Presenting your final year project defense to an academic panel can be quite challenging for students. After all the research and hard work, the project defense is usually the toughest and final phase. This is because the approval or rejection of your entire undergraduate research depends on the outcome of the defense. Corrections may also be required, which can be demanding and time-consuming. We will discuss the reasons for this at another time. For now, let's focus on the possible questions you should expect from the panel of academics during your defense.
In less than 30 minutes, in front of the defense panel and your colleagues, you will need to give a concise summary of your project and answer all the questions thrown at you. The questions themselves are not a mystery; the challenge lies in not knowing which ones will be asked first or in what manner they will be presented. This situation is designed to test your composure, confidence, public speaking skills, and ability to think on your feet. However, it is meant to guide you towards a successful project defense.
The first step in defending your project is to anticipate the questions that may be asked by the defense panel. How can you do this? When appearing before the panel, you should provide each member with copies of your research. While they review your work, you will have an opportunity to present an overview of your research. In the end, they will ask you questions based on what you have presented and written in your research paper.
Here are the key sections of your research that you should quickly and briefly discuss:
- Clearly state your project topic.
- Explain the purpose of your research, also known as the “statement of the problem.”
- State the specific objectives of your research.
- Discuss the research methodology, including the technique used, the research population, the sample size, the sampling procedure, and the data-gathering instrument.
- Provide a brief explanation of the data analysis procedure.
- Summarize the research findings without going into the details of the analysis.
- State your research conclusion, as it is an essential component of your research.
- Conclude your presentation and prepare for the panel's questions.
You need to be mindful of time while covering these key areas. Now, back to the panel:
Here are some possible project defense questions you should expect:
- What inspired your choice of project topic? This question aims to test your understanding of the purpose of your research, which is to address a specific problem or investigate causes and effects.
- To what extent did your research objectives achieve their goals? This question requires you to refer to your research findings, matching each objective with its corresponding outcome. You can point out the relevant pages in your research where this information is recorded.
- Why did you choose the specific research methodology? This question assesses your knowledge of the research methodology you employed and the rationale behind your choice. You should provide a detailed explanation of the procedures and reasons for your selection.
- What is the value of your research in terms of academic and societal knowledge? In other words, what does your research conclusion signify? You can demonstrate the practical applications of your findings in real-world situations or for the targeted population of your research.
- How and why did you determine the sample size for your research? The purpose of choosing a specific sample size is to manage the research data effectively. You can explain whether you intentionally selected a certain sample size or relied on statistical analysis to determine the appropriate size.
- Did you encounter any significant challenges during your research? While this question may seem straightforward, you can take the opportunity to discuss the difficulties you faced, such as financial issues or limited access to resource materials. It's important to mention challenges related to data-gathering instruments, the accuracy of survey responses, and the limited scope of your research due
- Can you provide recommendations for further research? If applicable, you can suggest areas for future research, taking into consideration the limitations of your undergraduate study and the specific focus of your own research.
