preparing for your oral presentation · decide: read, powerpoint, other? dress professionally bring...
TRANSCRIPT
Preparing for your oral presentation
Honors CollegeUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington
hello
Glen @ Flickr Borrett 2011Borrett
WHAT’S AN ORAL DEFENSE?
Overview of…- Subject- Methods- Evidence- Significance
An opportunity to show what you know!
WHAT’S A DEFENSE LOOK LIKE?
1. Professor introduces student
2. Student presents
3. Q & A session with audience
4. Q & A session with committee
5. Committee deliberates
6. You pass!
7. Celebration
http://youtu.be/Lrlro3YJ15oA take from Studio C |
PREPARING
Schedule a 2 hour time block (room, committee)Most defenses don’t need all of this time. Schedule early – calendars fill!
Decide: Public or Private?
Decide: Read, PowerPoint, Other?
Dress Professionally
Bring Snacks If you can, bring snacks (coffee, cookies) for your guests. You don’t want a Hangry audience! Show your appreciation.
http://info.mau.com/Portals/23906/images/6.jpg
Rachel Titiriga @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/
HOW DO I PREPARE? DEFENSE PLANNING TIMELINE:
Attend others’ Honors Thesis Defenses
Thesis Draft to Advisor Expect multiple rounds of edits and revisions
Once deemed ready, start planning your defense
Determine Time and Place for the eventCheck faculty schedules earlyUse Doodle Poll | doodle.com Reserve a room on campus
Ask director about expectations how long defense should last? how thorough you should be?
As Soon as Possible
Send thesis to committee members
Outline defense presentation
Start making visual aids
2 weeks before the defense
HOW DO I PREPARE? DEFENSE PLANNING TIMELINE:
Practice your presentationPractice by yourselfPractice with friends/familyPractice with a speaking tutorPractice your timing (see “Rehearse” tool in PPT)
Anticipate QuestionsThesis strengths and weaknesses?Who will ask the hard questions?Connections to other expertise on campus?Connections to Local/National News?
1 week before the defense
HOW DO I PREPARE? DEFENSE PLANNING TIMELINE:
WAIT! I’M NOT DONE WRITING MY PAPER!
Assess Progress with Director If you’re not ready, taking a third semester is the best option.
Write Incessantly -- Daily Edit & Revise
Writing Center Help editing
Revisions Expect to revise your thesis (multiple times) Post defense edits/revisions – committee feedbackDoesn’t have to be perfect for the defenseAllow enough time to revise and submit on time! http://academictimgunn.tumblr.com/post/31656522113
EXPECTATIONS
How you think your committee will react to your defense How they’ll likely react
WHY YOUR COMMITTEE IS LIKELY TO REACT POSITIVELY
Advisor should not let you defend if not ready
Professors had defenses during their education (Hon, MS, PhD)
Literaturearticles discussing undergrad and grad theses, as well dissertation defenses. Ex. “Dissertation Defense: We’re Doing Something Right” by Leonard Cassuto
WHAT IF I SAY THE WRONG THING?!WHAT TO DO DURING THE Q & A
Take time -- ponder the question
Answer to the best of your ability
Don’t overanswer. Address the question and stop.
Say “I don’t know”. It's imperative if you don’t!
All scholars have knowledge limitsWhere are your limits? Follow up with: “… but here is how I would find out …”
THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR DEFENSE
http://youtu.be/ZsABTmT1_M0“Treat yo self” Parks & Recreation |
Have fun. Relax. You’ll be great.
Get Plenty of Sleep!
MORE HELPFUL LINKS
Preparing for the Oral Defense of the Dissertation | Marianne Di Pierro: http://rube.asq.org/edu/2010/01/career-development/preparing-for-the-oral-defense-of-a-dissertation.pdf
How to survive a thesis defense | Joe Wolfe http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/viva.html
The Perfect Defense: The Oral Defense of a Dissertation |Valerie Balesterhttp://youtu.be/edQv9OKvfdU
PRESENTATION RESOURCES
How to avoid death By PowerPoint | David JP Phillips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwpi1Lm6dFo
Life After Death by PowerPoint | Don McMillanhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjcO2ExtHso 3:59 min
20:32 min
The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint| Edward Tuftehttp://users.ha.uth.gr/tgd/pt0501/09/Tufte.pdf
Challenge: Critique this presentation. What worked, what did not. Why?
Death by PowerPoint | Alexei Kapterevhttp://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint