oral defense of master's thesis

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

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.

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.

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

Question 1: Why did you choose this particular topic for your research?

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.

Question 2: How does your research contribute to the existing body of knowledge?

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.

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.

Question 3: What are the key findings of your research?

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.

Question 4: Can you defend your research methodology?

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.

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.

Question 5: How did you analyze the data and what challenges did you encounter?

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.

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

Question 6: What theoretical frameworks or references underpin your research?

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.

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

Question 7: How did you address ethical considerations in your research?

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.

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.

Question 8: In what ways does your research contribute to the field?

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.

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

Question 9: How did you ensure your research was free from bias?

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.

Question 10: Where can future research go from here?

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.

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.

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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.

• Graduate School

40 Thesis Defense Questions

Practicing answering thesis defense questions in a mock thesis defense is the best way to get ready for this challenging step in your academic career. Aside from knowing your research project inside and out, you must have solid strategies for tackling different question types and talking about why you chose your research topic. You might have already answered questions related to your research interests in your research interest statement and grad school interview questions , but now after years for in-depth study, it's time to really test what you have accomplished! Check out some of the hardest thesis defense questions below and read our expert responses!

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Article Contents 11 min read

What to expect in a thesis defense.

A thesis defense is your chance to demonstrate your in-depth knowledge and expertise in the topic of your research thesis. While you will be able to take charge of the narrative and present your research to those on your thesis committee, the professors will prod you to test how well you know and understand your topic. The questions are mostly open-ended and give you the chance to showcase your knowledge and understanding, as well as any future plans you may have regarding your research topic.

A thesis defense usually lasts between one and two hours, depending on the area of your research. It starts with you giving a presentation of your interest, findings, and conclusions. After you have finished, the committee members will ask you questions based not only on your presentation, but also on your written thesis as they will have read it before your presentation. Lastly, the committee might approve your thesis or suggest changes to your paper.

Preparing thesis defense questions requires you to start well in advance. While the duration of your thesis defense might vary as per your institution's requirements, the major idea is to defend your research. Thus, you should go about preparing for your thesis defense questions by taking the following steps.

Interested in a quick overview of the section below? Check out this infographic:

Re-read your thesis for clarity

Your thesis defense questions will be based on what you have written in your research paper. Hence, it is a good idea to re-read your paper. You should be clear on the concepts and understand your research well. It might have been some time since you would have submitted your paper, so a revision should be the starting point of your preparation.  

Have an answer strategy and structure

Plan a strategy to answer the panel’s questions. Keep your answers direct, but elaborate on the research details wherever necessary. If you do not know the answer to a question, that is alright. The key is to be able to formulate an answer even if you do not possess enough knowledge to answer at that point in time. For instance, if a question is about the content of your research, you can say something like “I am not certain my research touches on the question you are asking, but my research has led me to Dr. X. Based his evidence, I would have to conclude that…” Having a strategy for answering even the most unexpected questions can be a life saver in these situations!

Most of the thesis defense questions can be easily predicted based on your research. You can prepare a list of possible questions when you are going through your paper. Getting to know the committee can help you in preparing better. Their areas of expertise can help you in determining what they might ask. Once you have a list of questions, you can start brainstorming how you might answer them. 

Prepare your slides in advance

If you require visual aids such as slides, it is a good idea to prepare them beforehand. You can double-check the slides and make sure that your presentation will run smoothly on the day of your thesis defense. Make sure your slides are arranged in the correct order. 

Attend a thesis defense of other candidates if it is an open event

If your institution allows it, you can visit a thesis defense of other candidates. This will give you an excellent idea of what you can expect in your meeting. If it is not possible to attend the event, you can speak to your peers to find out how their meeting went and what questions were asked.

Dress appropriately for your meeting

The thesis defense meeting is a formal event, and hence you should be dressed in formal clothes. While there are no strict dressing rules, you should consider it something equivalent to a job interview. Don’t just wear your T-shirt and appear in front of the committee. Your formal suit is a better option for the occasion.

Practice speaking for your meeting

Take your preparation to the next level by practicing your presentation. This activity will give you the confidence for the actual meeting and presentation. You can request your academic peers to help you out in the practice task. Based on their feedback in the mock session, you can improve for the actual session. Make sure to prepare well for the mock session as if you are preparing for the actual session. You can also practice your speech and body language in the mock session. If you used thesis writing services , these professionals would also be the ideal people to test you in a mock thesis defense – don’t hesitate to reach out to them again!

Sample Thesis Defense Questions and Answers

1.    what is your research study all about.

In your answer, you should summarize your research in a few sentences. The question is simple but requires technical expertise for a better explanation of concepts. For instance, if you completed a thesis in an attempt to explain the constituents of dark matter in the universe and particle accelerators, you could frame your answer like this:

In this research, the different aspects of dark matter and its detection models have been investigated. The cosmic ray positron excess observed by the PAMELA detector has been discussed and explained through the construction of models of decaying dark matter. The cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra were studied assuming a general Dirac structure for the four fermion contact interactions of interest. A supersymmetric leptophilic Higgs model was constructed to explain the possible excess of gamma rays in the galactic center. Finally, by the use of Razor analysis, an improvement on the dark matter collider searches is considered.  

2.    Why did you choose this study?

This question requires you to answer what motivated you to pursue the study in the first place. Your answers could touch on your interests in the area of the study. For example, if you conducted a study called “Media Combat: The Great War and the Transformation of American Culture” then you can shape your answer like this:

The First World War (1914-1918) has always been a topic of fascination for me, and my prime interest lies in exploring the state of society at that time. I wanted to analyze the formation of a nationalized, wartime cultural apparatus during the United States' involvement in the war and how theatre and music transformed the relationship between the government and American citizens. 

3.    Why did you choose this particular title for your research?

The title of your thesis captures the main point of your research, which is why it is so important to use an appropriate title. Your committee will want to know how you came to the final decision of naming your work. For example,

I chose the title “Dark matter in the heavens and at colliders: Models and constraints” for my research thesis because my research attempts to explain the constituency of dark matter as it occurs in the universe. “The heavens” is another word for the universe. Dark matter can also be created in particle accelerators such as the CERN collider. I have attempted to provide an explanation for both of the cases through the use of models, along with describing the constraints which exist in the current times due to certain scientific limitations.

4.    What is the scope of your study?

In your answer, you have to define the boundaries of your project and define exactly what you are studying. There can be several elements involved but you have to define the parameters that you have chosen to study. For example,

My study is on the efficacy of equity stocks in the US market. For my study, I have chosen 50 companies listed on the NASDAQ. You can review the names of these companies on page 5 of my thesis.

5.    What phenomenon were you trying to understand with this research?

Describe the focus concept of your thesis in the answer. For example,

In our study “Motivation to volunteer”, we were looking to study the Theory of Planned Behavior by analyzing the behavioral and normative beliefs that influence attitudes and subjective norms.

6.    Who will be most interested in your research?

You can talk about who may be affected by your research and the parties who can potentially benefit from the research. Take a look at this example:

My sociology thesis on “Impact of social media on youngsters” can be of interest to sociology academics, social media companies, education experts, and parents of youngsters in general.

7.    Did your research questions evolve during the process? If so, how?

Often, qualitative research questions change over time with respect to the responses that you might get from your focus group. Or you might just change your question as you do lab research or general text research. You can describe the change to the evaluating committee. For example,

We started our study to understand the impact of the new public policy change on recycling of vinyl waste through installation of garbage bins specifically for vinyl products. However, after interviewing some of the respondents in the target community, we found that the rule is actually irrelevant to their behavior and thoughts because the percentage of vinyl waste in that specific locality was very low and it didn’t need the installation of dedicated bins for the purpose. Going by their frustrations with the current economic insecurity, our study evolved into the impact of costs incurred by public policy changes.           

8.    What gaps did you intend to bridge with your research?

Your research thesis must eliminate the present gaps in the concepts related to your subject topic.

The relationship between hard water and its effect on the size of the kidney stone is not clear yet, so we analyzed the mineral composition of hard water to determine its impact on the size of the kidney stone.

9.    Why is your research significant?

The answer to this research question should outline the impact of your research on your field of study. You may talk about the new insights contributed by your research and its impact on society.

Through my study on “The effect of chamomile in reducing stress and promoting better sleep,” patients with insomnia and anxiety will be able to find alternative treatments without the use of medicinal drugs. The medical abilities of chamomile will promote the usage of ingredients in nature and will encourage the community to plant more herbs and trees.

10. What did you find in your research?

You may describe your research in a few sentences in this answer. For instance,

In our study on “Impact of artificial fluoride in water on the human body,” we found that excessive exposure to high quantities of Fluoride can result in tooth discoloration and bone issues in humans since it has neurotoxic qualities. 

11. What research findings surprised you?

When you conduct research, you come across findings that you were not expecting earlier. If you had such an experience, you might describe the same to the evaluation committee when you answer this question. For example,

I was expecting that business promotion through social media would not be a good idea for rural enterprises in developing countries in my comparative analysis of the usage of traditional and contemporary marketing methods. But I was surprised to learn that 68% of rural textile businesses in Nigeria promote their products on Instagram.

12. What is the validity of your findings?

You have to talk about the conditions in which your research findings would be valid.

In my research, I have considered test anxiety to be involving both nervous system activation and negative thoughts. Thus, my measure of test anxiety has included the elements of both nervous feelings and negative thoughts, the conditions in which my findings are valid.

For example,

For studying the differential protein expression, its localization, and distribution at different levels, we used the method of immunostaining in our research.

14. What sources did you use for data collection?

You would have used several sources to search for data for your topic. You may elaborate on those sources. You might have referred to databases, content on the web, or even conducted primary research by interviewing prospects. Thus, you can talk about these sources. Refer to the following answer:

To understand the impact of the current tax regime on skilled workers, we interviewed 150 subjects in 5 months. Additionally, we referred to databases and scholarly works available by authors who had previously conducted such studies for previous tax laws and rates. 

15. How can your research be put into practice?

This question talks about the practical implications of your research. You should talk about how your research is beneficial for society and how it can help in eliminating current issues.

In our research titled “Effectiveness of Meditation on Reducing the Anxiety Levels of College Students in the US,” we discovered that students who practiced meditation at least thrice a week were two times more likely to score better in their exams, owing to the positive impact of meditation. So, this research finding can help in the reduction of mental health issues among students. A suitable course of action would be to hold meditating sessions a couple of times a week. 

16. How will your findings contribute to the related area of knowledge?

Our study on medicinal analysis of herbs conveys information about various medicinal benefits of chamomile in treating depression and contributes to the area of medicinal botany.

17. Did you experience any limitations in your research?

Our research on “Impact of smoking on β-cell function and risk for type 2 diabetes in US citizens” finds that smoking increases the risk of diabetes among smokers. However, smokers might be affected by some genetic conditions which can protect them from diabetes. 

18. What sampling techniques did you use?

When conducting research, it is practically not possible to study the entire number of elements. So, you would be using a method to select a sample population.

In our study “Impact of consumption of soda on the health of teenagers in Corpus Christi”, we used area sampling to divide the city into several areas and then selected some clusters for our sample group.

19. What are the dependent and independent variables in your research?

In research, several variable factors impact your study. You can describe these variables. Independent variables have values which are not affected by other variables in your study. On the other hand, the dependent variables have values that change with changes in the independent variable. For example,

In our study on “Impact of online tutoring on test scores”, the independent variable is the nature of the classes i.e., online and the participants' test score is the dependent variable.

20. What areas do you suggest for further research?

As a researcher, you should be able to describe what further areas are open for research with the addition of your research to the field. This can act as a starting point for future researchers. For example,

In my research on “Effectiveness of Acetaminophen in treating sports induced injuries”, I discovered that administering Acetaminophen is not very effective for treating joint pains such as the knee. This further suggests measures for the regulation of Acetaminophen in the production of painkillers for body pain and the search for alternative compounds.

Practice Questions

After taking a look at the sample answers, now try answering these questions by yourself:

Do you have any closing comments? "}]">

After submitting your research thesis for evaluation, you have to appear before a panel of professors and present your work; afterwards, they will ask you questions about your research.

You have to plan and prepare for your thesis defense. Review your paper and anticipate the questions that the committee can ask. Practice with mock defense sessions using professional servicesand make improvements based on their feedback. Be prepared with a strategy for answering any question asked by the panel.

Your research thesis should be on a topic of your interest. Scan your course syllabus to find something that makes you curious. Or, you can even refer to your grad school career goals statement to review what got you interested in grad school in the first place. Shortlist a few topics and zero down to the one that excites you the most.

The first step in preparing for a master’s thesis defense is to revise your research paper and write down a list of questions that the committee might ask. Find answers to those questions and get ready for your presentation. Practice your presentation beforehand. Try to attend a thesis defense of other candidates to know what you can expect in your session. 

You will get questions related to what you have mentioned in your research paper. The most common starting questions are “what is your research about?" and “what was your motivation behind choosing this topic?” Later on, the committee asks you more detailed questions on research methodology, literature review, study variables, research findings, recommendations, and areas of further research.

You can get help from a grad school essay tutor for your research thesis writing. They can help you in developing writing skills and reviewing your work. They can proofread your work and provide recommendations on areas of improvement.

You can include your research thesis on your grad school CV to show your practical knowledge and skills. You can add the details of the study in a separate section for research experience.

Immediately after the thesis defense, the evaluation panel will decide whether to approve your paper as submitted or request some changes, or reject it.

To pass a thesis defense, a majority of the panel members must approve the defense. In case of more than one vote against you, you can fail the thesis.

A thesis defense can last for two hours or longer, depending on your area of research.

Your thesis defense presentation should include the focus concept, findings, recommendation, and conclusion.

The contribution of your thesis towards your degree differs as per institution. You can refer to your course handbook for exact details. In most cases, the committee needs to approve your thesis for you to graduate from your degree.

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Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

why did you choose this place for a research locale

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Jeff! Yes, this can also be one of the questions you are asked in a thesis defense!

That is good

Hello Eshetu! Thanks for your comment. Glad you found this helpful!

Very helpful

Thanks, Abel. Glad you found this helpful. 

Helpful thank you.

Hi Lagat! Thanks!

As an 11th-grade student, I don't have any experience in thesis or research defense in general. Me and my groupmates will be conducting our research title defense next week, this is invaluable information for us. Thank you!

You are very welcome, Kate!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, I REALLY APPRECIATE.

Hello Stephanie! Thanks for your comment.

EMELDA NAFULA NYONGESA

This is a good guideline to post graduate students (Masters and PhD) CPA:Emelda Nyongesa

Hi Emelda! Thanks!

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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).

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#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 ...

14 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 🙂

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Very interesting and useful to all masters and PhD students

Wow! this is enlightening. Thanks for the great work.

Thank you very much ,it will help me My Master Degree. and am comfortable to my defense.

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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/

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17 Thesis Defense Questions and How to Answer Them

A thesis defense gives you the chance to show off your thesis work and demonstrate your expertise in your field of study. During this one- to two-hour discussion with the members of your thesis committee, you'll have some control over how you present your research, but your committee will ask you some prodding questions to test your knowledge and preparedness. They will all have read your thesis beforehand, so their questions will relate to your study, topic, methods, data sample, and other aspects.

A good defense requires mastery of the thesis itself, so before you consider the questions you might face,

1. What is your topic, and why did you choose it?

Give a quick summary in just a few sentences on what you've researched. You could certainly go on for hours about your work, but make sure you prepare a way to give a very brief overview of your thesis. Then, give a quick background on your process for choosing this topic.

2. How does your topic contribute to the existing literature? How is it important?

Many researchers identify a need in the field and choose a topic to bridge the gaps that previous literature has failed to cover. For example, previous studies might not have included a certain population, region, or circumstance. Talk about how your thesis enhances the general understanding of the topic to extend the reach beyond what others have found, and then give examples of why the world needs that increased understanding. For instance, a thesis on romaine lettuce crops in desert climates might bring much-needed knowledge to a region that might not have been represented in previous work.

3. What are the key findings of your study?

When reporting your main results, make sure you have a handle on how detailed your committee wants you to be. Give yourself several options by preparing 1) a very general, quick summary of your findings that takes a minute or less, 2) a more detailed rundown of what your study revealed that is 3-5 minutes long, and 3) a 10- to 15-minute synopsis that delves into your results in detail. With each of these responses prepared, you can gauge which one is most appropriate in the moment, based on what your committee asks you and what has already been requested.

4. What type of background research did you do for your study?

Here you'll describe what you did while you were deciding what to study. This usually includes a literary review to determine what previous researchers have already introduced to the field. You also likely had to look into whether your study was going to be possible and what you would need in order to collect the needed data. Did you need info from databases that require permissions or fees?

5. What was your hypothesis, and how did you form it?

Describe the expected results you had for your study and whether your hypothesis came from previous research experience, long-held expectations, or cultural myths.

6. What limitations did you face when writing your text?

It's inevitable — researchers will face roadblocks or limiting factors during their work. This could be a limited population you had access to, like if you had a great method of surveying university students, but you didn't have a way to reach out to other people who weren't attending that school.

7. Why did you choose your particular method for your study?

Different research methods are more fitting to specific studies than others (e.g., qualitative vs. quantitative ), and knowing this, you applied a method that would present your findings most effectively. What factors led you to choose your method?

8. Who formed the sample group of your study, and why did you choose this population?

Many factors go into the selection of a participant group. Perhaps you were motivated to survey women over 50 who experience burnout in the workplace. Did you take extra measures to target this population? Or perhaps you found a sample group that responded more readily to your request for participation, and after hitting dead ends for months, convenience is what shaped your study population. Make sure to present your reasoning in an honest but favorable way.

9. What obstacles or limitations did you encounter while working with your sample?

Outline the process of pursuing respondents for your study and the difficulties you faced in collecting enough quality data for your thesis. Perhaps the decisions you made took shape based on the participants you ended up interviewing.

10. Was there something specific you were expecting to find during your analysis?

Expectations are natural when you set out to explore a topic, especially one you've been dancing around throughout your academic career. This question can refer to your hypotheses , but it can also touch on your personal feelings and expectations about this topic. What did you believe you would find when you dove deeper into the subject? Was that what you actually found, or were you surprised by your results?

11. What did you learn from your study?

Your response to this question can include not only the basic findings of your work (if you haven't covered this already) but also some personal surprises you might have found that veered away from your expectations. Sometimes these details are not included in the thesis, so these details can add some spice to your defense.

12. What are the recommendations from your study?

With connection to the reasons you chose the topic, your results can address the problems your work is solving. Give specifics on how policymakers, professionals in the field, etc., can improve their service with the knowledge your thesis provides.

13. If given the chance, what would you do differently?

Your response to this one can include the limitations you encountered or dead ends you hit that wasted time and funding. Try not to dwell too long on the annoyances of your study, and consider an area of curiosity; for example, discuss an area that piqued your interest during your exploration that would have been exciting to pursue but didn't directly benefit your outlined study.

14. How did you relate your study to the existing theories in the literature?

Your paper likely ties your ideas into those of other researchers, so this could be an easy one to answer. Point out how similar your work is to some and how it contrasts other works of research; both contribute greatly to the overall body of research.

15. What is the future scope of this study?

This one is pretty easy, since most theses include recommendations for future research within the text. That means you already have this one covered, and since you read over your thesis before your defense, it's already fresh in your mind.

16. What do you plan to do professionally after you complete your study?

This is a question directed more to you and your future professional plans. This might align with the research you performed, and if so, you can direct your question back to your research, maybe mentioning the personal motivations you have for pursuing study of that subject.

17. Do you have any questions?

Although your thesis defense feels like an interrogation, and you're the one in the spotlight, it provides an ideal opportunity to gather input from your committee, if you want it. Possible questions you could ask are: What were your impressions when reading my thesis? Do you believe I missed any important steps or details when conducting my work? Where do you see this work going in the future?

Bonus tip: What if you get asked a question to which you don't know the answer? You can spend weeks preparing to defend your thesis, but you might still be caught off guard when you don't know exactly what's coming. You can be ready for this situation by preparing a general strategy. It's okay to admit that your thesis doesn't offer the answers to everything – your committee won't reasonably expect it to do so. What you can do to sound (and feel!) confident and knowledgeable is to refer to a work of literature you have encountered in your research and draw on that work to give an answer. For example, you could respond, "My thesis doesn't directly address your question, but my study of Dr. Leifsen's work provided some interesting insights on that subject…." By preparing a way to address curveball questions, you can maintain your cool and create the impression that you truly are an expert in your field.

After you're done answering the questions your committee presents to you, they will either approve your thesis or suggest changes you should make to your paper. Regardless of the outcome, your confidence in addressing the questions presented to you will communicate to your thesis committee members that you know your stuff. Preparation can ease a lot of anxiety surrounding this event, so use these possible questions to make sure you can present your thesis feeling relaxed, prepared, and confident.

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Defending your thesis or dissertation.

Certain special exams are required to earn an advanced degree in the research-based programs at Cornell. Often, these exams need to be taken with consideration of anticipated completion dates.  Enrollment in future semesters after the date a student passes their M or B exam is not permitted. See Taking Exams for more information.

All exam forms are available on our Forms  page.

Exams Required for M.A. and M.S. Degree Defense

If you are enrolled in an M.A. or M.S. degree program, you must pass the final examination for the master’s degree. You can take this after all degree requirements have been fulfilled, but no earlier than one month before completing the minimum number of enrolled semesters.

To pass the exam unconditionally and receive a degree, all regular, proxy, and field-appointed members of the examining committee must assent that the exam was passed unconditionally. If you are enrolled in an M.S./Ph.D. degree program where the M.A. or M.S. degree is a prerequisite for your Ph.D., you may petition your special committee to approve combining the final examination for the master’s degree with the examination for the admission to candidacy.

Exam forms required for the master’s degree include “Schedule Master’s Examination” and “Master’s Exam Results Form and Instructions.”

Exams Required for Ph.D. Degree Defense

The B exam is an oral defense of your thesis or dissertation. This exam can be taken after completing all degree requirements, but not earlier than one month before completing the minimum number of enrolled semesters. At least two semesters of successful registration must be completed between the passing of the A exam and the scheduling of the B exam.

Exam forms required for the Ph.D. degree include “Schedule A Examination and Research Compliance Form,” “Schedule B Examination,” “A Exam Results Form,” and “B Exam Results Form.”

The qualifying exam, or Q exam, is required in some fields for Ph.D. applicants. This exam helps the special committee determine your ability to pursue doctoral studies, continue in a program, and tailor an appropriate program of study.

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25 Thesis/Dissertation Defense Questions

December 17, 2023

When you’re considering going to graduate school , or you’re about to defend your master’s thesis or PhD dissertation, chances are you’ve come across something called the thesis defense. The thesis defense is arguably one of the most fundamental steps to take in order to attain your graduate degree. Each university will have its own tailored expectations of the thesis defense. Yet, as a whole, the thesis defense is an opportunity for you to demonstrate in front of the committee the extensive research you’ve completed and the critical skills you’ve developed. Due to the critical nature of the various thesis defense questions/dissertation defense questions you’ll be asked, it’s best to be prepared and practice with other students. Try to even attend a thesis defense if you can. Overall, consider the thesis defense as a chance to showcase how you’ll best contribute to that academic field of research.

The thesis defense can range from anywhere between one to two hours, depending on your program. As a whole, you’ll present how you decided to choose this topic of research, what you discovered, and what those findings led you to realize. The committee – those overseeing and critiquing your thesis defense – will then ask you a series of thesis defense questions, as well as your written thesis because they’ll have already read it by then. In most cases, by the end of the questioning, the committee will either decide to approve your thesis or give you possible suggestions on how to reapproach your research.

How to best prepare for thesis defense questions

Much like preparing for the GRE or deciding what graduate program you wanted to apply to at the beginning of your graduate academic journey, familiarizing yourself with what to expect on the day of your thesis defense will only lighten the burden. Whether you’re a new master’s student or considering how to pursue a PhD , it’s important to know ahead of time how to best prepare for the thesis defense questions. If you’re getting ready to defend the master’s thesis or prepare for dissertation defense questions, see how you can answer the following thesis defense questions that might come your way on the day of the presentation.

1)  What does your research focus on?

Be ready to state right away the synopsis of your research. Although it may seem like a simple, straightforward question, the committee will be looking to see the terminology you use when describing the focus of your research.

2) What influenced you to research this topic?

The committee will be interested in knowing what influenced you to choose this specific topic of research. What motivated you? Shape your answer in a way that reflects the field of study your topic of interest is in and the issues that stood out to you.

3) What does your study encompass and cover?

Consider the parameters and scope of your research for your thesis defense. By defining and delineating the grounds that you covered with your research, you will inform the committee with a better understanding of how you decided to focus on your topic of interest.

Thesis Defense Questions (Continued)

4) what was the goal of your research.

This question will surface often whether you are defending your master’s thesis or preparing for the dissertation defense questions. It’s important to state what your thesis meant to achieve. Think of what the core focus of your thesis is, and state how that was the driving factor in your research.

5) What were your expectations going into this research?

Describe how your hypothesis was formed. Were there any things you had expected or any preconceived notions you had on this topic before you pursued this research? Where did these expectations come from? Did any previous research affect the way you approached your thesis defense as a whole?

Defending a Thesis (Continued)

6) what did you study that made you want to conduct this research project.

This is a great opportunity for you to show what literature you reviewed that led you to pursue the research. Be ready to discuss the literary review of what has already been contributed to this field of study. Reflect on the realizations made when confronting certain data and if it was feasible for you to conduct your research given the existing contributions. Examining this type of literary review will serve you well during the following thesis defense questions.

7)  Who is the targeted audience for this research?

It will be important to state who the targeted audience is, or what types of people will be affected by your research. Will these particular parties benefit from your research? How will they be affected? Consider not just the targeted audience, but also those in parallel groups who may be impacted by your findings.

8)  Why did you choose this title for your research? – thesis defense questions

The way you have named and titled your research will convey what you consider most important to the committee. What does your research try to explain in the given title? Is there a reason you chose the specific words in your title to convey a main point? The committee will want to see the intentionality of every word here and how it relates back to your research.

9)  How did you conduct your research questions and did your approach change?

While you were preparing and conducting your research, you might have found that your research questions were changing, depending on the sample you were studying. Oftentimes, if you are utilizing qualitative research methodology, the types of qualitative questions may change based on the answer. How did that change affect your research process? Did you have to shift your approach to the subject matter or reconsider focus groups?

10)  What impact does your research have on the existing literature?

Reflect on how your research made a contribution to the overall understanding of the field at hand. Think of why this was necessary and state that concisely. This will trickle into other thesis defense questions.

11)  Did you address any gaps in the field of your research?

Answering this thesis defense question will show how significant the findings of your research are. The goal of anyone’s research is to fill in the gaps of a field. Why did the pre-existing literature not suffice to address the focus of your research?

12)  What did you come across during your research?

It helps to have options of how you’ll convey this. Try to be prepared to summarize in detail, within a minute, what your findings were. Then see what you can paraphrase in 5 minutes. How about in 10 minutes? Doing so will assist you in identifying the most relevant piece of information based on how the committee asks you this thesis defense question.

13)  Did you find anything unexpected or surprising during your research process? – thesis defense questions

This would be a good opportunity for you to state how any surprises you came across helped you make certain decisions about your research. While you defend the master’s thesis and think of how you’ll prepare for the PhD dissertation defense questions, this is a “curveball” moment that demonstrates how you took charge of the challenge presented and continued your research despite what you had confronted.

14)  Under what parameters is your research valid?

Parameters were mentioned in question 3 above, but consider the specific conditions that would need to be in place for your findings to be valid. What are the elements that would have to be in place? Be ready to identify these during this thesis defense question.

15)  What were the challenges when conducting your research?

Were there any roadblocks you faced when gathering your data? Did you have to reconsider your research methodology at all? Identifying this will help the committee understand the direction and trajectory of your research.

16)  What were the challenges when working with your subject matter?

If you were interviewing people, did the focus groups not adhere to what you had asked them to do? Why? Walk the committee through your approach here.

17)  Why did you choose the research methodology that you chose?

While you’re defending the master’s thesis or answering dissertation defense questions, you’ll be asked specific questions about your research methodology. Was it qualitative? Quantitative? Why? What made you believe that this would be the most effective way to conduct your research?

18)  How did you form your hypothesis?

Tie back in your expectations for your research and consider what you thought the expected results would be for this thesis defense question. Were there any factors, both past or recent, that had helped shape your hypothesis?

19)  How did you gather the data to conduct your research and what sources did you use?

Recount what steps you took to decide how to access the data. Did certain libraries offer more resources? Was there any censorship that you came across that posed as a roadblock to collecting data?

20)  What are the practical implications of your research?

For both master’s and PhD students, this is always an important thesis defense question to keep in mind. In life outside of the academic institution, how will your research be of practical use to society? It’s a question that most graduate students ask about themselves before graduating, so it’s best to know how to answer this one about your research!

21)  How did you decide what samples to study in the research you found? What was your approach in using sample groups?

For example, if you used sample or focus groups, how did you go about selecting these groups? How did you get access to the data here? Don’t be hesitant to state the challenges you might have faced while doing so. As long as you frame it in a way that helps provide a more intricate portrait of the trajectory of your research, you’re on the right path.

22)  What are the independent and dependent variables in your research?

Use this thesis defense question to show how balanced your research methodology was by naming the different factors. How did the independent variables affect how the dependent variables changed?

Dissertation Defense Questions (Continued)

23)  considering your contribution to this field of research, where else would require further research what more needs to be done in this field.

As a master’s student defending your master’s thesis or as a PhD candidate preparing for your dissertation defense questions, you are already a researcher. And as a researcher, you must present what else must be done in your field of research on top of what you’ve accomplished. What does your research further suggest?

24)  What did you ultimately gather from your research? What did you learn during and after the process? – thesis defense questions 

Aside from stating your findings as a whole, this would be a good moment to express if you found anything significant outside of your thesis that you hadn’t expected. Was there something you learned while gathering your data or writing up your text that you never thought you’d come across?

25)  After you complete your degree, what do you want to pursue professionally?

It’s not uncommon for master’s or PhD students to not know exactly what they want to do once they graduate. But for this last thesis defense question, it’s good to have a solid answer that will tie back into the research you’ve done. Do you have further research plans in this field? Do you want to pursue a profession that would enable this and strengthen the practical reality of it?

Thesis Defense Questions – Additional Resources

We hope you found this list of common thesis defense questions useful as you prepare for defending your thesis. Other articles that you may find relevant include:

• Top Feeders to PhD Programs
• Do You Need a Master’s to get a PhD?
• How to Write a Grad School Statement of Purpose
• Graduate School Admissions

Joanna Hong

With a BA from Pitzer College and an MA from University College London, Joanna has worked in London, Berlin, and Los Angeles covering many cultural and political issues with organizations such as Byline Media, NK News, and Free Turkey Media. A freelancer for The New York Times, her work has also appeared in Newsweek, Dazed and Confused Magazine, and The Guardian, among others. In addition, Joanna was the recipient of the 2021 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship in Fiction and is currently completing her first novel.

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Graduate School

Oral Defenses of Theses and Dissertations

Master’s students completing a thesis and doctoral students completing a dissertation are required to engage in a final oral defense of the document by their thesis or dissertation committee. 

Information on defense policies and procedures is available in the PSU Bulletin: Please review the thesis section for details about thesis defenses. Please review the dissertation defense section for details about dissertation defenses.

Preparation in advance of the defense

• The thesis or dissertation committee must be approved by the Graduate School via a GO-16 prior to  holding a thesis or dissertation defense.  
• Students must be registered for at least 1 graduate credit in the term of the defense.  
• Defenses should be held during regular academic terms, i.e., not between terms. However, if there is a need to hold a thesis/dissertation proposal or final defense in the period between terms, and all faculty involved in the defense have agreed to participate at this time, graduate programs are allowed to schedule defenses between terms provided certain requirements are met. See Enrollment for Defenses/Exams Held Between Terms for details.   
• Defenses may be held in-person, remotely via videoconferencing (e.g., Zoom), or in a hybrid format with both remote and in-person participation. Please review the Remote Thesis/Dissertation Participation guidelines for defenses in which the student or at least one committee member is participating remotely.   
• Thesis  defenses are open to the University faculty and may be open to the public at the department’s discretion. Dissertation defenses are open to the public. Students should check with their department for internal policies regarding scheduling and announcing thesis and dissertation defenses.

The defense

• All appointed committee members must participate in the defense, even if the committee has more than the minimum required members. Refer to the approved GO-16 or DARS audit to confirm committee membership or contact Graduate Academic Services at [email protected] . Any changes to committee membership must be made in advance of the defense. 
• The student should not be expected to provide food or beverage for attendees of the defense. 
• If a committee member is missing at the start of a defense, the student and committee must wait at least 15 minutes for them to join the meeting. In the meantime, the committee chair should contact the Graduate School at (503) 725-8410 for options in case the member cannot be located. 

Structure of the final defense

The master’s or doctoral candidate is expected to prepare and give an oral presentation on the research methodology and results. After the student’s presentation, they will defend the thesis or dissertation in a question and discussion session. 

• The student's oral presentation should not exceed 60 minutes.
• Defenses should be scheduled for 2 to 3 hours to allow enough time to accommodate all steps of the defense and a robust questioning and discussion session. Appointed committee members must participate in all the steps of the defense. The actual length of the defense will depend on how long each step takes.

Example structure of a defense:

• Allow 10-15 minutes for attendees to arrive. Allow at least 15 minutes for all committee members to arrive.
• Committee chair makes introductions and directs the defense meeting. 
• Student presents for 30-40 minutes. (Individual programs may have specific requirements about presentation length.)
• Questioning and discussion session. This session may be held publicly with all attendees and/or privately with only the student and the committee. (Depending on departmental practice, there may be both a public and private questioning and discussion session.)
• Allow 10 minutes for the student and everyone except the committee members to leave the room. 
• Committee members deliberate and discuss the result of the defense. Each committee member votes on the defense. (Votes will be captured via the GO-17 form.)
• Student is called back to the room to receive the result of the defense and any revisions required by the committee in order to give final approval to the thesis or dissertation. 

How to Prepare for the Oral Defense of Your Thesis/Dissertation

© Paul T. P. Wong , Ph.D., C.Psych.,  Former Research Director, Graduate Program in Counselling Psychology, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, Canada

Use the following steps when preparing for the oral defense of your thesis/dissertation.

1. Evaluation of oral examination is based on your presentation and your answers to questions from the examining committee.

2. Be well prepared for your presentation—academically, mentally and physically. Try to be well rested and focused before your oral defense.

3. In your preparation, don’t try to memorize all the studies cited in your thesis, but you do need to know the details of the few key studies that form the basis of your investigation.

4. You need to be familiar with larger issues, such as the basic assumptions, theoretical framework, paradigm, cross-cultural perspectives, Christian integration, etc.

5. More importantly, you need to have a deep understanding of the nature of your research problem and the major issues involved.

6. You may bring with you important materials for easy reference in the course of your defense; these may include key articles, computer print-outs of results, etc.

7. Your presentation is evaluated in terms of content and clarity as well as style.

8. Don’t speak too fast and don’t read from your notes.

9. Treat your presentation as a public address because there may be non-psychologists present at your defense. Therefore, don’t use too many jargons and don’t pack it with details. You need to tell people in simple, concise language:

• What you did,
• Why you did it,
• How you did it,
• What you found, and
• What the results mean.

10. Prepare handouts or power-points. Typically, they should include

• An overview or outline of your presentation,
• Introduction (including research question, rationale and hypothesis, if any, and definition of key constructs),
• Method (including design, methodology, sample, instruments or questionnaires, and procedure,
• Results (including tables or figures summarizing your findings), and
• Discussion (including reasons for new or unexpected findings, contributions and limitations, and practical implications).

11. Make sure that you space yourself well. Don’t spend too much time on one section. For example, you should not spend more than 5 minutes on introduction, since you are allowed only 20 minutes for your presentation.

12. Most of the questions are rather general and broad, dealing with substantial methodological, theoretical and application issues. However, some questions focus on specific points regarding sampling, statistical analysis, or some questionable conclusions.

13. Be prepared to clarify or elaborate on your assumptions, theoretical positions, methods, and conclusions. Often, an examiner plays the devil’s advocate to see how well you can think on your feet and defend yourself.

14. Occasionally, an examiner may ask a question which is unfair or cannot be adequately answered. After a few futile attempts, feel free to say that you don’t know the answer. You may even be bold enough to say, “Since none of my answers are acceptable, I would really appreciate it if you could give me some pointers or tell me what would be a correct answer.”

15. Here are some common questions:

• If you were to do it all over again, what changes would you make?
• What specific aspects of your findings can be utilized by counselors or psychologists in their practice?
• What is the most important contribution of your thesis? Can you say it in one or two sentences?
• What are some of the competing hypotheses? Could you think of an alternative interpretation of your findings?

16. Don’t rush to any answers. It is perfectly acceptable to think for a couple of seconds, or ask if you are on the right track. If you are not clear about the question, you are entitled to ask for clarification.

17. Try to be concise and to the point, but at the same time demonstrate that you have a good grasp of the complex issues involved. In other words, do not give superficial answers, but at the same time, do not go all over the map.

18. Put up a good defense without being defensive. Be confident without being cocky. A good defense means that you can provide strong logical arguments as well as empirical support o defend your position or conclusion. However, don’t be defensive when people criticize your study. If they are able to point out some real flaws or weaknesses in your study, accept their criticisms with humility, grace and gratitude.

19. Before the oral defense, talk to your advisor about areas of concerns based on external examiner’s comments. Then, discuss with your advisor how to best address these concerns. (Your advisor cannot tell you the specific questions the examiners will ask, but s/he can direct your attention to issues or areas that require some thinking or additional research.)

20. After the oral defense, meet with your advisor for debriefing and seek advice on how to revise your thesis.

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Division of graduate studies menu, division of graduate studies, doctoral oral defense procedures, the information on this page pertains to doctoral students only. master's students may or may not be required to hold a defense of their thesis or project; confer with your department for more information. , preparing for the oral defense.

All doctoral students must hold a formal public defense of their dissertation on a date that is acceptable to the dissertation committee. Defenses may take place on any date, but in order to graduate in a given term, a student must defend on or before the deadline for that term . The defense should be held on campus whenever possible, but remote defenses are also allowed (see Attendance Policies below). 

Students are expected to provide the committee with a full draft of the dissertation at least 3 weeks prior to the formal defense. It is also generally expected that the committee has tentatively approved the dissertation prior to the defense. 

If the committee has any reservations about the acceptability of the dissertation, aside from minor revisions that may be discussed at the defense, it is recommended that the defense be postponed until such time as the committee is generally in agreement the defense will be successful.  

• To graduate in a given term, the oral defense must take place by Friday of week 9 of that term.
• The student is expected to provide the committee with a full draft of the dissertation at least 3 weeks before the defense date .
• Note: Students should submit the application 3-4 weeks before the defense to allow sufficient time for their committee and department to approve by the 2 week deadline.
• The committee must log in to GradWeb and certify the results of the defense  within 2 weeks after the defense. 
• The final, committee-approved dissertation must be uploaded   within 2 weeks after the defense.

Doctoral Degree Completion Deadlines

Committee Members' Attendance at the Oral Defense

• The preferred best practice is to have all members of the dissertation committee physically present at the final oral defense
• Effective Fall 2021: Fully remote defenses are allowed

Attendance Policies

Instructions for Applying for the Oral Defense

• Submit an application for advanced degree in GradWeb . The priority deadline is the second Friday of the term. Specific dates for each term are listed here .
• Prior to applying, you should already have obtained a provisional agreement from your committee members that they will be available on the specified day and time you wish to hold your defense.
• Please be sure to allow yourself enough time for your committee members and department to approve the application by the 2-week deadline (see Deadlines above). 
• If any of the committee members are unable to attend—in accordance with attendance exception policies —you must indicate this as part of the online process.
• When you submit the oral defense application, each of your committee members will receive an email asking them to log in to GradWeb and confirm (or waive) their attendance.
• The Division of Graduate Studies must receive the departmental approval no later than 2 weeks before the defense date.
• Approximately one week before your defense date, the Division of Graduate Studies will send an email to you and your committee authorizing the defense to proceed and providing instructions to the committee for submitting their approval after the defense. 
• If any of your committee members were not present at the defense, they are still responsible for logging in to GradWeb  within 2 weeks  and certifying their approval of the defense. 

Additional Notes About Your Oral Defense

If you hold your oral defense after the established term deadline, you will be considered an applicant for graduation for the next term.

Registration requirements for the final term will vary depending on when you are able to submit your final dissertation to the Division of Graduate Studies.

Defending during the breaks between terms: The Division of Graduate Studies allows defenses to be held during the break between terms, but some departments may have restrictions on whether students can hold defenses at these times. Please check with your department before scheduling a defense during a break.

If you schedule your defense during a term break, you will be considered a graduate of the term following the break. Registration requirements for the final term will vary depending on when you are able to submit your final dissertation to the Division of Graduate Studies.

• Counseling psychology, school psychology, and clinical psychology students: Students in these programs may hold the defense and obtain approval of the final dissertation before embarking upon the required year-long internship . The degree will be awarded once the internship is successfully completed.

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	Sep 05, 2024   2020-2021 Graduate Catalog     2020-2021 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.     Defense Announcements  Master’s thesis and doctoral defenses are partially public events and must be announced to the campus via the UNLV Master Calendar a minimum of two  weeks prior to the scheduled event. To do so, the date, time, and location need to be emailed to . Advertisement of the defense must specify how, when, and where the defense will take place so that members of the public may attend/participate, whether the defense is face-to-face (must be on campus), a hybrid format (an on-campus location plus a digital/online component for remote participation), or an entirely online/digital meeting space. Also, students are generally required to publicize their defense in their department and encouraged to do so in other relevant campus and community groups.  Please note that the first part of the defense is open and public; after the student’s presentation and questions (conducted in a manner that is typical and appropriate to the program/discipline), everyone other than the student and their GAC should be asked to leave. At that point, the private part of the defense with the student and their GAC may commence (see also:  ).   Final Oral Defense Guidelines for Master’s and Doctoral Programs Graduate students completing a thesis, dissertation, or doctoral project are required to demonstrate their ability to select a specific problem or topic, master the literature on it, gather/create and analyze/present relevant data/scholarship/creative products, engage in original research, scholarship, or creative activity, and prepare a well-written final document that is successfully defended publicly and to their entire GAC. Best practices indicate that no later than eight weeks prior to the last day of instruction in the term the student will graduate, a draft of the work should be submitted to the advisory committee. At the very least, students should submit their draft of the thesis or dissertation that is to be defended at least 10 working days to their committee for review before their scheduled defense date. The oral defense must be held at least three weeks before the last day of instruction in the term in which the student plans to complete the degree requirements. Students must be enrolled in three graduate credits during the term the oral defense is conducted and the student intends to graduate.   Thesis and Dissertation Defense Format Particularly in traditional, on-campus programs, the Graduate College encourages in-person milestone exams, thesis, and dissertation defenses with the defending student, committee chair, and other committee members present in-person. This defense format enables discussion of a student’s culminating experience and serves as an important landmark in a student’s professional development by presenting to a group of scholars and perhaps a wider community. However, advances in digital technology and variation in program delivery (e.g., online programs) warrant flexibility in how in-person vs. remote thesis and dissertation defenses occur. Student defense presentations must be public, although a private defense discussion between the student and committee members must also occur.  Advertisement of the defense must specify how, when, and where the defense will take place so that members of the public may attend/participate, whether the defense is face-to-face (must be on campus), a hybrid format (an on-campus location plus a digital/online component for remote participation), or an entirely online/digital meeting space. For hybrid defenses, the location must have the necessary technical capacity to allow for reliable remote participation with audio and visual capacity for the student and committee members. Students must inform the Graduate College of their defense date, time, place, format, and complete login information (if hybrid or online) to facilitate public attendance at least two weeks in advance of the defense so that it may be advertised on the website.  Regardless of defense mode, the entire GAC, including the GRC, must be in attendance and participate in the entire defense. The GRC must be able to participate and observe all interactions that occur during the defense. If technical or other problems arise and interfere with the ability to successfully conduct the presentation and discussion, the defense meeting must be rescheduled. Satisfactory performance on a final defense will consist of a presentation and public defense of the student’s original thesis or dissertation research. At a minimum, the defense consists of an oral presentation open to university graduate faculty, staff, students, and the community, followed immediately by a closed deliberation and vote by the advisory committee. More specifically, the oral presentation will be open to UNLV graduate faculty, graduate students, relevant administrators, and invited guests. The oral presentation may be followed by general questions of clarification from attendees (other than the advisory committee members). The advisory committee and chair may choose to include a session of more in-depth questioning open only to the advisory committee and the UNLV graduate faculty. An additional phase of questioning with only the advisory committee and candidate may also be included. The final phase of closed deliberation, and the vote to pass or fail the student, will only be open to the student’s appointed advisory committee, after which the student will be immediately informed of the committee’s decision. During the oral defense, the student must be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of a broad field of study and a detailed understanding of a more limited field. All voting members of the advisory committee must unanimously pass the student. If the committee votes unanimously to pass or fail the student, that vote is final. Oftentimes, the advisory committee unanimously votes to provisionally pass the student for the oral defense component of the program but requires revisions to the thesis/dissertation before the document may be submitted to the Graduate College in its final form. Students must complete the committee’s required revisions to their satisfaction/standards of the field before the Culminating Experience Results Form can be submitted to the Graduate College.  If the voting members of the advisory committee are not unanimous on a pass or fail, the student, in consultation with their advisor, may request the committee to administer a second examination. Students should be placed on probation if they do not pass the exam the first time (See  ). The student must wait at least three months before taking the second examination, during which time the department may require additional coursework; substantial reworking of the thesis, dissertation, or professional/scholarly paper or project; or whatever is believed necessary to prepare the student for a successful second examination. The Graduate College will not approve third examination requests. Students must submit the results of their oral defense to the Graduate College immediately after they receive them or it is recommended no more than two weeks prior to the last day of instruction.   Enrollment Requirements during Thesis/Dissertation Progress Students must maintain continuous enrollment (a minimum of six graduate-level credits in the current and prior two consecutive semesters, including summer) while working on their degree and final document. Master’s and doctoral candidates must be enrolled in enough Thesis/Doctoral credits to maintain continuous enrollment unless they are on an approved LOA (see LOA in  ). Since we cannot graduate and confer a degree upon a student who is not active and enrolled, students must be enrolled in a minimum of three graduate-level credits in the semester in which they graduate, even if they have already completed all the required degree credits. Please note that students must be enrolled in a minimum of one graduate credit in any semester when they are proposing, defending, or testing (preliminary, qualifying, comprehensive, prospectus, or final exams/activity).   Master’s Thesis, Doctoral Dissertation, and Doctoral Projects Some master’s programs require a thesis, or offer the option of a thesis, for the master’s degree. All research doctoral programs (Ph.D.s) require a dissertation. Professional doctoral programs require a dissertation or doctoral project, depending on the field of study. The thesis, dissertation, or doctoral project should demonstrate the student’s ability to select a specific problem or topic, assemble pertinent and necessary data, conduct original research, organize ideas and data in a compelling manner, and prepare a clear, well-written document detailing their work. The minimum number of thesis credits required for a master’s degree program is six. For the doctoral degree program, the minimum number of dissertation credits required is 12. A grade is not reported for thesis or dissertation credits. Semesters in which the document is still in progress and neither completed nor defended, X grade is issued. When the final copy of the thesis/dissertation is submitted electronically to the Graduate College and approved by the Graduate College dean, the title of the thesis/dissertation is posted on the student’s transcript with the number of credits earned. See Progression and Completion Policies about Enrollment Requirements during Thesis/Dissertation Progress. Best practices indicate that no later than eight weeks prior to the last day of instruction in the term the student will graduate, a draft of the work should be submitted to the advisory committee. The committee will review the thesis or dissertation for any corrections and changes, which must be incorporated before the final examination (oral defense) and submission of the final document to the Graduate College. The completed work must be resubmitted to the committee at least two weeks before the final scheduled examination/defense date. At the defense, the advisory committee may require appropriate additions, retractions, changes, edits, or other modifications to the document before signing the final paperwork to indicate a successful defense and a passing final thesis or dissertation. The final document (incorporating all changes and formatted appropriately) must be submitted to the Graduate College. The GAC determines the appropriate style guide and must sign-off to indicate that the document conforms to all stylistic requirements, is well-edited, and clearly written. There are also some basic formatting requirements required by the Graduate College. Instructions on how to submit your document for a format check to confirm that it complies to UNLV requirements (not to approve compliance with the style guide used in the student’s discipline; that is managed by the GAC) can be found on the Graduate College’s .   Formatting and Style Matters of format and style with respect to capitalization, abbreviation, quotations, footnotes, citations, bibliography, etc., should conform to the discipline’s standard publishing format (APA, ASA, MLA, Chicago style, etc.). Departments will advise the student on which style manual is appropriate, and members of the GAC are responsible for ensuring full compliance with the chosen style guidelines in all final documents. Beyond, and in addition to, the style guidelines used in the student’s field, final documents must conform to UNLV formatting and style requirements. The is available on the Graduate College website and these resources, along with workshops provided by the Graduate College each semester, should make it easy for students to conform to UNLV guidelines. These mandatory formatting requirements to the final document must be met before final submission and before a student’s degree can be conferred. Students with questions about their thesis or dissertation can take advantage of the Graduate College’s thesis and dissertation office hours every Tuesday and Thursday from 12-2 p.m. Email [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance to schedule a virtual appointment (via Google Meets or Skype).   iThenticate Requirements Students are required to run their final thesis or dissertation through the online similarity check software prior to their final defense. All doctoral students and all master’s students with 15 credits toward their degree have free access to this software through the Graduate College for any professional use, including the final thesis or dissertation check. Students that do not have access should contact the Graduate College to create an account (See )  Graduate advisory committee members should be sent a PDF of the iThenticate similarity report via email a minimum of seven days before the scheduled defense. At the time of the defense, the student’s committee will attest that they have received copies of the report and approve the percentage as acceptable for the student’s discipline on the student’s Culminating Experience Form. The first page of the student’s iThenticate similarity report that lists the overall similarity percentage for the final document should be attached to the approved Culminating Experience Results Form before it is turned into the Graduate College via .   ProQuest, Digital Scholarship, and As part of the requirements for completion for all theses, dissertations, and doctoral projects, once final documents are accepted by the Graduate College as complete, approved, and properly formatted, students must then submit their final approved document electronically to ProQuest and Digital Scholarship@UNLV by the posted date each semester. Failure to do so will result in a delay of your degree conferral. Please note that documents posted in and will be available online for viewing and download.  Students who have a documented rationale for needing to delay the release of their document to ProQuest and Digital Scholarship@UNLV are invited to submit an Embargo Form to the Graduate College. Embargos may be approved for periods of one, three, five, or seven years and under special circumstances may be renewed with a new, approved application. Even with the implementation of an embargo, students still must upload their final document to ProQuest to graduate. Please note that students graduating from the Department of English should contact the Graduate College about the submission of the document to and .             Apply       Visit       Give       |      Alumni       Parents       Offices       TCNJ Today       Three Bar Menu Oral Defense The Oral Defense When the Thesis Chair deems the thesis draft is ready for preliminary approval, the student will distribute it to the members of the committee no later than four weeks prior to the last day of graduate classes.  In consultation with the student and the Graduate Coordinator, the Thesis Chair will designate the time and place of the oral defense and notify all members of the thesis committee. The oral defense should be scheduled to allow time for all members of the thesis committee to review the thesis and provide feedback prior to the date of the defense. The Thesis Chair will act as the moderator at the oral defense at which only the committee members, the Graduate Coordinator are present.  The defense is not public.  The student will open with a brief presentation of his or her findings, after which the members of the thesis committee will offer questions about the substance of the research.  Observations or inquiries dealing with composition or formatting should be provided in writing to the Thesis Chair before the defense. When the Thesis Chair determines that the committee has had an adequate opportunity to question the student, the student may be excused while the committee and the Graduate Coordinator recess to discuss their evaluation of the defense.  At the conclusion of this recess, the Thesis Chair and members of the thesis committee will sign the “Oral Defense of Thesis” form with a decision of “pass” of “fail” and enter comments if necessary.   (A student may not pass with more than one dissenting vote.)  The Graduate Program Coordinator may serve as a moderator in cases when the committee cannot come to consensus.  The student will be invited to return to hear the decision and hear any suggestions for final revision. Submission of the final decision and all appropriate forms should be made to the Graduate Director and within ten weekdays of commencement for final approval.  Three appropriately formatted and proofread copies of the thesis must be submitted to the Graduate Director for binding no later than the last day of graduate classes (four if the Thesis Chair requires a personal copy.)  Signed copies of the “Final Thesis Approval” form must accompany each copy. Skip to Content Interested in more? Search Courses Search Input Submit Search Dissertation & Thesis Information Explore this Section Preparing For Your Defense Oral defense policies. While the content of a dissertation or thesis is the prerogative of the student and their dissertation/thesis committee, the oral defense committee requirements, deadlines and format is established by university policy and managed by the Office of Graduate Education. Doctoral Dissertation Master's Thesis Dissertation & Thesis Process Step-by-step process, dissertation guidelines. Proposal programs reserve the right to determine the composition of the dissertation/thesis proposal committee. Check your department's student handbook to determine any unique proposal policies and guidelines.  Dissertation Committee Guidelines  Thesis Committee Guidelines   Oral Defense Students must satisfactorily complete the oral defense at least three weeks before the end of the term in which the degree is to be awarded. View resources for a Virtual Oral Defense.   Document Submission Following the submission of the dissertation or thesis to ETD/ProQuest, students will work with the Office of Graduate Education for formatting approval. Formatting must be approved by the last day of the term.  Dissertation and Thesis publication option and information about restricting access Congratulations! You have finished your dissertation/thesis!   Relevant Forms and Policies Resources for a Virtual Oral Defense The defense is expected to be held with the student and committee members being present in person.  However, if circumstances make it impossible for the student and/or committee members to be physically present, a defense with the student and/or faculty participating by conference call, webcast or other medium is allowed if agreed upon by the student, the dissertation director and committee members.  2023 - 2024 Dissertation/Thesis Deadlines View the Schedule of Deadlines for the 2023-2024 academic year. 2024 - 2025 Dissertation/Thesis Deadlines View the Schedule of Deadlines for the 2024-2025 academic year. Oral Defense Committee Recommendation Form This form should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Education as soon as your proposal has been approved. Schedule of Oral Defense Four weeks prior to your oral defense, you must submit a copy of this form to the Office of Graduate Education and your department to schedule your oral defense. Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Requirements Review this comprehensive document for insight into formatting and arrangement requirements. Thesis and Dissertation Submission Instructions Follow these instructions to electronically submit your thesis/dissertation to ProQuest. Formatting Template The Formatting Template is a resource to help format your dissertation/thesis per the University's formatting requirements.  2024 - 2025 Schedule of Deadlines Writing center. Need help writing your thesis/dissertation? Get the support you need at the Writing Center. Our skilled staff helps writers at all stages of the writing process in individual and group settings.  Research Centers Receive support from faculty and other on-staff research experts about best practices and executing a research strategy.  OGE Student Services [email protected] 303-871-2706 303-871-4942 www.du.edu/graduate-education Mary Reed Building Room 5 2199 S. University Blvd. Denver, Colorado 80208 M - F 8am - 4:30pm Guidelines for the oral defense of theses at CBS Oral defense of master’s theses. The oral defense marks the completion of 5 years of studies and is therefore a day of celebration. Below, you will find guidance for ensuring that the defense sticks to current rules and regulations. The supervisor becomes the examiner the moment the thesis is submitted and from that point on, the examiner is  not  allowed to be in contact with the students until the oral defense. The oral defense consists of: A presentation controlled by the student(s) A discussion controlled by the examiner Deliberation / reviewing Grade-giving and feedback The timeframe varies from program to program and is shown in the course description (search on master’s thesis along with the relevant program). On most CBS programs one hour per student is allocated to the entire function (i.e. the list above). The examiners have read the thesis in advance and the oral defense is therefore  not  a repetition of the content of the thesis. The oral defense is an opportunity for a discussion of particularly interesting aspects of the thesis. Examiners should try to form the defense as a discussion amongst interested parties rather than a question/answer session. All aspects within the delimitation of the thesis are subject to discussion and adjacent theory/methods/perspectives can be included, but the oral defense is not an exam in the entire syllabus of the graduate program. The purpose of the defense, alongside the discussion among interested parties, is also to check that the thesis has indeed been written by the student. Therefore, the examiners have to ensure that the discussion does not get stalled in a corner of the research, but covers substantial parts of it. In a group oral defense, the examiners have to make sure that a basis for giving individual grades is established and this will normally imply that all students are heard more or less equally. The defense is also the student’s opportunity to correct possible substantial errors or omissions in the written work. Since the current grading scale focuses exactly on the number/seriousness of errors and omissions in the student performance, normally most of the time and discussion in the oral defense will circle around this issue. The assessment must be based on the criteria, which appear in the learning objectives and examination requirements in the  program regulations . It is not allowed to include other criteria. Be aware that the criteria can vary across the different programs and that criteria might change over time. Therefore, it is important that you read the current criteria in each student’s learning objectives. The assessment includes the written work, including summary and bibliography (but excluding appendices), and writing- and expression skills. However, the academic content, as well as the oral defense, carries the biggest weight. See note on the overall assessment. Assessment is conducted according to the  7-point grading scale . Assessment of group theses Each student must be given an individual grade, even though they have written and defended the thesis together. The students shall therefore be given different grades if the academic assessment dictates it. Feedback on grade The examiners must always justify the grade to students (normally referring to errors/omissions in the student performance regarding the learning objectives). The situation can be emotional, positive, or negative, so the examiner should ask the student whether he/she understands the reason for the grade and give the student an opportunity to ask questions regarding the assessment. However, the grade itself is not up for discussion or negotiation and the examiners are not allowed to communicate whether they disagree with the grade given. A reasonable explanation can prevent examination complaints and give the student a good completion of his/her studies, even if the student is disappointed with the grade. If anything goes wrong Is the student absent? Is the external examiner absent? Has the room been double-booked? Do the examiners suspect  plagiarism ? Or are there other things that go wrong, you must contact The Program Administration immediately: Log on to  eksamen.cbs.dk  and click on the name of the test and click on the exam administrator’s name for contact information. Course in oral examination and assessment Teaching & Learning is facilitating a course in oral examination and assessment that will help you qualify as an oral examiner in university education in Denmark, primarily bachelor and master level programs in social sciences, incl. business administration and economics. Read more about the course here . Our website is being updated this week; thank you for your patience. Dissertation Instructions The dissertation is an original piece of scholarly research on a topic that has been jointly agreed upon by the student and her/his Supervisory Committee members. It is a major undertaking that should reflect the highest standards of scholarship and make a significant contribution to knowledge and practice in the field of social welfare and the profession of social work. “A candidate must present a dissertation demonstrating original and independent investigation and achievement. A dissertation should reflect not only mastery of research techniques but also ability to select an important problem for investigation and to deal with it competently.” ( University of Washington Graduate School ) Dissertation Research After the dissertation prospectus has been approved by the Supervisory Committee and the PhD Steering Committee, the student normally works primarily under the direction of the chair. The extent to which other members are involved during the course of the dissertation research is determined on a case-by-case basis. If a dissertation study significantly changes as it progresses from that originally approved in the Prospectus by the Supervisory Committee and Steering Committee, the changes must be reviewed and approved by the Reading Committee members of the Supervisory Committee. 1 Dissertation Research Colloquium At some point during the dissertation process each candidate is required to make a 30-minute presentation of her/his research at a Dissertation Colloquium. 2 The colloquium is an open assembly of Social Welfare Faculty, PhD students, and others (e.g., faculty from the School of Social Work and other departments, MSW and BASW students, and community persons) who have interest in the proposed research. The Dissertation Colloquium provides (1) a forum for the productive and timely exchange of ideas, suggestions, and resources with doctoral candidates as they work on their first major independent research endeavor and (2) an opportunity for doctoral candidates to articulate to others their research goals, plans, and questions. The timing of the colloquium will depend on the specific needs of each student and be determined by the student and Supervisory Committee. Two options are available: At any point during the dissertation research process when the student and Supervisory Committee determine that a public presentation of the research and findings would be useful for the student. (This could be as a practice job talk or for the general purpose of sharing the research with the community.) The student’s Supervisory Committee is typically in attendance, and one member serves as discussant and facilitator of the Colloquium. As an opening presentation during the Oral Dissertation Defense. (If this option is chosen the Social Work community must be invited to the presentation. Note: Graduate School guidelines recommend that at least a portion of the Oral Dissertation Defense be open to the public.) Consistent with the program’s emphasis on providing opportunities for students to strengthen their skills in presenting their work, students are strongly encouraged to invite not only social work faculty and students but also any other relevant university colleagues or community members to attend the Colloquium. At least two weeks prior to the date of the Colloquium the student sends an email announcement with the presentation information and an abstract. Writing and Submitting the Dissertation Two general formats have been approved by the Graduate School and the social welfare faculty. The first, more traditional within the Arts and Sciences, is the monograph or ‘book’ format for a dissertation. In this format, the dissertation is organized as an integrated set of chapters written as a logical progression of ideas pertaining to a central topic. The second dissertation format, more prevalent in the health sciences, is a series of three to four research papers that may differ in topic but are clearly reflective of a coherent program of research. (*When the dissertation is composed of a set of research papers that are inclusive of co-authored manuscripts, the candidate must be the primary contributor and lead author on all published papers.) Each format has advantages and disadvantages having to do with publication goals and career plans, and these should be carefully considered by the candidate in consultation with his/her dissertation committee. For instructions on formatting the Dissertation, follow the School of Social Work Dissertation Style Guidelines . Also referenced in the guidelines document are templates for the required preliminary pages and for paragraph styles . The final dissertation must be submitted to the Doctoral Program Office for approval before it is submitted to the Graduate School, thus students need to contact the Program Office during the final stages of writing to ensure that all the guidelines are understood and complied with. For submitting the final to the Graduate School, students must follow the procedures outlined in the Graduate School’s Dissertation Submission Guidelines for Theses and Dissertations. This document outlines the process for submission of doctoral dissertations. All members of the Supervisory Committee must be provided a draft of the dissertation chapters at least 6 weeks in advance of the Oral Defense and a complete draft of the dissertation (with all required sections) at least 2 weeks in advance of the Defense. 2 Resources for Dissertation Research and Writing All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide This monthly newsletter provides practical strategies for successfully completing your doctoral dissertation, periodic interviews with scholars about the tips they wish they’d known at the beginning of their own careers, and teleworkshops. Phinished A discussion and support site aimed at helping people finish their dissertations. Summary Notes of Writing for Social Scientists Presents an outline of Howard S. Becker’s suggestions for writing. Taken from his book, Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986). Thinking About Your Thesis This article by Erika Simpson provides guidelines for finishing a thesis or dissertation. Writing and Presenting Your Thesis or Dissertation This article by S. Joseph Levine provides guidelines for thinking about a thesis or dissertation, writing a proposal, completing the project, and defending it.. Final Program Office Check Before scheduling the oral defense, the student must contact the PhD Program Assistant Director for a final degree check, which will be done via email. This will ensure that all degree requirements have been met. SSW Approval of the Dissertation Once the entire dissertation is complete, it must be submitted it to the School of Social Work Doctoral Program Office for approval before submitting the final to the Graduate School. Each document will be checked page-by-page, and notations made of all errors to be fixed. As a general guideline, the SSW check should be arranged at least 2 weeks prior to the time the final will be submitted to the Graduate School. For formatting guidelines, see the School of Social Work Dissertation Style Guidelines . Contact the PhD Program Assistant Director in advance to request this check. Provide electronic files for checking instead of paper copy. This check can usually be accomplished in 1-2 working days if scheduled in advance. Final Examination: Oral Defense When the dissertation is complete and the doctoral Supervisory Committee agrees that the candidate is prepared to take the Final Examination (Oral D efense), the Program Director, Assistant Director, and Graduate School must be informed of the decision . 3 All members of the Supervisory Committee must be provided an initial draft of all chapters at least 6 weeks prior to the Oral Defense and a complete draft of the dissertation (with all required sections) at least 2 weeks in advance of the Defense. 4 All members of the Supervisory Committee (including the GSR) must be consulted by the student and approve the date, time, and location for the Oral Defense. The student then logs in to MyGrad to request scheduling of the Defense . (This must be done at least 2 weeks prior to the date of the oral defense.) As soon as the request is made, the student must send an email to the Assistant Director of the Social Welfare Program indicating that the request has been made (the MyGrad system tells students that the departments are being notified, but that’s not true). The Assistant Director will approve the request through MyGrad. The Final Oral Defense is intended as an opportunity for the student to clarify, elaborate, or justify the procedures used and the findings obtained. At least four members of the Supervisory Committee (including the Chair, all other members of the Reading Committee, and the GSR) must be present at the defense, and all members of the Reading Committee (composed of at least 3 members of the Supervisory Committee, including the Chair) must approve the final product. (The GSR must be there in person; any other members may participate by phone or video-conferencing.) The student may choose to present the public Dissertation Colloquium as part of the Defense (see Dissertation Colloquium section above). The defense session is normally about 2 hours. The committee Chair completes the Dissertation Evaluation Form . After the defense has been conducted, the committee may approve the dissertation or require the student to make additional modifications or additions. Upon a successful defense and acceptance of the dissertation by the SSW and the Graduate School, the PhD in Social Welfare is conferred. The Reading Committee approves a dissertation through an online process. All members of a Committee must log into MyGrad Committee View , including non-UW Reading Committee Members. Members log in using their UW NetIDs and will see the option to approve the dissertation after the student’s final exam has been scheduled. Any non-UW Reading Committee members must obtain a UW NetID when the join the committee. The PhD Program GPA can assist in this process. Participating in Commencement Exercises Consistent with the eligibility criteria for participation in the University of Washington’s June commencement exercises, individuals are eligible for participation in the School of Social Work’s June commencement exercises if the doctoral degree has been earned during the preceding Summer, or the Fall or Winter term of the current academic year. Alternatively, if a doctoral candidate has a reasonable expectation of graduating in either Spring or Summer of the current academic year he/she may choose to participate. ‘Reasonable expectation of graduation’ is interpreted as having progressed sufficiently in the writing of a dissertation that is of sufficient academic standard that there is strong consensus by the candidate’s Reading Committee that a dissertation defense can be scheduled in sufficient time for graduation by the end of the Summer term (after the commencement exercises). The PhD Program Director must approve commencement participation for any student who has not completed all requirements, including submission of the final dissertation to the Graduate School. For information on participating in the School of Social Work commencement . To apply and participate in the University of Washington’s June commencement exercises go to the Graduation, Commencement, and Diplomas page . Approved by Steering Committee, 5/26/98. Approved by the PhD Steering Committee, 11/6/2012. Graduate School revisions in General Examination and Defense Process instituted May 2009. Approved by Steering Committee, 12/7/2010. DIS-9400A The Dissertation Manuscript and Defense v1 Lesson 1 Resources Lesson 2 Resources Lesson 3 Resources Lesson 4 Resources Lesson 5 Resources Lesson 6 Resources Lesson 7 Resources Lesson 8 Resources Lesson 9 Resources Lesson 10 Resources Lesson 11 Resources Lesson 12 Resources Library Portal Lesson 2 Required Resources Some resources are also included within the body of Lesson 2. Trustworthiness References Expanding Approaches for Research: Understanding and Using Trustworthiness in Qualitative Research Stahl, N. A., & King, J. R. (2020). Expanding approaches for research: Understanding and using trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Developmental Education, 44 (1), 26-28. Trustworthiness of Qualitative Data National University. (2024). Trustworthiness of qualitative data. Validity and Reliability References Research Quality Lund Research Ltd. (2012). Research quality. Laerd Dissertation. Statistics Resources Academic Success Center. (2024). Statistics resources. National University. Qualitative Resources for Data Analysis Qualitative Data Analysis Tips and Strategies Graduate Studies Support Center. (2023, March). Qualitative data analysis tips and strategies. National University. Data Collection and Analysis Software Academic Success Center. (2024). Data collection and analysis software. National University. Analysis and Coding Example for Qualitative Data Academic Success Center. (2024). Analysis and coding example: Qualitative data. National University. Thematic Data Analysis in Qualitative Design Academic Success Center. (2024). Thematic data analysis in qualitative design. National University. Quantitative Resources for Data Analysis Quantitative Data Analysis Tips and Strategies Graduate Studies Support Center. (2022, December). Quantitative data analysis tips and strategies. National University. Statistics Resources Academic Success Center. (2024). Academic Success Center statistics resources. National University. Statistics Basics Academic Success Center. (2024). Statistics basics. National University. Accessing SPSS Academic Success Center. (2024). Accessing SPSS. National University. SPSS Tutorials Academic Success Center. (2024). SPSS-tutorials. National University. << Previous: Lesson 1 Resources Next: Lesson 3 Resources >> Last Updated: Sep 4, 2024 6:41 AM URL: https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=1421840 © Copyright 2024 National University. All Rights Reserved. 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GMBA Facebook GMBA Instagram GMBA YouTube GMBA LinkedIn NTU Management Newsletter 三位臺大GMBA學生榮獲2022年玉山銀行 玉山培育人才獎學金 臺大GMBA游泳隊首次成軍參加校運游泳比賽 本校學生團隊參加全球霍特獎 助弱勢找有意義的工作 2022霍特獎亞洲區域冠軍cooseii 將代表臺灣赴美國參賽 2022臺大GMBA &遠傳電信英語商業提案競賽 GMBA的斯巴達5公里障礙賽大成功 GMBA復古時尚快閃市集 林安泰古厝的五校MBA聯誼餐會 臺大GMBA拜訪駐臺瓜地馬拉共和國大使：開展雙邊合作的契機 臺大GMBA課程參訪：中華電信衛星通信中心與海底電纜站 本校GMBA師生一同參加2021臺大校園馬拉松 本校GMBA桃源谷步道健行 開學新氣象: 本校GMBA Welcome Back Party Spring 2021 GMBA Thanksgiving Dinner 跳脫傳統的臺大GMBA與政大IMBA的校際交流之夜 GMBA職涯輔導(IMP)首次公司深度參訪 非洲市場經驗談：EMBA校友李連輝的客座講演 GMBA職涯發展IMP( Industry Mentoring Program)說明會正式開跑 GMBA萬聖節之夜：卯足全力的驚奇裝扮 GMBA Welcome Back Party—Fall 2020 一起聚一聚吧！GMBA 的傳統迎新熱炒趴 GMBA 2020熱力迎新暨課前培訓系列活動圓滿落幕 2020 GMBA Teaching Forum教學論壇　來自三國的遠距教學經驗分享 臺大特色課程系列報導稿件--管理學院GMBA之全球管理實務講座(GMF) 2020 Global MBA 畢業典禮成功圓滿 GMBA送愛心給受疫情影響的弱勢兒童 GMBA師生參訪中華電信之國際衛星通信中心 傳播希望傳播愛：GMBA外籍學生捐贈物資給臺大醫院 GMBA企業參訪–ViewSonic優派國際 2019 GMBA迎新 新學期 新人生歷程 GMBA龍舟隊參加 水岸臺北2019端午嘉年華 Thesis Writing Course Thesis and Brownbag Workshop Proposal and Advisor Documents Needed In Advance Application Form Transcripts Course Selection Results Academic Ethics Certificate Thesis Draft Oral Defense Step by Step Graduation Incomplete Thesis Examples Preparation Graduation Application Once you have passed the graduation application procedure, you can arrange for your Oral Defence. 1. Get permission from your advisor. 2. Build a committee with the help of your advisor.  3. Ask your advisor and the committee for their date and time availability and schedule the oral defense.  4. Ask your advisor for help to reserve a examination venue. When building the committee, please keep the following guidelines in mind: 1. The Committee Should be 3-5 Members: Advisor(s) + 2 Committee Members. 2. One Committee Member (other than the Advisor) must be from outside the GMBA program. 3. Members should have one or more of the following traits: - Current or past (assistant/associate) professor - Current or past (assistant/associate researcher of Academia Sinica of Taiwan) - A Ph.D. with significant academic achievement - An accomplished expert in the thesis-related field - A committee member cannot be your family member *The Committee must be confirmed by your advisor.  1. Submit your thesis to your advisor and all committee members. 2. Unless otherwise agreed, ensure the committee members receive a hard and soft copy. 3. Check with your advisor and committee members whether they need any special arrangements such as parking.  4. Ensure that the examination venue is booked. 5. Complete  Step 3  in the   GMBA graduation system (Fall 2024)   to download relevant documents for the Oral Defense  6. Complete the Thesis Similarity Check (See Below for Guidance) When to do it? Do it with your final version of the thesis after your oral defense. However, some advisors may request their students to do it before the defense; if this is the case, please do it both before and after your defense. How to do it? GMBA office will have a course at NTU COOL for this similarity checking. We will add you as one of the course students, and you will then receive an email from NTU COOL. Follow the instructions and upload your thesis as an assisgnment, then you will receive your score in 5-10 minutes. What should I do with the report? Please check if your percentages comply with GMBA requirements. By clicking on the percentage, you will see the breakdown. Check with your wording or sentences and see how they are duplicated with some other papers. Make the corrections and reupload again. Please check the Thesis Handbook if you need some guidance. After your submission, you can download your Oral Defense Documents packet from the GMBA graduation system (Fall 2024) , including:  1. Master Thesis Certification by Oral Defense Committee 2. Thesis Oral Defense Grade Form 3. Advisor, Thesis Examination, and Transportation Pay List 4. List of the Examination Board 5. Statement of Academic Ethics and Originality Comparison 6. POD Checklist    3. Ensure that you have brought a laptop and have any needed cables to connect to the projector and an AC charger for your battery. 4. Ensure that you have printed the Thesis Oral Defense documents packet. 5. Ensure that you have prepared hard copies of your thesis and slides (if needed).  6. Ensure that you have prepared anything else as conferred with your advisor, e.g., snacks, pencils, notepads, parking passes for off-campus committee members...   * Most of the class and discussion rooms are equipped with a projector with a VGA slot and or USB slot. Some facilities also have wireless connection capabilities. You need to bring your own laptop or borrow one from the GMBA Office.  2. Self checking whether your thesis meets all the requirements listed on the POD Checklist and then sign the list. For the POD Checklist, here is an example . 3. Please scan and upload all signed Oral Defense Documents, the final version of your Thesis, signed POD Checklist and Turnitin report back to the Step 4 in the  GMBA graduation system (Fall 2024) . 4. Start the Thesis Submission and Leave School procedure when completing the steps above.  Resources can help you deliver a high-quality thesis and reduce the need for additional revision: 1. Academic Formatting - For Literature Management, Citations, and Reference, consider using the Endnote Software made available by NTU - For Formatting consistency, we recommend you use APA or MLA. Regardless of which you use, please be consistent. - For Cover Page Materials, please follow NTU library instructions.  - Our  Template  is formatted in APA and already includes requested library formatting where needed.  Your advisor may have a different preferred formatting style. If this is the case, please follow your advisor's instructions. - You May find these references helpful: * https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html *  https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_style_introduction.html 2. English Formatting Microsoft Editor Microsoft has a built-in grammar-checking and style-checking tool in Microsoft Office. However, many of the style-checking features are turned off by default. Follow these instructions to turn them back on: Go to  File --  Options --  Proofing  Options.  Under Grammar and Refinements, y ou will see a list of grammar and spelling refinement options, most of which are turned off by default. Check the boxes to activate the settings. You can also download English support for Office from here:  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/download-office-language-interface-packs-lip-5ca3dbbe-9294-0757-1c65-b7f9f99b4da5 If this does not work, try installing the English version of MS Office and check if your office version supports it. Office 365   You will see significantly more options if you use Office 365. Grammarly.com or DeepL Grammarly.com  or  DeepL  are another recommended tools. The free version offers basic grammar and spelling suggestions, which are especially useful for dealing with repetitive, common issues. The paid version has advanced grammar and AI features for rewriting and tone management. *Consider finding a native speaker to proofread your paper after editing.    Start the Thesis Submission and Leave School procedures.   1. Please check with NTU library for the online thesis submission system.  https://www.lib.ntu.edu.tw/en/node/1788 2. Please check the graduation steps at myNTU to ensure you did not miss anything.  https://my.ntu.edu.tw/StudLeave/LoginEnglish.aspx 3. For international/Overseas Chinese students, you will be able to renew your ARC for 12 months (can be renewed twice) from the date of your graduation diploma. If you graduate in the Fall semester, the date shown on the diploma will be January of the year. If you graduate in the Spring semester, the date shown on the diploma will be June of the year. Please see NTU OIA website for more details.  https://oia.ntu.edu.tw/en/internationalstudents/degreestudent/survivalguide/ARC 4. Please print at least 3 (THREE) hard copies of your thesis, 2 are to be submitted to NTU library and 1 is to be submitted to GMBA Office.   Email: [email protected] Phone: +886-2-3366-1030 Fax: +886-2-3366-5411 Room 903, Building I, College of Management, No. 1, Sec.4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan 166 IMAGES How To Do a Proper Thesis Defense with a PowerPoint Presentation oral defense presentation ppt (PDF) MASTER THESIS ORAL DEFENSE PPT How to Prepare for the Oral Defense of Your Thesis/Dissertation Preparing For Your PhD Oral Defense: Tips And Tricks VIDEO Janell Shah Avoid Death by Slides: Keep Your Oral Defense (Viva Voce) Engaging Yes... But: The Key To Acing Your Viva Voce (Oral Defense) Research/Thesis/Capstone Oral Defense STEM group 2 Baptist Lui Ming Choi Secondary School Equilateral Polygons over Finite Fields Oral Defense 2023 COMMENTS The top 10 thesis defense questions (+ how to ... Crafting a thesis is significant, but defending it often feels like the ultimate test. While nerve-wracking, proper preparation can make it manageable. Prepare for your thesis defense with insights on the top questions you can expect, including strategies for answering convincingly. Contents Mastering the thesis defense: cultivate a success mindsetQuestion 1: Why did you choose How to prepare an excellent thesis 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. ... As a graduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating test ... 40 Thesis Defense Questions A thesis defense usually lasts between one and two hours, depending on the area of your research. It starts with you giving a presentation of your interest, findings, and conclusions. After you have finished, the committee members will ask you questions based not only on your presentation, but also on your written thesis as they will have read ... The Perfect Defense: The Oral Defense of a Dissertation Dr. Valerie Balester of Texas A&M University talks about how to prepare and what to expect when defending your dissertation.#tamu #Dissertation #Defensehttp:... Dissertation Defense The oral defense of your dissertation is, in essence, your formal introduction to your new colleagues—you are the expert on your subject. In the defense you'll be expected to cogently and clearly explain your work and how it fits with other research and scholarship in your field. The exact nature of the oral defense varies by discipline and ... Preparing For A Viva Voce (Dissertation Defence) 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. Defending Your Dissertation: A Guide 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. PDF A Guide for Graduate Students Preparing for a Master's Thesis Defense Master's Thesis Defense Appointment Form (note that this form can only be accessed by staff). Registration must occur on a date that allows 5 full working days to pass between the registration date and your actual defense date. When registering your Master's thesis, you must present a bound defense copy of your thesis to the Graduate Studies PDF Faculty and Candidate Guide to the Dissertation Oral Defense Introduction Office of Doctoral Studies. Box 172 324 Thorndike Hall 525 West 120th Street New York, NY 10027 Phone: (212) 678-4050 Fax: (212) 678-4050. Preparing For Your Dissertation Defense (Viva Voce): 9 ... Learn about the 9 critical questions you need to be ready for as you prepare for your dissertation or thesis defense (also called a viva voce or oral defense... 17 Thesis Defense Questions and How to Answer Them Give yourself several options by preparing 1) a very general, quick summary of your findings that takes a minute or less, 2) a more detailed rundown of what your study revealed that is 3-5 minutes long, and 3) a 10- to 15-minute synopsis that delves into your results in detail. With each of these responses prepared, you can gauge which one is ... Defending Your Thesis or Dissertation : Graduate School Exams Required for Ph.D. Degree Defense. The B exam is an oral defense of your thesis or dissertation. This exam can be taken after completing all degree requirements, but not earlier than one month before completing the minimum number of enrolled semesters. At least two semesters of successful registration must be completed between the passing ... 25 Thesis/Dissertation Defense Questions When you're considering going to graduate school, or you're about to defend your master's thesis or PhD dissertation, chances are you've come across something called the thesis defense.The thesis defense is arguably one of the most fundamental steps to take in order to attain your graduate degree. Each university will have its own tailored expectations of the thesis defense. Master's Thesis Oral Defense Master's Thesis Oral Defense. The candidate's oral defense committee conducts the oral defense of the master's thesis. The defense must be held at least three weeks before the end of the quarter in which the degree is to be granted. All members of the defense committee must receive a copy of the candidate's thesis at least two weeks prior ... Oral Defenses of Theses and Dissertations The master's or doctoral candidate is expected to prepare and give an oral presentation on the research methodology and results. After the student's presentation, they will defend the thesis or dissertation in a question and discussion session. The student's oral presentation should not exceed 60 minutes. Defenses should be scheduled for 2 ... PDF MASTER'S THESIS ORAL DEFENSE 1. The candidate's oral defense committee conducts the oral defense of the master's thesis. The defense must be held at least three weeks before the end of the quarter in which the degree is to be granted. All members of the defense committee must receive a copy of the candidate's thesis at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense. PDF Preparing for oral defense and Presenting Research findings Although the oral defense is a time of celebration where you can showcase your dissertation study, it is a serious milestone that you must pass before the University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies will confer your doctoral degree. SAME SLIDE, BUT USING 7X7 RULE. How to Prepare for the Oral Defense of Your Thesis/Dissertation 2. Be well prepared for your presentation—academically, mentally and physically. Try to be well rested and focused before your oral defense. 3. In your preparation, don't try to memorize all the studies cited in your thesis, but you do need to know the details of the few key studies that form the basis of your investigation. 4. Doctoral Oral Defense Procedures Deadlines. To graduate in a given term, the oral defense must take place by Friday of week 9 of that term.; The student is expected to provide the committee with a full draft of the dissertation at least 3 weeks before the defense date.; The deadline to apply for oral defense is 2 weeks before the defense date.. Note: Students should submit the application 3-4 weeks before the defense to allow ... Master's Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation & Project Oral Defense Final Oral Defense Guidelines for Master's and Doctoral Programs. Graduate students completing a thesis, dissertation, or doctoral project are required to demonstrate their ability to select a specific problem or topic, master the literature on it, gather/create and analyze/present relevant data/scholarship/creative products, engage in ... Oral Defense The oral defense should be scheduled to allow time for all members of the thesis committee to review the thesis and provide feedback prior to the date of the defense. The Thesis Chair will act as the moderator at the oral defense at which only the committee members, the Graduate Coordinator are present. The defense is not public. The student ... Dissertation & Thesis Information Oral Defense Policies. While the content of a dissertation or thesis is the prerogative of the student and their dissertation/thesis committee, the oral defense committee requirements, deadlines and format is established by university policy and managed by the Office of Graduate Education. Doctoral Dissertation; Master's Thesis Guidelines for the oral defense of theses at CBS The oral defense consists of: A presentation controlled by the student (s) A discussion controlled by the examiner. Deliberation / reviewing. Grade-giving and feedback. The timeframe varies from program to program and is shown in the course description (search on master's thesis along with the relevant program). Dissertation Instructions Final Examination: Oral Defense. When the dissertation is complete and the doctoral Supervisory Committee agrees that the candidate is prepared to take the Final Examination (Oral Defense), the Program Director, Assistant Director, and Graduate School must be informed of the decision. 3 DIS-9400A The Dissertation Manuscript and Defense v1 Welcome to the NU Library Guide for DIS-9400A.. Use the menu on the left to navigate through this guide. DIS-9400A The Dissertation Manuscript and Defense v1 Graduate Studies Support Center. (2023, March). Qualitative data analysis tips and strategies. National University. National Taiwan University GMBA Oral Defense Step by Step After your submission, you can download your Oral Defense Documents packet from the GMBA graduation system (Fall 2024), including: 1. Master Thesis Certification by Oral Defense Committee 2. Thesis Oral Defense Grade Form 3. Advisor, Thesis Examination, and Transportation Pay List 4. List of the Examination Board 5. essay homework paper phd project resume review study thesis