delve into the intricacies of your work and its implications for the broader academic landscape.

Begin by emphasizing the novelties and breakthroughs your research introduces. Highlight specific aspects of your study that represent advancements in understanding or methodologies. Whether it’s a novel approach to a longstanding problem, the discovery of new phenomena, or the development of innovative methodologies, these contributions underscore the significance of your research within the academic community.

Next, describe how your work engages with or challenges current conversations in your field. Discuss the existing paradigms or theories your research builds upon or critiques. Articulate how your findings contribute to ongoing debates or reshape prevailing understandings. By positioning your research within the broader context of scholarly discourse, you showcase its relevance and impact on the evolving landscape of your field.

Illuminate how your findings could influence future research trajectories. Explore potential avenues for further inquiry that emerge from your research findings. Consider how your work opens up new questions or areas of exploration for future researchers. By identifying these potential research directions, you demonstrate the forward-looking nature of your work and its potential to shape the future trajectory of your field.

In summary, when addressing how your research contributes to the existing body of knowledge, consider the following key points:

• Emphasize the novelties and breakthroughs your research introduces.
• Describe the conversations in your field that your work engages with or challenges.
• Illuminate how your findings could influence future research trajectories.

Addressing the question of your research’s key findings demands skill, as it necessitates succinctly summarizing your work while conveying its significance. To effectively respond, distill your findings into digestible takeaways that encapsulate the essence of your research. Identify the central discoveries or outcomes of your study, ensuring clarity and conciseness in your presentation.

Furthermore, relate these findings to the broader implications they hold for your field. Articulate how your research contributes to advancing knowledge or addressing pressing issues within your academic discipline. Consider the potential impact of your findings on theory, practice, or policy, highlighting their relevance and significance within the larger scholarly community.

Additionally, be prepared to elucidate the nuances and complexities involved in your results. While providing a concise summary of your findings is essential, it’s equally important to acknowledge the intricacies and limitations of your research. Discuss any methodological considerations, unexpected outcomes, or areas for further investigation, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of your work.

In summary, when addressing the key findings of your research, consider the following key points:

• Distill your findings into digestible takeaways.
• Relate the outcomes to the broader implications they hold for your field.
• Be prepared to shed light on the nuances and complexities involved in your results.

Defending your research methodology entails a comprehensive understanding of its rationale, alignment with research objectives, and acknowledgment of potential limitations. It’s not merely about explaining the methods employed but also justifying why they were chosen over alternative approaches. To effectively respond, delve into the intricacies of your methodology and its implications for the study.

Begin by elucidating the reasons for selecting the chosen methodology over alternatives. Discuss the specific advantages or suitability of the selected approach in addressing the research questions or objectives. Consider factors such as feasibility, appropriateness for the research context, and compatibility with the theoretical framework guiding your study.

Furthermore, explain how your chosen methods align with your research objectives. Articulate how the selected methodology enables you to achieve the intended outcomes and contribute to answering the research questions. Discuss how each methodological choice supports the overall research design and furthers the overarching goals of the study.

Be prepared to discuss the limitations inherent in your chosen methodology and how you mitigated them. Acknowledge any constraints or shortcomings associated with the selected approach, such as potential biases, sample size limitations, or data collection challenges. Demonstrate your awareness of these limitations and discuss the strategies implemented to address or minimize their impact on the validity and reliability of your findings.

In summary, when defending your research methodology, consider the following key points:

• Justify the methodology with reasons for selecting it over alternatives.
• Explain the methods’ alignment with your research objectives.
• Be ready to discuss the limitations and how you mitigated them.

Addressing the intricacies of data analysis involves not only outlining the techniques employed but also navigating the challenges encountered and evaluating the reliability and validity of the interpretations drawn. When responding to inquiries about data analysis, it’s essential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the methodologies employed, the obstacles faced, and the strategies utilized to ensure the accuracy and credibility of the findings.

Begin by outlining the techniques used for data analysis. Describe the specific methods, tools, and software employed to process and interpret the data collected. Whether it involved quantitative statistical analysis, qualitative coding techniques, or a combination of both, provide insights into the analytical framework guiding your study. Additionally, discuss the rationale behind the chosen analytical approach and how it aligns with the research objectives and questions.

Next, share the hurdles faced during the data analysis process and how you overcame them. Reflect on any challenges encountered, such as data cleaning issues, missing data, or unexpected patterns in the dataset. Discuss the steps taken to address these challenges, whether through iterative refinement of analytical techniques, consultation with peers or supervisors, or adaptation of the research design. Highlighting your ability to navigate obstacles demonstrates resilience and resourcefulness in overcoming methodological challenges.

Furthermore, discuss the reliability and validity of your data interpretation. Evaluate the rigor and credibility of your analytical process, considering factors such as data integrity, consistency, and relevance to the research objectives. Discuss any measures taken to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings, such as inter-coder reliability checks, triangulation of data sources, or member checking with participants. By critically examining the reliability and validity of your data interpretation, you provide insights into the robustness of your analytical approach and the credibility of the conclusions drawn.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about data analysis, consider the following key points:

• Outline the techniques used for data analysis.
• Share the hurdles faced during the process and how you overcame them.
• Discuss the reliability and validity of your data interpretation.

Exploring the theoretical underpinnings of your research involves delving into the foundational frameworks and seminal works that informed your study’s conceptual framework and analytical approach. When responding to inquiries about theoretical frameworks , it’s essential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the theories and references that shaped your research, elucidate their influence on your hypothesis and analysis, and reflect on the potential contributions or revisions your study may offer to existing theoretical foundations.

Begin by naming the key theories and seminal works that guided your research. Identify the theoretical frameworks that provided the conceptual scaffolding for your study, as well as the seminal works that shaped your understanding of the research area. Discuss how these theories and references informed your research design, methodology, and analytical approach, providing a theoretical lens through which to interpret your findings.

Elucidate on how these frameworks shaped your hypothesis and analysis. Describe how the theoretical perspectives and insights gleaned from seminal works informed the development of your research questions, hypotheses, and analytical framework. Discuss the ways in which these theoretical frameworks guided your data collection and interpretation, influencing the selection of variables, measures, and analytical techniques employed in your study.

Reflect on how your research may contribute to or revise these theoretical foundations. Consider the implications of your findings for advancing existing theoretical frameworks or revising established paradigms within your field. Discuss how your research extends or challenges current theoretical perspectives, offering new insights, conceptual refinements, or empirical evidence that may enrich or reshape prevailing theories. By critically examining the relationship between your research and existing theoretical frameworks, you provide insights into the broader theoretical implications and contributions of your study.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about theoretical frameworks, consider the following key points:

• Name the key theories and seminal works that guided your research.
• Elucidate on how these frameworks shaped your hypothesis and analysis.
• Reflect on how your research may contribute to or revise these theoretical foundations.

When addressing ethical considerations in your research, it’s essential to demonstrate a commitment to upholding ethical standards and protecting the rights and well-being of participants. Responding to inquiries about ethical protocols involves explaining the steps taken to ensure ethical conduct throughout the research process, describing the consent process and data protection measures implemented, and mentioning any institutional review board (IRB) approvals obtained.

Begin by explaining the ethical protocols you followed. Detail the ethical guidelines, codes of conduct, or regulatory frameworks that informed your research design and conduct. Discuss how these guidelines influenced decisions regarding participant recruitment, data collection methods, confidentiality protocols, and data storage procedures, emphasizing your adherence to ethical principles throughout the research process.

Describe the consent process, if applicable, and how you protected participants’ data. Provide insights into how informed consent was obtained from participants, including the procedures used to inform participants about the research purpose, risks, benefits, and their rights. Discuss any measures taken to safeguard participants’ privacy and confidentiality, such as anonymizing data, securing data storage, and limiting access to sensitive information, ensuring the protection of participants’ identities and personal information.

Mention any institutional ethics review board approvals you obtained. Highlight any formal ethical review processes or approvals obtained from relevant regulatory bodies, such as IRBs or ethics committees. Discuss how the research protocol was reviewed for compliance with ethical guidelines and standards, including considerations of participant welfare, informed consent procedures, and data protection measures. By acknowledging the oversight and approval of institutional review bodies, you demonstrate your commitment to ethical integrity and accountability in conducting research involving human subjects.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about ethical considerations in your research, consider the following key points:

• Explain the ethical protocols you followed.
• Describe the consent process and data protection measures implemented.
• Mention any institutional ethics review board approvals obtained.

When discussing the contributions of your research to the field, it’s essential to highlight the novel insights and potential impact your thesis offers. Responding to inquiries about your research’s significance involves detailing the unique perspectives and fresh understanding it brings to the academic discourse, as well as considering its implications for future research or practice and arguing its relevance within the broader academic community.

Begin by detailing the novel insights your thesis provides. Articulate the key findings, discoveries, or perspectives that distinguish your research from existing literature and contribute to advancing knowledge within your field. Discuss how your study fills gaps in current understanding, challenges established assumptions, or offers innovative approaches to addressing pressing issues, highlighting its potential to generate new avenues of inquiry and broaden the scope of scholarly discourse.

Discuss how your findings might influence future research or practice. Consider the implications of your research for shaping future scholarship, informing policy decisions, or guiding professional practice within relevant domains. Reflect on the potential practical applications, theoretical advancements, or methodological innovations stemming from your findings, highlighting their significance for advancing the field and addressing real-world challenges.

Be prepared to argue the relevance of your research within the broader academic community. Articulate the broader significance of your study within the context of current debates, trends, or priorities within your discipline. Discuss how your research aligns with existing scholarly agendas, contributes to interdisciplinary dialogue, or addresses pressing societal concerns, underscoring its relevance and potential impact on shaping the direction of future research and practice.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about the contributions of your research to the field, consider the following key points:

• Detail the novel insights your thesis provides.
• Discuss how your findings might influence future research or practice.
• Be prepared to argue the relevance of your research within the broader academic community.

When ensuring the integrity of your research and minimizing bias, it’s crucial to maintain objectivity and rigor throughout the study. Responding to inquiries about bias involves discussing the steps taken to uphold objectivity, describing any blind or double-blind procedures employed, and acknowledging and mitigating any unavoidable biases that may have arisen during the research process.

Begin by discussing the steps taken to maintain objectivity and rigor. Detail the strategies implemented to minimize the influence of personal biases, preconceptions, or external factors on the research outcomes. This may include adhering to a predetermined research protocol, using standardized procedures for data collection and analysis, and engaging in peer review or validation processes to ensure the reliability and validity of the findings.

Describe any blind or double-blind procedures employed in the study. Explain how blinding techniques were used to prevent bias in data collection, analysis, or interpretation. This may involve withholding certain information from researchers or participants to minimize the potential for conscious or unconscious bias to influence the results. Discuss how these procedures were implemented and their impact on enhancing the credibility and impartiality of the research outcomes.

Acknowledge any unavoidable biases that may have emerged during the research process and discuss how they were mitigated. Reflect on the inherent limitations or sources of bias in the study design, data collection methods, or participant selection criteria. Discuss the steps taken to minimize the impact of these biases, such as conducting sensitivity analyses, controlling for confounding variables, or triangulating data sources to corroborate findings.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about bias in your research, consider the following key points:

• Discuss steps taken to maintain objectivity and rigor.
• Describe any blind or double-blind procedures employed.
• Acknowledge any unavoidable biases and discuss how they were mitigated.

When considering the potential trajectory of your research topic, it’s essential to identify areas where further investigation could yield valuable insights, discuss unexplored questions that emerged from your research, and reflect on the limitations of your study as starting points for future research endeavors. Responding to inquiries about the future direction of research involves suggesting fruitful areas for further investigation, highlighting unresolved questions, and leveraging the limitations of your study as opportunities for future exploration.

Begin by suggesting areas where further investigation could be fruitful. Identify specific gaps, ambiguities, or unanswered questions within the existing literature that warrant additional inquiry. Consider emerging trends, advancements in technology or methodology, or pressing societal issues that may inform potential research directions. Propose research topics or hypotheses that build upon the findings of your study and extend the boundaries of current knowledge within your field.

Discuss unexplored questions that arose from your research. Reflect on any unexpected findings, anomalies, or areas of ambiguity that emerged during the course of your study. Consider how these unanswered questions or unresolved issues could serve as catalysts for future research endeavors, prompting further investigation into related phenomena, alternative explanations, or novel research methodologies.

Reflect on the limitations of your study as starting points for future research. Acknowledge any constraints, biases, or methodological shortcomings that may have influenced the outcomes or interpretations of your study. Discuss how these limitations provide opportunities for future research to refine methodologies, address confounding variables, or explore alternative theoretical frameworks. Consider how addressing these limitations could enhance the validity, reliability, and generalizability of future research findings within your field.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about the potential trajectory of your research topic, consider the following key points:

• Suggest areas where further investigation could be fruitful.
• Discuss unexplored questions that arose from your research.
• Reflect on the limitations of your study as starting points for future research.

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox!

Subscribe and receive Master Academia's quarterly newsletter.

How to harness theoretical and conceptual frameworks for groundbreaking research

25 short graduation quotes: inspiration in four words or less, related articles.

How to write a literature review introduction (+ examples)

Sample emails to your thesis supervisor

75 linking words for academic writing (+examples)

How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)

• Chemistry Directory
• Disability Accommodations
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
• Major Awards
• Our Community Values
• Our History
• Quality of Life Committee
• Areas of Research
• Facilities and Centers
• Instructors
• Postdoctoral Research and Resources
• Graduate Program
• Undergraduate Programs
• Chemistry Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory
• Our Chemistry Education Office
• Elementary Schools
• High Schools
• Community Relations and Outreach
• Contact our Development Officer
• Funds to Support
• Meet Our Major Supporters

For generations, dissertation defenses have been crowning moments for PhD candidates. Now, with the pandemic limiting activity on the MIT campus from mid-March onward, moving dissertation defenses to Zoom has been a necessary adjustment.

Image: Christine Daniloff, MIT; Dominick Reuter

Inside the new world of online dissertation defenses

Emojis, grandmas logging in, and kudos from strangers: How MIT students have finished their PhDs during the pandemic.

Call it another MIT innovation. When PhD student Jesse Tordoff passed her dissertation defense this month, she learned about the outcome in a new way: Her professors sent a thumbs-up emoji on the Zoom screen they were all sharing.

Welcome to the new world of the online dissertation defense, one of many changes academia is making during the Covid-19 pandemic. For generations, dissertation defenses have been crowning moments for PhD candidates, something they spend years visualizing. At a defense, a student presents work and fields questions; the professors on the dissertation committee then confer privately, and render their verdict to the student.

Which, in Tordoff’s case, was delivered in good humor, via a familiar little symbol.

“That was my most 2020 moment, learning I passed my defense by Zoom emoji,” says Tordoff, a biological engineer specializing in self-assembling structures.

With the pandemic limiting activity on the MIT campus from mid-March onward, moving dissertation defenses to Zoom has been a necessary adjustment. MIT students who defended dissertations this spring say they have had a variety of reactions to the change: They appreciated that family members could suddenly watch their defenses online, and some felt more relaxed in the format. But students also felt it was more challenging to engage with their audiences on Zoom.

And, inevitably, social distancing meant students could not gather in person with advisors, friends, and family to rejoice, as per the usual MIT tradition.

“That feeling of celebration — it is not something you generate by yourself,” says André Snoeck, who in late March defended his dissertation on last-mile issues in supply chains, for MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics.

That moment when you learn you have passed your doctoral dissertation defense. Congratulations to @MITSloan ‘s Dr. Maarten Meeuwis! @MIT @MITGradStudents @MIT_alumni @MITSloanAlumni pic.twitter.com/U7wNdmBPx7 — MIT Sloan PhD (@MITSloanPhD) April 21, 2020

On Zoom, grandparents in the room

Dissertation defenses are typically quasipublic events, where an audience can attend the student’s presentation but then leaves before faculty tell a student if the defense was successful. Many MIT departments stage parties afterward.

A defense on Zoom means the circle of attendees is no longer restricted by geography — something students appreciated.

“My mom logged on in South Africa from her retirement village and watched online,”  says Ian Ollis, from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, who in May defended his dissertation about public perceptions of mass transit in the Boston area. “She wouldn’t have been able to do that if it was done in person.”

Julia Zhao, a Department of Chemistry PhD student in Professor Jeremiah Johnson ‘s group, says the defense was a unique opportunity for family and friends to watch her in a professional setting.

“It was nice to see all my friends, and my family could attend too,” Zhao says, whose research focuses on polymers that have both metal and organic components. “They were going to fly in for graduation but not attend my defense, so they got to sit in on that and listen to me talk about what I’ve been doing the last five years. So that was really cool.”

Tordoff also felt that on Zoom, she could focus more easily on her remarks.

“I was less nervous than if I had been standing up there in front of a group of people,” Tordoff says. “I was sitting on my couch.” One reason for that good feeling, Tordoff adds, is that when she logged on to Zoom before the defense, the only other people already there were her grandparents, watching from England.

“I was so happy,” Tordoff says. “That never would have happened in person.”

And in Snoeck’s case, his advisors did orchestrate a virtual toast after the defense, so they could celebrate simultaneously, if not in the same room.

Congratulations Dr. Julia Zhao ( @jouleszhao )!!! Today was her defense through zoom!!! We are so proud of how you finished your PhD through a pandemic in such an impressive fashion!!! @ChemistryMIT #PhDone #AcademicChatter pic.twitter.com/En5gCtDZjQ — The ~Remote~ Jeremiah Johnson Group (@johnsonchem) May 1, 2020

Kudos from strangers

At the same time, MIT students note, being on Zoom limited their interaction with the audience, compared with the nature of an in-person talk.

“You can’t read the room,” Ollis says, adding: “It’s different. You don’t have a complete perspective on the audience — you see squares of people’s faces, whereas if you do it live, you get a sense of who you’re talking to by seeing faces you recognize.”

The slightly mysterious nature of Ollis’ audience became apparent to him almost immediately after he wrapped up his online defense.

“There were quite a few people watching, who, well, I didn’t know who they were,” Ollis says. “I’ve been staying in the Ashdown grad dorm, and I was walking to the elevator after doing the defense, and somebody walked past who I didn’t recognize, and said, ‘Hey! Good job! I enjoyed that!’ I had no idea who the person was.”

Overall, Ollis says, “I thought it was a good experience. I got good feedback from people.” Even so, he adds, “I prefer being in a room with people.”

For his part, Snoeck, who has accepted a job with Amazon, felt his defense was somewhat “more like a series of Q&As, rather than a conversation” — simply due to the dynamics of the format, like the segmented nature of Zoom and its slight delays in audio transmission.

“It is weird to have a conversation with some lag in it,” notes Zhao, who will soon begin a job with a Boston-area startup, developing hydrophobic coatings. “But I made an effort to say, ‘If I interrupted, please continue.’ It is a little awkward.”

I am very happy, honored and thankful to announce I successfully defended my PhD at MIT last Monday! Special thanks to all mentors and colleagues for your guidance and support during the last five years. pic.twitter.com/bsn4RA2nbk — Felipe-Oviedo (@felipeoviedop) May 14, 2020

The blended defense

That said, for years now, academic faculty have sometimes been participating in dissertation defenses via Skype, Zoom, and other platforms. That typically happens when dissertation committee members are located at multiple universities, or when a professor is traveling for research or a conference. In Snoeck’s case, one of his committee members was already going to join remotely from the Netherlands anyway.

Zhao noticed a student in her department webcasting their defense last year, which seemed “a little out of the ordinary” in 2019, she recalls. But from 2020 onward, it may become standard.

“It’s kind of nice to have an extra component of people who aren’t in town but want to participate in the closing of your degree,” Zhao says. “It will definitely be more normalized, I think.”

Not all MIT PhD students defend dissertations. In MIT’s Department of Economics, the thesis consists of three papers that must be approved, and there is no formal defense, although finishing students do give fall-term presentations. Still, even for economics students, this year seems different.

“The biggest challenge has been a feeling of a lack of closure,” says Ryan Hill, a graduating MIT PhD in economics, who studies the dynamics of scientific research. “It’s been a long road.” In that vein, Hill adds, “I was really looking forward to commencement, and the doctoral hooding ceremony.” Those events will take place on May 29, online, with an in-person ceremony to be held at a later date.

To be sure, Hill is keeping matters in perspective. “In the grand scheme, it’s not bad,” says Hill, who will spend a year as a Northwestern University postdoc, and has accepted a tenure-track job at Brigham Young University.

For any new PhD, crossing that academic finish line is a huge achievement — and relief. Zhao, for instance, had to scramble to complete her lab research before MIT shuttered, and then finish writing the thesis, before the dissertation defense could occur.

“It’s been a pretty crazy two months,” Zhao reflects. “I’m just happy to be done with it.”

Related Stories

MIT’s Annual Campus Preview Weekend Entertains Prospective Students with ‘Marvelous Molecules in Play’ Chemistry Demonstrations

Seven from MIT elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences for 2024

Researchers detect a new molecule in space

Phi Beta Kappa to Induct Twelve Chemistry Seniors

Advice for Remote Dissertation/Thesis Defenses

The Graduate School has provided  emergency policy for remote defenses . In addition to these policies, we offer some advice for all defense participants. We know that these are challenging times, and we hope that this guidance helps students and their committee members prepare for successful defenses.

• Don’t multitask during the defense.  We are all tempted to do this in the online environment, but this is not a regular online meeting.  The student defending has spent years in anticipation of this event. 
• Remember that there is often a little bit of lag time in sound on a video conference, so be particularly attentive to giving people time to respond and to not speak over people. 
• Be sure that the place you are sitting avoids glare, shadows, or an overly cluttered backdrop.
• Use headphones, if possible, to reduce any potential background noise.
• Exaggerate your enthusiasm.  What would be a positive nod in a face-to-face environment won’t come through as clearly in the online environment.

In advance of the defense

• Advisors should consult with the student to select the video conferencing program (WebEx or Zoom) to be used, but advisors should create and share the invitation to join.  At the time of the defense, you should be the point person for any technology difficulties.  Please do not leave this to the student, even if you are sure the student is more adept at technology than you are.
• You should be the “host” of the meeting.  Be sure that you know how to allow the student to share slides and control the presentation.
• Consider offering a “test run” with your student to ensure that the technology works and that they are comfortable using it to present their findings and answer questions.
• Be sure you have a back-up phone number for all required participants in case there is a problem with the technology.   While Graduate School policy does not allow for participation via phone,  being able to reach participants by phone can help troubleshoot a solution.
• In particular, determine how you will have the student “step out of the room.” This can be accomplished by having the committee all move to a breakout room then return to the main room when they are done with their discussion, or putting the student on “hold” during the discussion. 
• With the increased number of people using Zoom as a meeting and presentation platform, there are a number of emerging security concerns. It is important to take security precautions before and during the defense to prevent intrusion. Please see  this guide to Security Settings for Zoom Meetings  from DIT. For more privacy and security information about Zoom visit  zoom.us/security .

At the defense

• Check in with the student and committee members before the defense begins.  Let everyone know you will be in the virtual room at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time and that you will check with each required participant to ensure that the audio and video are working effectively.
• Give everyone on the committee and the student a chance to introduce themselves, just as you would in a live defense (this is also a final check that all the audio/visuals work).  Graduate School rules require that the dean’s representative be introduced.
• After introductions, make the agenda and/or rules for the defense clear before the student begins to present.  Let all participants—including public participants—know the order of events (presentation, public questions, etc.), what will and will not be public (and how you will shift from public to private), and how the student will “step out” and return to the room during and after the committee’s discussion.  Ideally, share these with the student and the committee in advance.  Also, consider putting a brief, written version of the agenda/rules in the chat window so that any public members joining the conference know the rules.
• Suggest that everyone mute their microphones during the student’s presentation.
• If bandwidth becomes an issue, you might suggest that people who are not required participants turn off their video except when they are speaking.   Remember that audio-only participation by committee members and the student is not permitted.
• During the public question-and-answer period, consider some way to ensure that the questioning happens equitably; you might consider asking people to go in a certain order or asking people to put questions in the chat feature so that all questions can be asked in a relatively orderly manner. There is a “hand raise” function on most platforms.
• Make sure you know how to use the chosen video conferencing site (WebEx, Zoom).  Download and test it in advance. 
• Practice in the video conference environment.  You would have practiced anyway, but it is important to practice in this different environment, not just in front of your mirror. The Graduate School Writing Center is available to help you do a trial run on whatever videoconferencing site your committee will use; contact us at  [email protected]
• Share your slides with your advisor before the start of the defense.  Ensuring someone else has them and could potentially share them if necessary is a good back up plan.
• Check with your advisor about the process for you “stepping out” of the room during the committee’s discussion.
• Be sure there’s no glare from sunlight or other light behind you, but also ensure that there is enough light so that you can be seen without a shadow. 
• Try to sit in a quiet location without too many distracting things behind you.
• Access to two monitors will make the process a bit easier; you can see your slides on one monitor as you present and still see committee members on another monitor, to see reactions.  (Hint:  it may be possible for your television, with an HDMI cable, to be a second monitor)
• If someone you live with is attending the defense, plan for them to use a separate computer or phone, with a separate webcam; ideally, they should also be in a separate room or at least distant enough from you to not cause feedback from microphones and speakers.
• Invite colleagues and friends. This is still a public event and still the apex of your graduate work.  You may not be able to go out and celebrate, but having friends and colleagues present who can help you rehash all the highlights later will keep the defense from feeling anticlimactic.
• When delivering the presentation, sit and be sure that your webcam has a good shot of you from the shoulders up. In a live defense, you would probably be standing, but that won’t work here since you won’t be as clearly visible (you don’t want to suddenly be defending only from the neck down). 
• Even though you are sitting and you are communicating via videoconference, your gestures and nonverbal communication still matter. Think about how you will emphasize or punctuate some of your main points in your delivery, for instance. Gestures may work, or pragmatic pauses may work too.  But, just as in a face-to-face talk, practice to avoid all those verbal fillers—um, ah, you know—that clog your communication.
• Remember to look at the camera when you are talking (and not at the screen you are presenting, particularly if you are using two monitors).
• All committee members are responsible for ensuring that they know how to use the chosen video conferencing platform in advance of the defense.  Do a test run, and consult  DIT tech support  with questions.
• The dean’s representative is responsible for ensuring that the requirements for remote participation are met and that the remote participation was uninterrupted or, if interrupted, that the defense was paused until all remote participations were fully restored.

• Degree Completion Plans
• Course Guides
• Supplemental Instruction
• IT Helpdesk
• Academic Departments
• Doctoral Degrees
• Communications
• Criminal Justice
• Public Policy
• Strategic Leadership
• Worship Studies
• More Programs >
• Masters Degrees
• Applied Psychology
• Business Administration
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Executive Leadership
• Healthcare Administration
• Political Science
• Public Administration
• Social Work
• Bachelor's Degrees
• Graphic Design
• Information Technology
• Paralegal Studies
• Sports Management
• Associate Degrees
• Christian Counseling
• Creative Writing
• Early Childhood Education
• Information Systems
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Medical Office Assistant
• STEM Mathematics
• Undergraduate
• Christian Ministry
• Data Networking
• Project Management
• Biblical Studies
• Educational Tech. & Online Instruction
• General Business
• Health Promotion
• Theological Studies
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Instructional Design
• Higher Ed. Administration
• Special Education
• New Programs
• Biblical Counseling (BS)
• Chaplaincy (MA)
• Christian Leadership – Faith-Based Consulting (PhD)
• Educational Research (PhD)
• Fire Administration – Emergency Medical Services (BS)
• Geographic Information Systems – Commercial Logistics (MS)
• Healthcare Law and Compliance (MBA)
• Instructional Design and Technology (EdS)
• Interdisciplinary Research (MA)
• International Relations – Human Rights (MS)
• Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (BS)
• Special Education (EdD)
• Who Are We?
• Our Three A's
• Virtual Tour of Liberty's Campus
• What is a Nonprofit University?
• Why Choose Liberty?
• Accreditation
• Top 10 Reasons to Choose Liberty University
• Video Testimonials
• Annual Security Report
• Annual Security Report 2023
• Admission Information
• Getting Started With Liberty
• Admission Process
• Admission FAQs
• Academic Calendar
• Admission Resources
• Common Forms and Documents
• Technical Requirements
• Official Transcript Request Form
• Textbooks and Software
• Transferring to Liberty
• Transfer Students
• Experience Plus – Credit for Life Experience
• Transfer FAQs
• University Transcript Request Links
• Tuition Assistance
• First Responder Discount
• Military Tuition Discount
• Small Business Discount
• Corporate Tuition Assistance
• Corporate Tuition Affiliates
• Financial Basics
• Tuition & Fees
• Payment Plans
• Military Benefits
• Financial Check-In
• Financial Aid
• Financial Aid Process
• Financial Aid FAQs
• Grants & Loans
• Scholarship Opportunities
• Military Homepage
• Military Benefits Guide
• Discount on Tuition
• Doctoral Military Rate
• Veterans Benefits
• Academics and Programs
• Military Programs and Partnerships
• Military Benefits and Scholarships
• Community and Resources
• Top Used Links
• Upcoming Events
• Academic Advising
• Jerry Falwell Library
• Policies and Deadlines
• Liberty University Academic Calendar Online
• Academic Policies
• Information Technology (IT)
• Online Writing Center
• Honor Societies
• Student Advocate Office
• Flames Pass (Student ID)
• Online Student Life
• Office of Disability Accommodation Support
• Commonly Used Forms
• learn.liberty.edu

Dissertation Defense – BIBL 990

CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 02/01/2024

Request Info

Course Description

A course designed for students to defend the content, support, and conclusions relevant to their completed dissertation product. As needed, students will revise and refine the dissertation draft under the supervision of their dissertation mentor in preparation for final approval and defense before their dissertation committee (comprised of the student’s mentor and a second faculty reader).

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the  Academic Course Catalog .

The dissertation defense is the culmination of PhD activities; it provides the opportunity for the candidate to successfully defend their dissertation thesis and provide oral explanation regarding supporting content within their written dissertation product.

Course Assignment

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus and  Student Expectations , the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview. 

Candidates will take a quiz affirming that they have applied for graduation.

Candidates will submit their defense ready dissertations to their mentor and reader.

Quiz: Defense-Ready Dissertation Request for Review and Affirmations

By completing this quiz, the student is requesting that their Dissertation Mentor and Reader officially review their Dissertation Defense-Ready Draft.

Candidates will defend their dissertation in an oral defense format (video conference, using Powerpoint presentation, and with ensuing dialogue with mentor and reader).

Candidates will affirm that they have successfully defended their dissertation through an additional quiz.

Candidates will affirm that they have followed JFL requirements for electronic dissertation publication through an appropriate quiz.

Almost there! How may we contact you?

Our Admissions team is ready to answer any additional questions you may have.

By submitting contact information through this form, I agree that Liberty University and its affiliates may call and/or text me about its offerings by any phone number I have provided and may provide in the future, including any wireless number, using automated technology.

Message and data rates may apply. For additional information, text HELP to 49595 or 49596. You may opt-out at any time by sending STOP to 49595 or 49596. Visit for Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

• Get My Results

Discover what Liberty can do for you!

Get your personalized guide on how to start with liberty..

In 60 seconds or less!

Become a Champion for Christ

Estimate your Cost

Cost Per Credit Hour Per Semester for 7 to 15 Credits* Per Semester for 9 to 15 Credits* i Visit the Tuition and Financing page for more information.

Additional program fees may apply. See program page for details.

Disclaimer: This calculator is a tool that provides a rough estimate of the total cost of tuition, and should not be relied upon to determine overall costs, as pricing may vary by program and tuition/fees are subject to change. Estimates are not final or binding, and do not include potential financial aid eligibility.

Your Cost Estimate:

View All Tuition & Fees Go Back

For eligibility requirements for military discounts at the doctoral level, please review the online benefits page .

Request Information

Learn More About Liberty University Online

You will be automatically taken to the application once you submit your request for information

Message and data rates may apply. For additional information, text HELP to 49595 or 49596. You may opt-out at any time by sending STOP to 49595 or 49596. Visit for Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy .

You have to have a lot of self-motivation and self-discipline when you are going to school online, but the amazing thing is at Liberty you do not need to do it by yourself. You really do have resources like someone who is going to school on campus.

– Janae Fleming ’15, B.S. in Education

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

College of engineering, ph.d. dissertation defense - wantong li, related links.

Title:   Efficient and Robust Compute-in-Memory For Edge Intelligence Committee: Dr. Shimeng Yu, ECE, Chair, Advisor Dr. Shaolan Li, ECE Dr. Callie Hao, ECE Dr. Muhannad Bakir, ECE Dr. Celine Lin, CS