doctor after dissertation defense

Defending Your Dissertation: A Guide

Written by Luke Wink-Moran | Photo by insta_photos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Graduate Writing Lab

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

The Writing Skills Improvement Program

https://wsip.arizona.edu

Campus Health Counseling and Psych Services

https://caps.arizona.edu

https://www.scribbr.com/

Can a PhD be called Doctor? Doctoral Degree Titles

If someone holds a PhD, they are able to call themselves Doctor. The doctor title is very prestigious and often projects expertise and respect in those who decide to use it.

A person with a PhD can be called Dr. However, many people with PhD degrees choose not to use their official titles unless they are communicating in an official capacity or are working in a professional role where they use their PhD.

I reserve the use my PhD title when I am giving a talk as it provides immediate credibility whereas, I do not often use my doctor title in many other instances.

When I first got my PhD I used my doctor title a lot more than I do now. I guess, the novelty has worn off and I have decided that it is not something that defines who I am as a person and, therefore, I would only use it in an official capacity.

Should PhDs use the title “doctor” after their doctorate? 

It is a personal choice for a PhD holder to use the title of “doctor”.

In many countries, it is common practice to use the title when referring to someone with a doctoral degree.

The title of doctor holds a significant level of prestige, and it generally signifies a high level of education and expertise in a particular field. Which is why it is important to use it in an official capacity.

Those who have earned a PhD have spent many years researching, writing and defending their work and have earned the right to use the title if so desired.

The title of doctor can also be used by medical professionals, and it is important to clarify the intended meaning when using the title to avoid confusion.

The decision to use the title of doctor is a personal one that should be made with an understanding of its significance and potential implications.

Even though the original use of the doctor title was for scholars, nowadays there are several different professional qualifications that can use the doctor title.

There are many honorific doctor titles, including those found in the table below.

The use of the doctor term for many healthcare-related qualifications can cause a fair bit of confusion about what qualification the person has achieved.

If you have any doubt about what degree a person holds look at the letters after their name.

If you want to know more about the doctor title check out my other article:

• How to use the PhD title and all the little doctorate “rules”
• Is a PhD a Doctor? [The full guide]

When can a PhD student be called doctor? After their dissertation?

A PhD student can be called doctor after successfully completing all the requirements of their program, including passing their dissertation defense.

More specifically, many universities only allow you to use the doctoral title after confirmation of your degree.

The University of Adelaide says that you can use it from your conferral date:

Students can be conferred on one of five dates during the year and for PhD students the conferral date will be the first available following the completion of all the academic requirements of your degree, including final thesis lodgement and the disbursement of any outstanding financial obligations to the University.

Personally, I felt comfortable using the doctor title as soon as I receive my notification letter from the University referring to me as Dr Stapleton. It was from this moment that I started using the doctor title.

There would be nothing wrong with someone using the doctor title after they have successfully defended their PhD – it just comes down to a matter of personal preference.

The title “Doctor” can still be used informally for those who hold other doctoral degrees such as a JD (Doctor of Law) or an EdD (Doctor of Education).

A PhD student can only be referred as a “Doctor” upon the completion of their doctoral program and after receiving their degree.

Why is PhD called doctor of philosophy?

A Ph.D. is called a Doctor of Philosophy because historically, philosophy was considered the foundation of all knowledge.

The word “philosophy” itself means the love of wisdom, and the pursuit of truth through reason and logic.

In medieval Europe, philosophy encompassed all forms of intellectual inquiry, including:

• mathematics,
• and history.

As universities developed and specialized in particular disciplines, the title of Doctor of Philosophy became associated with the highest level of academic achievement in any field.

This means that a Ph.D. is not limited to the study of philosophy but refers to any individual who has demonstrated the ability to conduct original research in their chosen field and make a significant contribution to advancing knowledge.

A Ph.D. signifies not only mastery of a specific subject but also the ability to think deeply and critically about complex problems. There are now many professional doctorates that include the doctor titleIn recognition of the hard work and deep thinking required to complete.

Wrapping up

Yes, PhD holders can be called Doctor.

Once you’ve completed a PhD and been conferred by your university and institution you can officially use the Dr title before your name and the PhD tag after your name.

Many doctoral degree holders only use their academic title in official settings such as academia and official duties.

Even though I was very excited about receiving my doctor title, after a couple of years the novelty wears off and I only use my official titles in the same way that someone would want to include Mr, Mrs, or Ms.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

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The Dissertation Defense: The Final Hoop to Jump

You are almost there. You have completed your coursework. You have passed your comps. You have finished writing your dissertation. Now, the only obstacle between you and the prestigious title of Doctor is your dissertation defense. Many people often get really nervous about defending their dissertations, but in most cases, if your committee is allowing you to defend your dissertation, chances are that your committee will approve of your work.

When defending your dissertation, keep in mind that you have already proposed your project, so information that was found in the proposal (i.e., introduction, literature review, and methodology) has already been presented. Therefore, you do not need to spend much time going over these sections at your dissertation defense. Rather, you should briefly overview of the first three chapters of your dissertation and move on to the new information that you want to present (i.e., results and discussion).

When you discuss your results, you do not necessarily need to go into detail about every little outcome that you found; often, you will not have enough time to do this. Instead, you should discuss your results in terms of patterns that emerged in the data. Comparing patterns in your data to that of previous research is a natural way to flow into your discussion section and give a good presentation. When presenting your discussion section, be sure to present both the limitations and the strengths of your project. Remember, your goal for your dissertation defense is to prove to your committee that you have contributed new knowledge to your field.

You will probably have to answer questions from various committee members, so try your best to respond in a non-defensive manner. Additionally, keep your answers concise; you should not try to impress your committee by using complex responses. Lastly, if you do not know the answer to a question, that’s ok, but be upfront and admit that you do not know the answer. Committee members will likely respond better to your admitting that you do not know something as opposed to your faking an answer (yes, they will be able to tell if you are faking).

Though it may provoke anxiety, defending your dissertation is actually an exciting process because in some cases, the dissertation defense marks the end of a very long journey. At the same time, successfully defending your dissertation also marks the next stage of your professional life, so as much as you can, you should try to enjoy this moment.

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• Writing Tips

How to Prepare for Your Dissertation Defense

4-minute read

• 1st August 2023

After years of research and study, you’ve finally reached the grand finale of your PhD years: your dissertation defense. Since defending your dissertation is the culmination of all your hard work, it’s essential to do everything you can to prepare for it.

In this post, we’ll take you through how to ready yourself for your dissertation defense so you can focus on your accomplishments and excel during this crucial professional moment.

What is a Dissertation Defense? 

The dissertation defense is the crowning moment of years of research – the final examination before a PhD student is awarded their doctoral degree.

During a dissertation defense, the student presents their research, methodology, findings, and conclusions to a committee of faculty members and experts in their field. The committee then engages in a question-and-answer session to assess the student’s understanding of the subject matter, the quality of their research, and their ability to defend their work under scrutiny.

Many PhD students consider it to be the defining moment of their academic career and their chance to prove their expertise in their chosen research field.

If all this sounds overwhelming – don’t worry. If you’re a PhD student, you’ll have plenty of time and opportunity to adequately prepare for your dissertation defense. Below are some strategies to help you get ready for this significant occasion in your career.

1.   Know the Requirements

Familiarize yourself with your institution’s guidelines and requirements for the defense process. Understanding the format, time limit, and expectations for the presentation will help you to prepare your material and anticipate any issues.

2.   Review Your Dissertation

Even if you think you know it inside and out, review your dissertation from beginning to end. It may have been some time since you’ve last read and considered certain portions of your research and findings. Consider what your committee might ask about your research questions , data analysis, and conclusions.

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3.   Work on Starting Strong

To begin your defense on a strong note, work on creating a clear and engaging introduction. You can start by briefly outlining the purpose of your study, research questions, and methodology . Try to stay on topic and don’t veer off track by discussing unrelated or unnecessary information.

4.   Practice Presenting

Practice your presentation skills by rehearsing your defense multiple times. Focus on clarity and pacing and try to stay within the allotted time limit. It also helps to record yourself so that you can see yourself from your audience’s point of view.

5.   Practice Q&A Sessions

To build your confidence, enlist friends and colleagues to conduct mock question-and-answer sessions. When practicing, remember to pause before answering questions you’re unsure of. It’s better to take your time delivering a response than it is to give an inaccurate or incorrect answer.

6.   Seek Feedback

Find out if your institution offers mock defense sessions where peers or mentors play the role of the committee, ask you questions, and give feedback . You can also have colleagues, mentors, or advisors review your presentation and offer practical feedback.

7.   Create Visual Aids

Think about any visual aids , such as slides, you may want to use to illustrate your defense and prepare them in advance. Be sure to check that your university allows visuals or images and that they enhance, rather than overwhelm, your presentation.

8.   Stay Calm and Confident

It’s natural to feel nervous but try to stay calm and composed during your defense. Take deep breaths and remind yourself of the expertise you’ve gained through the experience of writing your dissertation.

Expert Proofreading Services

The best way to prepare for your dissertation defense is to have your dissertation professionally proofread. Our editing experts have extensive experience with a wide variety of academic subjects and topics and can help ensure your dissertation is ready for presentation. Send in a free sample of 500 words or less and get started today.

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Psychology Graduate Program

• Psychology Department
• Dissertation & Defense

The doctoral dissertation is the culmination of scholarly work in graduate school. Every PhD candidate in the Harvard Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is required to successfully complete and submit a dissertation to qualify for degree conferral. The dissertation must be submitted in one of two formats.  

• The traditional format is described in detail here .
• Three articles describing original empirical research that the dissertation committee deems “of publishable quality.”  The student must be the first author on each paper  or obtain approval from their committee to include papers for which they are not the first author . At least one of the three papers must be under review, in press, or published in a peer-reviewed journal. 
• An introductory chapter that thoroughly reviews the literature relevant to the three papers.
• A concluding chapter that describes what was learned from the three papers.

Post-prospectus changes :  If students would like to make substantive changes to the content and/or format of the dissertation after prospectus approval, they must revise their prospectus and obtain approval of the revised version from all committee members. Another meeting of the prospectus committee may be required if the changes are substantial.

If students would like to make changes to the composition of their dissertation committee after prospectus approval, they must obtain 1) approval from the primary advisor/ committee chair to make the change, 2) approval from the DGS by submitting their revised committee using this form , and 3) approval of the prospectus by any new committee member(s). If the new member doesn't approve of the prospectus as written, the prospectus may need to be revised. If the revisions are substantial, students may need to have another full prospectus meeting to ensure the revised version of the prospectus is approved by every member of the committee.  

Dissertation Advisory Committee:   The Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC) is comprised of the three members of the prospectus committee. Students also have the option to add one or more committee members who were not a member of the prospectus committee. The GSAS DAC guidelines can be found here . DACs must be approved by the DGS. If there are post-prospectus changes or additions to the DAC, students should submit your new committee for review using this form at least two weeks before submitting the dissertation to your committee. Students will need to submit a CV for any requested non-Harvard committee members.   

Dissertation Approval:   The dissertation must be approved by the student’s advisor before it is submitted to the dissertation advisory committee. After the student sends the dissertation to the committee, they will have three weeks to read and assess the work. Each committee member should complete a  Dissertation Approval Form  and return it to the student and Graduate Office within three weeks. 

The committee members will receive an evaluation form, where they select among these options:

• Not acceptable in current form and cannot be corrected without major revisions and consultation of committee.
• Needs considerable revision, to be seen by me again. Needs committee consultation: [yes/no]
• Is acceptable with a few minor revisions, to be seen by me again.
• Is acceptable with voluntary minor revisions.
• Is acceptable as is.

If substantive revisions are required, the student will need to respond to these revisions, distribute a revised version to the committee, and the committee will have two more weeks to read and assess the revised version. All committee members must approve "as is" or "with voluntary minor revisions" before the defense can proceed.  

Dissertation Defense Date: Students are responsible for coordinating the schedule for their dissertation defense date. Due to the difficulty of coordinating schedules for several faculty, students are encouraged to find a mutually agreeable tentative date and time (we recommend a 2-hour duration) for the defense and ask committee members to pencil it in. However, it is crucial to recognize that this date will be confirmed only when the student has received approval from all members of their committee. In addition, the department must advertise the defense for two weeks before the date it can be held. Therefore, we strongly recommend the dissertation be submitted to the committee ten weeks before tentative defense date to accommodate time for rounds of revisions. The date will be pushed back if the student has not received approval from all members. 

Defenses can take place at any point in the year, as long as the committee agrees to convene. However, note there are deadlines to complete the defense in time for November, February, and May degree conferrals. The Department recommends that the defense be held at least 1-2 weeks prior to the dissertation submission deadline for that degree period. Deadlines for the current year can be found online on the  Harvard Griffin GSAS Degree Calendar .

To submit: Email your dissertation as a single Word Doc or PDF file (or both) to your committee, cc’ing the Graduate Program. The Graduate Program will follow up on this email by distributing the Dissertation Approval Form .  

Oral Defense:   Once the dissertation committee has approved the written dissertation, the student should book a room for the defense and send an abstract to the Graduate Office, which will announce the defense to the Department. WJH 1550 and 105, and NW 243 are the most common choices for a room. Students should submit a room request through FAS RoomBook . Committee members may participate remotely via Zoom, if necessary.  The Department does not have a budget to fly in committee members from other institutions, although students should consult with their individual advisors to determine whether they would cover travel costs. A parking pass can be provided for committee members at nearby institutions.

The oral examination is moderated by the student's advisor, who is the DAC Chair. The advisor will introduce the student. The student gives a formal presentation summarizing their dissertation work. The duration of this presentation varies by area; please check in with your advisor to confirm. Next, each committee member will take turns asking questions (this is what is referred to as the ‘defense’). If there is time, the advisor may invite questions from the audience. At the conclusion of the questions, the candidate and audience are dismissed, and the committee meets to make a final evaluation of the student’s candidacy for a Ph.D. In cases of a positive evaluation, the committee members sign the Thesis Acceptance Certificate . 

Thesis Acceptance Certificate (TAC):   Students must complete a thesis acceptance certificate (TAC), which includes the title of the dissertation and signatures of all committee members. Prior to the oral defense, the Graduate Office will prepare a TAC, which includes the title of the dissertation, student name, and signature lines for each committee member The title on the TAC must read exactly as it does on the title page of the dissertation. A copy of the signed TAC should appear before the title page of the online dissertation submission; no page number should be assigned to the TAC. The TAC will be included in all copies of the dissertation.  

Final Dissertation Submission to GSAS:   Following the successful oral defense, students must submit their dissertation in PDF format to the FAS Registrar’s Office through  ProQuest ETD by the deadline established for each degree conferral date (see the Harvard Griffin GSAS  Degree Calendar  or the  Registrar’s Office website ). Please carefully review the  dissertation formatting  before submitting online. Formatting errors may prevent students from receiving their degree. The TAC must additionally be uploaded as a separate "Administrative Document" when submitting the electronic dissertation. The Registrar’s Office will review the dissertation for compliance and will contact the student to confirm acceptance or to request alterations. More details on the dissertation submission process can be found here .

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From Nerves to Triumph: Your Personal Guide to Dissertation Defense

• August 26, 2023
• Aberystwyth University
• Dissertation Defence/ Viva , Mental Health , Thesis and Dissertation , Thesis Tips , Wellbeing

Picture this: after countless hours of research, writing, and refining, you’re now standing on stage with your cohort, in a gown and funny hat, because … you’ve finally completed that last important milestone in your academic journey – defending your doctoral dissertation. It’s a culmination of years of dedication, determination, and sleepless nights.     You’re not there yet—but you’re close. So how do you make it past this final, nerve-wracking hurdle?  

In this article, we’ll deep-dive into the dissertation defense process, with tips, strategies, and straight-up information. I’ll share my expertise as a coach whose job it is to get people up on that stage.  

What to expect during the dissertation defense

A dissertation defense typically consists of an oral presentation to your dissertation committee, who have already received and read the final draft of your dissertation manuscript. Other members of your cohort and institution, and outside readers or experts, might also be present in the audience.  

Without fail, I see two different reactions to this news from my coaching students: either they are terrified of having their work scrutinized by their committee in public, or they are extremely laid back, knowing that they’ve already done all the hard work in the manuscript. (These later students are the ones paying attention to me).  

You probably already know the general gist of what happens in a defense presentation: you present the highlights of your study, the committee ask questions, and then they vote on whether you pass or need to complete further revision. So, here are some things you might not yet know:

• The oral defense gives the committee the opportunity to ask you about any areas of your study that are still unclear or weak on paper – so that you can prove they are not unclear or weak in real life. In other words, it’s a chance to get anything that got stuck in your head (rather than making it on to paper) out and in front of your committee.

• Your chair or supervisor and committee should not be allowing you to complete the defense process unless they are already confident that the biggest issues with your work have already been resolved.

• Questions are normal – your committee are working with you because your work interests them (hopefully), so questions are as likely to indicate their excitement about your work as a problem they have spotted.

• Revisions are normal – from requests to polish the grammar to insisting you add more supporting sources or develop your recommendations more thoroughly, “pass with revisions” is a normal, common, and expected end result. To pass with no revisions is pretty rare (although I have had a few students achieve this – looking at you, YY!) – like getting 100% on a calculus test in school.

In short, your defense presentation is nothing to be scared of. You are lined up for defense because both you and your committee feel you know your stuff, and now all you need to do is share what you’ve produced and learned and engage people in discussion about it. You got this!

Preparing for Your Dissertation Defense

Still nervous? Ok, that’s fair enough. As with many things, good preparation can help you get those nerves under control, so here are some top tips to help you get ready.

Tick the Boxes

It’s essential to understand the requirements and expectations of your defense committee. Get familiar with the specific guidelines and procedures set by your institution, and make sure you meet all necessary criteria. If you’re giving them what they ask for, you are definitely off to a strong start.

Know Your Stuff

This defense is about you showing off what you know, so before you stand up in front of the crown, take a deep dive into your own research masterpiece. Thoroughly review your dissertation, scrutinizing each chapter, section, and argument. Make notes. Look for anything that might provoke questions or debate. Remember, this is your opportunity to showcase your expertise and demonstrate the depth of your knowledge.

Seek Wise Counsel

Your advisor and committee members are the best resources you could ask for about defense. They set the guidelines, and they judge whether you have done well. Reach out to them for guidance, feedback, and advice—their collective wisdom and support can be instrumental in honing your presentation. And, if they are not all that … well, remember there are others out there who can help, including coaches, mentors, and past students.

Just like any performance, practice makes perfect. Take the time to rehearse your presentation multiple times, refining your delivery and strengthening your command over the content. By doing so, you’ll build confidence and ensure a smoother delivery when the day arrives. Even more importantly, you’ll settle the key points of your study firmly in your brain, making sure you sound like the expert you are.

Anticipate the Unknown

Obviously, you can’t predict every question or comment that will come up during your defense. However, you can still prepare yourself for potential challenges. Get cozy with the research landscape in your field and the interests of your committee members. Step outside of your own perspective and view your work through a stranger’s eyes to anticipate areas of critique or alternative viewpoints. This will enable you to respond thoughtfully and demonstrate your ability to engage in scholarly discourse.

Managing Nerves and Anxiety

You know what’s coming and you know how to prepare – are you still nervous? If so, know that that is completely normal. Here’s how me and two of my students got their dissertation defense nerves under control.

An Awesome Supervisor

For my own dissertation defense (known as a viva voce in the UK), I was incredibly lucky to have a supervisor with whom I had a strong, supportive, and nurturing relationship. Although the main examination of my work was handled by the external reader, who sat across from me behind a big desk, my supervisor sat behind him and nodded and smiled encouragingly every time I said something. Words can’t describe how much that calmed me down and gave me confidence. If you are as lucky as me and have an awesome supervisor, tell your nerves they can stand down – your supervisor’s got your back!

You Can Get Used to Anything

One of my students, who graduated last year, suffered from terrible defense nerves because she was worried about holding so much complex information in her head and delivering it coherently. Her solution? She practiced endlessly, over the course of about a month.

With me as her coach playing the role of audience, or with her kids and other family members, her cohort peers, her dog, and even other academics, she presented that study until she could do so in her sleep. The point was that, by the time the actual defense day rolled around, presenting the study to people was comfortable, familiar territory. Done and dusted!

Temporary Denial

Another student, who graduated shortly after, took completely the opposite approach to managing dissertation defense nerves. This student was burnt out from a huge rush to meet an unexpectedly tight deadline for the final manuscript when her chair decided to retire at the last minute. Rather than burn herself out further, she hit send on the manuscript, paid a designer to polish the design of the presentation rough draft, and then shut down her devices and went on holiday with her family. For one week, she did not look at or talk about her research at all. Instead, she sat on the beach, ate ice cream, and scrolled Instagram (probably). Then, she returned to work (a week before the presentation), refreshed and feeling excited about her work again. The break enabled her to practice and prepare in a calm frame of mind.

Some Parting Thoughts

I won’t walk you through the other obvious stuff, like what makes a good presentation PowerPoint or how body language and appearance can improve your presentation skills—that stuff is what Google is for. You’re an expert by now at finding the information you need, so get out there and find it. However, know that if you need help getting ready for your defense, there are definitely humans around you (and some dogs) who want to help – whether that’s your chair, your family, or a coach like me. I recommend you find them now and let them tell you just how ready for this you are.

Jennifer Harrison

Mixed Methods PhDs: An Applied Guide

Are you thinking about using mixed methods (both quantitative and qualitative data) in your PhD? This article guides you through different ways of doing mixed methods PhD research, from proposal writing to collecting and analysing data. It emphasises the importance of rigor in mixed methods research and how to achieve this.

To Be or Not To Be (a Reviewer 2): Should I Review Articles as a PhD Student?

For the wheels to continue turning in research, we need reviewers. Although often a thankless endeavour (littered with Reviewer 2 jokes), acting as a gatekeeper for the integrity of your research field remains vital. As a PhD student, you may find the process of reviewing a manuscript pretty novel, but a reviewer request email may enter your inbox in the near future. This article guides you through the pros and cons of reviewing articles.

‘Stairway to Lecture’: A Roadmap to Progress from PhD to Lecturer

Landing a lecturing role after a PhD can be difficult, and rejection is commonplace. To lower the chances of rejection, it is important to focus on your career planning and gain experience as early into your PhD as possible. Therefore, if you are serious about becoming a lecturer, here are four things you can start doing now.

All views expressed are those of the individual authors and do not reflect the views of The PhD Place Ltd. See our Disclaimer

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Dissertation Defense | Strategies & Tips

Introduction

The doctoral program, the dissertation stage, what is a dissertation defense, what is the structure of a dissertation defense, preparation for your dissertation defense, what happens after you defend your dissertation.

The dissertation is the centerpiece of a graduate student's career at the doctoral level. It is a demonstration of a doctoral student's ability to conduct and present research with the skills necessary to contribute to scientific knowledge. As a result, the dissertation defense (sometimes called a thesis defense in non-American contexts) is the main opportunity for doctoral students to demonstrate they can contribute to scholarly discussion.

Many graduate students think of the dissertation defense as a final examination or a job interview. It is often a key final step to complete the doctoral degree.

Graduate studies are the venue in which students build expertise in a particular field and focus area. There are different kinds of graduate degrees, but what separates the doctoral journey from all others at this level is one's ability to generate or discover new knowledge through research. Mastery of trivia or encyclopedic knowledge is far less important to doctoral studies than a systematic organization of that knowledge through established research methodologies .

Requirements for a doctoral degree will vary depending on the institution and the program and may include coursework, comprehensive examinations, research experience, and an established record of research publication . In most cases, however, graduate students complete a doctoral degree when they successfully defend their dissertation.

The culmination of a doctoral program is the graduate student's demonstration of their abilities to conduct and present research in academic work. Not only must students show their understanding of theories, methods, and argumentation necessary for contributing to scientific knowledge, they must also navigate the intricacies inherent to academic institutions in a way that shows that they can cohesively work with and engage scholars.

The dissertation represents this understanding and mastery of skills necessary to work in established academic contexts. The research in a dissertation is deemed credible and worthy of being considered scientific knowledge when a university approves it and adds it to its repository, which is made available to all of its members so they can, in turn, conduct research and generate knowledge. However, this approval comes after a lengthy process that involves assembling members of the academic community together to review and develop research.

To be sure, the main objective of dissertation research is to present new knowledge, but the manner in which students conduct that research should also illustrate their understanding of how to generate insights rigorously, ethically, and in collaboration with others. As a result, doctoral programs, while varying with each other on some level, share a number of core characteristics outlining a long-established process of facilitating dissertation research.

Dissertation committee

A dissertation requires an audience of knowledgeable academic scholars who can comment on and critique the research. A committee made up of faculty members internal or external to the student's university fulfills this role by guiding the research, providing feedback, and asking questions about the resulting dissertation. Is the research that the student has produced "state of the art"? Does it meet reasonable standards of research rigor and transparency? Will the research make a valuable contribution to future academic discussions or practical developments outside of the academy?

It's the job of dissertation committee members to help develop and critique the research. Through this process, graduate students can refine their research design and attain guidance on key theories and methodologies . In turn, committee members gain insight from fresh perspectives on the graduate student's research.

The main committee member is your dissertation chair, which might be your supervisor or a committee member who is most knowledgeable about the research you want to conduct for your dissertation. Beyond that, a good committee member is an established scholar who can provide useful insight about the research context, the issues or theories currently being discussed within the research context, and the methods used to further develop those theories.

Oftentimes, students rely on a faculty member whose classes they have taken to serve as committee members. Students might also identify potential external committee members in academic conferences or by asking for recommendations from their professors.

Dissertation proposal

Designing a robust and rigorous study often requires discussion among colleagues within academia so that research methods can be refined before all the data is collected and analyzed.

The proposal stage gives doctoral students a chance to gather preliminary feedback on their prospective research as well as an opportunity to practice their ability to defend their expertise in their chosen field and focus area. At the dissertation level, this aspect of an academic career is represented by the proposal.

The dissertation committee approves the study design as an indication that the dissertation research has potential. Think of the writing and presentation of the dissertation proposal as a practice run for the eventual defense, while the substance of the proposal, in many cases, becomes part of the final dissertation as it details the underlying theories and methodology for the study.

Dissertation research

While the proposal lays out the research design , the study itself is where you will collect and analyze all the data necessary for the findings and discussion sections of your dissertation. Needless to say, the theoretical developments and actionable insights will come from this part of the dissertation process.

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The oral defense of your dissertation synthesizes every step of the research process you have undertaken for your research project. It's best to look at it like an opportunity to show off your expertise about the research in your field and, more importantly, your methodological process for developing your original research.

What is the role of a defense?

The defense is the main forum in which you share your research with the larger academic community. Some think of it like a job interview or a test where the committee members assess the worthiness of the research and the student who conducted it. Others consider a defense to be more of a coming out party, a critical event where the student is elevated from a novice scholar to an established expert in their chosen research field.

However it is interpreted, the dissertation defense is a critical event in a graduate student's career. In a successful defense, the doctoral candidate is no longer a newcomer but a scholar who understands the intricacies of academic research and can contribute to it in a substantive manner.

Is a dissertation defense just a formality?

If you are well-prepared and your research is robust and rigorous, you should have no problems passing your oral defense. That said, it is by no means "just" a formality. A graduate student who wants to demonstrate expertise should be prepared enough to anticipate and answer questions from the committee that might otherwise stump or confuse a layperson.

While defenses will differ depending by program and institution, there are a couple of common elements.

First, the doctoral candidate presents their research in a short presentation or lecture. While your committee is already familiar with your research, many defenses are open to the entire academic community who may be interested in your field but may not have the necessary context to understand your research. As a result, this presentation is vital to providing the fundamental knowledge necessary for later discussion.

That discussion, mainly moderated by your dissertation chair and involving all committee members, serves as the central portion of the defense. Committee members will direct questions to you to interrogate your research, but they will also discuss the research amongst themselves to build their own understanding of the key theories and insights.

In some programs, the audience will also have an opportunity to pose questions to the candidate toward the end of the defense. The dissertation committee wants to know if you can engage with outsiders who are less familiar with your research field. This part of the defense is a test of your ability to share scientific knowledge with the greater academic community.

When you get to this stage of the process, most of the preparation for your defense is already complete. That said, the defense is its own event as it is the sole opportunity for the dissertation committee to determine if your research is state of the art and advances scientific knowledge.

In many cases, a dissertation defense can last about two hours and typically follows a set order. It's important to know how to prepare for each part of a defense.

Preparing your dissertation

At this point, the dissertation should be as close to polished as you can make it, but keep in mind you may still receive substantive feedback from your committee members. With the exception of your dissertation chair, members of your committee likely will not deeply engage your research until the oral defense itself. Even so, you still need to present as complete a study as possible during your defense. The key to preparation is to be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of every step of the research process, from research design to how you contribute novel and interesting insights to your field. Successfully defending a dissertation means having a thorough understanding of every major aspect of your study and the surrounding scholarship.

Presenting your dissertation

The dissertation defense typically begins with the student presenting themselves and their research. In many cases, this presentation is similar to those found at conferences or workshops, where the presenter needs to demonstrate that they can showcase their research in a succinct and accessible manner. After all, the audience at a defense will often include members of the academic community who may have a general interest in the research but not a deep familiarity with the specifics of the research.

The presentation itself should be detailed enough to lay out the most important points of the research but within a reasonable amount of time. This presentation lays the groundwork for the ensuing discussion with the rest of the academic community. The dissertation committee or program will often prescribe a set time limit for this presentation; it would be a mistake not to consider this time limit when making your presentation. An overly lengthy presentation or a presenter who meanders with no clear direction will be less persuasive and will not garner the interest of the audience. More importantly, successful time management during the presentation leaves more time for your committee to more thoroughly engage with the research through questions and answers.

Fielding questions asked

Dissertation defense questions make up the primary part of the discussion. This is the main opportunity for members of your committee to point out the novel aspects of your research as well as critique any weak points that should be addressed in revisions to your dissertation.

Ultimately, a successful defense will result in lively discussion among dissertation committee members. A dissertation committee will often look highly on research that engages their thinking and expertise, meaning that novel insights will prove incredibly valuable to a defense.

You may get a question from a committee member to which you may not readily have an answer. After all, it's impossible to anticipate every possible question posed within two hours of scholarly discussion. In the case where a question is truly outside of your knowledge, it's important to acknowledge this and at least explain your thinking about how you would address the question to get a meaningful answer. In other words, it's not always about giving the "correct" answer to all questions asked but demonstrating your ability to reflect and engage in scholarly discussion around your research.

Keep in mind that the defense itself is not the end of the doctoral journey. More often than not, the dissertation committee will accept the dissertation on the condition that revisions will be made based on the committee members' feedback. Even the most successful defense will likely require the doctoral student to make revisions to their dissertation.

In many cases, revisions to the dissertation can be more challenging than the dissertation defense itself. Up until this point, your advisor or dissertation chair was likely the main source of feedback on your dissertation research. After your defense, you will have gained a great deal of rich feedback that you can constructively build on to further hone your dissertation as you move forward in publishing and sharing your research.

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Dissertation Defense: The Complete Guide for 2022

by  Antony W

October 13, 2023

Your dissertation project doesn’t start with topic research and end with the dissertation writing . You also have to go through the defense stage, where you try to convince a review panel that you project is up to the standard and therefore worth an approval and good grades.

The dissertation defense is often an intense session whose outcome you can never be sure about. But it’s an important, last step to complete before you can submit your manuscript to earn a doctoral degree.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you should know about dissertation defense. In particular, you’ll learn:

• What dissertation defense is all about
• What’s involved in the dissertation defense
• What happens at a dissertation defense

In other words, if you’re searching for a complete guide that looks at dissertation defense front to back, then you’ve come to the right place.

What is Dissertation Defense Exactly?

A dissertation defense is a formal meeting between you and your school committee where you get the opportunity to explain the dissertation topic you chose , how you did your research, and what you found.

It’s during your dissertation defense that the committee asks you questions about your research, the impact of what you found in your investigation, and your future.

The dissertation defense can be a highly intense session. Because, even if you’ve given your dissertations project all the academic attention it deserves, you can’t be too sure it will earn the best marks, let alone a base pass level, until after the committee has made their judgment.

But even if you feel like you lack total control of the committee’s opinion on your work, the dissertations defense phase is a great chance for you to appear before your fellow students and share your knowledge with the academia.

How to Get Ready for a Dissertation’s Defense

Even if you’re not sure of what to expect in a dissertation defense, it’s important to prepare for the session as best as you possibly can.

1. Start by Cultivating the Right Attitude

You’ve spent years in College or University studying a subject that interests you. And in the last couple of months, you’ve had the opportunity to research your topic and put your findings in a 150 to 300 pages dissertation .

If anything, you’ve come so far that a dissertation defense shouldn’t scare you. While it’s natural to be nervous, this is your last moment to shine before the committee and your fellow peers.

So you have to cultivate the right attitude.

Think of the defense phase as a stage where you have to go through rigorous testing because you’d made it through the previous ones. Understand that it’s in your committee’s best interest to see you pass your dissertation.

And if you can keep calm, demonstrate your worthiness, and show the committee how much you know about your area of study, there’s no reason why they won’t consider you an expert in your field of investigation.

2. Get Ready to Answer Your Committee’s Questions

To stand out in a dissertation defense, you have to demonstrate you’re an expert in the subject you’ve spent months working on. And the best way to do that is to get ready to answer your committee’s questions.

By participating in discourse beyond your results, you’ll have to answer questions that demonstrate the relevance and impact of your dissertation research.

Getting ready to answer your committee’s questions goes beyond creating a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes your findings.

Remember, you can’t for sure anticipate what kind of questions the committee will ask. But if you know your topic inside out, you’ll have solid responses to every question asked in the dissertation defense.

If it helps, have a few of your friends read the abstract of your dissertation and ask them to pose some significant questions about the study you conducted.

They’ll more often give you the outsider perspective, which will be extremely useful in giving you a glimpse of the kind of questions to expect when you step into dissertation defense.

3. Create an Organized Presentation

The document may serve a dual purpose: a presentation to your school’s committee and to the faculty of any university to which you wish to apply. As such, you need make sure the presentation is well organized long before the dissertation defense stage. 

Your project’s presentation should include:

• A summary of the review of existing literature you used to develop a foundation for your study.
• An explanation for the purpose, methodology, and findings of your study
• A discussion of the impacts of the findings

The presentation doesn’t have to be longer like the dissertation itself. Rather, make sure it’s comprehensive enough for the dissertation committee to understand the basic elements of what you’ve done.

Some of the questions you might want to add in your presentation may include the following:

• Why did I choose this topic for my dissertation project?
• What have other people who’ve studied the topic found on the subject?
• In what way did my research question evolve with respect to what has already been established?
• How did I organize my study and what exactly did I find?

These are just sample questions to ask, so they may differ from what you have in mind. The idea is to make sure your presentation is as comprehensive as possible. 

4. Prepare Yourself Psychologically

Think of your dissertation defense as the final moment to demonstrate how hard you’ve worked on your project and be proud of a job well done. You’re going to step into a new role and you’ll have to treat this moment as your domain.

You want the session to start and end smoothly. So make sure you prepare yourself mentally to tackle the day. You’re going to stand in front of giants in a defense room. If you’re psychologically prepared, we’re confident that you’ll easily present your case and score the best grades. 

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

13 Tips to Prepare for Your PhD Dissertation Defense

How well do you know your project? Years of experiments, analysis of results, and tons of literature study, leads you to how well you know your research study. And, PhD dissertation defense is a finale to your PhD years. Often, researchers question how to excel at their thesis defense and spend countless hours on it. Days, weeks, months, and probably years of practice to complete your doctorate, needs to surpass the dissertation defense hurdle.

In this article, we will discuss details of how to excel at PhD dissertation defense and list down some interesting tips to prepare for your thesis defense.

Table of Contents

What Is Dissertation Defense?

Dissertation defense or Thesis defense is an opportunity to defend your research study amidst the academic professionals who will evaluate of your academic work. While a thesis defense can sometimes be like a cross-examination session, but in reality you need not fear the thesis defense process and be well prepared.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesHaytonPhDacademy

What are the expectations of committee members.

Choosing the dissertation committee is one of the most important decision for a research student. However, putting your dissertation committee becomes easier once you understand the expectations of committee members.

The basic function of your dissertation committee is to guide you through the process of proposing, writing, and revising your dissertation. Moreover, the committee members serve as mentors, giving constructive feedback on your writing and research, also guiding your revision efforts.

The dissertation committee is usually formed once the academic coursework is completed. Furthermore, by the time you begin your dissertation research, you get acquainted to the faculty members who will serve on your dissertation committee. Ultimately, who serves on your dissertation committee depends upon you.

Some universities allow an outside expert (a former professor or academic mentor) to serve on your committee. It is advisable to choose a faculty member who knows you and your research work.

How to Choose a Dissertation Committee Member?

• Avoid popular and eminent faculty member
• Choose the one you know very well and can approach whenever you need them
• A faculty member whom you can learn from is apt.
• Members of the committee can be your future mentors, co-authors, and research collaborators. Choose them keeping your future in mind.

How to Prepare for Dissertation Defense?

1. Start Your Preparations Early

Thesis defense is not a 3 or 6 months’ exercise. Don’t wait until you have completed all your research objectives. Start your preparation well in advance, and make sure you know all the intricacies of your thesis and reasons to all the research experiments you conducted.

2. Attend Presentations by Other Candidates

Look out for open dissertation presentations at your university. In fact, you can attend open dissertation presentations at other universities too. Firstly, this will help you realize how thesis defense is not a scary process. Secondly, you will get the tricks and hacks on how other researchers are defending their thesis. Finally, you will understand why dissertation defense is necessary for the university, as well as the scientific community.

3. Take Enough Time to Prepare the Slides

Dissertation defense process harder than submitting your thesis well before the deadline. Ideally, you could start preparing the slides after finalizing your thesis. Spend more time in preparing the slides. Make sure you got the right data on the slides and rephrase your inferences, to create a logical flow to your presentation.

4. Structure the Presentation

Do not be haphazard in designing your presentation. Take time to create a good structured presentation. Furthermore, create high-quality slides which impresses the committee members. Make slides that hold your audience’s attention. Keep the presentation thorough and accurate, and use smart art to create better slides.

5. Practice Breathing Techniques

Watch a few TED talk videos and you will notice that speakers and orators are very fluent at their speech. In fact, you will not notice them taking a breath or falling short of breath. The only reason behind such effortless oratory skill is practice — practice in breathing technique.

Moreover, every speaker knows how to control their breath. Long and steady breaths are crucial. Pay attention to your breathing and slow it down. All you need I some practice prior to this moment.

6. Create an Impactful Introduction

The audience expects a lot from you. So your opening statement should enthrall the audience. Furthermore, your thesis should create an impact on the members; they should be thrilled by your thesis and the way you expose it.

The introduction answers most important questions, and most important of all “Is this presentation worth the time?” Therefore, it is important to make a good first impression , because the first few minutes sets the tone for your entire presentation.

7. Maintain Your Own List of Questions

While preparing for the presentation, make a note of all the questions that you ask yourself. Try to approach all the questions from a reader’s point of view. You could pretend like you do not know the topic and think of questions that could help you know the topic much better.

The list of questions will prepare you for the questions the members may pose while trying to understand your research. Attending other candidates’ open discussion will also help you assume the dissertation defense questions.

8. Practice Speech and Body Language

After successfully preparing your slides and practicing, you could start focusing on how you look while presenting your thesis. This exercise is not for your appearance but to know your body language and relax if need be.

Pay attention to your body language. Stand with your back straight, but relax your shoulders. The correct posture will give you the feel of self-confidence. So, observe yourself in the mirror and pay attention to movements you make.

9. Give Mock Presentation

Giving a trial defense in advance is a good practice. The most important factor for the mock defense is its similarity to your real defense, so that you get the experience that prepares for the actual defense.

10. Learn How to Handle Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. However, it is important to carry on. Do not let the mistakes affect your thesis defense. Take a deep breath and move on to the next point.

11. Do Not Run Through the Presentation

If you are nervous, you would want to end the presentation as soon as possible. However, this situation will give rise to anxiety and you will speak too fast, skipping the essential details. Eventually, creating a fiasco of your dissertation defense .

12. Get Plenty of Rest

Out of the dissertation defense preparation points, this one is extremely important. Obviously, sleeping a day before your big event is hard, but you have to focus and go to bed early, with the clear intentions of getting the rest you deserve.

13. Visualize Yourself Defending Your Thesis

This simple exercise creates an immense impact on your self-confidence. All you have to do is visualize yourself giving a successful presentation each evening before going to sleep. Everyday till the day of your thesis defense, see yourself standing in front of the audience and going from one point to another.

This exercise takes a lot of commitment and persistence, but the results in the end are worth it. Visualization makes you see yourself doing the scary thing of defending your thesis.

If you have taken all these points into consideration, you are ready for your big day. You have worked relentlessly for your PhD degree , and you will definitely give your best in this final step.

Have you completed your thesis defense? How did you prepare for it and how was your experience throughout your dissertation defense ? Do write to us or comment below.

The tips are very useful.I will recomend it to our students.

Excellent. As a therapist trying to help a parent of a candidate, I am very impressed and thankful your concise, clear, action-oriented article. Thank you.

Thanks for your sharing. It is so good. I can learn a lot from your ideas. Hope that in my dissertation defense next time I can pass

The tips are effective. Will definitely apply them in my dissertation.

My dissertation defense is coming up in less than two weeks from now, I find this tips quite instructive, I’ll definitely apply them. Thank you so much.

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Evaluation Decisions for Doctoral Defense

Doctoral students are required to review the degree plans for their program, along with information about specific degree requirements and estimated timelines to reach various benchmarks for the different degree plan specializations.

There are three possible evaluation decisions for the doctoral defense.  All decisions—with the exception of “fail”—must be unanimous.

“Pass” requires that both the defense and the document (dissertation or treatise) are acceptable. In some cases, the committee may require revisions, which will be checked by the entire committee or by the supervising professor only. This should be agreed upon at the time of the defense and communicated with the student.

While the supervisor should wait to sign the Report of Dissertation Committee until all revisions have been reviewed, the other committee members may choose to sign at the defense. The committee should agree upon the length of time allowed for submission of the revised dissertation; this must be communicated clearly to the student.

The completed Report of Dissertation Committee should be returned to the Graduate School only after the final revisions to the dissertation have been approved and the GSC designee has signed.

If the dissertation and/or defense are not acceptable to all members of the committee, the decision will change to either "re-defend" or "fail" as discussed below:

“Re-defend” indicates that the committee is not satisfied with the dissertation or with the oral examination, but believes that rewriting may make it acceptable. In this case, the fully signed Report of Dissertation Committee should be returned to the Graduate School by the Supervisor, with each member of the committee indicating their decision. Another scheduled defense will be required and a new report will be generated.

Report on Doctoral Dissertation forms

Committee members should submit their individual Report on Doctoral Dissertation forms indicating their dissatisfaction.

“Fail” indicates that at least one member of the committee has decided that the dissertation is unsatisfactory and may not be rewritten. The fully signed Report of Dissertation Committee should be returned to the Graduate School by the supervisor, with each member of the committee indicating their decision.

Committee members should also submit their individual Report on Doctoral Dissertation forms indicating their dissatisfaction. This decision normally results in the termination of a doctoral student’s program.

Documentation

Document a dissertation defense as follows:

The supervisor should bring the Report of Dissertation Committee to the defense.

The scheduling information on the Report must be correct; if the time or location changes, the Graduate School must be informed.

All committee members sign the Report of Dissertation Committee, even if the member was not present at the defense.

Scanned or electronic signatures will be accepted as long as they are legible and dark enough to be imaged. Typed names as a signature are not allowed. Electronic and digitally authorized signatures may be accepted in any font format so long as they include the insignia or logo of the e-signature software used showing authorization.

Once all members have signed the report the Graduate Studies Committee chair or designee should provide the final signature.

The final signature indicates that all coursework and other departmental requirements have been completed. All signatures should be on a single page.

The Report of Dissertation Committee should be submitted to the Graduate School by the student.

The report should be submitted along with the student's final paperwork.

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University of Pennsylvania Philosophy

Dissertation Defense Instructions for Current Graduate Students

1. Pick a defense date and time According to the Graduation Calendar (view here:  https://guides.library.upenn.edu/dissertation_manual/calendar ) the deadlines are as follows:   AUGUST 2023 graduation: Sign-up begins (no fee) Monday, May 22nd Defend by July 17th & deposit by July 31st Your degree will then be awarded on or during the week of August 4th   2. Contact the department administrator to reserve a room for your defense   3. Once the defense date is finalized, here is a list of the additional administrative steps to complete the career at Penn:   1. Sign up (there are relevant dates for sign up start/ end and late fee sign up on the calendar) for degree in the degree system:  https://apps.sas.upenn.edu/sso/gas/degree/app-start.php        2. Make sure to set up a deposit meeting with the Provost Office as soon as possible.  We recommend that you schedule the deposit early on since the spots fill up quickly towards the end of the term. Although you’re setting it up ahead of time, the deposit needs to be scheduled for  after  the defense, since this is when you will deposit the finished copy of the dissertation, ready for print.  (*there are also deposit schedules- and there is a calendar & tons of information on this on the provost’s website -  https://provost.upenn.edu/dissertation-deposit  )   Meetings (scheduled at  https://calendly.com/penngraddegree/deposit?month=2022-01 ) are for candidates to deposit the hard copy of their dissertation.  You do not need to be present for this meeting, but beforehand, you will need to take care of any outstanding bills with Student Financial Services and complete the two exit surveys GAS requires.  Your dissertation should be polished and edited—to your knowledge, ready for publication at the time of your deposit to Proquest.    3. Once you have successfully defended, please email the graduate coordinator the following information:

• exact title of your dissertation as it will appear in print
• name of your dissertation advisor
• the name of your committee chair (if different from your advisor)
• the names of your remaining committee members

Please note, the graduate coordinator will need an email address for any of the committee members who are external to the University of Pennsylvania.   For policies and procedures on formatting and submission, the Dissertation Manual is the place to begin.  As the Provost has just taken over in this term, they created some helpful checklists for graduating PhDs (see below).  

• PhD Graduation Checklist -  https://provost.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/users/user3179/PhD%20Candidate%20Graduation%20Checklist_0.pdf
• PhD Dissertation Formatting Checklist-  https://provost.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/users/user3179/PhD%20Candidate%20Formatting%20Checklist_0.pdf
• In Graduate Rules and Regulations, please read over the policies starting with “Dissertation” and “Dissertation Composition and Meetings” through “Publication and Submission”-  https://catalog.upenn.edu/pennbook/academic-rules-phd/#text . 

***EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: The formatting of your dissertation must follow the GAS guidelines EXACTLY (RE: Title page, pagination & margins)   4. Additional Information:

• Dissertation defenses may be conducted in-person or remotely
• Title page signatures are optional, and electronic signatures are accepted
• A printed copy of the dissertation is not required for deposit
• The dissertation must be submitted electronically in ETD Administrator

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So, you’ve spent countless late nights hunched over your computer, wanting to contribute something meaningful to your field. You’ve poured your heart and soul into your research, meticulously crafting each dissertation chapter. Now, there’s just one final hurdle: the dissertation defense!

This guide is here to help you prepare for a successful dissertation defense. We will also demystify the dissertation defense meaning.

Let our professional editors refine your dissertation! Learn more

Let’s start by answering the primary question: What does it mean to defend your dissertation?

What is a dissertation defense?

A dissertation defense is a formal presentation and discussion of your research work with your dissertation committee. It’s your opportunity to showcase your in-depth knowledge and defend your findings. 

What to expect: The dissertation defense process

The format of a dissertation defense can vary depending on your institution and field of study. However, most defenses follow a similar structure:

• Presentation : You’ll begin by delivering a concise and engaging presentation summarizing your research question, methodology , findings, and conclusions . This is your chance to shine and captivate your audience.
• Q&A Session : This is where the real “defense” comes in. Your committee will ask you questions about your research, ranging from clarifying specific points to exploring broader implications.
• Deliberation : After the Q&A, your committee will meet privately to discuss your defense and decide whether to approve your dissertation.
• Verdict : You’ll be called back into the room to receive the committee’s decision. They may offer congratulations, suggest minor revisions, or, in rare cases, request major revisions.

How long is a dissertation defense?

A dissertation defense is typically one to three hours long. It can vary sometimes. The presentation usually takes up the first hour, followed by an hour or two of questions and discussion.

How can I condense my dissertation into a presentation? 

Condensing a 100-page thesis into a 20-minute dissertation defense presentation certainly feels like a difficult task. But with just some focus and considerations, you can easily decide what you must focus on. 

1. Start with a title slide

On the title slide, add the details that you’ve added to the title page . This includes your name, credentials, and the title of the dissertation . You could also add the date of the presentation.

2. Don’t dwell too much on the abstract and the literature review

Summarize the abstract and literature review as briefly as you can, because the majority of your defense should be about your research. Ideally, this part of the presentation should be a peek into the research process.

3. Draw attention to why you’re carrying out your research

Delve a little into the topic’s history and background, so that you can eventually connect to it your research, and establish your work’s relevance in the field.

4. Talk about theoretical and conceptual influences 

Talk briefly about the conceptual framework of your dissertation, and the theoretical influences behind it.

5. State your research question clearly

All of this should ultimately lead to your research question. State it clearly, and explain the terms and jargon used in it, the same way you have in the dissertation itself. If there are sub-questions, elaborate on those too.

6. Focus on methods and methodology 

Delve deeply into how you carried out the research. What were the research methods used, and what was your rationale behind using it/them? Explain why your chosen methods are relevant to your project and its aims.

7. Move on to findings and observations

Talk about what came out of your research. What did you learn from it? What can be derived from the findings?

8. Establish how its relevance for future research 

Talk about the implications of your work for future research in your field, and why people should pay attention to them. If you have a list of policy recommendations or an action plan for your own research, talk about that as well.

How to prepare for dissertation defense: 5 Tips for success

Here are some practical tips to help you prepare for your dissertation defense:

1. Know your research inside out

This might seem obvious, but it’s crucial. Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your methodology, data analysis, and conclusions.

• Create a comprehensive research outline : Break down your research into main sections ( introduction , methodology, results , discussion) and create detailed notes for each).
• Review regularly : Set aside time each day to review different parts of your research. This will help keep all details fresh in your mind.
• Engage in mock Q&A sessions : Have peers or mentors ask you in-depth questions about your research. This will prepare you for unexpected queries.
• Summarize key points : Create summary sheets of your methodology, data analysis, and conclusions for quick reference.
• Stay updated : Ensure you are aware of any recent academic resource developments or publications in your research area that might be relevant during your defense.

2. Anticipate questions

Put yourself in your committee’s shoes and brainstorm potential dissertation defense questions they might ask. Practice your answers until you feel confident and comfortable discussing your research.

• Consult previous defenses : Look at past defenses in your department to understand the types of questions committee members typically ask.
• Engage with colleagues : Discuss your research with peers and ask them to pose questions they think a committee might ask.
• Draft responses : Write down answers to anticipated questions. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure you cover all critical points.
• Practice aloud : Verbalize your answers to get comfortable with speaking them out loud. This can also help you identify any areas where you need further clarification.

3. Practice your presentation

A well-rehearsed presentation is key to a successful defense. Practice in front of a mirror, with friends or colleagues, or even record yourself to identify areas for improvement.

• Create a script : Write a detailed script for your presentation. This will help ensure you cover all necessary points.
• Use visual aids : Prepare slides that highlight key points, data, and conclusions. Visual aids can help keep your audience engaged and make complex information easier to understand.
• Rehearse multiple times : Practice your presentation several times. Start with a mirror, then move to friends or colleagues for feedback.
• Record yourself : Use a camera or smartphone to record your presentation. Watch the playback to identify areas for improvement.
• Time your presentation : Make sure your presentation fits within the allotted time. Adjust your content as needed to ensure you cover all points without rushing.

4. Master the art of calm

Nerves are normal, but don’t let them get the best of you. Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation to stay calm and focused.

• Deep breathing exercises : Practice deep breathing techniques to help calm your nerves. Inhale slowly through your nose, hold for a few seconds and exhale slowly through your mouth.
• Visualization : Visualize yourself successfully defending your dissertation. Imagine the room, the committee, and yourself confidently answering questions.
• Mindfulness meditation : Engage in mindfulness meditation to help stay present and focused. Apps like Headspace or Calm can be useful.
• Regular exercise : Physical activity can help reduce stress and improve your overall sense of well-being.
• Adequate rest : Ensure you get enough sleep leading up to your defense. A well-rested mind is more capable of handling stress and thinking clearly.

5. Dress for success

What you wear to your dissertation defense matters. Choose professional attire that makes you feel confident and reflects the importance of the occasion.

• Choose professional attire : Opt for a suit or business casual outfit that makes you feel confident and comfortable.
• Check for comfort : Ensure your attire fits well and is comfortable to wear for an extended period.
• Grooming matters : Pay attention to grooming. Neat hair, clean nails, and polished shoes all contribute to a professional appearance.
• Test your outfit : Wear your chosen outfit before the day of your defense to ensure it’s comfortable and you feel confident in it.
• Plan for the unexpected : Have a backup outfit ready in case of any last-minute issues like spills or wrinkles.

Defend your dissertation with confidence

Remember, your dissertation defense is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. It’s your moment to shine and share your valuable research with the world. By preparing thoroughly, practicing diligently, and approaching the defense with confidence and enthusiasm, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your academic goals.

And if you’re looking for an extra layer of polish and assurance, consider the expert editing and proofreading services of PaperTrue. Our team of experienced editors can help you refine your dissertation to perfection, ensuring that your writing is clear, concise, and error-free.

Keep reading for more information:

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Frequently Asked Questions

How should i prepare for my dissertation defense, what types of questions are asked during a dissertation defense, what happens if i fail my dissertation defense.

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Really informative blog article. Thanks Again. Really Great.

Thanks for the brief but interesting and educative guide.

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Defense and Dissertation Overview

Once a student’s box is checked, the BPH student should set up a one-on-one “Defense Packet Meeting” with the BPH Associate Director to review the Defense and Dissertation Process, which includes reviewing all required materials, logistics, timing, FAS/Harvard Griffin GSAS Form of the Dissertation, sample forms, and to answer student questions related to these processes.

• Defense Committee Chair: One member of the student’s DAC, often the DAC chair, is required to chair the oral defense. This required holdover from the DAC serves the purpose of providing insight to the examiners regarding the path the student has taken in completing the dissertation research. Their primary role is to assess committee satisfaction with the written dissertation, administer the exam, arbitrate any problems that may arise, and make final recommendations for completion of necessary corrections and additions to the dissertation. No other DAC members can serve on the defense committee .
• At least one member must be a BPH faculty member, often from the same academic department.
• One member of the examination committee must be from outside of Harvard University.
• The fourth member may be from either BPH or another Harvard-affiliated program.
• Co-authors and collaborators cannot be members of the Defense committee

DEFENSE TIMING AND FORMAT

• Students should notify the BPH Program as far in advance as possible with the details of the exam. 
• The student is required to notify the BPH office no later than 3 weeks in advance of the defense with the final dissertation title.
• At least two weeks before the date of exam, defense members should be sent copies of the dissertation for review. A copy of the dissertation should also be sent to the BPH program.
• If any defense committee member foresees problems with the exam, they should contact the chair of the defense committee in advance of the meeting. If major problems are found with the written document, the Committee can decide to postpone the oral defense until satisfactory changes are made. While rare in our program, these occasions can involve the insufficient or improper use of statistical methods, grossly overstated conclusions, insufficient background or discussion, or evidence of plagiarism.
• More details about the timing and format are provided in the “Defense Packet Meeting” held with each student.

STIPEND GUIDELINES

If a student successfully defends the dissertation before the 15th of the month, the stipend will be terminated at the end of that month. If the student successfully defends on or after the 15th, the next month’s stipend will be the final month the student is paid, at the discretion of their advisor.

Students are encouraged to speak to their advisors directly about how they should be paid as they complete their graduate work. If an advisor wishes to pay the student for one additional month, beyond what has been explained above, the advisor must notify the department’s financial administrator. For administrative reasons, a stipend cannot be issued to a student after their graduation/degree conferral date.

ORAL DEFENSE PROCEDURES

Part 1: Public Seminar As part of the exam, the PhD candidate will present a public seminar followed by a private oral examination.  The public presentation lasts no longer than 1 hour, which includes time for the advisor’s introduction, the student’s oral presentation and acknowledgements, and time for audience questions and answers.  The Defense Committee is required to attend the public seminar; however, it is customary for members of the defense committee to hold their questions until the private oral exam.

Part 2: Private Oral Examination A private oral examination follows the public seminar.  Initially, the student will be asked to leave the room for several minutes, along with the dissertation advisor if the dissertation advisor has decided to remain for the private exam.  During this time, the committee will discuss the merits of the dissertation, any issues with the dissertation, and areas they may want to focus on during the oral exam.  The student (and advisor if present) is then asked back into the room for the exam.

Each member of the defense committee will direct questions to the candidate based on their review of the dissertation and presentation of the seminar. The Defense Chair will moderate the discussion between the panel and the student.  The closed defense takes up to two hours and involves detailed technical questions as well as broader questions on the conclusions, impact, and limitations of the research.  Dissertation advisors may be present, but they must not participate in the exam (e.g., answer questions posed by the committee).

At the end of the examination, the student (and advisor if present) is once again asked to step out of the room for several minutes.  The Committee will discuss any revisions needed for the thesis and whether these revisions need to be reviewed and by whom.  Once the committee determines the outcomes, the student will be asked back into the room and the Committee provides the student with any [minor] changes needed to the dissertation. While it is extremely rare for the student to fail at this stage, the committee will provide recommendations to the student on their research, communication skills, and development as a scientist, as well as delineating the required changes to the dissertation.

PREPARING FOR THE DEFENSE/WRITING THE DISSERTATION

Students preparing to write and defend their dissertation must review University requirements as outlined in “ Dissertations ” with guidelines published at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Students are also welcome to visit the BPH Student Lounge (Building 2, Room 113) to look at copies of previous BPH bound dissertations.

Writing the Dissertation Each student must write a comprehensive PhD dissertation on their research topic and the original results of their research. There are a variety of ways a dissertation can be composed, but the core elements described below must be included. The dissertation must show original treatment of the subject, contain a scholarly review of the pertinent literature, provide evidence of independent research of publishable quality, and be clearly, logically, and carefully written. In addition to a compendium of the student’s research, including detailed methods and results, the dissertation must contain a thoughtful discussion of the conclusions, impact, and limitations of the research. The completed work should be critically reviewed by the dissertation advisor before being submitted to the Dissertation Defense Committee.

In some cases, the student has done all of the work in the dissertation; more often portions of the dissertation result from collaborative research. In all dissertations containing collaborative results, the dissertation should indicate concisely who contributed to the work and how.  For example, a chapter containing multi-authored, published work must include a complete reference of the publication and a brief description of the candidate’s and the colleagues’ contributions. For work that is not published but which resulted from multiple researchers, the contributors must be named and respective attributions made clear. This policy allows stylistic flexibility; depending on the amount of collaborative work in the dissertation and the status of publication(s), the attributions can be, preferably, on or accompanying the cover page for each chapter or within an extended acknowledgements section at the end of each chapter. It is recommended that if figures or figure panels are included that are the work of others that the figure panels be clearly identified and the work properly attributed. It is permissible for more than one student to include work from the same collaboration or publication as long as the required attributions are clear, justified, and complete.

Individual chapters can be that of published articles as long as there are also comprehensive Introduction and Conclusion chapters written by the student. While the text can be the same, use of journal reprints as a chapter is not permissible. A word document of the published article must be used, and the pages in the dissertation must be consecutively numbered. Furthermore, the figures and accompanying figure legends must be integrated into the main body of each chapter, preferably following the first mention of the given figure, not clustered at the end of the chapter. Any dissertation that varies significantly from the Graduate School or FAS guidelines, or is not neat and readable, is subject to required stylistic revision before acceptance by the University. (For further information, please visit https://gsas.harvard.edu/academics/dissertations ).

DEFENSE FORMS AND PAPERWORK

Thesis Acceptance Certificate (TAC) Before the examination, the BPH Program Office will provide the Defense Committee Chair with a copy of the official Thesis Acceptance Certificate. This certificate must be signed by all readers of the dissertation at the end of the examination and returned to the BPH Program Office. This certificate will be scanned and sent to the student so it can be inserted as page one of the dissertation prior to the online submission. The student must submit the one original, official copy to the Registrar’s in Cambridge by the appropriate deadline.

If extensive corrections are to be made, the BPH Program Office will hold the certificate until the Defense Committee Chair, and/or assigned reviewer(s) provide a written notification to the BPH Program to confirm that the corrected work has been reviewed and approved.

Dissertation Defense Exam Report The Dissertation Defense Exam Report is completed by the members of the Dissertation Defense Committee to provide a record of any comments or recommendations they may have. The report must be signed by all members immediately after the private exam. The completed report must be submitted to the BPH Program Office at the same time as the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate.

Sample Dissertation Title Page Please click here to see a sample BPH Dissertation Title Page.  Again, please refer to the Dissertation website for guidelines about how to format your dissertation.

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

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

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

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

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

Doctoral Degree Completion Deadlines

Committee Members' Attendance at the Oral Defense

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

Attendance Policies

Instructions for Applying for the Oral Defense

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

Additional Notes About Your Oral Defense

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

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

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

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

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

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Final defense process and submission, the final defense process.

Note: Each Ph.D. candidate is required to successfully complete a minimum of 15 Dissertation credit hours and defend the Dissertation. The candidate must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 Dissertation credits (LEAD 7999) during the semester in which the Final Dissertation Defense is held.

When the Chair is satisfied with the quality of the written work (including any revisions requested at the Pre-Defense) and determines the Dissertation is ready for Final Defense, the Chair distributes the final complete draft of the manuscript and the Final Defense PowerPoint to all members of the Committee via the Dissertation course space (UTC Learn)  at least 14 days in advance . The Chair will contact the candidate and Committee to set a Final Defense date and time (allotting 90 minutes) at least 14 days in advance . It is the Committee members’ responsibility to be as flexible as possible when scheduling the Final Defense. To qualify for graduation in a given semester, the final defense process and dissertation manuscript must meet the Graduate School deadlines as  published on the Graduate School website (link:  Thesis and Dissertation ).

• Once the date and time have been established, the Chair will notify the Program Office ( [email protected] ) via email and will submit the Dissertation title and abstract for the campus announcement.  
• The Program Office will distribute appointment invites to the candidate and Committee and will provide the candidate with step-by-step instructions to submit the Notice of Defense information to the Graduate School. The Notice of Defense must be submitted  at least 14 days in advance , according to Graduate School policy. The Graduate School shall publicly announce the Final Defense to the campus community.  
• The Chair will guide the candidate in preparing for the public research presentation and private defense. The majority of Committee members must contribute synchronously at the Dissertation defense. Candidates are expected to dress in professional business attire for the defense presentation. The candidate is responsible to being able to access an electronic copy of research and presentation materials for the defense (a backup plan is strongly recommended). The candidate will present a  25-30 minute oral defense  of the study with an emphasis on the findings and the conclusions. The oral defense may not exceed 35 minutes. Family members and friends may be permitted to attend, however, candidates should be aware that the defense is an official proceeding and their work will be publicly reviewed and potentially criticized. The typical defense consists of a public forum that is open to the entire University community.  
• At the start of the defense proceeding, the Program Director/Advisor will outline the defense proceedings and the Dissertation Chair will introduce the Committee and candidate.  
• After the candidate’s oral presentation, Committee members and guests will be given an opportunity to pose questions related to the research. The Chair will act as moderator to keep the exchange relevant and timely.  
• Once all general questions have been addressed, any guests in attendance will be asked to adjourn. The Committee will then meet with the candidate in a private session.  
• Following the private session, the Chair will ask the candidate to leave while the Committee deliberates. Only the candidate is to return for feedback from the Chair and Committee.

Evaluation of the Final Defense

There are three possible results from the Dissertation Committee vote:

      Pass

     Re-examination

     Failure

The evaluation of  Pass  indicates that a majority of members of the Dissertation Committee concluded that the candidate met or exceeded the requirements set forth in the Dissertation Proposal, however s/he may be required to make editorial and/or formatting modifications to the Dissertation.

An evaluation of  Re-examination  indicates that two or more members of the Committee found substantive problems in the work or the defense of the Dissertation. The members of the Committee will prepare a list of modifications or improvements required before a second Dissertation defense will be scheduled. The re-examination will occur in the same or subsequent semester unless the Dissertation Committee and the Dean of the Graduate School grant additional time to effect the necessary changes.

An evaluation of  Failure  indicates that the majority of the Dissertation Committee judged the quality of the candidate’s Dissertation and the defense of the Dissertation to be below the standards expected of doctoral level scholarly performance. In the event of a result of Failure, the candidate may petition the Chair and Program Director for the opportunity for re-evaluation.

Final Dissertation Approval and Digital Submission

Following the successful Final Defense:

• The Chair will request that the Program Office circulate the Examination Results Form for digital signatures from each Committee member and the Program Director/Advisor. The Program Office will submit the Examination Results Form to the Graduate School for processing.  
• The candidate will make any additional revisions as recommended by the Committee and will submit the revised manuscript to the Dissertation course space (UTC Learn) for the Chair to review.  
• Once the manuscript has been approved by the Chair, the Chair will notify the Program Office ( [email protected] ) via email that the manuscript is ready for initial formatting review at the program level.  
• Once the initial program-level formatting review is complete and the candidate has made any additional revisions, the Program Director/Advisor will notify the Program Office ( [email protected] ) via email to send the candidate information regarding next steps.  
• The Program Office will provide the candidate with the following:  
• A pre-populated Verification of Standards and Bibliography Software Form to digitally sign and return to the Program Office. The Verification Form indicates that the Standards for formatting were followed, verifies the bibliography management software used, provides the name of the software (EndNote), and indicates the word processing software used (Microsoft Word) to produce the dissertation. Once the Verification Form has been digitally signed by the candidate and returned to the Program Office, the Program Office will submit the Verification Form to the Graduate School for processing.
• Instructions to submit the Dissertation manuscript electronically to the Graduate School via UTC Scholar for formatting review (link:  Thesis and Dissertation ). The candidate should list the Dissertation Chair (or Co-Chairs) as a co-author(s) in UTC Scholar. Submission deadlines are posted to the Graduate School website. The Dean of the Graduate School (or an appointed representative) will review the Dissertation to ensure compliance with the Thesis and Dissertation Standards, which can also be found on the Graduate School website (link:  Thesis and Dissertation ). Graduate School standards stipulate that all theses and dissertations must use bibliography management software. The Learning and Leadership Program requires all candidates to use EndNote bibliography management software. Compliance with UTC formatting / style guidelines is the responsibility of the candidate.
• Upon completion of the initial format review, the Dissertation manuscript will be accepted or returned to the candidate for corrections. The candidate must make the requested corrections and resubmit a revised electronic copy for review. The review process continues until the document is confirmed as acceptable.  
• Once the Dissertation manuscript is accepted, the candidate will receive an email that the document has been posted, which means the Graduate School Dean has accepted the document and the Dissertation requirement has been filled. Questions regarding the UTC Scholar submission process may be directed to the Graduate School,    
• The candidate should forward a copy of the UTC Scholar notification to the Dissertation Chair (or Co-Chairs) and Program Office ( [email protected] ).  
• The Program Office will provide the candidate with information regarding final steps in preparation for Commencement.

Note: There is no fee for electronic submission of the Dissertation to UTC Scholar. The final transcript and diploma may be withheld until the UTC Scholar submission and approval process has been successfully completed. Digital submission to ProQuest is optional; it is not required by the University. For more information, visit the ProQuest website (link:  ProQuest UMI ). If you choose to submit your manuscript to ProQuest through the UMI ETD Administrator site, you must notify the Graduate School Dean (or appointed representative)   of your submission. 

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Are you unofficially a PhD holder after passing viva voce for PhD? [duplicate]

In my university, after passing a viva voce examination, it will take more than 3 months before the university issues an official letter/transcript/certificate to certify that one is officially a PhD holder. Of course, after PhD viva, it will take some time to perform correction as stipulated by examiners. It can be major/minor correction. After a PhD candidate passes viva exam, is she/he unofficially a PhD holder? Considering that one has yet to successfully correct one's thesis as instructed by examiners during viva exam.

• 3 IMO, you don't "pass" a PhD, you get acknowledged by other PhD holders that you are a Doctor of Philosophy. It's a subtle difference. If you were after something already known then you would be passing a Master's examination. But philosophy is about the known and the unknown . As such, other's can't examine you fully, they can only test your critical acumen and your basis of knowledge -- not whether you've "passed" some further point. –  Mark Rosenblitt-Janssen Commented Nov 10, 2017 at 21:11
• @TheDoctor Amazing view about Ph.D. Thanks. It made my day. I used to think that I must know a lot of things. I am in my initial year of my phd, and your point "philosophy is about the known and the unknown." should help. –  Coder Commented Nov 11, 2017 at 6:11

3 Answers 3

At my American university, the process of officially getting a PhD was tiered. It went something like this:

No claim to being a PhD until after successfully defending.

Some informal claim to being a PhD after successfully defending. The committee members would usually make this explicit by congratulating the successful defendee with "Dr.".

A weird quasi-official claim when the university's official degree-completion tracking system formally acknowledged that the student has officially met all degree requirements and is scheduled to receive their degree at graduation.

Official claim upon graduation (whether or not attended).

Verifiable official claim once you have the piece of paper, which may be several weeks after graduation if not attended.

Folks I knew were reluctant to claim PhD-status until graduation, but I think that hiring managers in academia and industry tend to find the caveat of not having been through the ceremony to be fairly trivial. Family and friends are especially unlikely to care about that caveat, except as an excuse to talk about how exciting graduation'll be.

Nobody is going to quibble with you calling yourself a PhD after you've passed your defense, assuming everything went well. For legal purposes such as employment you are not technically a PhD until your university says you are, but in between those times you can honestly say "I've met all the requirements for a PhD and I'm waiting for graduation in the Spring".

It is not uncommon to be asked to make changes to the dissertation, or even do some extra experiments/investigation. Usually committee members consider these to be minor changes that do not require another defense, though they might withhold final approval signatures until they're satisfied. The point is that the committee members themselves do not expect the requested changes to be major endeavors- more of a refinement than substantially new work.

If your committee fails your defense then obviously you're still not a PhD in anybody's view.

Unofficially, YES. Officially, NO.

It is country and university specific. In my university (and in the country where I am working now), it works like this.

The Ph.D. student submits his thesis, checked by his own supervisor(s). This is then checked by the Academic Research Dean.

Once, it passes the above step, it goes to at least two/three external reviewers: one/two examiner(s) in the same country, another examiner in a different country.

The examiners usually get 3-6 months to review the dissertation. Time depends on field and department.

The outcome of the review is one of the following, which is decided by academic research dean and few other Ph.D. quality members:

• Accept as it is
• Accept with minor revision (comments from examiners)
• Accept with major revision (it goes again to the examiners, but less time for review is provided)
• Reject (usually unlikely; based on history)

Once the thesis is accepted (either of the first three of the above), the examiner(s) comes to the students' university for viva-voice. This process is called the `defense'.

Mostly, since the dissertation has been formally accepted if the student defends the thesis in front of the examiners and the Ph.D. panel, he is congratulated at the end. From this, he can assume himself to be graduated.

The official transcript and degree take some time to be conferred on him. Until the official transcript is received, one should not assume to be "officially" graduated.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged defense .

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Dissertation and Final Public Oral

• Print this section

The final public oral examination (FPO) is a final examination of the student’s field of study as well as a defense of the dissertation. The department schedules the FPO after it accepts readers’ reports and is satisfied that all requirements for the degree have been met. The GPA then advances the FPO application to the Graduate School for approval. Upon approval, the department is required to advertise the examination a minimum of three days before the examination date.

Degree Deadlines for the 2024-25 Academic Year

Readers and Examiners

• There must be at least two principal readers
• At least one must be a current faculty member from the student’s home department
• All readers must be approved to serve in graduate advisory roles (see table below)
• External readers must receive prior approval by the Graduate School
• External readers must hold a position equivalent to those approved to serve in advisory roles at Princeton
• There must be at least three principal examiners
• At least two of the examiners cannot have also served as readers of the dissertation
• External examiners require prior approval by the Graduate School
• Remote participation requires approval by the Graduate School, and at least two examiners must be present in person

Table of Approved Advisory Roles

• Emeritus/a faculty may serve in Ph.D. advising, thesis reading, and examining roles only if they were the student’s adviser or committee member prior to becoming an emeritus/a faculty member.
• Decision is made case by case based on the visitors’ credentials from their home institutions as well as their PU appointments.
• Also includes the rank of Principal Research Physicist, PPL only.
• Senior Scholars are not eligible to serve in advising or committee roles unless they are also emeritus/a faculty and qualify under that exception, as noted above. Senior Scholars may be approved to serve as dissertation readers or examiners on a case-by-case basis.
• Professor Senior Lecturers and Lecturers in the Department of Computer Science may be approved on a case-by-case basis to supervise the work of master’s degree students.Professional specialists may not serve on generals or Ph.D. committees, except for Art Museum curators,who are considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Senior Lecturers and Lecturers in the Department of Computer Science may be approved on a case-by-case basis to supervise the work of master’s degree students.

Advanced Degree Application for the Ph.D. (FPO Process)

Students complete the Advanced Degree Application in TigerHub. Once they have completed required fields, the application is submitted to the department. GPAs are notified of the submission and are instructed go into PeopleSoft to complete the application process. To complete the advanced degree application process, navigate to the graduate workcenter page and locate the folder “Graduation (Current)”. Enter appropriate search criteria to locate the application. The GPA updates the record and attaches all required materials before submitting the application to the Graduate School for review and approval.

All advanced degree applications are reviewed by the department and the Graduate School before a student is approved to hold the final public oral. The PeopleSoft field “Application Status” shows the progress of the application through each stage of the approval process. Here are the relevant codes, in the order in which they usually appear: STU – Student --> DEP – Department -->  ADV - Adviser --> DGS - Director of Graduate Studies --> AAO – Academic Affairs Coordinators (Jenny (and Joana when Jenny is unavailable) --> DN1 – Academic Affairs Deans (Geoffrey – Humanities and Social Sciences; Alice – Natural Sciences and Engineering) --> DN2 – Dean of the Graduate School (only required in special circumstances) --> APP – Approved --> END – End of process (final processing in the Graduate School is complete).

In cases where an application must be sent back to the department for review, the application will be sent back to DEP2 - Department.  This status allows the GPA to make changes and resubmit directly to AAO without additional adviser and department approval.

FPO Timeline

FPO Checklist for Graduate Administrators

When a student submits an advanced degree application, the GPA receives a workflow email from [email protected] that prompts the department to take action. The email includes a link that will take the GPA directly to the department approval page in PeopleSoft. Here are the steps for completing departmental approval of the application and moving it to the next stage of the process:

Part I: Application

• Check that the student’s personal and program information is correct in the top section of the application. If the current plan and/or the Generals date are incorrect, please contact [email protected] .
• Confirm that the proper degree date is selected
• Verify that the degree requested and field of degree match the student’s current plan. For example, if a student is applying for a Sociology and Social Policy degree (SOCSPL), but the current plan is SOC, the department needs to confirm that the student has fulfilled the requirements for SOCSPL and then contact the Graduate School to correct the current plan.

Part II: Dissertation

• Input the dissertation title exactly as it appears on the student’s title page. If any changes need to be made to the student’s title along the way, the title within the application should reflect that change.
• Add adviser(s)’ PUID number. If the student has more than one adviser, make sure to add all advisers. 
• Select an approving adviser(s).  Any advisers selected as approving advisers will be required to electronically review and submit the application in PeopleSoft. 
• Provide the date that the dissertation was made available to the department for review. 

Part III: PPP

• If the student requires an embargo, complete the questions.  Embargo questions must be completed before submitting the form to the adviser in order for the embargo approval questions to appear.
• For the few students who may need to submit a redacted dissertation, a rationale will need to be provided in the text box.
• Complete prior presentation and publication questions.  These questions replace the prior presentation and publication form, which was a separate form that had to be uploaded.  The section has responsive logic.  Answering “Yes” opens a textbox for additional information.  These fields are optional on the GPA page but the form can not be submitted on the adviser side until all fields are completed.

Part IV: Oral Exam

• Add examiners’ PUID numbers. There must be at least three principal examiners, all of them normally members of the Princeton faculty at the rank of assistant professor or higher. At least one of the examiners must be a current regular faculty member of the student’s home department. At least two examiners must not have been principal readers of the dissertation. If someone from outside Princeton University has been approved by the Graduate School to be an examiner, list them in the space provided.
• Add and/or confirm that the FPO time, date, and location are correct.

 Part V: Attachments

• All attachments should be in PDF form 
• Make sure that the student’s title page and abstract have been attached to the application. The title page should follow the general format found in the “Downloadable Documents” section found here . 
• Attach all Reader Reports. Confirm that all fields have been completed and that the form has been signed and dated by the reader. If the content of the report is a separate document, attach this as well. Verify that the content of the report has not been truncated.
• Attach the CVs of any approved outside readers or examiners, along with approval emails. The CV must indicate the examiner’s current professional position and education. Outsider readers or examiners must be of comparable standing in a relevant branch in the scholarly or research community. For additional detail, see the DGS Handbook.
• Mark all attachments with attachment type.

Part VI: Submit PhD

• Review the information summarized under the ‘Request to Hold FPO’ section.
• If applicable, complete all remaining questions on the request to hold form.  
• Save and submit the page.
• Once submitted, the application will be sent first to the adviser then to the DGS for review and approval.

Additional Information

• Advanced degree applications should be submitted to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the date of the student’s defense. If an application will not be able to be submitted before the two-week deadline, please notify the Graduate School.
• There must be a minimum of three days between the date of final FPO authorization by the dean and the date of the FPO. The posting sheet must be visible in the department for at least these three days. It may also be circulated electronically. The posting sheet will be available once the advanced degree application has successfully passed the deans’ approval.
• A faculty member, adviser, or DGS, can delegate authority to complete and approve the advanced degree application to the departmental GPA. This approval must be specific to the individual student and include the student’s name. The approval must be attached to the application as a PDF. The Graduate School cannot accept blanket approvals.

Note : Doctoral students end their enrollment on the first of the month following the FPO.

Submission of Final FPO Paperwork

All final paperwork should be submitted to the Graduate School electronically.  

The following actions must be taken prior to submitting final paperwork:

• Submit dissertation PDF to Princeton’s  ProQuest ETD site , paying any applicable publishing and copyright fees (the Graduate School requires traditional or open access publication and does not allow publication restrictions);
• Complete the  Survey of Earned Doctorates  (a pdf copy of the "Certificate of Completion" page of the SED);
• Complete the  Exit Survey (a pdf copy of the "Confirmation of Completion" page must be submitted);
• Complete the checkout process for students departing the University in  TigerHub .

Once all actions are complete, graduate students can submit final paperwork by logging into TigerHub to complete the submission of the final paperwork process.  Departments can also take this action on the student's behalf through PeopleSoft, by navigating to the GT tile and selecting the option to submit final paperwork.  Please refer to the  GPA How-To: Checkout Form guide  for steps on how to submit a GT Graduate Checkout Form on behalf of a student.

The form replaces the Final Public Oral Examination form and allows the DGS or committee chair to approve the examination electronically.  

All final paperwork is normally submitted immediately following the successful completion of the FPO examination, but in no case later than two weeks after the defense or by the degree deadline, whichever comes first.

Enrollment and Benefit for Graduating Students

Once a student has successfully completed the FPO and submitted all final forms to the Graduate School, that student has completed all requirements for the degree and will be awarded the degree on the corresponding degree conferral date. The benefits that a student may receive between FPO and degree conferral depend on the enrollment status that the student held at the time of FPO.

For students who are enrolled ( Regular or DCE ) at time of FPO: 

Enrollment ends the first of the month following the FPO. For example, enrollment would end on April 1 for a student who completed the FPO on March 15. Any student stipend support ceases at the time enrollment ends.

For any student who is enrolled at the time of degree completion, coverage under the Student Health Plan for off-campus medical treatment is automatically extended for 90 days from the first of the month after a student completes the FPO. For example, coverage would automatically continue from April 1 for 90 days for a student who completed the FPO on March 15, even though enrollment would end on April 1. Network privileges continue for 65 days following the date of degree conferral. Email forwarding, if set up, continues for one additional year.

For students who are no longer enrolled at the time of FPO:

Students who are not enrolled at the time of the FPO do not return to an enrolled status. Since degree candidacy continues, the degree is awarded at the next degree date and the student status reflects program completion.

Enrolled students who complete the degree in the month of May in time to qualify for the May degree list may be allowed to stay in University housing through the end of June, depending on their individual contract.

Students who still have access to the Princeton network will retain their email and network privileges for 65 days following the degree conferral, unless they reach the one-year limit for ET/DCC status (see pg. 39) before the degree is conferred. (CHANGE PAGE NUMBER TO LINK TO SECTION) DCU extensions (extensions of network privileges) may be awarded to students while they are in ET/DCC status will continue until the approved time frame has elapsed. Extensions must be requested by the student to the department administrator prior to the student losing network access. Extension of network privileges is only awarded to students who have unfinished work and the department still believes will complete the dissertation. All DCU extensions for graduate students require Graduate School approval. Graduating master’s students end their enrollment on the first of the month following the completion of their degree requirements.

For enrolled master’s students: Enrollment and student benefits end the first of the month after all degree requirements are met. For students who graduate in June, enrollment ends the date of commencement.

Continuation of Pay

In general, active Ph.D. students who receive support are ordinarily enrolled and supported through the end of the month in which they FPO (complete their final public oral examination).

Hooding Ceremony and Commencement Ceremony

Graduate students eligible to participate in hooding, commencement, and the Dean’s Doctoral Lunch can register for the event via the Graduate School website in early March. Students hoping to take part in Commencement, Hooding, and Dean’s Doctoral Lunch are asked to complete the online registration no later than the announced deadlines in late April and early May.

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$10.35M Settlement After Doctors Fail to Diagnose Virus

"I read an exhaustive amount of medical journals, literature, studies, scientific papers, from around the world on these topics, which I think ultimately gave me the ability to confront these defense experts in the opinions that they offered and really discount and diminish the validity of those opinions that they were trying to argue," Justin Drazin said.

September 19, 2024 at 10:29 AM

5 minute read

Medical Malpractice

Charles Toutant

Share with email, thank you for sharing.

The family of a man who was rendered blind and partially paralyzed after doctors failed to diagnose an inflammation of the brain caused by Varicella Zoster Virus has agreed to a $10.35 million settlement of their Middlesex County medical malpractice suit.

Phillip Tauriello, 42, was left with cognitive defects in addition to his blindness and paralysis after doctors failed to detect and treat a virus that caused inflammation in the brain, his suit claims. Tauriello had a history of multiple sclerosis and was unable to work but was living independently before the onset of the virus, the suit claims.

Tauriello went to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick in June 2018 with complaints of a severe headache. He was taking Tysabri, an immunosuppressant drug used to treat MS. Tests for exacerbation of MS proved to be negative, and he was treated with migraine medications and steroids and discharged four days later.

Roughly 36 hours after he was discharged, when he did not respond to relatives’ calls and texts, Tauriello was found at home, lying in his bathtub, after a friend broke down the front door. Tauriello acted disoriented, confused and combative, said Justin Drazin of Drazin & Warshaw in Red Bank, who represented the plaintiff along with Brian Drazin of the same firm.

Tauriello was taken to Hunterdon Medical Center, where he underwent a test of the cerebral spinal fluid and other tests. He was put on antibiotics and an antiviral called Acyclovir. That is the gold standard antiviral treatment for VZV infection, but that drug was discontinued prematurely when all Tauriello’s tests came back negative, said Justin Drazin.

Tauriello stayed at Hunterdon for two weeks, then was sent to a rehabilitation center. At the rehab center, he experienced fainting episodes, and was taken to Monmouth Medical Center. At that hospital he was given the proper tests and was diagnosed with VZV, but at that point there was little that could be done to prevent the blindness or paralysis, Drazin said.

A suit was filed in September 2020, with defendants that included Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, the parent of Robert Wood Johnson, as well as Hunterdon Medical Center and multiple individuals named as defendants. The defendants each pointed fingers at other defendants, Drazin said.

The parties held a mediation session with Raymond Reddin, a former Superior Court Judge who is now with Hall Booth Smith in Saddle Brook. Reddin continued to have mediation communications with the parties for the next year, Drazin said. On June 25, with a July 15 trial date approaching, a $10.35 million settlement was reached in a session with Middlesex County Presiding Civil Judge Michael Cresitello Jr.

Tauriello’s VZV virus was not adequately treated because of the improper work-up and administration of steroids at Robert Wood Johnson, which suppressed his immune system, Drazin said. The premature termination of antiviral medication at Hunterdon Medical Center was a factor in the failure to properly treat the virus, he said.

Asked about the most difficult parts of the case, Brian Drazin, father of Justin Drazin, said, “one of the challenges was that we thought the initial hospitalization and their failure to make the correct diagnosis, in and of itself, warranted enormous damages. But of course, each defendant pointed the finger. [The] defendant at the second hospital said by the time [Tauriello] got to us, he was already severely impaired and likely to suffer damages consistent with his end result. And of course, of course, our experts said, no, you could have saved him. He would have had some damages. He would have had some cognitive damages, but he would not have been blind or paralyzed,” Brian Drazin said.

While the defense experts were deposed, ”Two different experts had to literally use the words ‘you raise a good point’ as Justin took them to task for their disclaimers of liability and causation,” Brian Drazin said.

“Over the course of almost five years, litigating this case, investigating it,” Justin Drazin said, “hundreds and thousands of hours of time put in between the research, discussions with our experts, research on the internet, reading medical journals, basically, eating, sleeping, breathing, this case, for the better part of five years, I became extremely, extremely knowledgeable in the specifics of neurology related to this claim, in the specifics of diagnostic radiology related to the claim,” he said.

“I read an exhaustive amount of medical journals, literature, studies, scientific papers, from around the world on these topics, which I think ultimately gave me the ability to confront these defense experts in the opinions that they offered and really discount and diminish the validity of those opinions that they were trying to argue,” Justin Drazin said.

Hunterdon and Haddad were represented by Raymond J. Fleming of Rosenberg Jacobs Heller & Fleming in Morris Plains, who declined to comment. Rutgers Biomedical and Mani were represented by Robert Thomas Evers of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin in Roseland. Varidia was represented by John P. Shusted of German Gallagher & Murtaugh in Philadelphia. Evers and Shusted did not respond to calls about the settlement.

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