top 10 questions in thesis defense with answers

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40 Thesis Defense Questions

Practicing answering thesis defense questions in a mock thesis defense is the best way to get ready for this challenging step in your academic career. Aside from knowing your research project inside and out, you must have solid strategies for tackling different question types and talking about why you chose your research topic. You might have already answered questions related to your research interests in your research interest statement and grad school interview questions , but now after years for in-depth study, it's time to really test what you have accomplished! Check out some of the hardest thesis defense questions below and read our expert responses!

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Article Contents 11 min read

What to expect in a thesis defense.

A thesis defense is your chance to demonstrate your in-depth knowledge and expertise in the topic of your research thesis. While you will be able to take charge of the narrative and present your research to those on your thesis committee, the professors will prod you to test how well you know and understand your topic. The questions are mostly open-ended and give you the chance to showcase your knowledge and understanding, as well as any future plans you may have regarding your research topic.

A thesis defense usually lasts between one and two hours, depending on the area of your research. It starts with you giving a presentation of your interest, findings, and conclusions. After you have finished, the committee members will ask you questions based not only on your presentation, but also on your written thesis as they will have read it before your presentation. Lastly, the committee might approve your thesis or suggest changes to your paper.

Preparing thesis defense questions requires you to start well in advance. While the duration of your thesis defense might vary as per your institution's requirements, the major idea is to defend your research. Thus, you should go about preparing for your thesis defense questions by taking the following steps.

Interested in a quick overview of the section below? Check out this infographic:

Re-read your thesis for clarity

Your thesis defense questions will be based on what you have written in your research paper. Hence, it is a good idea to re-read your paper. You should be clear on the concepts and understand your research well. It might have been some time since you would have submitted your paper, so a revision should be the starting point of your preparation.  

Have an answer strategy and structure

Plan a strategy to answer the panel’s questions. Keep your answers direct, but elaborate on the research details wherever necessary. If you do not know the answer to a question, that is alright. The key is to be able to formulate an answer even if you do not possess enough knowledge to answer at that point in time. For instance, if a question is about the content of your research, you can say something like “I am not certain my research touches on the question you are asking, but my research has led me to Dr. X. Based his evidence, I would have to conclude that…” Having a strategy for answering even the most unexpected questions can be a life saver in these situations!

Most of the thesis defense questions can be easily predicted based on your research. You can prepare a list of possible questions when you are going through your paper. Getting to know the committee can help you in preparing better. Their areas of expertise can help you in determining what they might ask. Once you have a list of questions, you can start brainstorming how you might answer them. 

Prepare your slides in advance

If you require visual aids such as slides, it is a good idea to prepare them beforehand. You can double-check the slides and make sure that your presentation will run smoothly on the day of your thesis defense. Make sure your slides are arranged in the correct order. 

Attend a thesis defense of other candidates if it is an open event

If your institution allows it, you can visit a thesis defense of other candidates. This will give you an excellent idea of what you can expect in your meeting. If it is not possible to attend the event, you can speak to your peers to find out how their meeting went and what questions were asked.

Dress appropriately for your meeting

The thesis defense meeting is a formal event, and hence you should be dressed in formal clothes. While there are no strict dressing rules, you should consider it something equivalent to a job interview. Don’t just wear your T-shirt and appear in front of the committee. Your formal suit is a better option for the occasion.

Practice speaking for your meeting

Take your preparation to the next level by practicing your presentation. This activity will give you the confidence for the actual meeting and presentation. You can request your academic peers to help you out in the practice task. Based on their feedback in the mock session, you can improve for the actual session. Make sure to prepare well for the mock session as if you are preparing for the actual session. You can also practice your speech and body language in the mock session. If you used thesis writing services , these professionals would also be the ideal people to test you in a mock thesis defense – don’t hesitate to reach out to them again!

Sample Thesis Defense Questions and Answers

1.    what is your research study all about.

In your answer, you should summarize your research in a few sentences. The question is simple but requires technical expertise for a better explanation of concepts. For instance, if you completed a thesis in an attempt to explain the constituents of dark matter in the universe and particle accelerators, you could frame your answer like this:

In this research, the different aspects of dark matter and its detection models have been investigated. The cosmic ray positron excess observed by the PAMELA detector has been discussed and explained through the construction of models of decaying dark matter. The cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra were studied assuming a general Dirac structure for the four fermion contact interactions of interest. A supersymmetric leptophilic Higgs model was constructed to explain the possible excess of gamma rays in the galactic center. Finally, by the use of Razor analysis, an improvement on the dark matter collider searches is considered.  

2.    Why did you choose this study?

This question requires you to answer what motivated you to pursue the study in the first place. Your answers could touch on your interests in the area of the study. For example, if you conducted a study called “Media Combat: The Great War and the Transformation of American Culture” then you can shape your answer like this:

The First World War (1914-1918) has always been a topic of fascination for me, and my prime interest lies in exploring the state of society at that time. I wanted to analyze the formation of a nationalized, wartime cultural apparatus during the United States' involvement in the war and how theatre and music transformed the relationship between the government and American citizens. 

3.    Why did you choose this particular title for your research?

The title of your thesis captures the main point of your research, which is why it is so important to use an appropriate title. Your committee will want to know how you came to the final decision of naming your work. For example,

I chose the title “Dark matter in the heavens and at colliders: Models and constraints” for my research thesis because my research attempts to explain the constituency of dark matter as it occurs in the universe. “The heavens” is another word for the universe. Dark matter can also be created in particle accelerators such as the CERN collider. I have attempted to provide an explanation for both of the cases through the use of models, along with describing the constraints which exist in the current times due to certain scientific limitations.

4.    What is the scope of your study?

In your answer, you have to define the boundaries of your project and define exactly what you are studying. There can be several elements involved but you have to define the parameters that you have chosen to study. For example,

My study is on the efficacy of equity stocks in the US market. For my study, I have chosen 50 companies listed on the NASDAQ. You can review the names of these companies on page 5 of my thesis.

5.    What phenomenon were you trying to understand with this research?

Describe the focus concept of your thesis in the answer. For example,

In our study “Motivation to volunteer”, we were looking to study the Theory of Planned Behavior by analyzing the behavioral and normative beliefs that influence attitudes and subjective norms.

6.    Who will be most interested in your research?

You can talk about who may be affected by your research and the parties who can potentially benefit from the research. Take a look at this example:

My sociology thesis on “Impact of social media on youngsters” can be of interest to sociology academics, social media companies, education experts, and parents of youngsters in general.

7.    Did your research questions evolve during the process? If so, how?

Often, qualitative research questions change over time with respect to the responses that you might get from your focus group. Or you might just change your question as you do lab research or general text research. You can describe the change to the evaluating committee. For example,

We started our study to understand the impact of the new public policy change on recycling of vinyl waste through installation of garbage bins specifically for vinyl products. However, after interviewing some of the respondents in the target community, we found that the rule is actually irrelevant to their behavior and thoughts because the percentage of vinyl waste in that specific locality was very low and it didn’t need the installation of dedicated bins for the purpose. Going by their frustrations with the current economic insecurity, our study evolved into the impact of costs incurred by public policy changes.           

8.    What gaps did you intend to bridge with your research?

Your research thesis must eliminate the present gaps in the concepts related to your subject topic.

The relationship between hard water and its effect on the size of the kidney stone is not clear yet, so we analyzed the mineral composition of hard water to determine its impact on the size of the kidney stone.

9.    Why is your research significant?

The answer to this research question should outline the impact of your research on your field of study. You may talk about the new insights contributed by your research and its impact on society.

Through my study on “The effect of chamomile in reducing stress and promoting better sleep,” patients with insomnia and anxiety will be able to find alternative treatments without the use of medicinal drugs. The medical abilities of chamomile will promote the usage of ingredients in nature and will encourage the community to plant more herbs and trees.

10. What did you find in your research?

You may describe your research in a few sentences in this answer. For instance,

In our study on “Impact of artificial fluoride in water on the human body,” we found that excessive exposure to high quantities of Fluoride can result in tooth discoloration and bone issues in humans since it has neurotoxic qualities. 

11. What research findings surprised you?

When you conduct research, you come across findings that you were not expecting earlier. If you had such an experience, you might describe the same to the evaluation committee when you answer this question. For example,

I was expecting that business promotion through social media would not be a good idea for rural enterprises in developing countries in my comparative analysis of the usage of traditional and contemporary marketing methods. But I was surprised to learn that 68% of rural textile businesses in Nigeria promote their products on Instagram.

12. What is the validity of your findings?

You have to talk about the conditions in which your research findings would be valid.

In my research, I have considered test anxiety to be involving both nervous system activation and negative thoughts. Thus, my measure of test anxiety has included the elements of both nervous feelings and negative thoughts, the conditions in which my findings are valid.

For example,

For studying the differential protein expression, its localization, and distribution at different levels, we used the method of immunostaining in our research.

14. What sources did you use for data collection?

You would have used several sources to search for data for your topic. You may elaborate on those sources. You might have referred to databases, content on the web, or even conducted primary research by interviewing prospects. Thus, you can talk about these sources. Refer to the following answer:

To understand the impact of the current tax regime on skilled workers, we interviewed 150 subjects in 5 months. Additionally, we referred to databases and scholarly works available by authors who had previously conducted such studies for previous tax laws and rates. 

15. How can your research be put into practice?

This question talks about the practical implications of your research. You should talk about how your research is beneficial for society and how it can help in eliminating current issues.

In our research titled “Effectiveness of Meditation on Reducing the Anxiety Levels of College Students in the US,” we discovered that students who practiced meditation at least thrice a week were two times more likely to score better in their exams, owing to the positive impact of meditation. So, this research finding can help in the reduction of mental health issues among students. A suitable course of action would be to hold meditating sessions a couple of times a week. 

16. How will your findings contribute to the related area of knowledge?

Our study on medicinal analysis of herbs conveys information about various medicinal benefits of chamomile in treating depression and contributes to the area of medicinal botany.

17. Did you experience any limitations in your research?

Our research on “Impact of smoking on β-cell function and risk for type 2 diabetes in US citizens” finds that smoking increases the risk of diabetes among smokers. However, smokers might be affected by some genetic conditions which can protect them from diabetes. 

18. What sampling techniques did you use?

When conducting research, it is practically not possible to study the entire number of elements. So, you would be using a method to select a sample population.

In our study “Impact of consumption of soda on the health of teenagers in Corpus Christi”, we used area sampling to divide the city into several areas and then selected some clusters for our sample group.

19. What are the dependent and independent variables in your research?

In research, several variable factors impact your study. You can describe these variables. Independent variables have values which are not affected by other variables in your study. On the other hand, the dependent variables have values that change with changes in the independent variable. For example,

In our study on “Impact of online tutoring on test scores”, the independent variable is the nature of the classes i.e., online and the participants' test score is the dependent variable.

20. What areas do you suggest for further research?

As a researcher, you should be able to describe what further areas are open for research with the addition of your research to the field. This can act as a starting point for future researchers. For example,

In my research on “Effectiveness of Acetaminophen in treating sports induced injuries”, I discovered that administering Acetaminophen is not very effective for treating joint pains such as the knee. This further suggests measures for the regulation of Acetaminophen in the production of painkillers for body pain and the search for alternative compounds.

Practice Questions

After taking a look at the sample answers, now try answering these questions by yourself:

Do you have any closing comments? "}]'>

After submitting your research thesis for evaluation, you have to appear before a panel of professors and present your work; afterwards, they will ask you questions about your research.

You have to plan and prepare for your thesis defense. Review your paper and anticipate the questions that the committee can ask. Practice with mock defense sessions using professional servicesand make improvements based on their feedback. Be prepared with a strategy for answering any question asked by the panel.

Your research thesis should be on a topic of your interest. Scan your course syllabus to find something that makes you curious. Or, you can even refer to your grad school career goals statement to review what got you interested in grad school in the first place. Shortlist a few topics and zero down to the one that excites you the most.

The first step in preparing for a master’s thesis defense is to revise your research paper and write down a list of questions that the committee might ask. Find answers to those questions and get ready for your presentation. Practice your presentation beforehand. Try to attend a thesis defense of other candidates to know what you can expect in your session. 

You will get questions related to what you have mentioned in your research paper. The most common starting questions are “what is your research about?" and “what was your motivation behind choosing this topic?” Later on, the committee asks you more detailed questions on research methodology, literature review, study variables, research findings, recommendations, and areas of further research.

You can get help from a grad school essay tutor for your research thesis writing. They can help you in developing writing skills and reviewing your work. They can proofread your work and provide recommendations on areas of improvement.

You can include your research thesis on your grad school CV to show your practical knowledge and skills. You can add the details of the study in a separate section for research experience.

Immediately after the thesis defense, the evaluation panel will decide whether to approve your paper as submitted or request some changes, or reject it.

To pass a thesis defense, a majority of the panel members must approve the defense. In case of more than one vote against you, you can fail the thesis.

A thesis defense can last for two hours or longer, depending on your area of research.

Your thesis defense presentation should include the focus concept, findings, recommendation, and conclusion.

The contribution of your thesis towards your degree differs as per institution. You can refer to your course handbook for exact details. In most cases, the committee needs to approve your thesis for you to graduate from your degree.

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why did you choose this place for a research locale

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Jeff! Yes, this can also be one of the questions you are asked in a thesis defense!

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Hello Eshetu! Thanks for your comment. Glad you found this helpful!

Very helpful

Thanks, Abel. Glad you found this helpful. 

Helpful thank you.

Hi Lagat! Thanks!

As an 11th-grade student, I don't have any experience in thesis or research defense in general. Me and my groupmates will be conducting our research title defense next week, this is invaluable information for us. Thank you!

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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, I REALLY APPRECIATE.

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EMELDA NAFULA NYONGESA

This is a good guideline to post graduate students (Masters and PhD) CPA:Emelda Nyongesa

Hi Emelda! Thanks!

Hello, all questions were useful for me thank you so much

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I am so grateful for this guide, I am leveraged about presenting my research proposal and defending my thesis within the coming 3 months

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Home » Feature » Top 18 Possible Questions in a Thesis Defense

Top 18 Possible Questions in a Thesis Defense

A thesis defense is an important milestone in a student’s academic career. It is a chance for the student to demonstrate that they have learned the material and are able to defend their work in front of their peers and professors. The thesis defense is also an opportunity for the student to learn more about what it takes to be a successful researcher. In order to prepare for the thesis defense , the student should review their research paper and practice speaking about their findings. They should also be prepared to answer questions from the audience.

When you’re ready to present your thesis to your professor, you’ll likely have a few questions in mind. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are the ten most common questions and what to expect when defending your work.

What should you expect during your thesis defense?

Your thesis defense is the culmination of your graduate studies. It is a time to showcase your hard work and intellectual prowess. You will be questioned by your committee, who will be looking for evidence that you understand your research and can defend it against criticism. Be prepared to answer questions about your research, methodology, findings, and implications. You may also be asked about your future plans and how you see your research impacting the field of study. Be confident and poised during your defense; it is an opportunity to demonstrate that you are a scholar worthy of a degree.

Top 18 Questions and Answers During Thesis Defense

A graduate student’s academic career isn’t complete without a successful defense of a thesis. For graduate students, the defense of their thesis before a panel of experts is a critical step in the process of proving the validity of their findings. To help you prepare for your own thesis defense, we’ve compiled a list of 18 frequently asked questions and their associated answers.

1. What are the main findings of your thesis?

In your response, you should briefly summarize your investigation. The question is straightforward but requires technical knowledge for a more complete explanation of the concepts. For instance, if you were attempting to describe the relationship between job satisfaction and affective commitment in a thesis, you could construct your response as follows:

The main findings of my thesis are that there is a significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment and that this relationship is mediated by affective commitment. Additionally, I found that there is a significant relationship between affective commitment and turnover intention.

2. Why did you choose this study?

This question demands that you explain your initial motivation for pursuing the topic. Your responses may touch on your own research interests. For instance, if you did a study titled “The Extent of State Obligations in Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking: Challenges and Perspectives for a Philippine Human Rights-Based Approach,” your response could be as follows:

I chose this study because human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights and a pressing global issue. The Philippines is considered a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking, making it an appropriate context for examination. By exploring the extent of state obligations in preventing and combating human trafficking, I aim to shed light on the challenges faced by the Philippine government in fulfilling its duties. Additionally, I seek to highlight the potential of a human rights-based approach to address this issue effectively. Through this research, I hope to contribute to the existing literature and generate practical recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders in the Philippines and beyond. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to the eradication of human trafficking and the promotion of human rights on a broader scale.

3. What is the significance of your findings?

The response to this research question should describe the influence of your work on your field of study. You may discuss the fresh insights that your study has contributed and their impact on society.

The significance of my findings is that they could help to improve the accuracy of predictions made by machine learning algorithms. My thesis defense was important because it showed that my research is valuable and has the potential to make a contribution to the field of machine learning.

4. How did you go about conducting your research?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the research process will vary depending on the topic of your thesis and the methodology you’re using. However, in general, you’ll want to start by finding relevant literature and articles, then designing and conducting experiments or surveys to collect data, and finally analyzing and interpreting your findings. You’ll also need to present your findings in a clear and concise way in your thesis defense.

5. What sources did you use for data collection?

You would have looked for information on your topic from a variety of sources. You are free to expand on those sources. You could have used databases, web content, or even conducted primary research by interviewing prospects. As a result, you can discuss these sources. Please see the following response:

For data collection, I used a variety of sources, including both primary and secondary sources. For my primary sources, I conducted interviews with experts in the field and collected survey data from consumers. For my secondary sources, I analyzed studies conducted by other researchers as well as data from government agencies and private companies.

6. What are the limitations of your research?

This is another easy question that is hard to answer. Most of the time, the question isn’t asked to help you feel better but to find ways to criticize your work. You have to be careful with your words if you want to answer this question, or you might get yourself in trouble. Be careful not to sell yourself short. Do not talk about the problems with your methods or how you analyzed the data. This could make it seem like your study is biased or not well done. Instead of putting limits on your study, use simple things like how hard it is to combine lectures and projects.

My research is focused on the use of big data and machine learning in marketing. However, there are many other applications for these technologies that I am not able to explore in my thesis. Additionally, there are many potential pitfalls with using big data and machine learning that I am not able to explore in my research.

7. What are the implications of your findings?

This question concerns the application of your study. You should discuss how your study benefits society and how it might aid in resolving pressing problems.

The implications of my findings are that more research is needed to fully understand the effects of climate change on plant communities. Additionally, my research suggests that climate change may lead to a decline in plant diversity, which could have serious consequences for ecosystems.

8. How does your thesis contribute to existing knowledge in your field?

Explain how your research will add to the existing body of knowledge. To answer this question, you must describe how your research will serve the government in policy formation and execution, how it will aid other students who may wish to conduct research on the topic, and how organizations and society will benefit from your research.

My research is significant because it has the potential to improve the accuracy of predictions made by machine learning algorithms. This could have a major impact on a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

9. What are the future research directions that could be taken based on your findings?

You should be able to discuss the new fields of research that have been opened up as a result of your research as a researcher. Researchers in the future will be able to use this as a starting point. For instance,

The future research directions that could be taken based on my findings are:

• Investigating the effects of different types of music on cognitive function.
• Examining the effects of music listening on mood and emotions.
• Studying the long-term effects of music listening on cognitive function.

10. In a few sentences, can you tell us what your study is all about?

In your response, you should briefly summarize your investigation. The question is straightforward but requires technical knowledge for a more complete explanation of the concepts. For instance, if you wrote a thesis attempting to explain the effects of various types of stress on memory, you could structure your response as follows:

My study is about the effects of different types of stress on memory. I am looking at how different types of stressors, such as physical or psychological stress, affect people’s ability to remember things.

11. Why did you choose this particular title for your research?

As a researcher, it is critical that you choose a title that accurately reflects the content of your thesis. How did you make the final decision to name your work? Your committee will want to know that. For instance,

The title of my research is “The Role of Social Media in the Political Process.” I chose this title because I think social media has a huge role to play in the political process. I’m interested in how social media can be used to engage people in the political process and how it can be used to spread information about candidates and issues.

12. What is the scope of your study?

In your response, you must define the scope of your study and precisely what you are researching. There may be several elements involved, but you must define the parameters you have chosen to investigate. As an example,

The scope of my study is to analyze the effects of a new management style on employee productivity. The elements involved in the study are the employees of a company who will be randomly divided into two groups, one with the new management style and one without. The parameters of the study are the number of employees in each group, the length of time the study will be conducted, and the productivity metric that will be used.

13. Who will be most interested in your research?

You can discuss who might be affected by your research and who might benefit from it. Consider the following example:

The people who will be most interested in my research are other researchers in the same field. They will be interested in my findings and how they can apply them to their own work. I also hope that my research will be of interest to the general public, as it could have implications for their everyday lives.

14 . What gaps did you intend to bridge with your research?

Every research study must address an issue. Your ability to solve this challenge and explore previously unexplored places earns you the maximum possible score for this response. You must be able to persuade the committee members that your technique is novel and that it has covered regions where little research has been conducted by other researchers.

The gaps that I intended to bridge with my research were the lack of knowledge about the role of emotions in decision-making and the lack of understanding of how people make decisions under stress. My research aimed to fill these gaps by exploring how emotions affect decision-making and how people make decisions under stress.

15. What research findings surprised you?

When conducting research, you discover results that you did not anticipate. If you have had such an incident, you may describe it to the evaluation committee in your response. For instance,

I was surprised by how little difference there was between the test scores of students who attended private and public schools. I also found that the achievement gap between rich and poor students is much wider than I expected.

16. What is the validity of your findings?

You must discuss the criteria under which your research findings are valid.

The validity of our research findings is based on the accuracy and precision of our data. Our data was collected using a valid and reliable survey instrument, which means that our findings are likely to be accurate. Additionally, our results were analyzed using appropriate statistical techniques, which increases the reliability of our findings.

17 . What theories or theoretical framework is your study based on?

This is a very technical but intriguing question. Before entering the defense room, you should be familiar with at least two relevant theories related to your research.

The study is based on the theory of planned behavior. This theory looks at the factors that influence people’s intentions to behave in a certain way. It includes beliefs about the behavior, attitudes towards the behavior, and social norms regarding the behavior.

18 . Based on your findings, what are your recommendations?

In every research study, recommendations are very important and should not be taken lightly. In the end, you should be able to give your recommendations at any given time.

Based on my findings, I recommend that businesses focus on creating valuable content and building relationships with their customers. They should also strive to create a strong online presence through social media and SEO.

How to Prepare for Your Thesis Defense

First, make sure you know what is expected of you during the defense. Familiarize yourself with the format and the questions that will be asked. Next, practice presenting your thesis to others. Get feedback and work on refining your presentation. Finally, be prepared to answer any questions that may be thrown your way.

The thesis defense is a nerve-wracking experience, but it is also a chance to show off all of your hard work. Be sure to prepare for the questions that will be asked of you, and remember to relax and have fun. By preparing for these questions, you can ensure that your defense goes as smoothly as possible. The thesis defense is an important milestone in your academic career, so congratulations on making it this far!

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How to Approach Thesis Defense Questions

Be prepared for the best approach to your thesis defense questions with the aid of our simple Mind The Graph article.

While writing a thesis, everyone considers the moment of defense and which questions or issues will be raised during this time.  

The best approach to prepare for this challenging time in your academic career is to practice addressing thesis defense questions. You’ll need to know your research project well enough in order to confidently and knowledgeably respond to every inquiry that comes your way. 

This article will guide you through the process so you can understand how it works, what to expect, and how to approach it successfully. Learning about thesis defense is another excellent strategy to prepare for what is to come.

What should you expect during your thesis defense?

In a thesis defense, you will first have the opportunity to demonstrate your comprehension of the selected subject, directing your audience to the most significant parts of it, how you managed to link the key aspects of your work, and how those key aspects led you to your discoveries. Your instructors or mentors will push you to demonstrate how well you know the content, while the committee will begin to formulate thesis defense questions. 

A thesis defense can last up to one or two hours, depending on the subject and the amount of information to be covered. 

The committee members will only begin questioning you about your thesis defense after you have concluded your oral presentation and a written thesis, which they will have previously read. Lastly, the committee may approve your thesis or offer improvements to your work.

Don’t forget to create a slide presentation for your thesis defense

A beautiful slide presentation is a good call for your thesis defense. In addition to facilitating the understanding of complex subjects, they also make your work more professional. Mind the Graph is a drag-and-drop tool in which you can create scientific designs in minutes. Give it a try!

Eight likely thesis defense questions and how to answer them

Mind The Graph has prepared some of the most commonly asked questions and a small guide on how to answer them during a thesis defense. Read them attentively, come up with objective responses, and practice. 

1. Are you capable of telling us about your thesis in a few sentences?

This is a question that requires an extensive understanding of the subject. And it is simple to respond if you grasp the information in your abstract and summary. Make sure you truly understand what you wrote in those sections.

2. Why is your thesis relevant?

To ace this question, you must be able to demonstrate how your thesis contributes to the resolution of the issue it addresses, how it will assist other students in conducting more study on the topic, and how society or industry might benefit from your work.

3. What is your personal motivation for completing this thesis?

To answer this question without biasing the committee, you must be extremely cautious and choose your words carefully. If you answered a previous question where you were able to demonstrate the relevance of your thesis, you should simply add how much you care about fixing this problem. Remember not to use financial concerns or the need to graduate as an incentive, as you will quickly lose credibility.

4. What were the limitations of your thesis?

Another complex question that necessitates knowledge and practice. Discussing limitations in your methodologies or data analysis approaches may suggest that your paper is biased or poorly researched. Rather than restricting your thesis, use minor constraints such as difficulty in mixing and correlating information.

5. What were the findings?

You must have quickly passed through your results when presenting your thesis, so when they question you about your findings, they hope to hear them in more depth yet clearly. Remember to tie your results to the question/problem tackled in your thesis.

6. How did you measure it?

They simply want additional information regarding the data-gathering procedure with this question. So make sure you specify if you used questionnaires, interviews, or secondary sources.

7. What areas do you suggest for future research?

This question necessitates problem-solving ability or, at the very least, thorough preparation. You should be prepared to identify areas that will require further research, such as the sort of material you intended to acquire to complete your thesis but couldn’t.

8. What would you change in the way you conducted your thesis?

This question is used to identify your weak areas and the holes in your thesis. Answer it in the same way you did the limitations question, concentrating on minor issues like personal organization.

Add visual impact to your posters with scientific illustrations and graphics

An excellent poster may be used in a wide range of ways. It may be a terrific method to promote your field of work, a great starting point for a presentation, or a brilliant way of raising consciousness about a subject. Aesthetically attractive posters may communicate a story in a way that no text can. Make the trendiest posters using Mind The Graph.

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About Jessica Abbadia

Jessica Abbadia is a lawyer that has been working in Digital Marketing since 2020, improving organic performance for apps and websites in various regions through ASO and SEO. Currently developing scientific and intellectual knowledge for the community's benefit. Jessica is an animal rights activist who enjoys reading and drinking strong coffee.

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