The structure of the proposal defence will depend on the norms of your institution and the preferences of your dissertation committee. The form will help you and the chair clarify the major structural elements. Ordinarily, the dissertation chair will lead the proposal defence and will also note for the record any decisions or recommendations made. However, the chair may wish you to take a leadership role and to make your own notes. Most proposal conferences will last one hour; however, some may require additional time if major problems arise or if differences emerge among the dissertation committee members.
Ordinarily, you should take from 15 to 30 minutes to present your proposal. A working proposal will probably take less time than a comprehensive proposal. Taking less than 15 minutes will seem too cursory; taking more than 30 minutes is simply unnecessary, assuming that your committee has read the proposal.
It is encouraged at some institutions for students to bring some type of recording device to the proposal so the presentation, discussion, and suggested edits may be captured via a voice recorder. This is an excellent way for the student and dissertation chair to debrief following the proposal defence to ensure the essence of the committee’s feedback has been accurately captured to guarantee appropriate edits and revisions are made.
However, before you just show up at the proposal with a voice-recording device, it is strongly recommended that you ask your dissertation chair if bringing a voice-recording device to the proposal is acceptable. If he or she agrees, then great. If he or she says no, then you will need to make sure you and/or your dissertation chair take copious notes regarding the feedback from the committee.
Issues to Deal with when Conducting a Proposal Defence
Facilities
Facilities vary at all institutions. Generally speaking, most institutions have several spaces equipped to conduct proposal defences. This is a good question to ask your dissertation chair once you begin the dissertation process. Also, it is good practice to review the setup of the facility prior to your proposal defence, so the environment is familiar to you.
Location
The location of the defence is important to the ease of the proposal defence process. The closer it is to your dissertation committee’s work location, the easier it is for your committee to make arrangements to attend the proposal. Also, consider locations that are conducive for other faculty (not on your committee) to attend.
Equipment
The equipment needed for the proposal defence is a laptop computer and an LCD projector. Again, checking the setup of the room and facilities can answer such questions as the following:
(1) Do I need to bring an extension cord?
(2) Does the facility have a laptop computer and LCD projector?
(3) Do I need to be shown how to operate the equipment?
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The issue of how chapters should be circulated is a critical one. The following procedure is efficient both in saving everyone’s time and in maximising dissertation committee feedback: 1. You send Chapter 1 to your dissertation chair. 2. He or she reviews it and suggests revisions. 3. You revise and submit the revision to the chair, who reviews it and approves it (unless additional changes are needed). 4. You then use the same procedures with Chapters 2 and 3, in succession. 5. When the dissertation chair has approved the first three chapters, he or she notifies the other committee members that those chapters are ready for their review. 6. You send the other dissertation committee members the approved proposal drafts of Chapters 1, 2, and 3. 7. The other committee members send their suggestions for revision to the chair, who reviews them and confers with you about additional changes required for Chapters 1 through 3. 8. You revise Chapters 1 through 3. 9. You write Chapter 4 and send it to the chair, who suggests revisions. 10. You revise Chapter 4 and send the revised chapter to your chair. 11. You write Chapter 5 and send it to the chair, who suggests revisions. 12. You revise Chapter 5. 13. Your dissertation chair notifies the committee that all chapters have been approved and that you are ready for the dissertation draft. 14. You send the complete dissertation to the committee. 15. You make any final changes to the other committee member’s request. That set of procedures should simplify the complex process of working with your committee. Be sure to resolve this issue with the committee; do not assume that they will agree to use the procedures described above. #proposal #researchproposal #dissertation #thesis #research #project #graduateresearch #Writing #proposaldefence #proposalpresentation
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