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Planning Preparation
Practice
HOW TO PREPARE FOR ORAL DEFENSE
Project
Avon Hart-Johnson, PhD, DW Consulting
THE PROPOSAL ORAL DEFENSE
Preparing for the Big Day Preparing for the Big Day
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT
The proposal is your roadmap to
finishing your dissertation – what,
when, where, why, and how.
The defense is your time to showcase
your understanding of the problem,
purpose, significance, research gap,
topic literature (both seminal and
current), theory, and methods.
Present your justifications for your
proposal as substantiated by the
literature. Discuss how your study is
situated within the body of literature.
Put together a cheat-sheet that
contains a list the key points of your
chapters– understand the pros and
cons and limitations of all.
Use your dissertation checklist to
ensure that you have covered the critical
aspects of the proposal (chapters 1-3) –
specific to your program in your
presentation outline (some items can be
combined on one page such as
assumptions, limitations, ethics).
PLANNING
If you know you are on the
cusp of getting approval,
begin your draft.
Start drafting your oral
presentation at least a
month before it is going to
take place.
Listen to other oral
presentations.
Google other dissertation
defenses.
Once your draft is
completed, audio record
yourself until you are 100%
confident in your
presentation and voice
projections.
Prepare a list of questions
that you anticipate being
asked. One way is to review
the types of questions that
frequently were posed by
your committee during the
proposal draft stage. It is
likely these will show up
again.
PLANNING CONT.
Practice your presentation with friends, family, colleagues, and others. Allow them to ask you questions – brush up where you are weak.
Practice your presentation more than 20 times. Know your slides so well that you can anticipate what is on the next slide.
Use citations as if you were writing a paper. You must cite your sources.
Do not exceed the allotted time when practicing via recording. You want to plan for 20 min. Your maximum talking points should fit on 15 to 18 pages.
PREPARATION
If you are required to provide an advanced copy of your presentation with your chairperson, spell check, and have a colleague review it.
Learn how to use the bullet points as a guidepost and know the detail behind the talking point.
Use graphics only if they do not overshadow the content. Graphics are a nice way of capture a great deal of content without many words.
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER Why did you select this method?
What is unique about your sample?
How does your study address the research gap?
How do you know if your instrument is valid and/or reliable?
Who are the seminal researchers in your topic area?
Who are the contemporaries in your field?
What is the problem? What will happen if the problem is not
addressed?
What is the significance of this study?
What are your goals?
What do you hope to find out?
In the event of an adverse event during data collection, what will
you do?
PRACTICE
Hold your dress rehearsal;
Perfect your timing – do not exceed the allotted time
Remain confident
Remind yourself that you have read more on the topic than anyone
on your committee
Be confident and at peace
See yourself exhaling with relief and happiness of completing the defense
PROJECT YOUR CONFIDENCE AND VOICE
On the day of:
Be clear in articulating your presentation
Speak clearly and confidently
You know your weak points, overcome them by addressing this area with confidence
and accurate information
Smile and let your voice reflect your passion for your topic
Have fun with it!
Good luck
SUMMARY
1
2
3
4
Draft while you have plenty time- allows for revisions.
Plan, practice, project your voice with confidence
Rehearse your material to perfection
Relax and enjoy it.
