ABSTRACT
This chapter offers guidelines for how to plan and organize the presentation of students’ thesis or dissertation to their committee to make them effective and positive experiences. It offers strategies for how to prepare for the meeting, construct professional-quality slides, respond to suggestions and questions from students’ committee members, and avoid common impediments and mistakes during this meeting. The chapter discusses who can attend the meetings, remote participation by committee members, and what happens after their presentation. The primary goal of the oral presentation is to examine the scholarly character and conduct of students’ dissertation and discuss its implications. In the proposal meeting, it is customary for an advisor to allow the student to respond to queries from the committee and to intervene only when necessary. In contrast, in some universities, the advisor may not be allowed to intervene in a defense meeting. Despite their careful preparation, things can go wrong during students’ oral presentation.
