How To Do Well At The Dissertation Defence: Understanding The Format

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a formal document which needs to be submitted for procuring an academic degree or any similar professional qualification. It presents the writer’s research work and his results and findings. It is also often referred to as “grey literature”.

Dissertation defence

A dissertation defence has two parts to it. A dissertation which is more or less like a thesis and a defence mechanism attached to it. The defence mechanism provides an opportunity for the student to present his research at a public platform and gain experience from it.

Before presenting a defence, the student needs to prepare for it thoroughly. There are many key points which need to be remembered. Some of which are:

• Deadline- the deadline for the defence has to be met at any cost. It cannot be postponed or preponed for any reason, until an emergency.
• Knowing the format- the format of the defence varies in different countries. Generally it involves an interview with an eternal examiner and one internal professor. While in some countries it is also common to conduct public examinations for it.
• Preparation of presentation- this is the most important part of the defence. Many things should be kept in mind while preparing for the presentation.
• The time limit should always be met. Accordingly, the student should prepare his slides.
• The content of the project should be learnt by the student inside out. He should know each and every bit of the matter he is going to present.
• Answering the questions- this is the scariest part of the entire presentation. No amount of preparation is enough for it, as one does not know what the examiner might ask. So the student should just know his entire core content well enough.

Some popular dissertation topics include:

• Techniques for investment appraisal
• Comparison of male and female spending pattern
• Tourism and business
• Impact of union rivalry
• Significance of money in organisational settings
• Analysis of consumer expectation
• Present position of e-commerce in India

A dissertation defence can either make or break one’s career. In order to secure good grades and score well, one should research and go through sample writings of others, in order to grasp a good knowledge of it. It also helps in successful preparation and completion.