possible questions in thesis defense with answers

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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.

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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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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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Research Key

50 Top Thesis Defense Questions With Answers(2023)

This blog article contains all the possible thesis defense questions that can be applied to all departments.

Do you have an upcoming thesis defense and you have been wandering the kind of questions your professors will ask you

Click to Read: Navigating Your Thesis Defense: Common Thesis Defense Questions and How to Prepare

Top 25 Likely Questions and Answers for Thesis Defense

Do you have the ability to briefly describe the purpose of your study to us?

Right, the query is straightforward.

Most students choke on a topic like this, as many professors will attest to.

In any case, the question is simple but a little complicated.

You need to comprehend every aspect of your scientific study, starting with chapter one, to respond to this question.

To ace this particular topic, you would want to comprehend every aspect of your abstract because the question requires a reply that functions as a sort of summary of the entire subject.

If your abstract was truthful, this question will be a cross-over for you.

What inspired you to conduct this research?

You now need to exercise caution.

These questions are frequently highly challenging, and it helps greatly in persuading your panel that your study is worth their time.

What’s THE RESEARCH PROBLEM is another way to phrase this query.

You’ll want to go into more detail on the subject of the study as you respond to this.

You become motivated by your enthusiasm to find a solution to this issue.

Don’t use the need to graduate or financial constraints as motivations since you’ll quickly lose your audience.

3. How will this research add to the body of knowledge?

When the need for explanation arises, you will be required to explain how your study, if allowed, will add to the body of available evidence.

Here, you’ll get to defend it using your research methodologies, a case study, or any special models or conceptual frameworks that were used in the study.

4 What is the study’s significance?

You will get to discuss the significance of your study in the same way that you will discuss how it will add to the body of knowledge.

In your response, you should emphasise how your study will benefit organisations and society as a whole, how it will assist the government in developing and implementing policies, and how it will benefit other students who might want to research the subject.

5. Did you fill in any gaps in your research?

Every research project needs to have a challenge.

You receive all of the points allotted for answering this question because of your abilities to solve this puzzle and research topics that have not yet been studied.

You must be prepared to persuade the committee members that your method is unique and that it addressed areas where other researchers haven’t done a lot of work.

6. What restrictions did you face? 

Another easy but challenging question is this one. Most of the time, the question is asked to criticise your work rather than to feel sorry for you.

You should use caution when responding to this question to avoid implicating yourself. Be careful not to sell yourself short.

Discussing your approach or data analysis constraints could imply that your paper is prejudiced or poorly researched, therefore avoid doing so.

Instead of limiting your studies, use minor constraints like the challenges associated with juggling projects and lectures.

7. What conclusions have you reached?

You now need to clearly and succinctly present your study’s outcomes or findings.

Always relate your conclusions to the goals and/or questions of your research.

Your panel members will become passive as a result.

What techniques or methods did you use for sampling?

You need to be familiar with your research approach to responding to this question.

You must have access to your chapter three (in Most Projects).

Your ability to defend your sample size and methodology will be greatly rewarded in this situation.

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8. Why did you select this approach?

As was already mentioned, you should not just describe the study’s methodology.

Additionally, you must be prepared and able to convincingly defend your decision to use the tactic.

You are currently free to cite sources or studies that used similar methodologies.

9. What recommendations do you make in support of your findings?

Every research study needs recommendations, and they won’t be taken lightly.

In essence, you should be able to recall your recommendations.

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10. Regarding your findings, what areas of study will you recommend for the future?

Just to be sure you’re thinking clearly and are an authority in your field of study, questions like these exist.

You should be prepared to offer additional research areas related to your subject based on your conclusions from a manageable scope of the study.

One legitimate subject for additional research, for instance, would be other types of taxation, such as VAT, Company tax, etc., if I looked into the difficulties of collecting private taxes in Cameroon.

11. What practical applications may your research work lead to?

The majority of management and social science projects are more abstract, making them a little more challenging for management and social science students than science and engineering students.

But you should make an effort to be reasonable in this situation.

Relate your research to contemporary trends in your home, workplace, industry, polity, institutions of higher learning, etc.

You’ll get points for using pertinent examples and illustrations in this situation.

13. How would you briefly characterise your study for a practitioner in ?

14 What would you change if you were to rerun the research?

Hmmm. Be cautious! Avoid being overly merry. There is a gap in this! Similar to your restrictions, this question is frequently posed to identify your weaknesses.

What measurement instrument do you use?

What approach to data collecting did you take for the project, to put it simply?

Here, you specify whether surveys were given out or secondary sources were used to obtain the data.

for additional details about measuring devices.

16: What variables are you using in your research?

Here, you get to persuade the members of your panel that you merely are knowledgeable in the subject at hand.

To convince them that you are correct, you should explain your independent and dependent variable(s). Your project topic contains your variables.

To excel at your defence, you should be able to recognise these variables and know what they mean.

What are your research questions, number 17?

Simple to answer.

If you are completely prepared, you should be able to respond to this question in 0.015 seconds.

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Following graduation, what do you choose to do with your scientific research?

You are free to express your thoughts in this area.

If you intend to publish it, this is frequently the easiest time to speak with the committee members and engage in conversation; perhaps a professor present might be of assistance.

What type of knowledge source was used for the study?

You must now identify the source or sources from which you obtained the data. Generally speaking, you must specify if the data came from primary, secondary, or both sources.

By going over the study’s theoretical and empirical literature review, you can persuade the committee members even more.

What theories or theoretical framework is the foundation of your study?

Although extremely technical, this question is intriguing.

You should have a working knowledge of at least two relevant theories related to your research before entering the defence room.

For instance, Maslow’s Theory and other theories of motivation will support the “impact of motivation on employee productivity.”

Consult your supervisor for assistance if you are having trouble finding suitable theories to replicate your research

How would you connect your findings to the study’s prevailing theories?

One will need to read a lot to ace this test.

You should be familiar with both empirical studies and the current ideas surrounding the subject.

It would significantly help to validate your study if you can relate your conclusions to earlier research investigations, regardless of whether they concur or not. I’ll bet you’ll win this debate.

What suggestions do you have for upcoming research? Question 22

Your capacity for problem-solving is tested here.

You should be able to spot topics that require more investigation.

What is the study’s scope, question 23?

This one might be a throwaway or bonus query.

Here, you succinctly explain the study’s boundaries.

What queries does one have for the committee? Question 24

Although this is not a question that can be asked in our African context, I have nonetheless defended a seminar project where it was, and I was astounded to the core.

This is frequently an opportunity to talk with the members of your committee and to ask some insightful questions. Avoid asking pointless or overly challenging questions because the committee members should feel a sense of loyalty to the “boss” rather than you.

It will also go a long way toward demonstrating that you are a superb person.

Question 25: Is there anything further you would like to add?

It’s time to give thanks! Take this opportunity to express your gratitude to the committee for their time and inquiries.

Tell them how much you learned from them and how you intend to fix any mistakes (if any) found in your work. Your internal and external supervisors will be greatly impressed by this.

We hope the best for you!

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9. Why is your study important?

The response to this research question should describe how your findings have affected your field of study.

You could discuss the novel understandings your study has provided and how it has affected society.

My research on “The effect of chamomile in lowering stress and encouraging better sleep” can help people with insomnia and anxiety find non-pharmaceutical remedies for their conditions.

The chamomile plant’s medicinal properties will encourage the use of natural products and motivate the community to grow additional herbs and trees.

10. What conclusions did your research yield?

In this response, you are permitted to briefly summarise your study. For example,

In our study on the “Impact of Artificial Fluoride in Water on the Human Body,”

we discovered that since Fluoride has neurotoxic properties, excessive exposure to high levels of it might cause tooth discolouration and bone problems in people.

11. What research results caught you off guard?

When you undertake research, you often discover results that you did not initially anticipate.

When answering this question, you can mention the same to the evaluation committee if you had such an event. For instance,

In my comparative research of the use of conventional and modern marketing techniques,

I anticipated that business promotion through social media would not be a good concept for rural firms in developing countries.

But I was quite aback to learn that 68% of Nigeria’s rural textile manufacturers advertise their goods on Instagram.

12. How reliable are your findings?

The circumstances under which the results of your investigation might be valid must be discussed.

In my research, I have assumed that both nervous system activation and negative thoughts contribute to exam anxiety.

Thus, to ensure that my results are accurate, I included both apprehensive feelings and negative thoughts in my measure of test anxiety.

13. Why did you decide on this research design?

For instance,

In our investigation, we employed the immunostaining technique to examine the differential protein expression, its localisation, and dispersion at various levels.

14. What resources did you draw on to gather the data?

To find information for your topic, you would have looked at a variety of sources. From those sources, you can get into further detail.

You might have consulted databases, and online articles, or even conducted primary research by speaking with potential customers.

So you can discuss these sources. Consider the following response:

We spoke with 150 people over five months to better understand how the existing tax system affects skilled professionals.

In addition, we made use of academic databases and books written by authors who had previously undertaken similar analyses for earlier tax legislation and rates.

15. What applications are there for your research?

The practical ramifications of your findings are covered in this query.

You should explain how your study benefits society and how it may be used to solve existing problems.

In our study, “Effectiveness of Meditation in Reducing the Anxiety Levels of College Students in the US,” we found that due to meditation’s beneficial effects, students who practiced it at least three times a week were twice as likely to perform well on exams.

Therefore, this research’s findings may contribute to fewer student mental health difficulties. Holding meditation classes a few times a week might be a good line of action.

16. What new information will your findings provide to the field?

Our study on the medicinal analysis of herbs contributes to the field of medicinal botany and provides information on the many therapeutic benefits of chamomile in treating depression.

17. Did your study encounter any obstacles?

According to our study, smoking raises a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The study is titled

“Impact of smoking on -cell function and risk for type 2 diabetes in US citizens.”

Smokers, however, may have specific hereditary factors that can shield them from developing diabetes.

18. What sampling methods did you employ?

It is nearly impossible to study every element when performing research.

So you would be choosing a sample population using a method.

We employed area sampling to divide the city into various zones for our study, “Impact of soda intake on the health of teenagers in Corpus Christi,” and then we chose a few clusters as our sample population.

19. What are the research’s dependent and independent variables?

Several varying factors have an impact on your research project.

These variables can be described. Independent variables in your study have values that are unaffected by other variables.

The dependent variables, on the other hand, have values that alter as the independent variable does. For instance,

Our study, “Impact of Online Tutoring on Test Results,” uses the participants’ test scores as the dependent variable and the online aspect of the classes as the independent variable.

20. What areas do you recommend for additional study?

When your research is added to the field, you should be ready to explain what new areas will be available for study. Future researchers can use this as a place of departure. For instance,

My research on the “Effectiveness of Acetaminophen in treating sports-generated injuries” led me to the conclusion that treating joint symptoms like knee pain with Acetaminophen is not particularly effective.

This also raises the possibility of taking action to limit the use of acetaminophen in the creation of bodily pain medications and to look for substitutes.

Practice Issues

Try answering these questions on your own after looking at the sample responses:

What steps did you take to address the moral ramifications of your work?

What is the research’s strongest point?

Why do you believe your research to be trustworthy?

Do your findings align with the body of previous research?

Do you believe that your research may have certain biases?

What suggestions do you have based on your research?

What statistical tools do you employ?

Describe the research’s sample population.

What are the practical applications of your findings?

What would you change if you were to conduct your research again?

What significance does your research have for other scientists?

What are the most pressing problems in your fields?

Do you believe your research to be accurate?

What method did you use for your study?

What does your study alter about your field of study?

How general are your research contributions?

What applications does your research have for decision-makers?

What is your research process for qualitative analysis?

How did you go about taking standard measurements?

Do you have any final remarks?

Top 25 Likely Questions and Answers for Thesis Defense (2023)

The top 25 academic research defence questions that you can come across during a tutorial research defence are listed below.

Please utilise this checklist to determine whether you are truly prepared for your research defence.

Keep in mind these inquiries and the suggested methods for responding to them.

We reviewed the list of prior academic research project defence inquiries.

To make sure you are not limiting yourself to only these inquiries, Research Key Consulting Services also suggests that you go further and ask former students about some of the academic scientific research defense questions they ran across during their defence.

Anticipate the obvious inquiries and be ready for them.

Based on your research, you may readily predict the majority of the thesis defense questions.

When you are reading your work, you can make a list of potential questions.

Knowing the committee will help you prepare more effectively.

You can anticipate what questions they may ask by looking at their areas of expertise.

Once you have a list of inquiries, you may begin considering potential responses.

Get your slides ready in advance.

It is a good idea to prepare any visual aids, such as slides, in advance.

You can check the slides again to ensure that everything will go according to plan on the day of your thesis defense.

Make sure the order of your slides is proper.

If a candidate’s thesis defense is an open event, go to it.

You are welcome to attend another candidate’s thesis defense if your institution permits it.

You will have a very good notion of what to anticipate from your meeting after reading this.

If you can’t make it to the event, you might ask your peers about their meeting to see what was discussed and what questions were posed.

Get dressed for your meeting.

You should wear formal attire since the thesis defence meeting is a formal occasion.

You should treat it like a job interview even though there are no rigorous clothing codes.

Don’t just show up in front of the committee wearing your T-shirt.

The ideal choice for the situation is your formal suit.

Prepare your speech for the meeting.

Practice making your presentation to advance your preparation.

You will feel more confident going into the meeting and presentation after this activity.

You might ask your fellow students for assistance with the practice task.

You can enhance your performance for the real session based on their input during the mock session.

Make careful to adequately prepare for the fake session, just like you would for the real session.

In the simulated session, you can also work on your body language and speaking.

Don’t be hesitant to get in touch with these experts again if you hired thesis writing services as they would be the best ones to put you to the test in a simulated thesis defence!

Examples of Questions and Answers for Thesis Defense

1. What is the focus of your research study?

You should provide a brief synopsis of your research in your response.

Although the issue is straightforward, a better understanding of the concepts requires technical knowledge.

If your thesis, for instance, attempted to explain the components of dark matter in the universe and particle accelerators, you may phrase your response as follows:

The various facets of dark matter and its detection models have been looked into in this study.

The development of decaying dark matter models has been addressed and used to explain the cosmic ray positron excess detected by the PAMELA detector.

Assuming a general Dirac structure for the four fermion contact interactions of interest, the cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra were investigated.

To account for the conceivable excess of gamma rays in the galactic core, a supersymmetric leptophilic Higgs model was developed.

Finally, an enhancement to the dark matter collider searches is taken into consideration using Razor analysis.

2. Why did you select this research?

You must respond to this question by stating what inspired you to start the study in the first place.

Your responses can reflect your interests in the study’s subject.

For instance, if your study was titled “Media Combat: The Great War and the Transformation of American Culture,” you may formulate your response as follows:

I’ve always been interested in learning more about the First World War (1914–1918), and my main focus is on examining the social climate of the era.

I wanted to examine how theatre and music changed how the government interacted with American civilians during the American involvement in the war and the emergence of a nationalised, wartime cultural infrastructure.

3. Why did you decide on this specific title for your study?

It is crucial to select a title that accurately conveys the main idea of your thesis because it serves as a summary of your research.

Your selection of a final title for your work will be questioned by your committee. For instance,

For my research thesis, I chose the subject “Dark matter in the heavens and at colliders: Models and limitations,” as my work aims to shed light on the nature of dark matter as it manifests itself in the cosmos.

The universe is often referred to as “the skies.” Particle accelerators like the CERN collider can also produce dark matter.

Through the use of models and a description of the current constraints brought about by specific scientific limitations, I have made an effort to explain both circumstances.

4. What is the purview of your research?

You must specify the scope of your project and the precise subject matter you are researching in your response. There may be several factors at play, but you must first establish the study criteria. For instance,

My research focuses on how effective equities stocks are on the US market.

I’ve selected 50 NASDAQ-listed companies for my analysis. The names of these businesses are listed on page 5 of my thesis.

5. What phenomenon were you attempting to comprehend with this study?

In your response, explain your thesis’ central idea. For instance,

We sought to investigate the Theory of Planned Behavior in our study on “Motivation to Volunteer” by examining the behavioural and normative ideas that shape attitudes and subjective norms.

6. Who will be most curious about your study?

You can discuss the people who your research may affect as well as those who may gain something from it. Look at this illustration:

Sociology professors, social media firms, education professionals, and parents of children, in general, may be interested in my sociology thesis on “Impact of social media on youngsters.”

7. Did your research questions change as you conducted them? How, if so?

Qualitative research questions frequently evolve in response to the feedback you could receive from your focus group.

Alternatively, as you conduct laboratory research or general text study, your question may simply alter.

You can inform the evaluation panel of the modification. For instance,

With the installation of trash cans designated for vinyl items, we set out to understand the effects of the new public policy change on the recycling of vinyl waste.

However, after speaking with a few of the target community’s responders, we discovered that the law has no bearing on their actions or beliefs because the locality’s vinyl waste proportion was so low that no special bins needed to be installed.

Our study, which originally focused on the expenses associated with public policy changes, changed as a result of their discontent with the current state of economic insecurity.

8. What holes did your research attempt to fill?

Your research thesis must close any conceptual gaps connected to your subject issue that exist now.

We examined the mineral makeup of hard water to ascertain its effect on the size of the kidney stone since the relationship between hard water and its effect on kidney stone size is not yet evident.

How to Prepare for Questions During Thesis Defense

You need to get started on your thesis defense questions well in advance.

The main goal of your thesis defense is to defend your study, even though the length may vary depending on your institution’s requirements.

As a result, you should follow the procedures below to prepare for your thesis defense questions.

For clarity, read your thesis again.

Your research paper will serve as the basis for your thesis defense questions. Rereading your article is therefore an excellent idea.

You should have a firm grasp of the topics and be aware of your research.

A revision should be the first step in your preparation as it may have been some time after you sent in your work.

Have a plan for your responses and a structure

Create a plan for your response to the panel’s questions.

Keep your responses succinct, but whenever required, provide more specifics about the research.

It’s okay if you don’t know the answer to a question.

The trick is to be able to come up with a response even if you don’t have the knowledge to do so right now.

Having a plan for responding to even the most unexpected questions can be a lifesaver in these circumstances!

For example, if a question is about the content of your research, you can say something like

“I am not sure my research touches on the question you are asking, but my research has led me to Dr X. Based on this evidence, I would have to conclude that…”

The best approach to prepare for this difficult stage in your academic career is to practice answering thesis defense questions in what we called a  thesis Pre-defense.

Many Universities in the world always have Pre-defenses before the Final Defense.

For you to have a  thesis defense that will beat the imagination of all your professors, you need to read this blog article till the end and you will notice all the secrets of answering thesis defense questions

First of all, You need to have effective tactics for dealing with various question types and explaining why you choose your research topic in addition to having a thorough understanding of your research project.

It’s time to put your years of in-depth study to the test now that you may have previously responded to inquiries about your research interests in your research interest statement and graduate school interview questions.

 Below are some of the trickiest thesis defense queries, along with our knowledgeable answers.

Note: Schedule a free strategy call if you’d like our assistance with your applications, interviews, or standardized testing.

Visit our collaborations page if you represent a university, company, or student organization and would want to collaborate with us.

How Should a Thesis Defense Go?

You get the opportunity to showcase your in-depth understanding and subject competence at a thesis defense.

The members of your thesis committee will be able to direct the narrative and hear about your study, but the instructors will push you to demonstrate your command of the material.

Since most of the questions are open-ended, you can demonstrate your knowledge and expertise as well as any potential future plans you may have for your research topic.

Depending on the subject of your research, a thesis defense typically lasts between one and two hours. You start by presenting your area of interest, your research, and your conclusions.

The committee members will quiz you once you’ve completed based on both your oral presentation and your written thesis, which they will have already read.

Finally, the committee may endorse your thesis or make suggestions for improving your paper.

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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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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 (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project. 

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12 Comments

Very interesting

Interesting. I appreciate!

Really appreciating

My field is International Trade

Interesting

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

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

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

Lovely to hear that 🙂

Really educative and beneficial

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

Thank you very much for the enlightening me, be blessed

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

Very interesting and useful to all masters and PhD students

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thesis defence questions and answers

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40 Thesis Defense Questions in

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.

Want increase your productivity and mainain a healthy work life balance to help get you through your thesis project? Here are some tips straight from our CEO:

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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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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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.

Header image by Kasto .

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Research Key

50 Top Thesis Defense Questions With Answers(2023)

This blog article contains all the possible thesis defense questions that can be applied to all departments.

Do you have an upcoming thesis defense and you have been wandering the kind of questions your professors will ask you

Click to Read: Navigating Your Thesis Defense: Common Thesis Defense Questions and How to Prepare

Top 25 Likely Questions and Answers for Thesis Defense

Do you have the ability to briefly describe the purpose of your study to us?

Right, the query is straightforward.

Most students choke on a topic like this, as many professors will attest to.

In any case, the question is simple but a little complicated.

You need to comprehend every aspect of your scientific study, starting with chapter one, to respond to this question.

To ace this particular topic, you would want to comprehend every aspect of your abstract because the question requires a reply that functions as a sort of summary of the entire subject.

If your abstract was truthful, this question will be a cross-over for you.

What inspired you to conduct this research?

You now need to exercise caution.

These questions are frequently highly challenging, and it helps greatly in persuading your panel that your study is worth their time.

What’s THE RESEARCH PROBLEM is another way to phrase this query.

You’ll want to go into more detail on the subject of the study as you respond to this.

You become motivated by your enthusiasm to find a solution to this issue.

Don’t use the need to graduate or financial constraints as motivations since you’ll quickly lose your audience.

3. How will this research add to the body of knowledge?

When the need for explanation arises, you will be required to explain how your study, if allowed, will add to the body of available evidence.

Here, you’ll get to defend it using your research methodologies, a case study, or any special models or conceptual frameworks that were used in the study.

4 What is the study’s significance?

You will get to discuss the significance of your study in the same way that you will discuss how it will add to the body of knowledge.

In your response, you should emphasise how your study will benefit organisations and society as a whole, how it will assist the government in developing and implementing policies, and how it will benefit other students who might want to research the subject.

5. Did you fill in any gaps in your research?

Every research project needs to have a challenge.

You receive all of the points allotted for answering this question because of your abilities to solve this puzzle and research topics that have not yet been studied.

You must be prepared to persuade the committee members that your method is unique and that it addressed areas where other researchers haven’t done a lot of work.

6. What restrictions did you face? 

Another easy but challenging question is this one. Most of the time, the question is asked to criticise your work rather than to feel sorry for you.

You should use caution when responding to this question to avoid implicating yourself. Be careful not to sell yourself short.

Discussing your approach or data analysis constraints could imply that your paper is prejudiced or poorly researched, therefore avoid doing so.

Instead of limiting your studies, use minor constraints like the challenges associated with juggling projects and lectures.

7. What conclusions have you reached?

You now need to clearly and succinctly present your study’s outcomes or findings.

Always relate your conclusions to the goals and/or questions of your research.

Your panel members will become passive as a result.

What techniques or methods did you use for sampling?

You need to be familiar with your research approach to responding to this question.

You must have access to your chapter three (in Most Projects).

Your ability to defend your sample size and methodology will be greatly rewarded in this situation.

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8. Why did you select this approach?

As was already mentioned, you should not just describe the study’s methodology.

Additionally, you must be prepared and able to convincingly defend your decision to use the tactic.

You are currently free to cite sources or studies that used similar methodologies.

9. What recommendations do you make in support of your findings?

Every research study needs recommendations, and they won’t be taken lightly.

In essence, you should be able to recall your recommendations.

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10. Regarding your findings, what areas of study will you recommend for the future?

Just to be sure you’re thinking clearly and are an authority in your field of study, questions like these exist.

You should be prepared to offer additional research areas related to your subject based on your conclusions from a manageable scope of the study.

One legitimate subject for additional research, for instance, would be other types of taxation, such as VAT, Company tax, etc., if I looked into the difficulties of collecting private taxes in Cameroon.

11. What practical applications may your research work lead to?

The majority of management and social science projects are more abstract, making them a little more challenging for management and social science students than science and engineering students.

But you should make an effort to be reasonable in this situation.

Relate your research to contemporary trends in your home, workplace, industry, polity, institutions of higher learning, etc.

You’ll get points for using pertinent examples and illustrations in this situation.

13. How would you briefly characterise your study for a practitioner in ?

14 What would you change if you were to rerun the research?

Hmmm. Be cautious! Avoid being overly merry. There is a gap in this! Similar to your restrictions, this question is frequently posed to identify your weaknesses.

What measurement instrument do you use?

What approach to data collecting did you take for the project, to put it simply?

Here, you specify whether surveys were given out or secondary sources were used to obtain the data.

for additional details about measuring devices.

16: What variables are you using in your research?

Here, you get to persuade the members of your panel that you merely are knowledgeable in the subject at hand.

To convince them that you are correct, you should explain your independent and dependent variable(s). Your project topic contains your variables.

To excel at your defence, you should be able to recognise these variables and know what they mean.

What are your research questions, number 17?

Simple to answer.

If you are completely prepared, you should be able to respond to this question in 0.015 seconds.

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Following graduation, what do you choose to do with your scientific research?

You are free to express your thoughts in this area.

If you intend to publish it, this is frequently the easiest time to speak with the committee members and engage in conversation; perhaps a professor present might be of assistance.

What type of knowledge source was used for the study?

You must now identify the source or sources from which you obtained the data. Generally speaking, you must specify if the data came from primary, secondary, or both sources.

By going over the study’s theoretical and empirical literature review, you can persuade the committee members even more.

What theories or theoretical framework is the foundation of your study?

Although extremely technical, this question is intriguing.

You should have a working knowledge of at least two relevant theories related to your research before entering the defence room.

For instance, Maslow’s Theory and other theories of motivation will support the “impact of motivation on employee productivity.”

Consult your supervisor for assistance if you are having trouble finding suitable theories to replicate your research

How would you connect your findings to the study’s prevailing theories?

One will need to read a lot to ace this test.

You should be familiar with both empirical studies and the current ideas surrounding the subject.

It would significantly help to validate your study if you can relate your conclusions to earlier research investigations, regardless of whether they concur or not. I’ll bet you’ll win this debate.

What suggestions do you have for upcoming research? Question 22

Your capacity for problem-solving is tested here.

You should be able to spot topics that require more investigation.

What is the study’s scope, question 23?

This one might be a throwaway or bonus query.

Here, you succinctly explain the study’s boundaries.

What queries does one have for the committee? Question 24

Although this is not a question that can be asked in our African context, I have nonetheless defended a seminar project where it was, and I was astounded to the core.

This is frequently an opportunity to talk with the members of your committee and to ask some insightful questions. Avoid asking pointless or overly challenging questions because the committee members should feel a sense of loyalty to the “boss” rather than you.

It will also go a long way toward demonstrating that you are a superb person.

Question 25: Is there anything further you would like to add?

It’s time to give thanks! Take this opportunity to express your gratitude to the committee for their time and inquiries.

Tell them how much you learned from them and how you intend to fix any mistakes (if any) found in your work. Your internal and external supervisors will be greatly impressed by this.

We hope the best for you!

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9. Why is your study important?

The response to this research question should describe how your findings have affected your field of study.

You could discuss the novel understandings your study has provided and how it has affected society.

My research on “The effect of chamomile in lowering stress and encouraging better sleep” can help people with insomnia and anxiety find non-pharmaceutical remedies for their conditions.

The chamomile plant’s medicinal properties will encourage the use of natural products and motivate the community to grow additional herbs and trees.

10. What conclusions did your research yield?

In this response, you are permitted to briefly summarise your study. For example,

In our study on the “Impact of Artificial Fluoride in Water on the Human Body,”

we discovered that since Fluoride has neurotoxic properties, excessive exposure to high levels of it might cause tooth discolouration and bone problems in people.

11. What research results caught you off guard?

When you undertake research, you often discover results that you did not initially anticipate.

When answering this question, you can mention the same to the evaluation committee if you had such an event. For instance,

In my comparative research of the use of conventional and modern marketing techniques,

I anticipated that business promotion through social media would not be a good concept for rural firms in developing countries.

But I was quite aback to learn that 68% of Nigeria’s rural textile manufacturers advertise their goods on Instagram.

12. How reliable are your findings?

The circumstances under which the results of your investigation might be valid must be discussed.

In my research, I have assumed that both nervous system activation and negative thoughts contribute to exam anxiety.

Thus, to ensure that my results are accurate, I included both apprehensive feelings and negative thoughts in my measure of test anxiety.

13. Why did you decide on this research design?

For instance,

In our investigation, we employed the immunostaining technique to examine the differential protein expression, its localisation, and dispersion at various levels.

14. What resources did you draw on to gather the data?

To find information for your topic, you would have looked at a variety of sources. From those sources, you can get into further detail.

You might have consulted databases, and online articles, or even conducted primary research by speaking with potential customers.

So you can discuss these sources. Consider the following response:

We spoke with 150 people over five months to better understand how the existing tax system affects skilled professionals.

In addition, we made use of academic databases and books written by authors who had previously undertaken similar analyses for earlier tax legislation and rates.

15. What applications are there for your research?

The practical ramifications of your findings are covered in this query.

You should explain how your study benefits society and how it may be used to solve existing problems.

In our study, “Effectiveness of Meditation in Reducing the Anxiety Levels of College Students in the US,” we found that due to meditation’s beneficial effects, students who practiced it at least three times a week were twice as likely to perform well on exams.

Therefore, this research’s findings may contribute to fewer student mental health difficulties. Holding meditation classes a few times a week might be a good line of action.

16. What new information will your findings provide to the field?

Our study on the medicinal analysis of herbs contributes to the field of medicinal botany and provides information on the many therapeutic benefits of chamomile in treating depression.

17. Did your study encounter any obstacles?

According to our study, smoking raises a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The study is titled

“Impact of smoking on -cell function and risk for type 2 diabetes in US citizens.”

Smokers, however, may have specific hereditary factors that can shield them from developing diabetes.

18. What sampling methods did you employ?

It is nearly impossible to study every element when performing research.

So you would be choosing a sample population using a method.

We employed area sampling to divide the city into various zones for our study, “Impact of soda intake on the health of teenagers in Corpus Christi,” and then we chose a few clusters as our sample population.

19. What are the research’s dependent and independent variables?

Several varying factors have an impact on your research project.

These variables can be described. Independent variables in your study have values that are unaffected by other variables.

The dependent variables, on the other hand, have values that alter as the independent variable does. For instance,

Our study, “Impact of Online Tutoring on Test Results,” uses the participants’ test scores as the dependent variable and the online aspect of the classes as the independent variable.

20. What areas do you recommend for additional study?

When your research is added to the field, you should be ready to explain what new areas will be available for study. Future researchers can use this as a place of departure. For instance,

My research on the “Effectiveness of Acetaminophen in treating sports-generated injuries” led me to the conclusion that treating joint symptoms like knee pain with Acetaminophen is not particularly effective.

This also raises the possibility of taking action to limit the use of acetaminophen in the creation of bodily pain medications and to look for substitutes.

Practice Issues

Try answering these questions on your own after looking at the sample responses:

What steps did you take to address the moral ramifications of your work?

What is the research’s strongest point?

Why do you believe your research to be trustworthy?

Do your findings align with the body of previous research?

Do you believe that your research may have certain biases?

What suggestions do you have based on your research?

What statistical tools do you employ?

Describe the research’s sample population.

What are the practical applications of your findings?

What would you change if you were to conduct your research again?

What significance does your research have for other scientists?

What are the most pressing problems in your fields?

Do you believe your research to be accurate?

What method did you use for your study?

What does your study alter about your field of study?

How general are your research contributions?

What applications does your research have for decision-makers?

What is your research process for qualitative analysis?

How did you go about taking standard measurements?

Do you have any final remarks?

Top 25 Likely Questions and Answers for Thesis Defense (2023)

The top 25 academic research defence questions that you can come across during a tutorial research defence are listed below.

Please utilise this checklist to determine whether you are truly prepared for your research defence.

Keep in mind these inquiries and the suggested methods for responding to them.

We reviewed the list of prior academic research project defence inquiries.

To make sure you are not limiting yourself to only these inquiries, Research Key Consulting Services also suggests that you go further and ask former students about some of the academic scientific research defense questions they ran across during their defence.

Anticipate the obvious inquiries and be ready for them.

Based on your research, you may readily predict the majority of the thesis defense questions.

When you are reading your work, you can make a list of potential questions.

Knowing the committee will help you prepare more effectively.

You can anticipate what questions they may ask by looking at their areas of expertise.

Once you have a list of inquiries, you may begin considering potential responses.

Get your slides ready in advance.

It is a good idea to prepare any visual aids, such as slides, in advance.

You can check the slides again to ensure that everything will go according to plan on the day of your thesis defense.

Make sure the order of your slides is proper.

If a candidate’s thesis defense is an open event, go to it.

You are welcome to attend another candidate’s thesis defense if your institution permits it.

You will have a very good notion of what to anticipate from your meeting after reading this.

If you can’t make it to the event, you might ask your peers about their meeting to see what was discussed and what questions were posed.

Get dressed for your meeting.

You should wear formal attire since the thesis defence meeting is a formal occasion.

You should treat it like a job interview even though there are no rigorous clothing codes.

Don’t just show up in front of the committee wearing your T-shirt.

The ideal choice for the situation is your formal suit.

Prepare your speech for the meeting.

Practice making your presentation to advance your preparation.

You will feel more confident going into the meeting and presentation after this activity.

You might ask your fellow students for assistance with the practice task.

You can enhance your performance for the real session based on their input during the mock session.

Make careful to adequately prepare for the fake session, just like you would for the real session.

In the simulated session, you can also work on your body language and speaking.

Don’t be hesitant to get in touch with these experts again if you hired thesis writing services as they would be the best ones to put you to the test in a simulated thesis defence!

Examples of Questions and Answers for Thesis Defense

1. What is the focus of your research study?

You should provide a brief synopsis of your research in your response.

Although the issue is straightforward, a better understanding of the concepts requires technical knowledge.

If your thesis, for instance, attempted to explain the components of dark matter in the universe and particle accelerators, you may phrase your response as follows:

The various facets of dark matter and its detection models have been looked into in this study.

The development of decaying dark matter models has been addressed and used to explain the cosmic ray positron excess detected by the PAMELA detector.

Assuming a general Dirac structure for the four fermion contact interactions of interest, the cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra were investigated.

To account for the conceivable excess of gamma rays in the galactic core, a supersymmetric leptophilic Higgs model was developed.

Finally, an enhancement to the dark matter collider searches is taken into consideration using Razor analysis.

2. Why did you select this research?

You must respond to this question by stating what inspired you to start the study in the first place.

Your responses can reflect your interests in the study’s subject.

For instance, if your study was titled “Media Combat: The Great War and the Transformation of American Culture,” you may formulate your response as follows:

I’ve always been interested in learning more about the First World War (1914–1918), and my main focus is on examining the social climate of the era.

I wanted to examine how theatre and music changed how the government interacted with American civilians during the American involvement in the war and the emergence of a nationalised, wartime cultural infrastructure.

3. Why did you decide on this specific title for your study?

It is crucial to select a title that accurately conveys the main idea of your thesis because it serves as a summary of your research.

Your selection of a final title for your work will be questioned by your committee. For instance,

For my research thesis, I chose the subject “Dark matter in the heavens and at colliders: Models and limitations,” as my work aims to shed light on the nature of dark matter as it manifests itself in the cosmos.

The universe is often referred to as “the skies.” Particle accelerators like the CERN collider can also produce dark matter.

Through the use of models and a description of the current constraints brought about by specific scientific limitations, I have made an effort to explain both circumstances.

4. What is the purview of your research?

You must specify the scope of your project and the precise subject matter you are researching in your response. There may be several factors at play, but you must first establish the study criteria. For instance,

My research focuses on how effective equities stocks are on the US market.

I’ve selected 50 NASDAQ-listed companies for my analysis. The names of these businesses are listed on page 5 of my thesis.

5. What phenomenon were you attempting to comprehend with this study?

In your response, explain your thesis’ central idea. For instance,

We sought to investigate the Theory of Planned Behavior in our study on “Motivation to Volunteer” by examining the behavioural and normative ideas that shape attitudes and subjective norms.

6. Who will be most curious about your study?

You can discuss the people who your research may affect as well as those who may gain something from it. Look at this illustration:

Sociology professors, social media firms, education professionals, and parents of children, in general, may be interested in my sociology thesis on “Impact of social media on youngsters.”

7. Did your research questions change as you conducted them? How, if so?

Qualitative research questions frequently evolve in response to the feedback you could receive from your focus group.

Alternatively, as you conduct laboratory research or general text study, your question may simply alter.

You can inform the evaluation panel of the modification. For instance,

With the installation of trash cans designated for vinyl items, we set out to understand the effects of the new public policy change on the recycling of vinyl waste.

However, after speaking with a few of the target community’s responders, we discovered that the law has no bearing on their actions or beliefs because the locality’s vinyl waste proportion was so low that no special bins needed to be installed.

Our study, which originally focused on the expenses associated with public policy changes, changed as a result of their discontent with the current state of economic insecurity.

8. What holes did your research attempt to fill?

Your research thesis must close any conceptual gaps connected to your subject issue that exist now.

We examined the mineral makeup of hard water to ascertain its effect on the size of the kidney stone since the relationship between hard water and its effect on kidney stone size is not yet evident.

How to Prepare for Questions During Thesis Defense

You need to get started on your thesis defense questions well in advance.

The main goal of your thesis defense is to defend your study, even though the length may vary depending on your institution’s requirements.

As a result, you should follow the procedures below to prepare for your thesis defense questions.

For clarity, read your thesis again.

Your research paper will serve as the basis for your thesis defense questions. Rereading your article is therefore an excellent idea.

You should have a firm grasp of the topics and be aware of your research.

A revision should be the first step in your preparation as it may have been some time after you sent in your work.

Have a plan for your responses and a structure

Create a plan for your response to the panel’s questions.

Keep your responses succinct, but whenever required, provide more specifics about the research.

It’s okay if you don’t know the answer to a question.

The trick is to be able to come up with a response even if you don’t have the knowledge to do so right now.

Having a plan for responding to even the most unexpected questions can be a lifesaver in these circumstances!

For example, if a question is about the content of your research, you can say something like

“I am not sure my research touches on the question you are asking, but my research has led me to Dr X. Based on this evidence, I would have to conclude that…”

The best approach to prepare for this difficult stage in your academic career is to practice answering thesis defense questions in what we called a  thesis Pre-defense.

Many Universities in the world always have Pre-defenses before the Final Defense.

For you to have a  thesis defense that will beat the imagination of all your professors, you need to read this blog article till the end and you will notice all the secrets of answering thesis defense questions

First of all, You need to have effective tactics for dealing with various question types and explaining why you choose your research topic in addition to having a thorough understanding of your research project.

It’s time to put your years of in-depth study to the test now that you may have previously responded to inquiries about your research interests in your research interest statement and graduate school interview questions.

 Below are some of the trickiest thesis defense queries, along with our knowledgeable answers.

Note: Schedule a free strategy call if you’d like our assistance with your applications, interviews, or standardized testing.

Visit our collaborations page if you represent a university, company, or student organization and would want to collaborate with us.

How Should a Thesis Defense Go?

You get the opportunity to showcase your in-depth understanding and subject competence at a thesis defense.

The members of your thesis committee will be able to direct the narrative and hear about your study, but the instructors will push you to demonstrate your command of the material.

Since most of the questions are open-ended, you can demonstrate your knowledge and expertise as well as any potential future plans you may have for your research topic.

Depending on the subject of your research, a thesis defense typically lasts between one and two hours. You start by presenting your area of interest, your research, and your conclusions.

The committee members will quiz you once you’ve completed based on both your oral presentation and your written thesis, which they will have already read.

Finally, the committee may endorse your thesis or make suggestions for improving your paper.

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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).

Need a helping hand?

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

This question picks up where the last one left off.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#9: Were there any findings that surprised you?

This question is two-pronged.

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

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

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

#10: What biases may exist in your research?

Biases… we all have them.

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

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

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

Another classic question in the typical viva voce.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recap: The 13 Key Dissertation Defense Questions

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

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

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

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project. 

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12 Comments

Very interesting

Interesting. I appreciate!

Really appreciating

My field is International Trade

Interesting

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

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

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

Lovely to hear that 🙂

Really educative and beneficial

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

Thank you very much for the enlightening me, be blessed

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

Very interesting and useful to all masters and PhD students

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How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

What is a thesis defense?

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 is a 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. 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.

• What happens at 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)

Your presentation

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.

Questions from the committee

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.

• 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense

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

1. Anticipate questions and prepare for them

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.

2. Dress for success

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.

3. Ask for help, as needed

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

4. Have a backup plan

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.

5. Prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer

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.

6. De-stress before, during, and after

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.

• Frequently Asked Questions about preparing an excellent thesis 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.
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How to Effectively Prepare for Your Thesis Defense

You’ve completed your research study, written your thesis, and think you’re done! If only it were this easy. Before you finish with your thesis, there is one last hurdle to overcome: the thesis defense.

A thesis defense is an opportunity for you to present your research study before other academic professionals who will evaluate the quality of your academic work. While a thesis defense can sometimes feel like a cross-examination in a court of law, in reality, there is no need to fear your thesis defense as long as you are well-prepared. In this article, we’ll talk about how to prepare for a thesis defense, what to expect at the defense itself, and what comes after your defense. 

Why do I have to defend my thesis?

At your thesis defense, you will discuss everything you’ve learned with a group of interested examiners who are eager to hear your thoughts.

The fundamental purpose of a thesis defense is to prove that you have mastered your subject and can be considered as a knowledgeable expert in your field, thereby allowing you to graduate successfully. For many students, a thesis is one of the first attempts at conducting original research and demonstrating that you are equipped to function as an independent expert in your field. If qualified academic professionals can assess your work, question your methods and results, and confirm that your study is sound and novel, then you meet the requirements.

The exact format and expectations for your thesis defense will differ depending on the region you study in and your institution’s rules for the thesis program. The thesis defense meeting may have just two or three examiners or may have a whole panel of examiners along with an audience. 

If the thought of facing your professors, peers, and parents to present your research study makes you feel dizzy, you aren’t alone . Moreover, a thesis defense is a great opportunity for you to hone your public speaking skills as well as talk about your research study. At your thesis defense, you will discuss everything you’ve learned with a group of interested examiners who are eager to hear your thoughts.

While the format for a thesis defense will vary, as mentioned above, most thesis defenses consist of:

• Presenting your research study (using PowerPoint or other similar tools)
• Answering questions from your thesis committee
• Receiving feedback from your thesis committee

So how can you prepare for it? Let’s talk about some important tips.

Preparing: Before the defense

It is useful to attend multiple defenses and ask others who have gone through the process what it was like.

The best way to prepare for a thesis defense is to attend other defenses at your institution so that you know what to expect. It is useful to attend multiple defenses and ask others who have gone through the process what it was like. Senior students are often happy to provide advice and can give you specific insights about particular examiners as well as details of the administrative process at your institution.

You should also talk to your thesis advisor well in advance of your defense about what to expect. Ask whether you need to shortlist your own committee, how long your presentation should be, and how long the thesis defense will be. The duration of a thesis defense varies by the degree level as well as the institution. On average, expect your defense to be at least an hour long, possibly longer for a Ph.D.

What should my presentation cover and how can I prepare it?

While preparing your presentation, also prepare a list of questions and answers that you think are likely to be asked by your committee.

You will need to prepare a presentation that will cover the details of your research study. It is wise to rehearse this presentation multiple times in advance of your thesis defense so that you will be comfortable when you actually present in front of your audience. While preparing your presentation, also prepare a list of questions and answers that you think are likely to be asked by your committee. If you can, enlist the help of a classmate or friend to be the examiner. They can ask you questions about your research study so you will be able to practice addressing these questions.

One mistake many students make is assuming that all members of their defense committee will thoroughly read their thesis prior to the defense. This is simply not always the case. For this reason, you should make sure your presentation makes sense to someone who has not actually read your thesis. A typical thesis defense presentation gives:

• An introduction to the topic
• Explains how the study is significant in the field
• Covers the main highlights of the methodology and results of the study
• Picks out the main points from the discussion and conclusion

What should I do the day before my defense?

Before your thesis defense, make sure you have backups of everything you need saved in multiple formats and multiple locations.

Before your thesis defense, make sure you have backups of everything you need to be saved in multiple formats and multiple locations. Put your presentation and your thesis on a USB drive, email it to yourself, upload it to the cloud, and print it out. Leave nothing to chance: you want to be absolutely prepared to defend your thesis short of an act of God obliterating the venue. In addition, make sure you prepare hard copies (printouts) of both your thesis and slideshow for the committee members. It need not be professionally bound at this stage, but they will appreciate having reference material on hand.

Finally, there are some practical steps to take in preparation for the thesis defense. Choose your outfit in advance (you should dress professionally) and practice presenting in it. You should also make sure you know the exact location of the thesis defense venue. Scope out the venue before your defense, if possible, so you can imagine yourself there while you rehearse. If you are presenting virtually, test all your equipment in advance and have a backup plan in case your internet goes out or your computer suddenly crashes. Most importantly, make sure that you eat well and get proper rest the night before. Don’t stay up late rehearsing last minute in the hopes of improving your chances of passing your defense. You will do much better if you are well-rested and alert. 

Time to shine: At the defense

Try to stay calm and remember you are not on trial!

What can you expect on the day of the defense?

Typically, you will enter the room, set up, and begin your presentation once the committee indicates that they are ready. As mentioned above, it is always advisable to bring hard copies of both your thesis and slideshow for the committee. That way, they can easily refer to what you are talking about as you present. Make sure you also bring a pencil and notebook with you to take notes, and some water, because you will get thirsty as you talk.

After you are done with the presentation, the committee members will ask questions. Try to stay calm and remember you are not on trial! Your committee generally wants you to succeed, but they also want you to prove that you really know what you’re talking about. Do your best to answer their questions and never be afraid to admit when you don’t know something. It is much better, to be honest than to be caught lying or making something up during your thesis defense.

After the question and answer session, depending on your institution, you may be asked to leave the room while the committee deliberates. You may also be present while they discuss the merits of your defense and make suggestions for how to revise it. Alternatively, they might adjourn to another room if there is a large audience present. After they deliberate, they will usually thank you for your time, and your defense will be over. At some institutions, they will inform you if you passed right away, while at others, you will find out after a few days. 

How does my committee decide if my work is good or not?

In general, you can expect your thesis defense and your thesis as a whole to be evaluated based on the below criteria:

• Whether the thesis meets the departmental requirements
• Whether the research study is logical and clear
• Whether the stated objectives are met in the study
• Use of primary and secondary literature
• Use of relevant and up-to-date sources
• Methodological rigor
• Your ability to critically analyze data, facts, relevant literature, and synthesize information into a coherent narrative
• Writing quality and flow
• The validity of your conclusions based on your data and analysis
• The relevance and importance of your research study in the field
• Your ability to clearly and coherently present what your thesis is about
• Your ability to answer questions about your work accurately and in-depth
• Your ability to acknowledge and consider other theories or perspectives and explain why you dismissed one theory in favor of another

In summary, the examining committee want to know:

• Did you meet the thesis criteria set by your institution?
• Did you perform high-quality research work?
• Do you know what you are talking about?

After the defense: What’s next?

After your thesis is approved, you will need to have it professionally bound and then submit copies to your university.

After your thesis defense, you should definitely celebrate and congratulate yourself for all your hard work! Unfortunately, you aren’t quite done yet. Although the committee may notify you about passing, it is also very likely that you will be asked to make some changes to your thesis before you are finally done. You should work with your advisor to finalize and incorporate any comments you received into your work as quickly as possible.

After your thesis is approved, you will need to have it professionally bound and then submit copies to your university. You will also get the chance to order copies for yourself. This process also differs by institution, so make sure you talk to the administration department to figure out what you need to do and when to complete this process.

All in all, while a thesis defense is a scary and overwhelming event, it is also an incredible achievement. Earning your degree is no small feat, and you should definitely feel proud of yourself once you have done it! Check out our site for more tips on how to write a good thesis, where to find the best thesis editing services , and more about thesis editing and proofreading services .

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To prepare for your thesis defense, make sure that you:

Find out your institutional requirements

Talk to your advisor well in advance about what to expect and prepare

Attend defenses of other students to see what they are like

Prepare your presentation early so you can rehearse it

Rehearse your presentation with a timer

Make a list of questions and answers about your research study

Enlist a friend to be the examiner and ask you questions

Prepare multiple backups of your materials (USB drive, Google Drive/Cloud storage, email, hard copy) 

Have a plan for computer/internet problems if you are presenting virtually

Eat well and get a good night’s rest before the defense

Arrive at the defense venue early enough to test any IT equipment or internet connection

What should I do to prepare for my thesis defense? +

• Find out your institution’s requirements
• Attend other thesis defenses
• Speak to your advisor
• Prepare and practice your presentation
• Enlist a friend or classmate to act as the examiner and ask you questions while you practice

How long is a typical thesis defense? +

Every institution is different, but most thesis defenses are at least an hour long.

What should my thesis presentation actually contain? +

 A typical thesis defense presentation introduces the thesis topic, explains how your study is significant in the field, and covers the main highlights of the methodology and results of the study. It finally picks out the main points from the discussion and conclusion section of your thesis.

What if I fail my thesis defense? +

The odds that you will fail are extremely low! Most advisors and committees do not let a candidate schedule a defense unless they feel the candidate is ready. So, don’t worry about it. However, if you do fail for some reason, your institution will have a process for you to apply to try again.

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Dissertation Defense: Steps To Follow To Succeed

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

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

What is A Dissertation Defense?

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

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

Stages of a Dissertation Defense

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

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

How Long is a Dissertation Defense?

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

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

How to Prepare for the Dissertation Defense

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

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

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

Tips To Nail Your Actual Meeting

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

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

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

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

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Common Thesis Defense Questions And Answers

Thesis refers to the written compilation of the person’s research-based knowledge. It can be on any topic as preferred by the writer. A thesis includes the making of a research paper or a collective work on any particular topic. After the completion of the research thesis, the writer of that paper is asked to present it in front of a panel. This presentation of a research thesis in front of a panel is known as a thesis defense. Therefore, in simple terms, a thesis defense refers to an act of manually representing the research paper or the research thesis written by the person. In this round, after the thesis writer has presented his work in front of the panel, he asked some questions related to the topic or thesis, the theory presented by the person, educational qualifications, work experience, motivation behind the thesis, and other personal or professional questions. This round is somewhat similar to a job interview. A thesis defense is also called viva voice. Let’s check common thesis defense questions and answers.

TIPS AND TECHNIQUES TO PREPARE FOR A THESIS DEFENCE

There are many ways to prepare for the thesis defense. It is similar to preparing for any job interview. Moreover, the students or writers presenting the thesis defense in the panel must thoroughly prepare about the topic he has made the research thesis on. Following are some tips to prepare for the thesis defense-

• Prepare for the manual presentation of the thesis. The person presenting in front of the panel must complete the presentation within the given time. If no time is by the panel, the ideal time for presentation is a thesis defense is 15-20 minutes.
• The presenter must cover all the topics written in the research thesis. A good way to keep track of the topic covered by decided the writer in a thesis defense is by following the pattern written in the research thesis.
• The person must thoroughly prepare for all the topics, sub-topics, historical overview, critical analysis of the topic used in the thesis, facts, etc. related to the theory of the research thesis.
• A thesis defense is a sort of interview round, so the person appearing for the thesis defense can follow all the rules and instructions that apply to an interviewee. 
• The person must answer the thesis defense question in short and simple sentences that can grab the interviewer’s attention. 
• All the answers must be straightforward and only stick to the question asked by the panel. Moreover, the person must also listen to all the questions carefully and attentively before beginning to answer them.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUESTIONS IN A THESIS DEFENSE

The interviewers or the panel can also ask some questions related to the personal or professional lives of the person appearing for the thesis defense. Apart from the question asked in a thesis defense related to the research theory, many general questions are asked by the interviewers. The answers to these questions are perspective-based. It can also defer from one person to another. The examples of the common questions asked in the thesis defense interview are as follows-

• WHAT ARE YOUR EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS?

It is one of the most asked questions in a job interview or thesis defense. The required educational qualification to appear in a thesis defense is the completion of a high school diploma with seventy and above percentage or marks. After high school, the person must have completed a degree or diploma course in any subject or any subject combination from any certified university. Moreover, the person appearing for a thesis defense must have written a research thesis or theory on any topic. It must be an original document. Therefore, the person must also prepare for this type of general questions related to his professional and educational background.

• WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?

In any job interview or one-on-one question-answer session, the interviewers or panelists generally show some interest in knowing the interviewee’s knowledge or sources of knowledge. There can be sources like books, research works and research papers of other people, the material provided by college or university, thesis written by other people, the internet, and many more. An alternative answer to this question can be regarding the sources of the thesis or theory written by the person. It is also important to mention the sources used by the person during his presentation in the thesis defense. It increases the reliability and authenticity of the research thesis written by the person.

• HOW RESEARCH THESIS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE?

There can be many alternative answers or solutions to this question. Moreover, creating a research thesis or theory can also have many personal or professional effects on the persona’s life. It helps them in increasing their knowledge of any one or more theory or thesis subject. It can also help other people in enhancing their academic knowledge of any research thesis. Moreover, it can also lead to enhance the person’s presentation skills and help them practice for the interview or one-on-one question-answer sessions.

QUESTION-RELATED TO THE TOPIC OF THE THESIS STATEMENT

This is the main questions and answers section in any interview or thesis defense. It includes the questions asked by the panelists related to the research thesis written by the person. Some general questions asked in the thesis defense are related to the theory on which the person has created the research thesis, sources of study, relevance, nature, and scope of the theory or thesis written by him, and many more. The example of some thesis defense questions are as follows-

• WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WRITE THIS THESIS OR RESEARCH STATEMENT?

It is one of the most important and common questions asked by the panel in a thesis defense. The answer to this question depends on one person to another. It is also a little tricky question and many people find it difficult to answer such type of questions. Moreover, there can be many answers to this question depending on the choices and perspectives of the people. While answering this question, the person should keep in mind that the answer to this question has to be a little convincing to the panel that this topic or theory was worth the time. Also, it can help in understanding various other concepts and theories as well. 

• WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS TOPIC FOR YOUR RESEARCH THESIS?

It is also a commonly asked question in a thesis defense. The answer to this question is mostly based on the perspective of the writer and also the subjects he has earlier chosen by them during their master of degree and diploma courses. The person who can answer this question is thesis defense in such a manner that he has a strong grip on the subject chosen by him, or this particular subject holds his keen interest for a long time. Moreover, while choosing the subject for thesis or research theory writing the person must prefer subjects he has a strong grip on, and he has studied that particular subject at various personal and professional levels. Also, he must prepare all the aspects of that topic he has chosen for the thesis defense including the past or historical view of that topic or theory, present status, popular facts, future scope, and many more.

• WHAT SAMPLING METHODS AND METHODOLOGY DID YOU USE? 

It is asked by the thesis defense interview panel to know the research methods used by the researchers. Therefore, while making a research thesis the writer must also focus on the research method or research methods used by him. Four different methods are used by the person to write a thesis statement and research thesis. Some commonly used methodology in a thesis includes the observational method in which the thesis or theory is based on the observation of the researcher. The experimental research method, includes the data derived from manual or technical, practical experiments. The simulation method is the one that includes real-world problems and immediate solutions to these problems. The derived methodology used in a thesis is based on another person’s earlier done research statements.

• EXPLAIN IN BRIEF THE SCOPE AND FUTURE OF YOUR THESIS?

While answering this question the person must state all the advantages and other good points of the thesis. He can also state the reliability, validity, and authenticity of the research thesis. Moreover, while writing any research thesis the writer must also make sure that the theory is relevant for the future generation and can be applied shortly. The scope of a research thesis includes all the aspects and fields in which the theory is applicable. 

A thesis defense is a form interview or questions and answers session. Every person who has made a research thesis or theory has to present his research thesis in front of the panelist. There are many questions asked by the interviewers or the thesis defense including the question based on their personal and professional lives, educational qualifications, and other question related to the research thesis presented by the person. Some commonly asked questions include the motivation for writing a thesis on any topic or theory, the scope and future aspect of the thesis, the methodology used by the person, and many more.

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Thesis Defense: Tips for Masters And PhD

Many learners come across thesis defense when researching for their master’s degree. Defending a thesis is a major requirement for earning the majority of advanced degrees. This formal requirement comes towards the end of the graduate program. In most cases, the university educational experience of a learner is defined by a thesis.

After completing the necessary coursework and acquiring practicum experiences or finishing an internship, a learner has to meet the committee and defend their work. A thesis defense presentation process varies from one learning institution to another. However, students should know certain general things when embarking on their graduate process.

The Basics of a Thesis Defense

When starting an academic program that involves defending a thesis, most learners do not know much about this academic task. Some of them ask, what is a thesis defense? Well, to answer this question, it’s important to explain what a thesis is first.

• A thesis is a large paper that is written based on a specific topic in the study field of a learner. In some institutions, students are allowed to create their thesis projects in lieu of their papers. For instance, a history major can include papers on World War II historical ramifications. An education major can complete a paper on new methods of teaching.
• In most cases, a thesis represents the collective understanding of the major or program of a student. For instance, if a student is a major in English, they can explore literary themes, language, and specific work when writing their thesis. Most learning institutions require a thesis to have a prospectus. This outlines the paper’s intent and the length to which the topic will be addressed.
• After submitting the paper, the thesis committee assigns the learner a date for defending their work. A master or Ph.D. thesis defense doesn’t imply that a learner will aggressively argue about their work. It means that a learner will be asked questions by the faculty members. The goal is to ensure that the learner understands their focus area and field.
• A Ph.D. or master thesis defense is a formality because the committee has already evaluated the work. The learner is asked open-ended questions by the committee members. Members of this committee want the student to show that they have critically thought about their work.
• Perhaps, you’re now wondering, how long is a thesis defense? Well, a student can spend between 20 minutes and one-hour answering dissertation defense questions. The taken duration depends on the program requirements and the committee goal.

What a Master’s Thesis Defense Should Include

The defense has a particular format that should be followed when preparing it. This format cuts across most degrees. Thus, you can use it for your master’s or doctoral dissertation defense. This format includes the following:

• Introduction. This is the first section of the defense. It explains why the study is important.
• Literature review. This section explains the findings of other scholars on the topic or subject of a thesis.
• Research methodology. In this section, the student explains the research methods used and the reasons for choosing them.
• Findings. This is the section where the student explains and discusses their research findings. What are the major deductions from the study?

Since presenting a dissertation defense can take 45 minutes, a learner should make it lively. Therefore, a learner should incorporate thesis defense PowerPoint slides with images. This makes the presentation less wordy. Also, bullet points can be included to make digesting the text easier. Thus, a learner needs a projector and a laptop to ace the presentation.

How to Prepare for a Thesis Defense

As hinted, a Ph.D. or master’s thesis defense aims to ascertain that a learner understood their topic. The student presents their work to a committee or panel that grades their presentation abilities. But, a learner hands in the paper first. The lecturer also grades the paper before the student makes a Ph.D. or master’s thesis defense presentation.

Essentially, a learner should submit a high-quality paper and prepare to defend it before the committee. Here’s how to prepare for thesis defense.

• Know Your Defense Format : Defense format varies among countries. For instance, some countries hold public examinations. That means a learner faces an examiners’ panel and an audience that comprises friends, family, and colleagues. In another country, the interview can involve internal examiners and another one with external examiners. Therefore, know the defense format in your country to prepare for a master’s or Ph.D. dissertation defense presentation properly.
• Study the Content of Your Thesis : Take the time to study and understand the content of your thesis. This is a long paper and the committee members can ask questions from any part of your work. The best thesis defense is a good thesis offense. Therefore, be prepared to make a good offense from the beginning. Make every member of the panel see that you know the core content of your paper.
• Prepare for Questions that You Can’t Answer : You took the time to research and write your thesis. However, you may not answer all thesis defense questions from the committee members. You can even be asked awkward questions by the panel members. This can be an attempt to gauge your thinking ability. Always remember that it’s okay to tell the panel that you don’t have an answer to a question. However, let the committee know what you think about the question or issue. This will show the committee that you’re an academician that can think critically.
• Practice the Presentation : This is one of the best thesis defense tips. Essentially, practice with a small audience or alone. Ask the audience to provide feedback and ask questions. This will prepare you psychologically before the actual date of the presentation.
• Deal with Nerves : Some people get nervous from the moment they receive their thesis defense invitation letter. It’s normal to have an adrenaline rush that will set the heart racing. Some learners even get sweaty palms while others excuse themselves to visit the toilet several times. However, you should prepare to deal with nerves in advance. If you notice that you’re talking very fast, slow down and try to relax. Allow yourself some time to inhale and exhale.

A successful defense is well-practiced and smooth but not robotic. Memorizing the presentation won’t help. Instead, study your work and practice the presentation. Maintain a conversational and natural tone throughout the presentation. And, time yourself when practicing to ensure that you will stick to the time allowed by your learning institution. Also don’t hesitate to get master thesis help if you are feeling overwhelmed.

Get Professional Thesis Help

Preparing comprehensive and minimal slides for this defense is not easy. The slides should include diagrams, graphs, and images where necessary. They should also be easy to read. What’s more, all sections of the thesis should be covered by the slides. The dissertation defense tips provided here can help you achieve this. However, you might not have adequate time to prepare your defense and practice. This doesn’t mean you should submit a low-quality defense.

You can get professional assistance with your defense. Skilled and experienced thesis helpers can come up with a defense whose slides include relevant and comprehensive information. They can also deliver the defense early so that you can get the time to go through it and practice before friends and family. This will enable you to time your presentation and know the questions that the dissertation committee might ask you.

Defending a thesis is a serious task that needs preparation. You need to know more than what to wear to a thesis defense. Essentially, you should understand the content of your defense, know the best way to present it, and get ready to answer all types of questions from the panelists. You should also learn to deal with anxiety to ensure a successful presentation. If unable to prepare a strong defense, seek professional assistance.

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Successful PhD Dissertation Defense: Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers

What is your study about, how significant is the topic, how can the research topic contribute to currently available research on it, what were the limitations encountered, the importance of your phd thesis defense.

At the end of all your hard work, you will be required to defend the research that you have done in front of your peers. For many this is something that they will approach with great trepidation. Few people like to talk in public, and defending your own research in front of real experts in your own field that will want to pick holes in what you have done can be a real challenge.

This is why you really do need to spend a lot of time and effort in ensuring that your PhD defense is up to scratch and that you are fully prepared for what may be asked of you. Each institution and even country will approach a PhD defense differently. Yours could be just defending to a board of two professors through to a wider public audience with several professors asking questions of you. Whatever it is that is expected of you, however, you will need to prepare accordingly.

How to Prepare for Your Defense of Dissertation

After you have submitted your dissertation there really is no time for you to relax. While you cannot do any more to your paper it is now time to very much concentrate on how you are going to defend it. A poorly defended dissertation could result in you being tasked with a huge number of revisions and even additional research. A successful PhD thesis defense, however, should result in only minor changes, it is very rare that a panel will allow you to escape this ordeal with nothing to do.

The following tips will provide you with a good framework to help you with preparing both your presentation and yourself for your PhD proposal defense:

• Be sure that you know precisely what the format of your defense will be.  Every institution differs in some way with regards to the length of your PhD defense presentation, the makeup of your audience, through to how long they will ask questions for. Make sure that you understand exactly what you are walking into.
• Don’t leave things to the last minute before you begin your preparations. It can be very easy to fall into the party trap as soon as you have submitted your dissertation, however, you should wait until after your defense PhD thesis before you begin your celebrations.
• Read and reread your dissertation several times. Re-familiarize yourself with everything that you have done. Also go back to some of your main sources and reread those also.
• Don’t produce too many or too few slides for your presentation: 100 slides for a 10-minute talk is going to be far too many and 10 will not be enough for 20 minutes.
• Cover the main points of your research: clearly show why you have done it, why it is important, what impact it will have as well as the usual what you actually did and found.
• Don’t neglect details on your slides: label axes and try to use the same format throughout.
• Tell a story: you want your presentation to actually flow so take the time to work on your transitions between slides.
• Don’t just read the slide: a slide should be a prompt for what you have to say not just a teleprompter for you to read from.
• Practice. Then practice again. Give your presentation for PhD defense several times to your friends so that you are totally comfortable with what you are doing.
• Try out the room. walking into a presentation and finding that the projector will not talk to your laptop or some another disaster is avoidable.

While you are never going to be able to prepare for every question for PhD defense you should be able to answer anything around the core area of your research. If asked something that you really do not know the answer to simply say that you don’t know or explain how you would go about trying to find an answer. Just because someone asks you a difficult question, it does not mean that they have an answer to it either.

Our Dissertation Advice Services

One of the mistakes that most graduate students commit when writing is not having any plan at all. This causes them to spend time on doing pointless tasks when they could have focused all their energy in tackling their research, analyzing the information they have gained and translating data into a well written paper. Although many rely on online help, having a clear idea on how or where to begin is an advantage. The good news is that our PhD comics thesis defense writing service can do more than just write dissertations but we can also help coach you into getting your dissertation done in time. From formatting to reviewing and editing we are your one stop shop for all your needs.

We Can Help

It’s not surprising to find graduate students having a hard time getting started on their PhD oral defense especially when they lack a plan of attack. The idea of having to go through this final hurdle often put pressure on students that they can’t seem to focus on their work. This is not a good sign especially if you want to achieve your MBA or PhD. We are ready to help you with all the writing issues!

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Home » Feature » Top 18 Possible Questions in a Thesis Defense

Top 18 Possible Questions in a Thesis Defense

A thesis defense is an important milestone in a student’s academic career. It is a chance for the student to demonstrate that they have learned the material and are able to defend their work in front of their peers and professors. The thesis defense is also an opportunity for the student to learn more about what it takes to be a successful researcher. In order to prepare for the thesis defense , the student should review their research paper and practice speaking about their findings. They should also be prepared to answer questions from the audience.

When you’re ready to present your thesis to your professor, you’ll likely have a few questions in mind. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are the ten most common questions and what to expect when defending your work.

What should you expect during your thesis defense?

Your thesis defense is the culmination of your graduate studies. It is a time to showcase your hard work and intellectual prowess. You will be questioned by your committee, who will be looking for evidence that you understand your research and can defend it against criticism. Be prepared to answer questions about your research, methodology, findings, and implications. You may also be asked about your future plans and how you see your research impacting the field of study. Be confident and poised during your defense; it is an opportunity to demonstrate that you are a scholar worthy of a degree.

Top 18 Questions and Answers During Thesis Defense

A graduate student’s academic career isn’t complete without a successful defense of a thesis. For graduate students, the defense of their thesis before a panel of experts is a critical step in the process of proving the validity of their findings. To help you prepare for your own thesis defense, we’ve compiled a list of 18 frequently asked questions and their associated answers.

1. What are the main findings of your thesis?

In your response, you should briefly summarize your investigation. The question is straightforward but requires technical knowledge for a more complete explanation of the concepts. For instance, if you were attempting to describe the relationship between job satisfaction and affective commitment in a thesis, you could construct your response as follows:

The main findings of my thesis are that there is a significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment and that this relationship is mediated by affective commitment. Additionally, I found that there is a significant relationship between affective commitment and turnover intention.

2. Why did you choose this study?

This question demands that you explain your initial motivation for pursuing the topic. Your responses may touch on your own research interests. For instance, if you did a study titled “The Extent of State Obligations in Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking: Challenges and Perspectives for a Philippine Human Rights-Based Approach,” your response could be as follows:

I chose this study because human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights and a pressing global issue. The Philippines is considered a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking, making it an appropriate context for examination. By exploring the extent of state obligations in preventing and combating human trafficking, I aim to shed light on the challenges faced by the Philippine government in fulfilling its duties. Additionally, I seek to highlight the potential of a human rights-based approach to address this issue effectively. Through this research, I hope to contribute to the existing literature and generate practical recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders in the Philippines and beyond. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to the eradication of human trafficking and the promotion of human rights on a broader scale.

3. What is the significance of your findings?

The response to this research question should describe the influence of your work on your field of study. You may discuss the fresh insights that your study has contributed and their impact on society.

The significance of my findings is that they could help to improve the accuracy of predictions made by machine learning algorithms. My thesis defense was important because it showed that my research is valuable and has the potential to make a contribution to the field of machine learning.

4. How did you go about conducting your research?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the research process will vary depending on the topic of your thesis and the methodology you’re using. However, in general, you’ll want to start by finding relevant literature and articles, then designing and conducting experiments or surveys to collect data, and finally analyzing and interpreting your findings. You’ll also need to present your findings in a clear and concise way in your thesis defense.

5. What sources did you use for data collection?

You would have looked for information on your topic from a variety of sources. You are free to expand on those sources. You could have used databases, web content, or even conducted primary research by interviewing prospects. As a result, you can discuss these sources. Please see the following response:

For data collection, I used a variety of sources, including both primary and secondary sources. For my primary sources, I conducted interviews with experts in the field and collected survey data from consumers. For my secondary sources, I analyzed studies conducted by other researchers as well as data from government agencies and private companies.

6. What are the limitations of your research?

This is another easy question that is hard to answer. Most of the time, the question isn’t asked to help you feel better but to find ways to criticize your work. You have to be careful with your words if you want to answer this question, or you might get yourself in trouble. Be careful not to sell yourself short. Do not talk about the problems with your methods or how you analyzed the data. This could make it seem like your study is biased or not well done. Instead of putting limits on your study, use simple things like how hard it is to combine lectures and projects.

My research is focused on the use of big data and machine learning in marketing. However, there are many other applications for these technologies that I am not able to explore in my thesis. Additionally, there are many potential pitfalls with using big data and machine learning that I am not able to explore in my research.

7. What are the implications of your findings?

This question concerns the application of your study. You should discuss how your study benefits society and how it might aid in resolving pressing problems.

The implications of my findings are that more research is needed to fully understand the effects of climate change on plant communities. Additionally, my research suggests that climate change may lead to a decline in plant diversity, which could have serious consequences for ecosystems.

8. How does your thesis contribute to existing knowledge in your field?

Explain how your research will add to the existing body of knowledge. To answer this question, you must describe how your research will serve the government in policy formation and execution, how it will aid other students who may wish to conduct research on the topic, and how organizations and society will benefit from your research.

My research is significant because it has the potential to improve the accuracy of predictions made by machine learning algorithms. This could have a major impact on a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

9. What are the future research directions that could be taken based on your findings?

You should be able to discuss the new fields of research that have been opened up as a result of your research as a researcher. Researchers in the future will be able to use this as a starting point. For instance,

The future research directions that could be taken based on my findings are:

• Investigating the effects of different types of music on cognitive function.
• Examining the effects of music listening on mood and emotions.
• Studying the long-term effects of music listening on cognitive function.

10. In a few sentences, can you tell us what your study is all about?

In your response, you should briefly summarize your investigation. The question is straightforward but requires technical knowledge for a more complete explanation of the concepts. For instance, if you wrote a thesis attempting to explain the effects of various types of stress on memory, you could structure your response as follows:

My study is about the effects of different types of stress on memory. I am looking at how different types of stressors, such as physical or psychological stress, affect people’s ability to remember things.

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

As a researcher, it is critical that you choose a title that accurately reflects the content of your thesis. How did you make the final decision to name your work? Your committee will want to know that. For instance,

The title of my research is “The Role of Social Media in the Political Process.” I chose this title because I think social media has a huge role to play in the political process. I’m interested in how social media can be used to engage people in the political process and how it can be used to spread information about candidates and issues.

12. What is the scope of your study?

In your response, you must define the scope of your study and precisely what you are researching. There may be several elements involved, but you must define the parameters you have chosen to investigate. As an example,

The scope of my study is to analyze the effects of a new management style on employee productivity. The elements involved in the study are the employees of a company who will be randomly divided into two groups, one with the new management style and one without. The parameters of the study are the number of employees in each group, the length of time the study will be conducted, and the productivity metric that will be used.

13. Who will be most interested in your research?

You can discuss who might be affected by your research and who might benefit from it. Consider the following example:

The people who will be most interested in my research are other researchers in the same field. They will be interested in my findings and how they can apply them to their own work. I also hope that my research will be of interest to the general public, as it could have implications for their everyday lives.

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

Every research study must address an issue. Your ability to solve this challenge and explore previously unexplored places earns you the maximum possible score for this response. You must be able to persuade the committee members that your technique is novel and that it has covered regions where little research has been conducted by other researchers.

The gaps that I intended to bridge with my research were the lack of knowledge about the role of emotions in decision-making and the lack of understanding of how people make decisions under stress. My research aimed to fill these gaps by exploring how emotions affect decision-making and how people make decisions under stress.

15. What research findings surprised you?

When conducting research, you discover results that you did not anticipate. If you have had such an incident, you may describe it to the evaluation committee in your response. For instance,

I was surprised by how little difference there was between the test scores of students who attended private and public schools. I also found that the achievement gap between rich and poor students is much wider than I expected.

16. What is the validity of your findings?

You must discuss the criteria under which your research findings are valid.

The validity of our research findings is based on the accuracy and precision of our data. Our data was collected using a valid and reliable survey instrument, which means that our findings are likely to be accurate. Additionally, our results were analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques, which increases the reliability of our findings.

17 . What theories or theoretical framework is your study based on?

This is a very technical but intriguing question. Before entering the defense room, you should be familiar with at least two relevant theories related to your research.

The study is based on the theory of planned behavior. This theory looks at the factors that influence people’s intentions to behave in a certain way. It includes beliefs about the behavior, attitudes towards the behavior, and social norms regarding the behavior.

18 . Based on your findings, what are your recommendations?

In every research study, recommendations are very important and should not be taken lightly. In the end, you should be able to give your recommendations at any given time.

Based on my findings, I recommend that businesses focus on creating valuable content and building relationships with their customers. They should also strive to create a strong online presence through social media and SEO.

How to Prepare for Your Thesis Defense

First, make sure you know what is expected of you during the defense. Familiarize yourself with the format and the questions that will be asked. Next, practice presenting your thesis to others. Get feedback and work on refining your presentation. Finally, be prepared to answer any questions that may be thrown your way.

The thesis defense is a nerve-wracking experience, but it is also a chance to show off all of your hard work. Be sure to prepare for the questions that will be asked of you, and remember to relax and have fun. By preparing for these questions, you can ensure that your defense goes as smoothly as possible. The thesis defense is an important milestone in your academic career, so congratulations on making it this far!

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40 Thesis Defense Questions in. 2023. Updated: Mar 31, 2023. 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 ...

17 Thesis Defense Questions and How to Answer Them. EditrixJD. January 10, 2023 PST. 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 ...

Top 25 Likely Questions and Answers for Thesis Defense (2023) The top 25 academic research defence questions that you can come across during a tutorial research defence are listed below. Please utilise this checklist to determine whether you are truly prepared for your research defence.

Regardless of the subject, examiners will ask some typical defense questions. In this article, we will discuss 20 such common defense questions you need to prepare for. Discover the world's research

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense: 1. Anticipate questions and prepare for them. 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.

A thesis defense giving them the chance to show off your thesis work and demonstrate your expertise in your select of study. During to one- at two-hour discussion with the membership of their research committee, you'll have some control over how you present your research, but your committee will ask your some prodding questions up test your knowledge and preparedness. The will all have read ...

Dissertation/Thesis Oral Defense Questions Your thesis/dissertation committee chair is usually the moderator for your defense, and he/she will explain the rules on procedure and protocol. During the defense, the committee could ask for further elaboration on the research methods employed in the study; question your findings,

A single perspective on Defending a Thesis Research. Includes sample of common questions asked by "Opponents". In a thesis defense, the individuals who ask questions and challenge the thesis are ...

Enlist a friend to be the examiner and ask you questions. Prepare multiple backups of your materials (USB drive, Google Drive/Cloud storage, email, hard copy) Have a plan for computer/internet problems if you are presenting virtually. Eat well and get a good night's rest before the defense.

PDF | Tamer Suggested: Top 60 Questions Frequently Asked During Thesis Defense | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

A thesis defense gives you the luck up show off your phd work and demonstrate your expertise in your field to study. During this one- to two-hour discussion with the members of your thesis select, you'll have some control via how you present is research, but your committee will ask you some prodding questions to test your knowledge and preparedness. They will all have read your thesis ...

It is met with questions and answers that gives the student an opportunity to provide more clarity on the dissertation in order to convince the committee to approve it. Stages of a Dissertation Defense. One of the most important dissertation defense tips provided by several professors is to breakdown the process into three steps:

This is the main questions and answers section in any interview or thesis defense. It includes the questions asked by the panelists related to the research thesis written by the person. Some general questions asked in the thesis defense are related to the theory on which the person has created the research thesis, sources of study, relevance ...

Top 50 Likely Thesis Defense Questions and Answers (2023) The following are the highest 25 academic scientific research defense questions that you simply may encounter during a tutorial scientific research defense. Please use this guide to assess yourself to ascertain if you're actually ready for your research defense.

One defense for this kind of claim is an analysis of the complexity, or completeness, or whatever, of the theoretical algorithm. In computer science, the more common defense is based on empirical results from running an experiment. A good defense here means more than one example, and answers to questions such as the following.

Therefore, know the defense format in your country to prepare for a master's or Ph.D. dissertation defense presentation properly. Study the Content of Your Thesis: Take the time to study and understand the content of your thesis. This is a long paper and the committee members can ask questions from any part of your work.

Prepare your PhD defense papers: Don't produce too many or too few slides for your presentation: 100 slides for a 10-minute talk is going to be far too many and 10 will not be enough for 20 minutes. Cover the main points of your research: clearly show why you have done it, why it is important, what impact it will have as well as the usual ...

Top 18 Questions and Answers During Thesis Defense. A graduate student's academic career isn't complete without a successful defense of a thesis. For graduate students, the defense of their thesis before a panel of experts is a critical step in the process of proving the validity of their findings. To help you prepare for your own thesis ...

Graduate School; 40 Thesis Defense Questions in. Practicing answering thesis defense questions in a mock thesis defense is the best way to get ready for this challenging step in y

Define Thesis defence. Thesis defence synonyms, Thesis defence pronunciation, Thesis defence translation, English dictionary definition of Thesis defence. n. pl. the·ses 1. A proposition that is maintained by argument. 2. A dissertation advancing an original point of view as a result of research, especially as...

Synonyms for Thesis Defence (other words and phrases for Thesis Defence). Synonyms for Thesis defence. 10 other terms for thesis defence- words and phrases with similar meaning. Lists. synonyms. antonyms. definitions. sentences. thesaurus. Parts of speech. nouns. Tags. defence. diploma. project. suggest new.

Synonyms for Thesis defence in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for Thesis defence. 37 synonyms for thesis: proposition, theory, hypothesis, idea, view, opinion, proposal ...

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How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

• What is a thesis defense?

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 is a 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. 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.

• What happens at 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)

Your presentation

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.

Questions from the committee

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.

• 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense

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

1. Anticipate questions and prepare for them

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.

2. Dress for success

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.

3. Ask for help, as needed

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

4. Have a backup plan

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.

5. Prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer

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.

6. De-stress before, during, and after

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.

• Frequently Asked Questions about preparing an excellent thesis 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.
• Related Articles

How to Effectively Prepare for Your Thesis Defense

You’ve completed your research study, written your thesis, and think you’re done! If only it were this easy. Before you finish with your thesis, there is one last hurdle to overcome: the thesis defense.

What is a thesis defense?

A thesis defense is an opportunity for you to present your research study before other academic professionals who will evaluate the quality of your academic work. While a thesis defense can sometimes feel like a cross-examination in a court of law, in reality, there is no need to fear your thesis defense as long as you are well-prepared. In this article, we’ll talk about how to prepare for a thesis defense, what to expect at the defense itself, and what comes after your defense. 

Why do I have to defend my thesis?

At your thesis defense, you will discuss everything you’ve learned with a group of interested examiners who are eager to hear your thoughts.

The fundamental purpose of a thesis defense is to prove that you have mastered your subject and can be considered as a knowledgeable expert in your field, thereby allowing you to graduate successfully. For many students, a thesis is one of the first attempts at conducting original research and demonstrating that you are equipped to function as an independent expert in your field. If qualified academic professionals can assess your work, question your methods and results, and confirm that your study is sound and novel, then you meet the requirements.

The exact format and expectations for your thesis defense will differ depending on the region you study in and your institution’s rules for the thesis program. The thesis defense meeting may have just two or three examiners or may have a whole panel of examiners along with an audience. 

If the thought of facing your professors, peers, and parents to present your research study makes you feel dizzy, you aren’t alone . Moreover, a thesis defense is a great opportunity for you to hone your public speaking skills as well as talk about your research study. At your thesis defense, you will discuss everything you’ve learned with a group of interested examiners who are eager to hear your thoughts.

While the format for a thesis defense will vary, as mentioned above, most thesis defenses consist of:

• Presenting your research study (using PowerPoint or other similar tools)
• Answering questions from your thesis committee
• Receiving feedback from your thesis committee

So how can you prepare for it? Let’s talk about some important tips.

Preparing: Before the defense

It is useful to attend multiple defenses and ask others who have gone through the process what it was like.

The best way to prepare for a thesis defense is to attend other defenses at your institution so that you know what to expect. It is useful to attend multiple defenses and ask others who have gone through the process what it was like. Senior students are often happy to provide advice and can give you specific insights about particular examiners as well as details of the administrative process at your institution.

You should also talk to your thesis advisor well in advance of your defense about what to expect. Ask whether you need to shortlist your own committee, how long your presentation should be, and how long the thesis defense will be. The duration of a thesis defense varies by the degree level as well as the institution. On average, expect your defense to be at least an hour long, possibly longer for a Ph.D.

What should my presentation cover and how can I prepare it?

While preparing your presentation, also prepare a list of questions and answers that you think are likely to be asked by your committee.

You will need to prepare a presentation that will cover the details of your research study. It is wise to rehearse this presentation multiple times in advance of your thesis defense so that you will be comfortable when you actually present in front of your audience. While preparing your presentation, also prepare a list of questions and answers that you think are likely to be asked by your committee. If you can, enlist the help of a classmate or friend to be the examiner. They can ask you questions about your research study so you will be able to practice addressing these questions.

One mistake many students make is assuming that all members of their defense committee will thoroughly read their thesis prior to the defense. This is simply not always the case. For this reason, you should make sure your presentation makes sense to someone who has not actually read your thesis. A typical thesis defense presentation gives:

• An introduction to the topic
• Explains how the study is significant in the field
• Covers the main highlights of the methodology and results of the study
• Picks out the main points from the discussion and conclusion

What should I do the day before my defense?

Before your thesis defense, make sure you have backups of everything you need saved in multiple formats and multiple locations.

Before your thesis defense, make sure you have backups of everything you need to be saved in multiple formats and multiple locations. Put your presentation and your thesis on a USB drive, email it to yourself, upload it to the cloud, and print it out. Leave nothing to chance: you want to be absolutely prepared to defend your thesis short of an act of God obliterating the venue. In addition, make sure you prepare hard copies (printouts) of both your thesis and slideshow for the committee members. It need not be professionally bound at this stage, but they will appreciate having reference material on hand.

Finally, there are some practical steps to take in preparation for the thesis defense. Choose your outfit in advance (you should dress professionally) and practice presenting in it. You should also make sure you know the exact location of the thesis defense venue. Scope out the venue before your defense, if possible, so you can imagine yourself there while you rehearse. If you are presenting virtually, test all your equipment in advance and have a backup plan in case your internet goes out or your computer suddenly crashes. Most importantly, make sure that you eat well and get proper rest the night before. Don’t stay up late rehearsing last minute in the hopes of improving your chances of passing your defense. You will do much better if you are well-rested and alert. 

Time to shine: At the defense

Try to stay calm and remember you are not on trial!

What can you expect on the day of the defense?

Typically, you will enter the room, set up, and begin your presentation once the committee indicates that they are ready. As mentioned above, it is always advisable to bring hard copies of both your thesis and slideshow for the committee. That way, they can easily refer to what you are talking about as you present. Make sure you also bring a pencil and notebook with you to take notes, and some water, because you will get thirsty as you talk.

After you are done with the presentation, the committee members will ask questions. Try to stay calm and remember you are not on trial! Your committee generally wants you to succeed, but they also want you to prove that you really know what you’re talking about. Do your best to answer their questions and never be afraid to admit when you don’t know something. It is much better, to be honest than to be caught lying or making something up during your thesis defense.

After the question and answer session, depending on your institution, you may be asked to leave the room while the committee deliberates. You may also be present while they discuss the merits of your defense and make suggestions for how to revise it. Alternatively, they might adjourn to another room if there is a large audience present. After they deliberate, they will usually thank you for your time, and your defense will be over. At some institutions, they will inform you if you passed right away, while at others, you will find out after a few days. 

How does my committee decide if my work is good or not?

In general, you can expect your thesis defense and your thesis as a whole to be evaluated based on the below criteria:

• Whether the thesis meets the departmental requirements
• Whether the research study is logical and clear
• Whether the stated objectives are met in the study
• Use of primary and secondary literature
• Use of relevant and up-to-date sources
• Methodological rigor
• Your ability to critically analyze data, facts, relevant literature, and synthesize information into a coherent narrative
• Writing quality and flow
• The validity of your conclusions based on your data and analysis
• The relevance and importance of your research study in the field
• Your ability to clearly and coherently present what your thesis is about
• Your ability to answer questions about your work accurately and in-depth
• Your ability to acknowledge and consider other theories or perspectives and explain why you dismissed one theory in favor of another

In summary, the examining committee want to know:

• Did you meet the thesis criteria set by your institution?
• Did you perform high-quality research work?
• Do you know what you are talking about?

After the defense: What’s next?

After your thesis is approved, you will need to have it professionally bound and then submit copies to your university.

After your thesis defense, you should definitely celebrate and congratulate yourself for all your hard work! Unfortunately, you aren’t quite done yet. Although the committee may notify you about passing, it is also very likely that you will be asked to make some changes to your thesis before you are finally done. You should work with your advisor to finalize and incorporate any comments you received into your work as quickly as possible.

After your thesis is approved, you will need to have it professionally bound and then submit copies to your university. You will also get the chance to order copies for yourself. This process also differs by institution, so make sure you talk to the administration department to figure out what you need to do and when to complete this process.

All in all, while a thesis defense is a scary and overwhelming event, it is also an incredible achievement. Earning your degree is no small feat, and you should definitely feel proud of yourself once you have done it! Check out our site for more tips on how to write a good thesis, where to find the best thesis editing services , and more about thesis editing and proofreading services .

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To prepare for your thesis defense, make sure that you:

Find out your institutional requirements

Talk to your advisor well in advance about what to expect and prepare

Attend defenses of other students to see what they are like

Prepare your presentation early so you can rehearse it

Rehearse your presentation with a timer

Make a list of questions and answers about your research study

Enlist a friend to be the examiner and ask you questions

Prepare multiple backups of your materials (USB drive, Google Drive/Cloud storage, email, hard copy) 

Have a plan for computer/internet problems if you are presenting virtually

Eat well and get a good night’s rest before the defense

Arrive at the defense venue early enough to test any IT equipment or internet connection

What should I do to prepare for my thesis defense? +

• Find out your institution’s requirements
• Attend other thesis defenses
• Speak to your advisor
• Prepare and practice your presentation
• Enlist a friend or classmate to act as the examiner and ask you questions while you practice

How long is a typical thesis defense? +

Every institution is different, but most thesis defenses are at least an hour long.

What should my thesis presentation actually contain? +

 A typical thesis defense presentation introduces the thesis topic, explains how your study is significant in the field, and covers the main highlights of the methodology and results of the study. It finally picks out the main points from the discussion and conclusion section of your thesis.

What if I fail my thesis defense? +

The odds that you will fail are extremely low! Most advisors and committees do not let a candidate schedule a defense unless they feel the candidate is ready. So, don’t worry about it. However, if you do fail for some reason, your institution will have a process for you to apply to try again.

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Common Thesis Defense Questions And Answers

Thesis refers to the written compilation of the person’s research-based knowledge. It can be on any topic as preferred by the writer. A thesis includes the making of a research paper or a collective work on any particular topic. After the completion of the research thesis, the writer of that paper is asked to present it in front of a panel. This presentation of a research thesis in front of a panel is known as a thesis defense. Therefore, in simple terms, a thesis defense refers to an act of manually representing the research paper or the research thesis written by the person. In this round, after the thesis writer has presented his work in front of the panel, he asked some questions related to the topic or thesis, the theory presented by the person, educational qualifications, work experience, motivation behind the thesis, and other personal or professional questions. This round is somewhat similar to a job interview. A thesis defense is also called viva voice. Let’s check common thesis defense questions and answers.

TIPS AND TECHNIQUES TO PREPARE FOR A THESIS DEFENCE

There are many ways to prepare for the thesis defense. It is similar to preparing for any job interview. Moreover, the students or writers presenting the thesis defense in the panel must thoroughly prepare about the topic he has made the research thesis on. Following are some tips to prepare for the thesis defense-

• Prepare for the manual presentation of the thesis. The person presenting in front of the panel must complete the presentation within the given time. If no time is by the panel, the ideal time for presentation is a thesis defense is 15-20 minutes.
• The presenter must cover all the topics written in the research thesis. A good way to keep track of the topic covered by decided the writer in a thesis defense is by following the pattern written in the research thesis.
• The person must thoroughly prepare for all the topics, sub-topics, historical overview, critical analysis of the topic used in the thesis, facts, etc. related to the theory of the research thesis.
• A thesis defense is a sort of interview round, so the person appearing for the thesis defense can follow all the rules and instructions that apply to an interviewee. 
• The person must answer the thesis defense question in short and simple sentences that can grab the interviewer’s attention. 
• All the answers must be straightforward and only stick to the question asked by the panel. Moreover, the person must also listen to all the questions carefully and attentively before beginning to answer them.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUESTIONS IN A THESIS DEFENSE

The interviewers or the panel can also ask some questions related to the personal or professional lives of the person appearing for the thesis defense. Apart from the question asked in a thesis defense related to the research theory, many general questions are asked by the interviewers. The answers to these questions are perspective-based. It can also defer from one person to another. The examples of the common questions asked in the thesis defense interview are as follows-

• WHAT ARE YOUR EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS?

It is one of the most asked questions in a job interview or thesis defense. The required educational qualification to appear in a thesis defense is the completion of a high school diploma with seventy and above percentage or marks. After high school, the person must have completed a degree or diploma course in any subject or any subject combination from any certified university. Moreover, the person appearing for a thesis defense must have written a research thesis or theory on any topic. It must be an original document. Therefore, the person must also prepare for this type of general questions related to his professional and educational background.

• WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?

In any job interview or one-on-one question-answer session, the interviewers or panelists generally show some interest in knowing the interviewee’s knowledge or sources of knowledge. There can be sources like books, research works and research papers of other people, the material provided by college or university, thesis written by other people, the internet, and many more. An alternative answer to this question can be regarding the sources of the thesis or theory written by the person. It is also important to mention the sources used by the person during his presentation in the thesis defense. It increases the reliability and authenticity of the research thesis written by the person.

• HOW RESEARCH THESIS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE?

There can be many alternative answers or solutions to this question. Moreover, creating a research thesis or theory can also have many personal or professional effects on the persona’s life. It helps them in increasing their knowledge of any one or more theory or thesis subject. It can also help other people in enhancing their academic knowledge of any research thesis. Moreover, it can also lead to enhance the person’s presentation skills and help them practice for the interview or one-on-one question-answer sessions.

QUESTION-RELATED TO THE TOPIC OF THE THESIS STATEMENT

This is the main questions and answers section in any interview or thesis defense. It includes the questions asked by the panelists related to the research thesis written by the person. Some general questions asked in the thesis defense are related to the theory on which the person has created the research thesis, sources of study, relevance, nature, and scope of the theory or thesis written by him, and many more. The example of some thesis defense questions are as follows-

• WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WRITE THIS THESIS OR RESEARCH STATEMENT?

It is one of the most important and common questions asked by the panel in a thesis defense. The answer to this question depends on one person to another. It is also a little tricky question and many people find it difficult to answer such type of questions. Moreover, there can be many answers to this question depending on the choices and perspectives of the people. While answering this question, the person should keep in mind that the answer to this question has to be a little convincing to the panel that this topic or theory was worth the time. Also, it can help in understanding various other concepts and theories as well. 

• WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS TOPIC FOR YOUR RESEARCH THESIS?

It is also a commonly asked question in a thesis defense. The answer to this question is mostly based on the perspective of the writer and also the subjects he has earlier chosen by them during their master of degree and diploma courses. The person who can answer this question is thesis defense in such a manner that he has a strong grip on the subject chosen by him, or this particular subject holds his keen interest for a long time. Moreover, while choosing the subject for thesis or research theory writing the person must prefer subjects he has a strong grip on, and he has studied that particular subject at various personal and professional levels. Also, he must prepare all the aspects of that topic he has chosen for the thesis defense including the past or historical view of that topic or theory, present status, popular facts, future scope, and many more.

• WHAT SAMPLING METHODS AND METHODOLOGY DID YOU USE? 

It is asked by the thesis defense interview panel to know the research methods used by the researchers. Therefore, while making a research thesis the writer must also focus on the research method or research methods used by him. Four different methods are used by the person to write a thesis statement and research thesis. Some commonly used methodology in a thesis includes the observational method in which the thesis or theory is based on the observation of the researcher. The experimental research method, includes the data derived from manual or technical, practical experiments. The simulation method is the one that includes real-world problems and immediate solutions to these problems. The derived methodology used in a thesis is based on another person’s earlier done research statements.

• EXPLAIN IN BRIEF THE SCOPE AND FUTURE OF YOUR THESIS?

While answering this question the person must state all the advantages and other good points of the thesis. He can also state the reliability, validity, and authenticity of the research thesis. Moreover, while writing any research thesis the writer must also make sure that the theory is relevant for the future generation and can be applied shortly. The scope of a research thesis includes all the aspects and fields in which the theory is applicable. 

A thesis defense is a form interview or questions and answers session. Every person who has made a research thesis or theory has to present his research thesis in front of the panelist. There are many questions asked by the interviewers or the thesis defense including the question based on their personal and professional lives, educational qualifications, and other question related to the research thesis presented by the person. Some commonly asked questions include the motivation for writing a thesis on any topic or theory, the scope and future aspect of the thesis, the methodology used by the person, and many more.

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Thesis Defense Steps: Full Guide How to Prepare and Present

How To Prepare For Your Thesis Defense

If you are conducting post-graduate research within your discipline, you will come across the phrase “thesis defense”. A thesis defense is part of the things you will need to accomplish before acquiring a postgraduate degree. 

The thesis defense comes at the end of the graduate program. It is used to determine or define your education milestone while in the university. For this, you need a thesis defense comprehensive guide to be outstanding.

You should do a thesis defense after you have completed the course work and attended practicum or internship programs.

How Long does a Thesis Defense Take?

On average, a thesis defense takes somewhere between 30 minutes and one hour. However, the time it takes to do a thesis defense depends on the academic level you are in. While there is no standard or general length for a thesis defense, post-graduate sessions will take longer compared to undergraduate sessions.

Yes, some institutions, professors, or some disciplines may require you to do a thesis defense at your undergraduate level. But the length of the presentation depends on your academic level.

What is thesis defense?

A thesis defense is an act of presenting your academic work to a panel or committee of professors and other involved scholars. From this, they can gauge or grade your abilities in presenting your work.

The arguments presented during the thesis defense are to ascertain that you have understood the course and your selected topic.

You will have to first hand in your work or paper to the professor for grading. Thereafter, you will be summoned for thesis defense.

When summoned for a thesis defense, you will be required to answer all the questions presented to you by the panel of professors. After this, you will be required to leave the room. The panel is to decide whether your paper or thesis is ready for publication. In addition, the panel checks whether your work needs corrections. 

In other words, a thesis defense is a forum that allows postgraduate students to defend the topic of their thesis before a panel of professors. Therefore, the thesis defense is part of the requirements that postgraduate students must accomplish to receive advanced degrees in whichever academic disciplines they pursue. 

Factors that Determine the Length of a Thesis Defense

Just like a dissertation that you have to write a thesis , it is important that you will have to present it. The time is taken to do this varies. The following four factors determine the length of a thesis defense

• As noted earlier, the level of education will determine the length of your thesis defense.
• The second factor is the institutional requirements. Some institutions will have a specified amount of time allocated for a thesis defense. In some institutions, that time is longer than and vice versa.

Very recognized institutions of higher learning will have the autonomy to decide on the length of a thesis defense.

• The third factor that will determine the length of a thesis defense is the consensus of the panel of professors. Some will give students very limited time to do a thesis defense while others will give more time to their students.

Some institutions, scholars, applaud limiting the amount of time for thesis defense and educators because it gauges the student’s ability to accurately defend their work within a short time. If they succeed, then they are good learners.

• Another factor determining the time of a thesis defense is the academic discipline that is explored by the topic.

While every academic discipline deserves respect, they are not the same in terms of the complexity of the concepts and what the student covers.

Some disciplines will require students to come up with much longer papers. This means that the time it could take to do a thesis defense will be longer. 

From the aforementioned factors, it is evident that it would be difficult to predetermine the standard length of a thesis without holding some parameters or factors constant such as the academic level of the thesis. 

Also, the length of your dissertation or thesis determines the time you will take to present it at your defense session. Longer documents will take you longer to defend.

How to Defend a Thesis – 5 Comprehensive Steps

Some steps can help you defend your thesis effectively. You should follow the steps below if you are summoned by a panel of professors to defend your thesis. 

1. Adequate Preparation

When you are required to defend your thesis, you will be given a specific date you will appear before the panel of professors for the actual exercise.

As long as you have submitted your paper to the professor for grading, you should always be aware that you will have to defend your thesis.

Therefore, between the period of submitting your paper and the date provided for thesis defense, you should do adequate preparation.

Students will have several months to prepare for a thesis defense. This is because the institutions themselves want their students to be well prepared before they meet the panel of professors.

After all, they would wish their students to excel in their studies. As noted, there will be a specified date for the thesis defense. Therefore, it will not surprise their committee members or students when the time comes for defending the thesis. 

Adequate preparation entails knowing or rather anticipating what is required of you. You should be prepared for the kinds of questions your thesis topic will provoke from the panel and practice on them.

When you have the right attitude and have adequately prepared for the thesis defense, it would be nearly impossible to fail. Also, be prepared to wear decently during the defense. 

2. Carry an in-depth knowledge of the thesis

This is a very important step when defending your thesis. Since you are the one who has written the paper, you should be fully aware of the topic and the contents of your paper. What this means is that you should adequately research the topic of your thesis so that you can be ready for any question you are asked by the panel of professors. For a postgraduate student who wishes to master their discipline, it would be a shame if you do not know about your topic.

For example, if you are within the field of environmental sciences and have written your paper based on the discipline, you should narrow down the scope of your knowledge to that of your topic, the topic of your paper should act as the guide to the amount of knowledge you are supposed to give for the sake of the thesis defense. Avoid too much knowledge because it may overwhelm you. At the same time, do not narrow down the scope of your topic too much because you will have limited knowledge during the thesis defense.

Your instructor or professor can help you in terms of giving you direction on the type and scope of knowledge you are required to have during a thesis defense. 

3. Prepare an Introduction

Have you ever heard of the first impression and its significance?

The first impression of a person will determine how the other person will perceive them.

If it is terrible, the other person may consider them a terrible person and even dislike them.

An introduction plays the same role as the “first impression” of your thesis defense to the panel of professors.

You should prepare a good introduction that should summarize the contents of your paper, the reasons why you selected the topic and its relevance to the discipline, and any other detail that you will anticipate to be asked during the thesis defense.

Make sure that the thesis is crystal clear and concise to avoid making any contradictions of your topic and confusing the panel.

Since you will be given several months to prepare for your thesis defense, take time to refine your introduction.

Make adjustments or corrections whenever necessary so that you will have a perfect introduction for your thesis defense. You may recite the introduction or carry it with you if the panel will allow it. 

4. Making the actual presentation

The action presentation of the thesis defense is quite scary to many students. This is because you will have to face a panel of professors to defend your paper. Based on your paper’s content, you will answer several questions. Therefore, if you fail during the actual presentation, your paper may not be published and you will have to do further revisions. 

During the actual presentation, you should be well dressed because grooming tells a lot about the character of a student. Carry the necessary equipment you will require during the presentation. Such equipment can include a laptop that contains a PowerPoint presentation, a pen, and a notebook. The PowerPoint presentation should be legible, objective, and strategically written to maximize the time used to defend your thesis. Ensure that you arrive early to the place where you will face the panel of professors to give you time to reflect and lessen your anxiety.  

As aforementioned, adequate preparation, understanding your topic or thesis, and a good attitude will guarantee success. Therefore, if you adhere to the aforementioned guidelines during the presentation, there is a high probability that your paper will be published. 

5. Do a good conclusion

Doing a good introduction and effectively presenting your defense is not enough without an equally good conclusion. Just like you took a good time to write your thesis , you will also need a good time to write a presentation and a good conclusion.

A good conclusion of your presentation leaves the panel of professors with a good impression of you and your overall ability to defend your work within the academic community. 

A good conclusion will sum up your work. What this means is that you should include a summary of the topic’s background, the literature review, the methodologies, the findings, and the discussions. Make sure that the conclusion compresses the details of your paper logically. It should be brief and straight to the point.

Finally, the conclusion of your thesis defense should clearly describe the limitations or setbacks encountered while you were conducting the study.

Even though you are trying to show that you are a good post-graduate student, it is important to be clear about the limitations. This will demonstrate your academic integrity and ability to conduct actual research in the field. 

Tips on how to do a good thesis defense

1. Anticipate the questions 

As aforementioned, you should anticipate the questions you may be asked by the panel and prepare for them.

The questions’ base is on your thesis. As such, you should go through your paper and list the possible questions.

At the same time, the academic expertise of the committee members determines the types of questions you may be asked.

Try to have an informed idea, based on your paper, on the areas to receive much focus. 

2. Dress for success

Do you remember that we have talked about first impressions? Well, your dress code and overall grooming will have a degree of impact on the outcomes of your presentation. Dress well. Mostly, you are required to dress in an official attire because you are going to do a presentation to a panel of academic experts. You should try as much as possible not to wear casual or provocative clothes. 

3. Delegate

To avoid being overwhelmed during the day of your presentation, you can delegate some of the less complicated activities to a trusted person or friend. The activities that you can delegate include setting up the equipment you will use for your presentation or distributing handouts to the panel. 

4. Create a backup plan

This especially involves the mode of presenting your defense. Since you will be using your laptop and a projector, they may fail during the presentation. It is therefore important to have a plan B. such can include having printed handouts. 

FAQs on Thesis Defense

Can you fail a thesis defense.

The answer to this question is yes. Though it is rare, it is possible to fail a thesis defense if you are not adequately prepared and you don’t know much about the topic. This would indicate that you haven’t understood the course or you did not write the paper. You hired someone to do it for you. 

How long is a Ph.D. thesis defense?

A Ph.D. thesis defense is about 2 hours long. However, it may differ from one country to the other.

How long is the master’s thesis presentation?

A master’s thesis is usually one-and-a-half hours long. It takes a lesser time compared to a Ph.D. thesis. 

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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HOW TO ACE THE 25 MOST COMMON PROJECT DEFENSE QUESTIONS

October 13, 2014 By Chidi Rafael

When I wrote ‘Making Awesome Presentations: Useful Tips for Project Defense’, I never knew it was going to be a great success story. So many success stories and commendations from over 50,000 readers were just enough to make my year and give me more grace to write more.

Well, enough of the hyping! That great piece was still lacking some smaller pieces to make it totally awesome as some ‘Oliver Twist-Like’ fans still needed more to it. Questions like, what should we expect on the D-Day? What type of Questions do they committee members ask? Can you suggest possible questions and answers that will be asked when defending a dissertation or thesis paper? These questions fill my mail box by the day and since I adore my readers, I have decided to write a sequel to ‘Making Awesome Presentations’. This time around, with the help of some senior lecturers, friends and my own experience, I have compiled some common questions you may face on your defense day and suggested answers/approach to these questions. So as usual, Enjoy!

Top 25 Likely Project Defense Questions and Answers Below are likely questions you may face in a defense room. Take note of these questions and suggested answers, do good by researching more and not limiting yourself to just these questions.

Question 1: In few sentences, can you tell us what your study is all about? The question is simple right? Many professors will tell you that most students get choked on a question like this. Anyways the question is simple, but a bit technical. To answer this question, you need to know every detail of your research project from chapters one to the end. The question needs an answer in form of a summary of the entire study, therefore, to ace this particular question you need to know every detail in your abstract. If you wrote a good abstract, this question will be a cross over for you.

Question 2: What is your motivation for this study? Now you must be careful here. This question can be very tricky and it goes a long way in convincing your panel members that your study is worth their time. Another way this question could be twisted is WHAT IS THE RESEARCH PROBLEM?

To answer this question, you may decide to elaborate on the problem investigated in the study. Your zeal to solve this problem becomes your motivation. Do not state financial reasons or the need to graduate as a motivation as you may easily go off point.

Question 3: How will this study contribute to the body of knowledge? At some point the need for justification will arise and that is when you will be asked to mention how your study will add to the body of knowledge if approved. Here you will need to use your methods, case study or any unique model or conceptual framework used in the study to defend it. For more information on how to tackle this particular question Click Here

Question 4: What is the significance of the study? Just like stating how your study will contribute to the body of knowledge, you will need to state the importance of your study. To answer this question, you will need to highlight how your study will aid the government in policy development and implementation, how it will help other students who may wish to conduct research studies on the subject matter and how organizations and the society will benefit from your study.

Question 5: Did you bridge any gap from your study? Every research study must have a problem. Your ability to solve this problem and explore into areas not yet researched on gives you the full marks allocated for answering this question. You must be able to convince the committee members that your approach is unique and it has covered areas where much have not been done by other researchers.

Question 6: What limitations did you encounter? This is another simple but tricky question. Most times the question is not asked to sympathize with you, rather to get loopholes to criticize your work. To answer this question, you must be careful with words as you may implicate yourself. Be careful enough not to sell out yourself. Do not discourse limitations in your methods or data analysis techniques as this may imply that your study may be biased or not well researched. Use simple limitations like difficulties encountered in combining lectures and project instead of limiting your study.

Question 7: What are your findings? At this point it is expected of you to present your results or findings from the study in a clear and concise manner. Always link your findings to your research objectives/questions. This will make your panel members to easily be carried along.

Question 8: What Methods or Sampling Technique did you employ? To answer this question, you must be familiar with your research methodology. Your chapter three (in Most Projects) must be at your fingertips. Your ability to justify your sample size and technique will be highly rewarded here. For more tips Click Here

Question 9: Why choose this method? As discoursed above, you should not only state a particular method for the study. You must also be ready and able to justify why you chose the method in a convincing manner. At this point you are free to quote sources or similar studies where such methods were adopted.

Question 10: Based on your findings what are your recommendations? Recommendations are very vital in every research study and should not be joked with. In essence you should know your recommendations off hand.

Question 11: Based on your findings what areas will you suggest for future research? Questions like this are just there to test your reasoning and authority in your research area. Based on your findings in a manageable scope, you should be able to suggest future research areas in line with your study. For example, if I researched on the challenges of personal income tax collection in Nigeria, a good area for further study will be in other forms of taxation such as VAT, Company tax etc.

Question 12: How can your research study be put into practice? Easy for the computer scientist and engineering students, but a bit tough for management and social sciences since most management/social science projects are more of abstract in nature. However, you should try your best to be realistic here. Relate your study to current trends in your environment, office, economy, government, schools, church etc. Use of relevant examples and illustrations will score you good point here.

Question 13: How would you summarize your study to a practitioner in a few sentence? Your ability to convey technical information from the study will score you good points here.

Question 14: What would you change if you were to conduct the study again? Hmmm. Be careful! Do not be too jovial. There is a loophole here! Just like your limitations, this question can be asked to identify your week points.

Question 15: What is your measurement Instrument? In simple terms, what data collection method did you employ for the study? Here you state if questionnaires were distributed or data was gotten from secondary sources. For more information on measurement instruments Click Here

Question 16: What are your research variables? Here you will need to convince your panel members that you know what you are talking about. You need to explain your independent and dependent variable(s) to convince them that you are on point. Your variables are present in your project topic. You need to identify these variables and know their definitions as well to ace your defense.

Question 17: What are your research questions? Very simple question. It should take about 0.015 seconds to answer this question if you are fully prepared.

Question 18: What do you plan to do with your research project after Graduation? Here you are at liberty to say your mind. If you intend to publish it, this is the best opportunity to discourse and interact with the committee members-maybe a professor there can help.

Question 19: What source of data was employed for the study? At this point you have to state the source(s) you got data from. In general you have to state whether data was gotten from primary or secondary source or both. You can further convince the committee members by discoursing on literature reviewed for the study-both theoretical and empirical.

Question 20: What theories or theoretical framework is your study based on? This is a very technical question but interesting. Before you step into the defense room, you should know at least two relevant theories that relate to your study. For example, the “impact of motivation on employee productivity” will be based on Maslow’s Theory and other theories of motivation. If you cannot find relevant theories to back up your study, consult your supervisor for help.

Question 21: How would you relate your findings to existing theories on the study? To ace this question, one will have to read extensively. You should know existing theories on the subject matter as well as empirical studies too. Your ability to link your findings to previous research studies (Whether they agree or not) will go a long way in validating your study. You will score good points here trust me.

Question 22: What recommendations do you have for future research? Your problem solving skill is put to test here. You should be able to identify areas that will need more research.

Question 23: What is the scope of the study? This one is a cheap or should I say bonus question? Here you quickly state the delimitation of the study in brief.

Question 24: What question(s) do you have for the committee? Not a likely question in our Nigerian context, but I have defended a seminar project where this question was asked and I was shocked to my marrows. This is an opportunity to interact with your committee members and ask some constructive questions. Do not ask silly or too difficult questions as the goal should be to make the committee members feel as the “boss”. It will also go a long way in showing that you are a brilliant individual.

Question 25: Do you have any closing comments? This is praising time! Use this opportunity to thank your committee members for their time and questions. Tell them how much you have learnt from them and how you intend to correct errors (if any) identified in your work. This can go a long way in impressing your internal and external supervisors. All the best!

• When confronted with a difficult question, adopt a strategy to make them rephrase or repeat the question. This will give you more time to think.
• If your research project is Empirical in nature,or you used any statistical tool to test hypothesis, try to know how you arrived at such conclusion. Also know how your data was analysed and the various tools used for the analysis.
• Before your defense day. Practice with your supervisor or your friends. Make them to drill you with likely questions.
• Talk calmly with confidence. Do not talk too fast as this may pave way for tension and stage freight.
• Read your project thoroughly. Know basic definitions and terms used in the study.
• Expand the likely questions to 50. Feel free to add yours in the comment box below. Thanks and God bless you.
• If you need ideas on contemporary project topics sample Click Here

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Home » Feature » Top 18 Possible Questions in a Thesis Defense

Top 18 Possible Questions in a Thesis Defense

A thesis defense is an important milestone in a student’s academic career. It is a chance for the student to demonstrate that they have learned the material and are able to defend their work in front of their peers and professors. The thesis defense is also an opportunity for the student to learn more about what it takes to be a successful researcher. In order to prepare for the thesis defense , the student should review their research paper and practice speaking about their findings. They should also be prepared to answer questions from the audience.

When you’re ready to present your thesis to your professor, you’ll likely have a few questions in mind. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are the ten most common questions and what to expect when defending your work.

What should you expect during your thesis defense?

Your thesis defense is the culmination of your graduate studies. It is a time to showcase your hard work and intellectual prowess. You will be questioned by your committee, who will be looking for evidence that you understand your research and can defend it against criticism. Be prepared to answer questions about your research, methodology, findings, and implications. You may also be asked about your future plans and how you see your research impacting the field of study. Be confident and poised during your defense; it is an opportunity to demonstrate that you are a scholar worthy of a degree.

Top 18 Questions and Answers During Thesis Defense

A graduate student’s academic career isn’t complete without a successful defense of a thesis. For graduate students, the defense of their thesis before a panel of experts is a critical step in the process of proving the validity of their findings. To help you prepare for your own thesis defense, we’ve compiled a list of 18 frequently asked questions and their associated answers.

1. What are the main findings of your thesis?

In your response, you should briefly summarize your investigation. The question is straightforward but requires technical knowledge for a more complete explanation of the concepts. For instance, if you were attempting to describe the relationship between job satisfaction and affective commitment in a thesis, you could construct your response as follows:

The main findings of my thesis are that there is a significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment and that this relationship is mediated by affective commitment. Additionally, I found that there is a significant relationship between affective commitment and turnover intention.

2. Why did you choose this study?

This question demands that you explain your initial motivation for pursuing the topic. Your responses may touch on your own research interests. For instance, if you did a study titled “The Extent of State Obligations in Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking: Challenges and Perspectives for a Philippine Human Rights-Based Approach,” your response could be as follows:

I chose this study because human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights and a pressing global issue. The Philippines is considered a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking, making it an appropriate context for examination. By exploring the extent of state obligations in preventing and combating human trafficking, I aim to shed light on the challenges faced by the Philippine government in fulfilling its duties. Additionally, I seek to highlight the potential of a human rights-based approach to address this issue effectively. Through this research, I hope to contribute to the existing literature and generate practical recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders in the Philippines and beyond. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to the eradication of human trafficking and the promotion of human rights on a broader scale.

3. What is the significance of your findings?

The response to this research question should describe the influence of your work on your field of study. You may discuss the fresh insights that your study has contributed and their impact on society.

The significance of my findings is that they could help to improve the accuracy of predictions made by machine learning algorithms. My thesis defense was important because it showed that my research is valuable and has the potential to make a contribution to the field of machine learning.

4. How did you go about conducting your research?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the research process will vary depending on the topic of your thesis and the methodology you’re using. However, in general, you’ll want to start by finding relevant literature and articles, then designing and conducting experiments or surveys to collect data, and finally analyzing and interpreting your findings. You’ll also need to present your findings in a clear and concise way in your thesis defense.

5. What sources did you use for data collection?

You would have looked for information on your topic from a variety of sources. You are free to expand on those sources. You could have used databases, web content, or even conducted primary research by interviewing prospects. As a result, you can discuss these sources. Please see the following response:

For data collection, I used a variety of sources, including both primary and secondary sources. For my primary sources, I conducted interviews with experts in the field and collected survey data from consumers. For my secondary sources, I analyzed studies conducted by other researchers as well as data from government agencies and private companies.

6. What are the limitations of your research?

This is another easy question that is hard to answer. Most of the time, the question isn’t asked to help you feel better but to find ways to criticize your work. You have to be careful with your words if you want to answer this question, or you might get yourself in trouble. Be careful not to sell yourself short. Do not talk about the problems with your methods or how you analyzed the data. This could make it seem like your study is biased or not well done. Instead of putting limits on your study, use simple things like how hard it is to combine lectures and projects.

My research is focused on the use of big data and machine learning in marketing. However, there are many other applications for these technologies that I am not able to explore in my thesis. Additionally, there are many potential pitfalls with using big data and machine learning that I am not able to explore in my research.

7. What are the implications of your findings?

This question concerns the application of your study. You should discuss how your study benefits society and how it might aid in resolving pressing problems.

The implications of my findings are that more research is needed to fully understand the effects of climate change on plant communities. Additionally, my research suggests that climate change may lead to a decline in plant diversity, which could have serious consequences for ecosystems.

8. How does your thesis contribute to existing knowledge in your field?

Explain how your research will add to the existing body of knowledge. To answer this question, you must describe how your research will serve the government in policy formation and execution, how it will aid other students who may wish to conduct research on the topic, and how organizations and society will benefit from your research.

My research is significant because it has the potential to improve the accuracy of predictions made by machine learning algorithms. This could have a major impact on a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

9. What are the future research directions that could be taken based on your findings?

You should be able to discuss the new fields of research that have been opened up as a result of your research as a researcher. Researchers in the future will be able to use this as a starting point. For instance,

The future research directions that could be taken based on my findings are:

• Investigating the effects of different types of music on cognitive function.
• Examining the effects of music listening on mood and emotions.
• Studying the long-term effects of music listening on cognitive function.

10. In a few sentences, can you tell us what your study is all about?

In your response, you should briefly summarize your investigation. The question is straightforward but requires technical knowledge for a more complete explanation of the concepts. For instance, if you wrote a thesis attempting to explain the effects of various types of stress on memory, you could structure your response as follows:

My study is about the effects of different types of stress on memory. I am looking at how different types of stressors, such as physical or psychological stress, affect people’s ability to remember things.

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

As a researcher, it is critical that you choose a title that accurately reflects the content of your thesis. How did you make the final decision to name your work? Your committee will want to know that. For instance,

The title of my research is “The Role of Social Media in the Political Process.” I chose this title because I think social media has a huge role to play in the political process. I’m interested in how social media can be used to engage people in the political process and how it can be used to spread information about candidates and issues.

12. What is the scope of your study?

In your response, you must define the scope of your study and precisely what you are researching. There may be several elements involved, but you must define the parameters you have chosen to investigate. As an example,

The scope of my study is to analyze the effects of a new management style on employee productivity. The elements involved in the study are the employees of a company who will be randomly divided into two groups, one with the new management style and one without. The parameters of the study are the number of employees in each group, the length of time the study will be conducted, and the productivity metric that will be used.

13. Who will be most interested in your research?

You can discuss who might be affected by your research and who might benefit from it. Consider the following example:

The people who will be most interested in my research are other researchers in the same field. They will be interested in my findings and how they can apply them to their own work. I also hope that my research will be of interest to the general public, as it could have implications for their everyday lives.

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

Every research study must address an issue. Your ability to solve this challenge and explore previously unexplored places earns you the maximum possible score for this response. You must be able to persuade the committee members that your technique is novel and that it has covered regions where little research has been conducted by other researchers.

The gaps that I intended to bridge with my research were the lack of knowledge about the role of emotions in decision-making and the lack of understanding of how people make decisions under stress. My research aimed to fill these gaps by exploring how emotions affect decision-making and how people make decisions under stress.

15. What research findings surprised you?

When conducting research, you discover results that you did not anticipate. If you have had such an incident, you may describe it to the evaluation committee in your response. For instance,

I was surprised by how little difference there was between the test scores of students who attended private and public schools. I also found that the achievement gap between rich and poor students is much wider than I expected.

16. What is the validity of your findings?

You must discuss the criteria under which your research findings are valid.

The validity of our research findings is based on the accuracy and precision of our data. Our data was collected using a valid and reliable survey instrument, which means that our findings are likely to be accurate. Additionally, our results were analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques, which increases the reliability of our findings.

17 . What theories or theoretical framework is your study based on?

This is a very technical but intriguing question. Before entering the defense room, you should be familiar with at least two relevant theories related to your research.

The study is based on the theory of planned behavior. This theory looks at the factors that influence people’s intentions to behave in a certain way. It includes beliefs about the behavior, attitudes towards the behavior, and social norms regarding the behavior.

18 . Based on your findings, what are your recommendations?

In every research study, recommendations are very important and should not be taken lightly. In the end, you should be able to give your recommendations at any given time.

Based on my findings, I recommend that businesses focus on creating valuable content and building relationships with their customers. They should also strive to create a strong online presence through social media and SEO.

How to Prepare for Your Thesis Defense

First, make sure you know what is expected of you during the defense. Familiarize yourself with the format and the questions that will be asked. Next, practice presenting your thesis to others. Get feedback and work on refining your presentation. Finally, be prepared to answer any questions that may be thrown your way.

The thesis defense is a nerve-wracking experience, but it is also a chance to show off all of your hard work. Be sure to prepare for the questions that will be asked of you, and remember to relax and have fun. By preparing for these questions, you can ensure that your defense goes as smoothly as possible. The thesis defense is an important milestone in your academic career, so congratulations on making it this far!

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Thesis Helpers

Find the best tips and advice to improve your writing. Or, have a top expert write your paper.

Thesis Defense: Tips for Masters And PhD

Many learners come across thesis defense when researching for their master’s degree. Defending a thesis is a major requirement for earning the majority of advanced degrees. This formal requirement comes towards the end of the graduate program. In most cases, the university educational experience of a learner is defined by a thesis.

After completing the necessary coursework and acquiring practicum experiences or finishing an internship, a learner has to meet the committee and defend their work. A thesis defense presentation process varies from one learning institution to another. However, students should know certain general things when embarking on their graduate process.

The Basics of a Thesis Defense

When starting an academic program that involves defending a thesis, most learners do not know much about this academic task. Some of them ask, what is a thesis defense? Well, to answer this question, it’s important to explain what a thesis is first.

• A thesis is a large paper that is written based on a specific topic in the study field of a learner. In some institutions, students are allowed to create their thesis projects in lieu of their papers. For instance, a history major can include papers on World War II historical ramifications. An education major can complete a paper on new methods of teaching.
• In most cases, a thesis represents the collective understanding of the major or program of a student. For instance, if a student is a major in English, they can explore literary themes, language, and specific work when writing their thesis. Most learning institutions require a thesis to have a prospectus. This outlines the paper’s intent and the length to which the topic will be addressed.
• After submitting the paper, the thesis committee assigns the learner a date for defending their work. A master or Ph.D. thesis defense doesn’t imply that a learner will aggressively argue about their work. It means that a learner will be asked questions by the faculty members. The goal is to ensure that the learner understands their focus area and field.
• A Ph.D. or master thesis defense is a formality because the committee has already evaluated the work. The learner is asked open-ended questions by the committee members. Members of this committee want the student to show that they have critically thought about their work.
• Perhaps, you’re now wondering, how long is a thesis defense? Well, a student can spend between 20 minutes and one-hour answering dissertation defense questions. The taken duration depends on the program requirements and the committee goal.

What a Master’s Thesis Defense Should Include

The defense has a particular format that should be followed when preparing it. This format cuts across most degrees. Thus, you can use it for your master’s or doctoral dissertation defense. This format includes the following:

• Introduction. This is the first section of the defense. It explains why the study is important.
• Literature review. This section explains the findings of other scholars on the topic or subject of a thesis.
• Research methodology. In this section, the student explains the research methods used and the reasons for choosing them.
• Findings. This is the section where the student explains and discusses their research findings. What are the major deductions from the study?

Since presenting a dissertation defense can take 45 minutes, a learner should make it lively. Therefore, a learner should incorporate thesis defense PowerPoint slides with images. This makes the presentation less wordy. Also, bullet points can be included to make digesting the text easier. Thus, a learner needs a projector and a laptop to ace the presentation.

How to Prepare for a Thesis Defense

As hinted, a Ph.D. or master’s thesis defense aims to ascertain that a learner understood their topic. The student presents their work to a committee or panel that grades their presentation abilities. But, a learner hands in the paper first. The lecturer also grades the paper before the student makes a Ph.D. or master’s thesis defense presentation.

Essentially, a learner should submit a high-quality paper and prepare to defend it before the committee. Here’s how to prepare for thesis defense.

• Know Your Defense Format : Defense format varies among countries. For instance, some countries hold public examinations. That means a learner faces an examiners’ panel and an audience that comprises friends, family, and colleagues. In another country, the interview can involve internal examiners and another one with external examiners. Therefore, know the defense format in your country to prepare for a master’s or Ph.D. dissertation defense presentation properly.
• Study the Content of Your Thesis : Take the time to study and understand the content of your thesis. This is a long paper and the committee members can ask questions from any part of your work. The best thesis defense is a good thesis offense. Therefore, be prepared to make a good offense from the beginning. Make every member of the panel see that you know the core content of your paper.
• Prepare for Questions that You Can’t Answer : You took the time to research and write your thesis. However, you may not answer all thesis defense questions from the committee members. You can even be asked awkward questions by the panel members. This can be an attempt to gauge your thinking ability. Always remember that it’s okay to tell the panel that you don’t have an answer to a question. However, let the committee know what you think about the question or issue. This will show the committee that you’re an academician that can think critically.
• Practice the Presentation : This is one of the best thesis defense tips. Essentially, practice with a small audience or alone. Ask the audience to provide feedback and ask questions. This will prepare you psychologically before the actual date of the presentation.
• Deal with Nerves : Some people get nervous from the moment they receive their thesis defense invitation letter. It’s normal to have an adrenaline rush that will set the heart racing. Some learners even get sweaty palms while others excuse themselves to visit the toilet several times. However, you should prepare to deal with nerves in advance. If you notice that you’re talking very fast, slow down and try to relax. Allow yourself some time to inhale and exhale.

A successful defense is well-practiced and smooth but not robotic. Memorizing the presentation won’t help. Instead, study your work and practice the presentation. Maintain a conversational and natural tone throughout the presentation. And, time yourself when practicing to ensure that you will stick to the time allowed by your learning institution. Also don’t hesitate to get master thesis help if you are feeling overwhelmed.

Get Professional Thesis Help

Preparing comprehensive and minimal slides for this defense is not easy. The slides should include diagrams, graphs, and images where necessary. They should also be easy to read. What’s more, all sections of the thesis should be covered by the slides. The dissertation defense tips provided here can help you achieve this. However, you might not have adequate time to prepare your defense and practice. This doesn’t mean you should submit a low-quality defense.

You can get professional assistance with your defense. Skilled and experienced thesis helpers can come up with a defense whose slides include relevant and comprehensive information. They can also deliver the defense early so that you can get the time to go through it and practice before friends and family. This will enable you to time your presentation and know the questions that the dissertation committee might ask you.

Defending a thesis is a serious task that needs preparation. You need to know more than what to wear to a thesis defense. Essentially, you should understand the content of your defense, know the best way to present it, and get ready to answer all types of questions from the panelists. You should also learn to deal with anxiety to ensure a successful presentation. If unable to prepare a strong defense, seek professional assistance.

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