By: Eric
Paulin
Do not put long paragraphs in your
PowerPoint presentation. The headings or the titles of each part of your thesis will do.
The content of your paper better come from your oral delivery. Besides, the
panelists prefer to read from the manuscript you provided them since that is where
they immediately write their comments during your presentation.
Accept their comments and suggestions
openly. If the panelists are telling you to revise an extensive amount of
your thesis, it doesn’t mean that your paper is a failure. Take note that the
panelists are there to help you, not to bring you down. Listen to everything
they say and make sure to follow all corrections after the oral presentation.
Explain your paper well. After your
oral presentation, the panelists will ask you several questions like why did
you venture into that kind of problem, what are the SOPs, what methodologies
did you apply, and even your data analysis procedures. Most of the times, they
are simply asking for clarifications, since you are the ones who wrote the
paper. They are asking about things that are not written in your paper. The
only thing to do here is to simply answer. Clarify. Explain. There is no need
for you to raise your tone and insist that your paper is already perfect.
Admit your flaws; this is a defense, not an
offense. As I have mentioned, your thesis is not the perfect research paper
out there. There will be areas where the panelists will really find
questionable and illogical. Being in a defense does not necessarily mean that
you have to defend your paper for the point of avoiding revisions. Do not be afraid
of revisions! All research papers go through it!
Observe a logical flow of data presentation.
Basically, the panelists focus on certain parts of your thesis such as your
title, the statement of the problem, the data gathering procedure and analyses,
and the results. It is very important that these things complement each other.
Otherwise, that would be a big hole that the panelists can enter and attack you
from the inside.
You write your thesis, not your adviser,
nor your PR teacher. When the panelists ask you about why did you do
something, never answer that it was because that was what your PR teacher told
you to do. Take note that your PR teacher is only there to teach you the
general principles of research writing and guide you throughout the process.
But, the decision making and the selection of methods that would best fit the
interest of your paper rest on your hands. If you know what you are doing, I am
sure that you can answer all of their queries.
As a form of defense, concretize your
“Scope and Limitations”. Sometimes, since the panelists do not have all the
time in the world to read your research paper word per word, they ask questions
that are already outside the limits of your study. For situations like this,
make sure that all specific things tackled in your paper are written in Chapter
1. Likewise, concepts and other elements that is outside the responsibilities
of your research endeavor should also be clearly stated.
As a form of offense, learn your “Review of
Related Literature” by heart. The only part of your thesis that will back
you up during the question and answer portion is your RRL since it features the
different established form of knowledge related to your current research
endeavor. It is also a plus point during your oral presentation if you will
cite your significant references from time to time. For example, you may say,
“But according to the study of Einstein in 2017, it has been proven that your
point is a fallacy.” Just kidding!
You can also ask your panelists questions. Wait,
you SHOULD do this. Thesis defense is an active communication process. They ask
you for clarifications, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot do the same. If
they give you suggestions, make sure that you understand what they are trying
to point out very well. Otherwise, do not be afraid of asking them to repeat or
explain further. It is also good if you will bring a blank piece of paper with
you where you can write down their suggestions.
Smile. A positive attitude is very
important during oral presentations. You have to realize that the panelists can
easily sense if you are nervous or not. If yes, believe me, they will ask you
more questions! Be confident. Speak in a loud and clear voice. You have to show
them that you are proud of your research paper, and that you are only there to
listen to their suggestions.
Most importantly, prepare. This one
needs no further explanation. Know your thesis by heart. Not the words or the
concepts written there. Instead, focus more on identifying your purpose for
writing your research. The most common questions that panelists ask are:
Why did you
choose that topic?
What will it
contribute to your strand?
What do you
really want to find out in your research?
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