Defense
Defense at a Glance
Passing your defense is the final milestone of your doctoral journey: the culmination of all your hard work and dedication! Although the defense is often a formality some universities, at some it is not guaranteed that your dissertation will be approved if you make it to defense. The purpose of your defense is to present: i) the conception of your study (i.e., the research you conducted during topic development), ii) your results, and iii) the contribution and implications of your study. Not only is defense important for being granted your doctorate, it is also an important opportunity for your to hone you public speaking and lecturing skills.
After your defense, your chair and committee will announce that you have passed your defense and are granted your doctorate. Sometimes, your defense committee will return feedback that you must implement in your dissertation before it can be approved. Some universities require final approval of your dissertation from the head of the department or sometimes even a dean. At Walden, for example, the final approval is given by the Chief Academic Office.
How will Dissertation Demystified help me?
Dissertation Demystified's defense module coaches you in the following skills:
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Preparing an optimal slide deck (usually PowerPoint) that acts as an appropriate visual to accompany your defense lecture. It is important that your slides are not too wordy and that you do not simply read from your slides.
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Developing comprehensive speaker notes that guide you throughout the defense lecture, but are not a verbatim script that you read from. Your lecture should seem like you are speaking naturally from your head.
When it is time for your defense, Dissertation Demystified provides you with a mock defense session with a coach and other peers from the community in which we simulate the environment and questions you will be exposed to. After the mock defense, we will provide you comprehensive feedback on your performance including tips on how to improve your slides, speaker's notes, and responses to questions.