Defending Your Dissertation, Part Two: Thoughts for the Big Day

The last post covered how to think about and prepare to defend your dissertation or thesis. In this post, we’ll consider some strategies for just before and during the defense itself.

The Day Before

One day before your defense, make sure you have all the details clear. You may want to contact your advisor if you have any lingering questions about format, timing, or platform – or just for encouragement, if you are fortunate enough to have that kind of relationship with. The other thing you should do is pick out what to wear. Yes, even if you are defending online and even if you aren’t someone who cares about clothes. Wearing something comfortable and professional can help you feel confident. And the last thing you want to waste time doing the morning of your defense is ransacking your closet for a clean shirt or matching socks.

A question that no one has ever asked me, but that I will answer now anyway, is, “Do I have to wear matching socks to my defense?” I think the right answer is, only if it makes you feel more erudite and professional. If you like the quiet, quirky rebellion of mismatched socks, by all means, have at it. I advise against holes, however. Sartorial rebellion can go too far.

The Night Before

Do your regular bedtime routine, whatever that is. Don’t try to go to bed extra early, because often that’s a recipe for lying awake. But also, don’t stay up late preparing. At this point the hay, as they say, is in the barn. Just stick to the ordinary schedule, and don’t stress out if you can’t sleep. You know your material well enough to perform even without a full night of rest. And you can sleep tomorrow night.

The Day of the Defense

As much as possible, try to clear your schedule of other obligations. During this age of remote meetings, it’s easy to think we can just squeeze an important event in between filing that report at work and cooking dinner. And if you have to, you can. I did my defense at night after a long day of work, mostly because one of my committee members was in a different time zone and I was new at my job and didn’t have vacation yet. But if you can, make the day a restful one. Take a long walk. Do some deep breathing. Pray. Clean the fridge if that helps you relax.

In addition to making an effort to relax, you should also do a little last-minute preparation. Some things to consider:

Check all technology. If you are defending in person, check the tech in the room where you will be. Does your slide presentation work? Do you have all the adapters you need? For online defenses, make sure your computer is fully charged and bring a power cord with you, just in case. Also consider alternative internet, like your phone hotspot, in case the Wi-Fi fails. Check your computer’s microphone and camera, and make sure you like the lighting and background in the room where you will be.
Check your supplies. Do you have your notes? Drinking water (you’d be amazed how dry your mouth can get when you are nervous)? Comfortable chair?
Look over your notes and run through your presentation, just to reassure yourself.

During the Defense

As I wrote in the previous post on defending your dissertation, the defense is often an enjoyable and collegial experience. No matter what happens, though, maintain a calm presence. Remind yourself to breathe deeply, and try to speak in a measured, confident way. Don’t feel like you need to answer questions quickly or with a lot of words. Take your time and consider what to say.

It is perfectly fine to ask committee members to rephrase or restate questions. If you don’t understand the question, that may well be because it wasn’t clear. Simply say, “I’m sorry, could you repeat the question?” Or restate what you think the committee member was asking, and ask, “Did I understand the question correctly?”

No matter how well you have prepared, you will very likely be asked a question to which you do not have a good answer. No one expects that you will hit a home run with every question, so don’t worry too much about that. You will, however, need to say something in response, as staring at the committee in openmouthed dismay is generally frowned upon (although you can certainly still pass with a few such moments). Here are a few ideas to have in your back pocket and pull out in a pinch:

That wasn’t within the scope of my research, but Dr. Smith has some interesting things to say about that.
That reminds me of the work of Dr. Lang, who said [this really interesting and semi-relevant thing].
That would fit well with my argument about [something you said in the dissertation or thesis that was at least tangentially relevant].
I hadn’t considered that, but I can see where it might apply to [something in the dissertation or thesis].
That’s a great point. Addressing that could really strengthen my argument in [a chapter or section].
And as a last resort: That’s a great point. I hope to look into that in future research.

Questions Committee Members Might Ask

The questions you will be asked can vary widely, and depend on your field, your topic, your institution, and your committee members. Most questions will probably deal with the content of your dissertation or thesis. Here, however, are a few general examples that might come up in any defense:

Who were some of the most influential scholars for this work?
What is the unique contribution of your work?
How will your work change the way scholars approach this topic?
How/why did you choose your data sources?
What challenges did you face?
What surprised you about your research?
How does your work interact with other fields?
What would you do differently if you were to start this project again?
What is your next project/next steps/next research in this area?
How will you apply your research in your job?
What other practical implications does your research have?

After the Defense

In the next post, I’ll talk more about what happens after the defense. As you are planning for the day, however, make sure that you put some kind of celebration on the schedule. You probably won’t schedule a big party until you know you have passed and made the necessary corrections, but you should still mark the occasion. Treat yourself to a quiet dinner or some ice cream, enjoy relaxing in the backyard, or even watch a show you like. This is a moment you have been working toward for a long time, and you need to do something to acknowledge the milestone.