A doctoral degree is the highest form of academic degree that you can achieve. Of course, it is not that easy to do it. Getting a degree requires hard work but in the case of a doctoral degree, you have to do harder and enhance your abilities and skills to conduct contributable research. Writing a dissertation is a requirement of the degree. It is a paper about your hard work and the long journey of this degree. The understanding of doctoral students matters the most. He or she has to choose a topic in which they can write a dissertation and have to present and defend it in front of other scholars. Look tough, right? Of course, but let’s see how writing is different from the defense.
Writing vs defense
Writing a dissertation is an equally complicated process than giving a defense. The difference is that writing requires more time and effort than defense. First of all, you have to choose the field of research and then find the problem statement on which you have to do the study. The writing has to be in detail and explain the history of the topic, methodology, results, and other researcher’s contributions in past years. Your job is to analyze every aspect and find the reasons behind it.
Defense of the final dissertation is the next step after writing it. You have to present it in front of committee members and have a question-answer session with them. When your final dissertation is ready and you a ready to give a defense, then the time, date, and venue are decided for the defense. Defending your presentation does not mean you have to argue with members, all they want to see is your concepts and grip on the knowledge.
How to write the dissertation
Writing is first then it is defense. Writing is a major part of a dissertation because if you have any mistakes in it then you might not be ready for the defense. The members will suggest you make improvements and then assign you any date. Following are the points that will help you in writing a dissertation.
- Extensive and accurate research –You have to spend time studying literature, published papers, and books. The data you read or cite should be authentic and also add your opinion.
- Organize your data – After collecting data, organize it. This will help you to divide the data and write it in structural form.
- Get comments – After writing the dissertation, it is better to get some feedback from your professor. They will pinpoint your mistakes and recommend you to improve and may also highlight any questions or point that doesn’t come to your mind.
- Finalize the draft – The last part is to finalize your draft so that you can ready yourself for defense. The draft doesn’t have any mistakes and you should be satisfied with it.
Giving presentation of the dissertation
After writing comes to defend your data, research, and face questions and criticism to your dissertation. To get a doctoral degree, you have to pass this defense stage. All you need is to change your perspective of seeing it as challenging. Following are tips that will help you to prepare:
- Do some practice – To deliver defense flawlessly, all you need to do is practice. Practice will highlight your mistakes and boost your confidence. Also consider giving your presentation to your friends, colleagues, and supervisor.
- Prepared for some criticism – Committee members are not there to appraise your doctoral performance. Instead, they are looking that you are ready for academia or not. You have to face some criticism and have to respond to them correctly.
- Avoid staying late at night – Staying late at night will make you nervous on your day of defense and also affect you psychologically. So it is better to get some rest and sleep for better performance.