Academic assistance: dissertation defense

The writing is complete and you palms are sweating as you start heading into the final phase to finally complete your dissertation. Now, after months of pouring you blood, sweat and tears researching and writing, you are ready to defend your dissertation in front of a glaring group of professionals. This may sound terrifying, but if you seek out the academic assistance of one who has been through the process, you can surely walk in confident and prepared to knock your reviewers off their feet. Want to know how? Follow these guidelines and you are well on your way.

Find Someone Who Knows

Don't go about this step by yourself. You may know your topic completely and are ready to argue it against all odds, but if you don't know the process or what the review is going to entail, seeking out an advisor is an excellent idea. No one should go through this process alone. There are many benefits of seeking out either someone who has completed the review themselves, or are academically trained to help you get through this final phase.

Talk it out

Be prepared to ask questions. The first thing you will have to do is talk about what you have been writing, including your argument and your evidence. Your advisor's job is to play devil's advocate and give you a hard time. If they plainly say "good job" they are not helping you in the way that they should. The person you are seeking should be grilling you, because the harder they are on you, the easier your final review will be. However, if they are just plain cruel and don't offer feedback on how to improve your defense, start looking elsewhere.

Build on the comments

After you have gone through a mock review, take the feedback that is given to you and refine your dissertation defense. Correct any errors, practice your public speaking, and present it to a completely different person if you have time. If you don't take feedback to heart, there is a chance that you will do the same thing twice leading you to a substandard review.

Seeking academic assistance for your dissertation defense if one of the wisest choices you could make during this process. By knowing what reviewers are looking for, and by completing a good trial run, you can walk into the final step with the confidence and experience that you will need to blow them away.