Dissertation observation - Essay Example

Dissertation Defense Observation Dissertation Defense Observation I attended a dissertation defense in a neighboring invited by a colleague who is a doctoral student there.The defense process The dissertator’s department chairperson called the meeting to order and after brief remarks formally inviting the audience into the defense session, he handed over to the dissertator. The dissertator enthusiastically but calmly greeted the audience and begun her presentation. She provided a brief background into her topic on the impact of examination invigilators on the likelihood of examination cheating.

She highlighted the research questions, presented her results, and expounded on her dissertation’s discussion of the findings. A few questions were asked as the presentation was going on but after finishing her presentation, the dissertator invited questions from the audience. Committee members asked the most questions and few other questions came from the rest of the audience. The dissertator responded to the questions and in the end, she was sent outside for fifteen minutes to allow time for the committee members to discuss her performance.

She was later called in and the chairperson announced that she had performed well, thanked the audience, and adjourned the session (Piantanida & Garman, 2009). The defense session took two hours. Personal reflection on the process I found the dissertation defense process well set and suitable for its purpose. The arrangement to allow non-campus and non-faculty members to attend the session was impressive. The formality of this process including the starting time, time allocated questions and answers, and the closing time enhanced its effectiveness rather than stifling it (Roberts, 2004).

Whereas at first the questions that were asked in the course of the presentation annoyed me because they interrupted my flow, I eventually liked them because they clarified some of the things that were unclear. The dissertator’s initiative to start with a brief background into her topic was beneficial to members of the audience like me who had not seen the verbatim dissertation. Initially, it was baffling to see the committee members taking on one another and I almost trivialized it. However, I realized their contention was academic and full of insight, which the dissertator was wise to note and I guessed she was going to consider them in her final revision (Murray, 2009).

Key learning from the defense My first learning is that it is imperative for the dissertation defense candidate to prepare adequately. This draws from what I saw in the insightful, though challenging, exchange between the dissertator and her audience. The confidence with which the candidate tackled the questions demonstrated her meticulous preparation for the defense. My second learning was that it is important to be honest on the things a candidate does not know. The dissertator admitted honestly that she had not considered some of the questions that were raised and she did not panic when she encountered such questions.

I learnt it is important for the candidate to remain nonpartisan when the committee members take on one another. Rather, the candidate should consider the relevance of this contention to her topic and use it in revising her dissertation (Luey, 2008). Finally, I learnt that a defense candidate should not take the issues raised about her presentation personally. Some of them might be difficult to accept but they are only meant to expand the candidate’s perception of her work. ReferencesLuey, B. (2008). Revising your dissertation: advice from leading editors.

Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press. Murray, R. (2009). How to Survive Your Viva: Defending a Thesis. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill International (UK) Ltd.Piantanida, M. & Garman, N. (2009). The qualitative dissertation: a guide for students and faculty. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.Roberts, C. (2004). The dissertation journey: a practical and comprehensive guide to planning, writing, and defending your dissertation. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.