20 Tips to Prepare for Your PhD Dissertation Defense

How well do you understand your project? Years of experiments, data analysis, and extensive  

literature research lead to how well you understand your research study. Furthermore, PhD

dissertation defense is the conclusion of your PhD years. Researchers frequently wonder how to

excel at their thesis defense and devote numerous hours to it. Days, weeks, months, and maybe

years of practice are required to clear the dissertation defense obstacle (Berntsen, 2022).

In this post, you will go through how to excel at PhD dissertation defense and provide some

useful tips for preparing for your thesis defense and you can also get Dissertation Help Online

for your defense.

How to Prepare for Dissertation Defense?

Here are 20 tips to prepare for your PhD dissertation defense.

1- Start Your Preparations Early

Thesis defense is not a three or six-month process. Don't wait until you've completed all of your

research goals. Start your preparation early and ensure that you understand the complexities of

your thesis and the reasoning for all of the research experiments you completed.

2- Attend Presentations by Other Candidates

Check your university for open dissertation presentations. In reality, open dissertation

presentations are available at other universities as well. For start, this will show you that thesis

defense is not a stressful process. Second, you'll learn other researchers' methods and hacks to

defend their thesis. Finally, you will see why dissertation defense is essential for both the

university and the scientific community.

3- Take Enough Time to Prepare the Slides

The dissertation defense process is more difficult than submitting your thesis on time. Ideally,

you should start developing the slides once you have completed your thesis. Spend more effort

preparing the slides. Check that you have the correct data on your slides and that your

conclusions are correct to create a logical flow for your presentation.

4- Structure the Presentation

Do not design your presentation haphazardly. Take the time to prepare a well-structured

presentation. Create high-quality slides that will impress the committee members. Create slides

that will keep your audience's attention. Maintain a detailed and precise presentation and use

smart art to create a perfect presentation.

5- Practice Breathing Techniques

If you watch a few TED talk videos, you will note that the presenters and orators are quite fluent

in their presentations. In fact, you won't notice them taking a breath or running out of air.

Practice - practice in breathing technique — is the only reason for such effortless oratory

proficiency.

Furthermore, every speaker understands how to control their breath. Long, steady breaths are

essential. Slow down you’re breathing and pay attention to it. All you need is a little practice

before this moment.

6- Create an Impactful Introduction

The crowd has high expectations of you. As a result, your opening statement should attract the

audience. Furthermore, your thesis should have an impact on the members; they should be

impressed by your thesis and the way you present it.

The introduction answers the most important questions: "Is this presentation worth the time?"

As a result, making an excellent first impression is important because the first few minutes set

the tone for the rest of your presentation.

7- Maintain Your List of Questions

Make a list of all the questions you ask yourself while preparing for the presentation. Try to

answer all the questions from the perspective of the reader. You can pretend you don't know the

topic and come up with questions that would assist you in learning more about it.

The list of questions will help you prepare for the questions that members may ask as they try to

understand your research. Attending open discussions with other candidates will also assist you

in anticipating dissertation defenses questions.

8- Practice Speech and Body Language

After you have successfully prepared your slides and practiced them, you can start focusing on

how you look while delivering your topic. This practice is not intended to improve your

appearance, but rather to help you understand your body language and, if necessary, relax.

Take note of your body language. Maintain a straight back while relaxing your shoulders.

Correct posture will give you a sense of self-assurance. So, look at yourself in the mirror and pay

attention to your movements.

9- Give Mock Presentation

It is a good idea to prepare a trial defense in advance. The most important aspect of the mock

defense is that it is identical to your actual defenses, so that you get to experience that will

prepare you for the actual defense.

10- Learn How to Handle Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. However, it is important to continue. Do not allow the errors to

detract from your thesis defense. Take a deep breath and go to the next step.

11-Do Not Run Through the Presentation

If you are nervous, you will want the presentation to stop as soon as possible. However, you will

become nervous in this situation, and you will speak too quickly, skipping over important

details. Eventually, your dissertation defense will be a flop.

12-Have a backup plan

Technology is unpredictable. Life is as well. There are no promises that your PowerPoint

presentation will work or look as expected on the large screen. Everyone has been there. Make a

backup plan for these scenarios. Handouts or an extra fresh shirt for spilt coffee can save the day

when technology fails.

13-Get Plenty of Rest

This is one of the most important dissertations defense preparation aspects. Sleeping a day

before your big event is obviously tricky, but you must concentrate and go to bed early with the

clear aim of receiving the rest you deserve.

14- Dress for success

Your dissertation defense is a formal ceremony that the entire department or university is often

asked to attend. It represents an important time for graduate students and instructors who have

supported them over a long and challenging process. While most universities do not have strict

dress codes for that event, it is treated with dignity and respect. This may seem obvious, but

dress as though you were going on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.

15-Delegate

Delegating someone with your thesis defence's smaller but important responsibilities well ahead

of time may help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense. This trustworthy

individual could be in charge of preparing the room on the day of the defense, putting up

equipment for the presentation, or preparing and distributing handouts.

16- Visualize Yourself Defending Your Thesis

This simple activity has a significant impact on your self-esteem. All you have to do every day

before going to bed is visualize yourself presenting a successful presentation. Imagine yourself

standing in front of an audience and moving from one point to another every day until the day of

your thesis defense.

This workout requires a lot of dedication and perseverance, but the ultimate result is well worth

it. Visualization allows you to visualize yourself completing the difficult task of defending your

theory.

17-Dealing with your nerves

You will be nervous. The good news is that your examiners will expect your nervousness. Being

nervous is entirely normal. Being well prepared will help reduce tension, but remember that

your examiners have seen this many times before and are happy to help, such as by repeating

questions if necessary.

18- What to do when you don't know the answer

The possibility of being asked a question you can't answer is one of the terrifying parts of the

defense. While you can expect some questions, you never know what the committee will ask.

Your knowledge will always be incomplete. However, your thesis defense isn't about being great

and knowing everything; it's about how you handle difficult situations. It is not expected of you

to know everything.

19- Keep your visual presentation simple.

Keep your visual presentation simple if you have to explain it verbally in the absence of visual

aids.

20- Attend another thesis defense

Finally, advice is to go to several defenses of other students who have studied in a field

comparable to yours. Take note of how the defense proceeds, what types of questions are asked,

and so on. It was unquestionably beneficial to you.

Wrapping Up

If you have considered all these aspects, you are set for your big day. You have worked tirelessly

for your PhD and will undoubtedly give your best in this final step. You can also get help from an

online writer for preparing PhD proposal, editing and proofreading PhD dissertation, PhD

dissertation proofreading services to help you to fix your errors and make your on perfect (helpwithdissertation, 2021).

Reference

HWD, 2021. Editing Vs Proofreading – How Are They Different? Online available at

https://www.helpwithdissertation.co.uk/blog/editing-vs-proofreading/ [Accessed Date: 27-

march-21]

Berntsen, J., 2022. PhD Defense (Doctoral dissertation, Vrije University).