9. The student should take two final copies (signed) on 100% RAG paper to The Graduate School, 351 POT. This copy will be checked for margins, references, page numbers, etc.

Procedures During the Final Defense

Once the committee members have gathered, the student’s major professor will ask him/her to leave the room for a few minutes. While the student is out of the room, the committee members discuss any problems they have with the dissertation as well as they liked about the study. This usually requires 10 to 15 minutes. The major professor will then ask the student to come back into the room, to present his/her dissertation. The presentation should be about 20 minutes in length. The student may use transparencies or handouts, or simply describe the procedures, results, and the significance of the study. Once the student has finished his/her presentation, the committee will ask the student questions about the dissertation and they may ask for revisions. At the end of the questioning, the student will be asked to leave the room once again. At this time, the committee votes on whether or not the student passed the final oral. After the vote, the major professor calls the student back into the room and either congratulates him/her or informs him/her that the committee did not pass them. The entire defense usually lasts two hours. Some committee members return their copy of the dissertation to the student, and some members keep their copy. The student’s major professor usually takes notes during the defense, but it is a good idea for the student, also, to take notes on suggested revisions.

Doctoral Program Handbook Page