Defence Tips
Your defence is the last big thing you'll do before finishing your degree. Here are some resources and tips to help you be successful!
**The links and information here are not exhaustive. FGSR and the department are the best places to go for current information (https://sites.google.com/a/ualberta.ca/dept-of-anthropology-graduate-student-information/home/examination-procedures/doctoral-candidacy-exam)**
You defence will begin with a presentation on your research. For Masters, this is 15 minutes, for PhD, it's 45 min. Fifteen minutes is not a very long time and you don't have time to cover everything. Focus on the key findings of your research. Your committee has read your thesis, so you don't have to go into crazy detail on the background information and stuff like that. Focus on the main take away you want people to know, and practice practice practice!
Next are the rounds of questioning. It's hard to know exactly what people will ask, but think about who is on your committee and what they might focus on. Here are some general things to think about while preparing*:
Check with FGSR about the timelines and deadlines (both before and after the defence - see links below)
Your committee needs your thesis at least 3 weeks before the defence date
There are deadlines for each semester to get your defence and Program Completion form done. Getting this form in to FGSR is what stops your program. You then have 6 months to submit your thesis to Thesis Deposit (but there are deadlines for convocation)
Make sure you know the format of your exam (see links below for updated information) - you can always talk to your supervisor or chair to go over how your defence will work.
What is the key point you want people to get from your research? (i.e., the "so what?" - what did you figure out/prove/show? What's the take away?)
Did you have to make any assumptions during your research? What are they? Justify why you did this.
What are the limitations to your research conclusions?
Are there any holes in your research?
What theories did you use?
Why did you do what you did? (e.g., Why did you use these equations? Why did you use this method? Why did you use this data set? Justify why you did what you did, etc.)
Would you do anything differently if you could go back?
What future research could be done? (e.g., If you went back to your research site/area/population, what would you do? How can other researchers use your conclusions?)
Be prepared to get questions that you don't immediately know the answer to. Your committee wants to know that you can work through things and come up with an answer. And you can always ask for clarification of a question (e.g., This isn't in your thesis, but given X, what would be your interpretation?)
If you really don't know the answer, just say it - don't be evasive - "I don't know, but given Y, I can speculate that..."
Your committee isn't out to get you. They want you to pass as well, and they just want to know that you can defend your research and can think critically. Your defence is a high-level conversation, not a firing squad.
Getting to your defence is an accomplishment in itself. Your supervisor will not put you forward for defence unless you are ready. So, be confident. You are the expert on your thesis and you know more on it than anyone else.
Helpful Links:
FGSR Current Students Information: https://www.ualberta.ca/graduate-studies/current-students
FGSR Thesis Requirement and Preparation: https://www.ualberta.ca/graduate-studies/current-students/academic-requirements/thesis-requirement-and-preparation
Thesis Deadlines: https://www.ualberta.ca/graduate-studies/current-students/academic-requirements/thesis-deadlines
Department of Anthropology Grad Student Info (including Thesis/Defence Info): https://sites.google.com/a/ualberta.ca/dept-of-anthropology-graduate-student-information/
*This information is based on experience and on information learned from FGSR's "Preparing for your defence" presentation on August 19, 2016.
Written by Jennifer Hallson, January 2017.