quotes about thesis defended

101 Inspirational Quotes for Thesis: Finding the Words

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of inspirational quotes to help you stay motivated and inspired as you work on your thesis. From words of encouragement to motivational reminders, these quotes are perfect for inspiring you to stay focused, positive, and productive throughout the writing process. So, if you’re looking for some inspiration to help you write your thesis or know someone who is, keep reading for 101 uplifting quotes that will inspire and empower you to achieve your academic goals.

101 Inspirational Quotes for Thesis

1. “In the pursuit of knowledge, one finds the courage to redefine possibilities.”

2. “A thesis is not just a conclusion; it’s a journey of self-discovery and growth.”

3. “Through the lens of perseverance, the thesis unveils its true brilliance.”

4. “Doubt not your abilities, for within a thesis lies the power to transform minds.”

5. “In the face of challenges, a thesis becomes a testament to unwavering determination.”

6. “The thesis is the symphony of ideas, harmonizing the rhythm of academia.”

7. “To write a thesis is to sow seeds of wisdom, nurturing the fields of innovation.”

8. “Amidst the darkest doubts, the thesis illuminates the path to enlightenment.”

9. “In the pursuit of truth, a thesis unveils the beauty of intellectual honesty.”

10. “A thesis is the manifestation of dreams woven into scholarly reality.”

11. “The thesis is the mirror reflecting the researcher’s soul.”

12. “Within the labyrinth of knowledge, the thesis becomes the guiding star.”

13. “Like a phoenix rising, the thesis transforms the ashes of uncertainty into knowledge.”

14. “A thesis stands tall on the pillars of curiosity and resilience.”

15. “Through the valleys of research, the thesis climbs mountains of understanding.”

16. “A thesis whispers the language of change, echoing across generations.”

17. “The thesis is the bridge connecting the realm of questions to the land of answers.”

18. “A thesis is a garden where ideas bloom and bloom again.”

19. “In the face of ambiguity, the thesis paints clarity with words.”

20. “Within the binding of a thesis, dreams ascend to new heights.”

21. “The thesis is the constellation of ideas, mapping the universe of knowledge.”

22. “A thesis is the masterpiece of dedication and intellectual artistry.”

23. “Through the storm of doubt, a thesis emerges as a beacon of certainty.”

24. “Within the crucible of research, the thesis forges diamonds of understanding.”

25. “A thesis is the whisper of knowledge, shared through the corridors of time.”

26. “In the symphony of academia, the thesis is the crescendo of brilliance.”

27. “A thesis is not just an end, but a beginning of limitless possibilities.”

28. “Through the tapestry of research, the thesis weaves the fabric of progress.”

29. “The thesis is the elixir of wisdom, nurturing minds for generations to come.”

30. “A thesis is a road less traveled, where innovation finds its way.”

31. “In the garden of academia, the thesis blossoms like a rare and precious flower.”

32. “The thesis is the compass guiding explorers through the seas of knowledge.”

33. “A thesis is the echo of countless voices, shaping the future of understanding.”

34. “Through the dance of words, the thesis paints portraits of enlightenment.”

35. “The thesis is the flame that ignites the torch of wisdom in others.”

36. “A thesis stands firm, an everlasting monument to intellectual achievement.”

37. “In the silence of contemplation, the thesis speaks volumes of insight.”

38. “The thesis is the heartbeat of curiosity, pulsing with the rhythm of discovery.”

39. “A thesis is the symphony of thoughts, composed with the pen of wisdom.”

40. “Through the tunnel of research, the thesis emerges into the light of knowledge.”

41. “The thesis is the lighthouse that guides scholars through uncharted waters.”

42. “A thesis is the constellation of ideas, illuminating the sky of academia.”

43. “In the realm of academia, the thesis reigns as the king of enlightenment.”

44. “The thesis is the gateway to new worlds, unlocked by the key of knowledge.”

45. “A thesis is the river that flows through the valleys of understanding.”

46. “Through the crucible of challenges, the thesis emerges as a beacon of triumph.”

47. “The thesis is the chisel that sculpts the statue of academic brilliance.”

48. “A thesis is the seed that germinates into forests of innovative ideas.”

49. “In the tapestry of research, the thesis weaves the threads of brilliance.”

50. “The thesis is the orchestra, harmonizing the melody of knowledge.”

51. “A thesis is the compass, guiding explorers through the uncharted territory of knowledge.”

52. “Through the dance of ideas, the thesis orchestrates the symphony of enlightenment.”

53. “The thesis is the beacon of light, leading others out of the darkness of ignorance.”

54. “A thesis is the catalyst that sparks the wildfire of curiosity.”

55. “In the garden of academia, the thesis blooms like a rare and exquisite flower.”

56. “The thesis is the constellation of insights, mapping the vast universe of knowledge.”

57. “A thesis is not just an end, but the beginning of a journey into unexplored realms.”

58. “Through the labyrinth of research, the thesis finds the hidden treasure of wisdom.”

59. “The thesis is the heartbeat of scholarly pursuit, pulsing with the rhythm of progress.”

60. “A thesis is the mirror reflecting the soul of the researcher, forever imprinted in ink.”

61. “In the symphony of ideas, the thesis is the crescendo of brilliance.”

62. “The thesis is the bridge that connects the realm of questions to the land of answers.”

63. “A thesis is the seed that sprouts into forests of innovation and progress.”

64. “Through the storm of doubt, the thesis emerges as a beacon of certainty.”

65. “The thesis is the symphony of thoughts, composed with the pen of wisdom.”

66. “A thesis is the whisper of knowledge, shared across generations.”

67. “In the dance of words, the thesis paints portraits of enlightenment.”

68. “The thesis is the compass that guides explorers through the uncharted seas of knowledge.”

69. “A thesis is the lighthouse that shines light on the path of understanding.”

70. “Through the crucible of challenges, the thesis emerges as a beacon of triumph.”

71. “The thesis is the chisel that sculpts the statue of academic brilliance.”

72. “A thesis is the seed that germinates into forests of innovative ideas.”

73. “In the tapestry of research, the thesis weaves the threads of brilliance.”

74. “The thesis is the orchestra, harmonizing the melody of knowledge.”

75. “A thesis is the compass, guiding explorers through the uncharted territory of knowledge.”

76. “Through the dance of ideas, the thesis orchestrates the symphony of enlightenment.”

77. “The thesis is the beacon of light, leading others out of the darkness of ignorance.”

78. “A thesis is the catalyst that sparks the wildfire of curiosity.”

79. “In the garden of academia, the thesis blooms like a rare and exquisite flower.”

80. “The thesis is the constellation of insights, mapping the vast universe of knowledge.”

81. “A thesis is not just an end, but the beginning of a journey into unexplored realms.”

82. “Through the labyrinth of research, the thesis finds the hidden treasure of wisdom.”

83. “The thesis is the heartbeat of scholarly pursuit, pulsing with the rhythm of progress.”

84. “A thesis is the mirror reflecting the soul of the researcher, forever imprinted in ink.”

85. “In the symphony of ideas, the thesis is the crescendo of brilliance.”

86. “The thesis is the bridge that connects the realm of questions to the land of answers.”

87. “A thesis is the seed that sprouts into forests of innovation and progress.”

88. “Through the storm of doubt, the thesis emerges as a beacon of certainty.”

89. “The thesis is the symphony of thoughts, composed with the pen of wisdom.”

90. “A thesis is the whisper of knowledge, shared across generations.”

91. “In the dance of words, the thesis paints portraits of enlightenment.”

92. “The thesis is the compass that guides explorers through the uncharted seas of knowledge.”

93. “A thesis is the lighthouse that shines light on the path of understanding.”

94. “Through the crucible of challenges, the thesis emerges as a beacon of triumph.”

95. “The thesis is the chisel that sculpts the statue of academic brilliance.”

96. “A thesis is the seed that germinates into forests of innovative ideas.”

97. “In the tapestry of research, the thesis weaves the threads of brilliance.”

98. “The thesis is the orchestra, harmonizing the melody of knowledge.”

99. “A thesis is the compass, guiding explorers through the uncharted territory of knowledge.”

100. “Through the dance of ideas, the thesis orchestrates the symphony of enlightenment.”

101. “The thesis is the beacon of light, leading others out of the darkness of ignorance.”

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Thesis Quotes

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It is part of my thesis that all our knowledge grows only through the correcting of our mistakes.

The average Ph.D. Thesis is nothing but a transference of bones from one graveyard to another.

Writing, therefore, is also an act of courage. How much easier is it to lead an unexamined life than to confront yourself on the page? How much easier is it to surrended to materialism or cynicism or to a hundred other ways of life that are, in fact, ways to hide from life and from our fears. When we write, we resist the facile seduction of theses simpler roads. We insist on finding out and declaring the truths that we find, and we dare to out those truths on the page.

The use of thesis-writing is to train the mind, or to prove that the mind has been trained; the former purpose is, I trust, promoted, the evidences of the latter are scanty and occasional.

I wrote my thesis on the benefits of war and very near got thrown out of college. But I can show you where the greatest advancement of mankind comes under stress and strain, not comfort.

Truth is found neither in the thesis nor the antithesis, but in an emergent synthesis which reconciles the two.

Fortunately for me, I know well enough what I want, and am basically utterly indifferent to the criticism that I work to hurriedly. In answer to that, I have done some things even more hurriedly theses last few days.

Well the basic thesis is that there's a god in heaven who is all powerful who wants to help people. And that - he will answer prayer, and does miraculous things in people's lives. And so I've documented some of these wonderful things.

You should have an investment thesis that essentially says why you think this is potentially a good idea.

I wrote my thesis on welfare policy.

People will be discovering that the Internet helps their career. One of my theses is that every individual is now a small business; how you manage your own personal career is the exact way you manage a small business. Your brand matters. That is how LinkedIn operates.

My thesis in terms of all my art is finding the beauty in the ugly truth. Just find the beauty in realism and what's there.

I've always felt so grateful that I dropped out of school, that I never had to do a thesis. I wouldn't know how to organise and structure myself to film so that B follows A and C follows B.

You have to take those concepts and prove them, a little bit like you do a PhD thesis.

Truth is found neither in Marxism nor in traditional capitalism. Each represents a partial truth. Historically capitalism failed to see the truth in collective enterprise, and Marxism failed to see the truth in individual enterprise. Nineteenth century capitalism failed to see that life is social and Marxism failed and still fails to see that life is individual and personal. The Kingdom of God is neither the thesis of individual enterprise nor the antithesis of collective enterprise, but a synthesis which reconciles the truths of both.

In 1947 I defended my thesis on nuclear physics, and in 1948 I was included in a group of research scientists whose task was to develop nuclear weapons.

I'm not sure I agree with the thesis, because I think that even though something grotesque or gross has been part of film since way back, what we accept or what we can get away with on the screen is broader now.

The fundamental idea of modern capitalism is not the right of the individual to possess and enjoy what he has earned, but the ;thesis that the exercise of this right redounds to the general good.

Determinism is the thesis that is true at every moment that the way things then are determines a unique future, that only one of the alternative futures that may exist relative to a given moment is a physically possible continuation of the state of things at the moment. Or, if you like, we may say that determinism is the thesis that only one continuation of the state of things at a given moment is consistent with the laws of nature.

And this thesis is somewhat connected with general social and political observations, because it establishes the fact that the number of consumers is considerably larger than the number of producers, a fact which exercises a not inconsiderable social and political pressure.

It is generally my thesis then to insist on the importance of imagination in sex, to insist that the practice of sex, as performed among human beings, be accorded the same deliberate and playful application of fancy, imagination and intelligence as any other significant human activity.

Of course we're all programmed genetically to some extent. But the "selfish gene" thesis doesn't explain everything.

My thesis [is] that in order to design a tool, we must make our best efforts to understand the larger social and physical context within which it is intended to function

My zoology thesis was a functional analysis of the thyroid gland of the three-toed sloth. I chose the sloth because its demeanour - calm, quiet and introspective - did something to soothe my shattered self.

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Market Research

17 research quotes to inspire and amuse you

Being a researcher requires dedication, hard work and more than a little inspiration. Here’s something to boost the last item on that list.

We’ve sourced some of the most interesting and thought-provoking research quotes we can find. We hope they’ll leave you feeling inspired and motivated to start – or complete – your best ever research project.

As these quotes show, research is a common thread running through all kinds of professions and pursuits, from Ancient Rome right up to the present day. If you practice research, you’re part of a long list of people throughout history, all dedicated to finding new knowledge and ideas that ultimately make the world a better place.

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1. “No research without action, no action without research”

- Kurt Lewin

Lewin (1890-1947) was a German-American social psychologist. He’s known for his theory that human behavior is a function of our psychological environment.

2. “Research is seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought.”

- Albert Szent-Györgyi 

Szent-Györgyi (1893-1986)  was a Hungarian pharmacologist known for his work on vitamins and oxidation. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937.

3. "Bad news sells papers. It also sells market research."

- Byron Sharp 

Sharp is Professor of Marketing Science and Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, the world’s largest centre for research into marketing.

4. "In fact, the world needs more nerds."

- Ben Bernanke

Bernanke is an American economist and former chair of the board of governors at the United Stares Federal Reserve.

5. "Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing."

- Wernher von Braun

Von Braun (1912-1977) was a German-American physicist and rocket engineer whose team launched the first US satellite into space.

6. "Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."

- Zora Neale Hurston

Hurston (1891-1960) was an American anthropologist and writer known for her research and writing on slavery, race, folklore and the African-American experience.

7. "Research is creating new knowledge."

- Neil Armstrong

Armstrong (1930-2012) was an American astronaut famed for being the first man to walk on the Moon.

8. "I believe in innovation and that the way you get innovation is you fund research and you learn the basic facts."

- Bill Gates

Gates needs little introduction – he’s an entrepreneur, philanthropist and the founder of Microsoft.

9. “The best research you can do is talk to people”

- Terry Pratchett

Pratchett is an award-winning British science fiction and fantasy author. He was knighted in 2009. He is known for The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and the Discworld series.

10. “Research means that you don’t know, but are willing to find out”

- Charles F. Kettering

Kettering (1876-1958) was an American engineer, known for inventing the electric starter used in combustion engines, as well as other automobile technologies.

11. “Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life.”

- Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius (121-180) was a Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher.

12. “It is a good thing for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast.“

- Konrad Lorenz

Lorenz (1903-1989) was an Austrian biologist known for his game-changing research on animal behavior. He was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1973.

13. “Research is something that everyone can do, and everyone ought to do. It is simply collecting information and thinking systematically about it.”

- Raewyn Connell

Connell is an Australian sociologist. She is a former professor of at the University of Sydney and is known for her work on gender and transgender studies.

14. “As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.”

- Antoine de Saint Exupery

De Saint Exupery (1900-1944) was a French aviator, author and poet, best known for his story The Little Prince, one of the best-selling books of all time.

15. “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.”

- Arthur Conan Doyle (writing as Sherlock Holmes)

Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a British crime writer and creator of the legendary Sherlock Holmes, master of deduction.

16. “If we knew what we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”

- Albert Einstein

Maybe the most famous scientist of all time, Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German physicist who came up with the theory of relativity. However, it was his description of the photoelectric effect, the interplay between light and electrically charged atoms, that won him the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921.

17. “The power of statistics and the clean lines of quantitative research appealed to me, but I fell in love with the richness and depth of qualitative research.”

- Brené Brown

Brown is a researcher and storyteller studying courage, shame, empathy and vulnerability. She is a best-selling author and inspirational speaker. She is a research professor at the University of Houston.

Sarah Fisher

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Readings With Hope

50 Congratulations Messages for Thesis Defense

The culmination of years of research, sleepless nights, and countless revisions, a thesis defense is a significant milestone in any scholar’s academic journey. It marks the transition from student to expert, from learner to contributor. 

As friends, family, and colleagues, it’s our privilege and joy to share in this momentous occasion. 

And what better way to express our admiration and pride than with the perfect congratulatory message? 

Whether you’re seeking heartfelt words or a touch of humor, this guide offers some congratulatory messages tailored for thesis defenses, ensuring that you convey just the right sentiment. 

Dive in and discover the ideal way to celebrate this monumental achievement!

Congratulations Messages for Thesis Defense

• Congratulations on your outstanding defense! The dedication and hard work you poured into your research truly shone through today. You’ve set the bar high for aspiring researchers.
• Every step of your academic journey has led to this monumental achievement. You’ve not only defended your thesis but also upheld the spirit of inquiry. Well done!
• Bravo! Your passion for your topic was evident in your defense. May this success open doors to even greater achievements in the future.
• It’s not just about defending a thesis, it’s about standing strong for your ideas and insights. You’ve made everyone proud today! Keep reaching for the stars.
• Your defense was nothing short of spectacular! Your depth of knowledge and eloquence truly impressed everyone. Celebrate this huge milestone!
• Watching you defend your thesis was a clear reminder of the power of dedication and perseverance. You’ve achieved something truly remarkable. Kudos to you!
• Your rigorous research, methodical approach, and confident defense have surely set you apart. You’re destined for greatness! Congratulations!
• Celebrating your phenomenal achievement today! Your defense was a testament to the countless hours of hard work and commitment. Well done!
• You’ve not only defended your thesis but also ignited inspiration in many. Your prowess and expertise were truly commendable. Hats off to you!
• Today, you’ve added another feather to your academic cap. Your defense was articulate and insightful, paving the way for many more successes.

• Your success story is an inspiration. With every challenge, you’ve risen above and proved your mettle. Heartiest congratulations on a brilliant defense!
• The way you handled the questions and presented your findings was truly commendable. You’ve defended more than a thesis; you’ve defended your dreams.
• A monumental day in your academic journey! Your defense showcased not just your findings, but also your deep passion for your subject. Congrats!
• The precision, dedication, and brilliance you displayed during your defense was unparalleled. May this success lead you to greater adventures!
• Congratulations on turning your thesis into a masterpiece and defending it with such flair! You are indeed a force to be reckoned with in your field.
• You came, you researched, and you conquered! Today’s defense was a shining moment in your academic journey. Take a bow!
• Your meticulous research and eloquent defense have surely set a benchmark. Heartfelt congratulations on this remarkable achievement!
• From the proposal to the defense, your journey has been a testament to hard work and perseverance. Today, you reaped the rewards. Cheers to you!
• It’s one thing to write a thesis and another to defend it so proficiently. You’ve showcased true academic excellence. Congratulations!
• Your defense was a powerful demonstration of your commitment to your field. You’ve made a mark, and this is just the beginning. Well done!

• By successfully defending your thesis, you’ve proven that dreams coupled with hard work can lead to monumental achievements. Congrats!
• The diligence with which you approached your thesis and the confidence with which you defended it were exemplary. Your future is bright! Cheers to your success.
• A standing ovation for your impeccable defense! Your passion and dedication were palpable in every word you spoke. Congratulations!
• Your thesis defense was more than a presentation; it was a performance of your unwavering commitment to your research. You’ve truly outdone yourself. Bravo!
• Today, you’ve not only earned a degree but also the respect and admiration of many. Your defense was a masterclass. Here’s to many more accomplishments!
• Your resilience and determination have culminated in this grand moment. Every slide, every word, every answer was a testament to your dedication. Congratulations!
• The journey from hypothesis to conclusion is long and arduous. Yet, you navigated it with grace and brilliance. Your defense was simply extraordinary!
• Today, you didn’t just defend a thesis; you showcased your unwavering commitment to knowledge. Your confidence and expertise were in full display. Cheers!
• What a magnificent achievement! Your eloquent defense was a reflection of the hard work and sleepless nights you invested. Take a well-deserved bow!
• Behind this success is a saga of challenges, perseverance, and undying passion. You defended with vigor and pride. Heartiest congratulations!

• Today, you’ve shown everyone that with passion and determination, even the loftiest academic goals can be achieved. Your defense was impeccable!
• As you stood there, confidently presenting and defending, you personified academic excellence. Many congratulations on your momentous achievement!
• Thesis defense is more than an academic ritual; it’s a rite of passage. You’ve transitioned with such brilliance. Here’s to the journey ahead!
• Your defense today wasn’t just about your research; it was about your dedication, your passion, and your drive. You truly shined! Congratulations!
• In the realm of academia, moments like these define a scholar. Your remarkable defense has undoubtedly set you on a path of greatness. Kudos!
• Celebrating your incredible milestone! Every query you addressed showcased the depth of your understanding. Your defense was truly commendable.
• In your defense, we didn’t just see slides and hear words; we witnessed your journey, your struggles, and your victories. A job splendidly done!
• The brilliance with which you defended your thesis is indicative of the great things awaiting you in the future. Heartfelt congratulations!
• Your defense was a harmonious blend of passion, precision, and prowess. It’s evident how much of yourself you’ve poured into this work. Salutations on your achievement!
• To take a concept, research it thoroughly, and then defend it with such finesse is truly admirable. Your hard work has paid off! Cheers!

• This is not just a celebration of your defense but also a testament to your relentless pursuit of knowledge. You’ve made everyone immensely proud.
• Not everyone can stand their ground and defend their years of research with such confidence. You were phenomenal! Here’s to this and many more successes.
• The depth, the rigor, and the brilliance you showcased during your defense was a masterclass in itself. You’ve raised the bar! Congratulations.
• Today’s success story is a combination of your determination, hard work, and an undying spirit of inquiry. You truly deserve all the accolades!
• Thesis defense is a significant milestone, and the way you executed it was nothing short of perfection. You’ve etched a mark in everyone’s heart. Kudos!
• The journey you embarked on led to this commendable defense. Every challenge faced has turned into a stepping stone for your success. Hats off to you!
• Your defense was an exhibition of your depth of knowledge and commitment to your field. A triumphant moment truly worth celebrating!
• Successfully defending a thesis is a monumental achievement, and today, you’ve proven your mettle. Warmest congratulations on this feat!
• Your defense wasn’t just a presentation; it was a manifestation of your passion, hard work, and perseverance. Your success is truly well-deserved.
• In your defense, we saw the culmination of years of dedication, learning, and growth. You’ve made a remarkable achievement. Heartiest congratulations!

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PhDLife Blog

Sharing PhD experiences across the University of Warwick and beyond

Motivational Quotes for the PhD Journey

The PhD journey is a long one where it’s easy and normal to feel unmotivated for certain stretches of time. We all need a little inspiration to perk us up during those days. Jenny Mak offers you four handy motivational quotes for when the going gets tough during your PhD…

“Success requires Action”

We all procrastinate. It’s something that is easy to do especially at the beginning of your PhD when it feels like you have a lot of time. But to be successful—by this I mean successfully finishing and submitting your thesis—it’s not enough to say that you want a PhD, you also have to do the work. Doing the work means sitting down at your desk, butt firmly stuck to chair, and just doing it. It helps to set yourself concrete goals like writing 500 words a day, and trying your best to meet that target every day.

“Progress, not Perfection”

Perfectionism often gets confused with having high standards. For me, this has meant that I’d revised a chapter countless times before sending it to my supervisors for feedback because I felt that it just wasn’t right. But here’s the problem: the “right” version doesn’t exist. It’s an illusion—painfully shattered when you get back said chapter with lots of critical comments from your supervisor. Conversely, something that you think is “average” might actually be good enough for your supervisor. It’s good to have high standards, but don’t kill yourself over them. “Good enough” tends to be good enough. Check out Petra Kolber’s TED talk titled “The Perfection Detox” for some sharp insights into the perils of perfectionism.

“Eat the Elephant one bite at a time”

I don’t remember where I heard this quote. But it came handy in the late stages of my PhD when I felt tired and frustrated that no matter how much and how fast I was writing and revising, there still seemed to be no end in sight. Finishing a thesis can feel like having a huge elephant in front of you that you’re supposed to eat in its entirety. Of course, if you mainly focus on how massive this elephant is and when you can finish eating it up, you will feel overwhelmed. But if you take the elephant bite by bite, and not think about how much of it is left, one day the elephant will be all gone. The same goes for your thesis: break it down to small actionable tasks and do one task after another, until it is done and ready for submission.

“Enjoy Climbing the Mountain”

Doing a PhD is extremely challenging work. While we do it for the intellectual stimulation, sometimes we might wonder: why do we put ourselves through such difficulty? If you need a reminder of why you have chosen to do this, here is a quote by Tadashi Yanai , the founder of Uniqlo, which I have found helpful: “I’m never really satisfied with anything because the world is ever-changing. If you keep climbing up, then you see another, higher mountain. You climb up that peak and see another. I will pass away eventually because that is life. But I am climbing mountains because I enjoy the process of climbing a mountain.”

What challenges have you faced in your PhD so far? What motivational quotes did you find helpful when you had to face these challenges? Tweet us at  @ResearchEx , email us at [email protected], or leave a comment below.

Jenny Mak is a PhD researcher in the English and Comparative Literary Studies department at the University of Warwick. Her research looks at embodied experiences of globalisation in contemporary world literature. She has a background in creative writing, journalism, publishing, and sports training.

Image:  dandelion-dewdrop-flower-close-3094349  /  cocoparisienne /  CC0 1.0

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2 thoughts on “ motivational quotes for the phd journey ”.

Whenever I feel like want to give up on my PhD, I always remember one beautiful quotes from Alex Wassabi that he mentioned in one of his vlog. His quote sounds like this: ” We know what will happen if we give up, but we don’t know what will happen if we don’t”.

Excellent, motivational!

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74 Thesis Quotes To Inspire You

Following is our list of thesis quotations and slogans full of insightful wisdom and perspective about good thesis.

Famous Thesis Quotes

Short thesis quotes, good thesis quotes.

Architecture is invention. — Oscar Niemeyer 25

A concept is a brick. It can be used to build a courthouse of reason. Or it can be thrown through the window. — Gilles Deleuze 149

Work on good prose has three steps: a musical stage when it is composed, an architectonic one when it is built, and a textile one when it is woven. — Walter Benjamin 56

The thought: A logical inquiry — Gottlob Frege 27

Architecture is the triumph of human imagination over materials, methods, and men, to put man into possession of his own earth — Frank Lloyd Wright 78

Graphic design is the fiction that anticipates the fact. — Michael Bierut 52

Design is the conscious effort to impose a meaningful order — Victor Papanek 41

We define only out of despair, we must have a formula... to give a facade tot he void. — Emile M. Cioran 10

To put it boldly, it is the attempt at a posterior reconstruction of existence by the process of conceptualization. — Albert Einstein 6

To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. — Herman Melville 46

To understand is to invent. — Jean Piaget 35

In design, be logical, search for truth, be clear. — Massimo Vignelli 22

Induction for deduction, with a view to construction. — Auguste Comte 29

Design is the application of intent - the opposite of happenstance, and an antidote to accident. — Robert L. Peters 51

Architecture is the reaching out for the truth. — Louis Kahn 127

• Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis. — Manfred Eigen
• Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
• I wrote my thesis on welfare policy. — Bob McDonnell
• The average Ph.D. Thesis is nothing but a transference of bones from one graveyard to another. — J. Frank Dobie
• Who ever asked theses and antitheses if they want to become syntheses? — Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
• I shall state my thesis plain. The first poets were gods. Poetry began with the bicameral mind. — Julian Jaynes
• Ministry is being one of theses sent out ones, a labourer of love. — Heidi Baker
• The evolutionist thesis has become more stringently unthinkable than ever before. — Wolfgang Smith
• It is part of my thesis that all our knowledge grows only through the correcting of our mistakes. — Karl Popper
• My thesis statement would be—Bach didn't write Baroque music. He wrote great music. — Chris Thile

Thesis Image Quotes

Good and just society is neither the thesis of capitalism nor the antithesis of communism, but a socially conscious democracy which reconciles the truths of individualism and collectivism. — Martin Luther King, Jr. 10

The fundamental idea of modern capitalism is not the right of the individual to possess and enjoy what he has earned, but the ;thesis that the exercise of this right redounds to the general good. — Ralph Barton Perry 5

True, I don't begin with an idea for a play - a thesis, in other words, to construct the play around. But I know a good deal about the nature of the characters. I know a great deal about their environment. And I more or less know what is going to happen in the play. — Edward Albee 0

You should have an investment thesis that essentially says why you think this is potentially a good idea. — Reid Hoffman 0

People Writing About Thesis

More Thesis Quotes

Truth is found neither in the thesis nor the antithesis, but in an emergent synthesis which reconciles the two. — Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel 174

We get letters a few times a year from people that write papers on the show. You know, like, 'Oh, my psychology or my cultural studies class - this is my term paper.' Somebody wrote it as their thesis, about the social experiment of the show, because the show is a reflection of what's going on in culture. — James Murray 85

My thesis in life is that it doesn't matter who you are today. It certainly doesn't matter how you were born. The only thing that matters is who you want to become and the price you're willing to pay to get there. — Tom Bilyeu 56

I first studied the effect of plants on humans for my Yale thesis... and it was a 185-page thesis, and luckily I got honors on it. — Steven Gundry 54

There are bound to be deniers. Whenever you set up a thesis there's bound to be somebody who comes the opposite way …like Holocaust deniers. — Pete Postlethwaite 52

All truly great art is optimistic. The individual artist is happy in his creative work. The fact that practically all great art is tragic does not in any way change the above thesis. — Upton Sinclair 42

The basic thesis of gestalt theory might be formulated thus: there are contexts in which what is happening in the whole cannot be deduced from the characteristics of the separate pieces, but conversely; what happens to a part of the whole is, in clearcut cases, determined by the laws of the inner structure of its whole. — Max Wertheimer 41

O Luther, you had 95 theses . . . The matter is far more terrible-there is only one thesis. The Christianity of the New Testament does not exist at all. Here there is nothing to reform. — Soren Kierkegaard 27

I shall develop the thesis that anyone acting communicatively must, in performing any speech act, raise universal validity claims and suppose that they can be vindicated. — Jurgen Habermas 25

I actually think being an entrepreneur is a state of mind. If you're going to be an entrepreneur, my thesis is that you have to sacrifice everything for some period in your life to be successful. You have to be myopic and completely focused and unbalanced in every way. Once you've achieved success, you're free to do whatever you like. — Kevin O'Leary 24

It is my thesis that flying saucers are real and that they are space ships from another solar system.There is no doubt in my mind that these objects are interplanetary craft of some sort. I and my colleagues are confident that they do not originate in our solar system. — Hermann Oberth 22

As I matured, I've always had the dream of one day either having my own clothing line or owning a fashion magazine. Most of my thesis' and projects in school were fashion and advertising based. — Ashley Purdy 19

Our thesis is that the idea of a self-adjusting market implied a stark utopia. Such an institution could not exist for any length of time without annihilating the human and natural substance of society; it would have physically destroyed man and transformed his surroundings into a wilderness. — Karl Polanyi 19

One of the goals of philosophy is wage theoretical battle. That is why we can say that every thesis is always, by its very nature, an antithesis. A thesis is only ever put forward in opposition to another thesis, or in defence of a new one. — Louis Althusser 18

When I meet a woman, I don't think, 'Gee, I wonder if she's read the latest thesis by Stephen Hawking? I think, 'Great tits.' — Gene Simmons 17

The thesis that risk assessment itself is inherently risky is nowhere better borne out than in the area of high-consequence risks. — Anthony Giddens 17

Movies are hard to make, and you have to work toward a common ethic and do your best. You don't want to work with people who don't care or who are acting out some neurotic, crazy thesis on the set. — Robert De Niro 16

I read a book recently by a psychiatrist who was able to interview a few serial killers and she had a thesis on how you could figure these people out. And she thinks that there are things that could tell you whether someone has the potential to do that. — Tom Araya 15

People will be discovering that the Internet helps their career. One of my theses is that every individual is now a small business; how you manage your own personal career is the exact way you manage a small business. Your brand matters. That is how LinkedIn operates. — Reid Hoffman 15

I'm a doctor of cowshit, pigshit, and chickenshit.....when you doctors figure out what you want, you'll find me out in the barn shoveling my thesis. — Kurt Vonnegut 15

But actually a code is a language for translating one thing into another. And mathematics is the language of science. My big thesis is that although the world looks messy and chaotic, if you translate it into the world of numbers and shapes, patterns emerge and you start to understand why things are the way they are. — Marcus du Sautoy 13

I wrote my thesis on the benefits of war and very near got thrown out of college. But I can show you where the greatest advancement of mankind comes under stress and strain, not comfort. — Don Young 10

An old joke has an Oxford professor meeting an American former graduate student and asking him what he's working on these days. 'My thesis is on the survival of the class system in the United States.' 'Oh really, that's interesting: one didn't think there was a class system in the United States.' 'Nobody does. That's how it survives. — Christopher Hitchens 10

One of the things that got me thinking during therapy is that they say that fear is only thoughts, and nothing will happen because thoughts will never be real. And my thesis, or joke, in film Antichrist, is that they really do become real. — Lars von Trier 8

Jefferson's Declaration of Independence is a practical document for the use of practical men. It is not a thesis for philosophers, but a whip for tyrants; it is not a theory of government but a program of action. — Woodrow Wilson 8

...in the negative part of Professor's Hayek's thesis there is a great deal of truth. It cannot be said too often - at any rate, it is not being said nearly often enough - that collectivism is not inherently democratic, but, on the contrary, gives to a tyrannical minority such powers as the Spanish Inquisitors never dreamt of. — George Orwell 8

Well the basic thesis is that there's a god in heaven who is all powerful who wants to help people. And that - he will answer prayer, and does miraculous things in people's lives. And so I've documented some of these wonderful things. — Pat Robertson 8

My thesis [is] that in order to design a tool, we must make our best efforts to understand the larger social and physical context within which it is intended to function — Bill Buxton 7

It used to be widely held that evil was incompatible with the existence of God: that no possible world contained both God and evil. So far as I am able tell, this thesis is no longer defended — Peter van Inwagen 7

The totalitarian phenomenon is not to be understood without making an allowance for the thesis that some important part of every society consists of people who actively want tyranny: either to exercise it themselves or - much more mysteriously - to submit to it. — Jean Francois Revel 6

My zoology thesis was a functional analysis of the thyroid gland of the three-toed sloth. I chose the sloth because its demeanour - calm, quiet and introspective - did something to soothe my shattered self. — Yann Martel 6

In 1947 I defended my thesis on nuclear physics, and in 1948 I was included in a group of research scientists whose task was to develop nuclear weapons. — Andrei Sakharov 5

Experiments were not attempted at that time, we did not believe in the usefulness of the concept anyway, and I finished my thesis in 1962 with a feeling like an artist balancing on a high rope without any interested spectators. — Richard Ernst 5

The use of thesis-writing is to train the mind, or to prove that the mind has been trained; the former purpose is, I trust, promoted, the evidences of the latter are scanty and occasional. — Clifford Allbutt 5

Now a great debate has been born. The thesis is Democratic Socialism. The antithesis is free-market capitalism. The Obama Democrats have posed the challenge. It is now up to the Republicans to pick it up and fight along these lines. — Dick Morris 4

In Conclusion

Which quotation resonated with you best? Did you enjoy our collection of thesis quotes? Or may be you have a slogan about thesis to suggest. Let us know using our contact form .

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50 Research Quotes To Inspire The Academic In You

Research is the process of collecting data, saving critical information, then analyzing and interpreting the data.

There are three types of research: exploratory, casual, and descriptive. Each of them is used for a different purpose and in a certain way.

Research is important in all fields of work. For example, clinical research is what permits doctors to determine the way to treat patients best.

It is what makes the event of the latest medicines, new procedures, and new tools doable. If it weren't for clinical analysis, we wouldn't be ready to decide if new treatments are more efficient than the current treatments.

Here on our page, you can find 50 inspiring and funny quotes about research. Let's take a look at these quotes. If you like these quotes, do also read our physics quotes and classic literature quotes .  

Deep Quotes About Research

Here are some famous research quotes in all their glory.

1. "No research without action, no action without research."

- Kurt Lewin.

2. "Research has formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."

- Zora Neale Hurston .

3. "I believe in innovation and that the way you get innovation is you fund research, and you learn the basic facts."

- Bill Gates.

4. "Research means that you don’t know, but are willing to find out."

- Charles F. Kettering.

5. "It is a good thing for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast."

- Konrad Lorenz .

6. "You'd be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever."

- Ernest Cline.

7. "Highly organized research is guaranteed to produce nothing new."

- Frank Herbert.

8. "With a library, it is easier to hope for serendipity than to look for a precise answer."

- Lemony Snicket.

9. "The measure of greatness in a scientific idea is the extent to which it stimulates thought and opens up new lines of research."

- Paul Dirac.

10. "What we find changes who we become."

- Peter Morville.

Select Quotes About Scientific Research

Here are some scientific research quotes (Einstein said a few as well) for our readers.

11. "Research is to see what everybody else has seen and to think what nobody else has thought."

- Albert Szent-Gyorgyi.

12. "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"

- Albert Einstein.

13. "The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them."

- William Lawrence Bragg.

14. "The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking."

15. "The more thoroughly I conduct scientific research, the more I believe that science excludes atheism."

- Lord Kelvin.

16. "Scientific research is one of the most exciting and rewarding of occupations."

- Frederick Sanger.

17. "If we choose to ignore science and refuse to fund important scientific research, we voluntarily cede our place as a world leader in innovation."

- Bill Foster.

18. "We need to have much clearer regulations on things like corporate funding of scientific research. Things need to be made explicit which are implicit."

- Noreena Hertz.

19. "I think, however, that so long as our present economic and national systems continue, scientific research has little to fear."

- John B. S. Haldane.

20. "We need to celebrate and reward people who cure diseases, expand our understanding of humanity, and work to improve people's lives."

- Mark Zuckerberg.

In-Depth Market Research Quotes

Here are some business research quotes - inspirational to many. You'll also find market research quotes that could help your business assess the market.

21. "Without data, you're just another person with an opinion."

- W. Edwards Deming.

22. "The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well, the product or service sells itself."

- Peter Drucker.

23. "Marketing without data is like driving with your eyes closed."

- Dan Zarrella.

24. "When research walks on the field, the judgment does not walk off."

- Dick Kampe.

25. "If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday."

- Pearl Buck.

26. "Understanding human needs is half the job of meeting them."

- Adlai E Jr Stevenson.

Funny Quotes About Research

Enjoy these funny quotes that will tickle your funny bone.

27. "What is research but a blind date with knowledge?"

- Will Harvey.

28. "Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing."

- Werner von Braun.

Scholars Quotes About Academia

Here is some research academic quote for our readers.

29. "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go."

- Dr. Seuss.

30. "Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."

- H. Jackson Brown Jr.

31. "In much of society, research means to investigate something you do not know or understand."

- Neil Armstrong.

32. "What is the matter with universities is that the students are school children, whereas it is of the very essence of university education that they should be adults."

- George Bernard Shaw.

33. "That afternoon, I came to understand that one of the deepest purposes of intellectual sophistication is to provide distance between us and our most disturbing personal truths and gnawing fears."

- Richard Russo.

34. "What I learned on my own I still remember."

- Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

35. "There are times when wisdom cannot be found in the chambers of parliament or the halls of academia but at the unpretentious setting of the kitchen table."

- E.A. Bucchianeri.

36. "We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better."

- J.K. Rowling.

37. "If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place."

- Nora Roberts.

38. " Trust the process and it will bring out the hidden subject as the results.

- David Harris.

Medical Research Quotes

Here are some science research quotes and cancer research quotes. There are also a few stem cell research quotes.

39. "Advances in medicine and agriculture have saved vastly more lives than have been lost in all the wars in history."

- Carl Sagan.

40. "America's doctors, nurses, and medical researchers are the best in the world, but our health care system is broken."

- Mike Ferguson.

41. "Prior to penicillin and medical research, death was an everyday occurrence. It was intimate."

- Katherine Dunn.

42. "Stem cell research can revolutionize medicine, more than anything since antibiotics."

- Ron Reagan.

43. "Medical research in the twentieth century mostly takes place in the lab; in the Renaissance, though, researchers went first and foremost to the library to see what the ancients had said."

- Peter Lewis Allen.

44. "It is certainly important to be looking for cures to medical disorders, but it is equally important to conduct research on human health and well-being."

- Stephen LaBerge.

45. "A wise physician skilled our wounds to heal, is more than armies to the public weal."

- Alexander Pope.

46. "It is false to suggest that medical breakthroughs come only through government research."

- Roger Wicker.

47. "The realities are that it's difficult to find funding for research for a medical cure. I believe in developing technology as opposed to medical research."

- Steve Gleason.

48. "A doctor is a man who writes prescriptions till the patient either dies or is cured by nature."

- William Broome.

49. "A fool will not only pay for a 'cure' that does him no good but will write a testimonial to the effect that he was cured."

- E. W. Howe.

50. "I decided to take two years between finishing undergraduate and beginning medical school to devote fully to medical research. I knew that I wanted to go to medical school during undergraduate, but I was also eager to get a significant amount of research experience."

- Eva Vertes.

Here at Kidadl , we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for research quotes, then why not take a look at funny science quotes , or poetry quotes .

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More for you, 32 thought-provoking please quotes, 53 interesting feedback quotes, 32+ uplifting mission quotes to lift your spirits.

Writvik Gupta

A professional content writer hailing from Kolkata, India, with extensive experience in the corporate sector, Writvik Gupta has worked with several reputed companies, including ITC WelcomHotel Jodhpur, Bharti AXA Life Insurance, Aryan Imaging, and Eduquity. He also serves as a consultant for a startup based in Bangalore. With a passion for the outdoors, Writvik enjoys trekking and traveling to remote destinations. He also has a keen interest in exploring various cuisines and regularly volunteers for social causes.

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The top 10 thesis defense questions (+ how to prepare strong answers)

Crafting a thesis is significant, but defending it often feels like the ultimate test. While nerve-wracking, proper preparation can make it manageable. Prepare for your thesis defense with insights on the top questions you can expect, including strategies for answering convincingly.

Mastering the thesis defense: cultivate a success mindset

Confidence enables you to present your research with conviction, while composure allows you to navigate any challenges with grace and clarity.

Remember, you know your thesis best, so trust in your expertise.

Stay composed and focused, relying on your thorough preparation. If you encounter a question you can’t answer, gracefully guide the conversation back to familiar topics.

By embracing these principles and staying confident and adaptable, you’ll navigate your thesis defense with ease.

Question 1: Why did you choose this particular topic for your research?

Moreover, discuss the gaps you identified in the existing literature that motivated you to contribute to your field. What deficiencies or unanswered questions did you observe? How did these gaps inspire you to embark on your research journey with the aim of filling these voids? By articulating the specific shortcomings in the current body of knowledge, you demonstrate a nuanced understanding of your research area and underscore the significance of your work.

Question 2: How does your research contribute to the existing body of knowledge?

This question delves into the vital role your research plays within the existing body of knowledge, urging you to articulate its significance and impact. It’s not merely about the subject matter you’ve studied, but also about the unique contributions and advancements your research brings to your field. To effectively respond, delve into the intricacies of your work and its implications for the broader academic landscape.

Illuminate how your findings could influence future research trajectories. Explore potential avenues for further inquiry that emerge from your research findings. Consider how your work opens up new questions or areas of exploration for future researchers. By identifying these potential research directions, you demonstrate the forward-looking nature of your work and its potential to shape the future trajectory of your field.

Question 3: What are the key findings of your research?

Furthermore, relate these findings to the broader implications they hold for your field. Articulate how your research contributes to advancing knowledge or addressing pressing issues within your academic discipline. Consider the potential impact of your findings on theory, practice, or policy, highlighting their relevance and significance within the larger scholarly community.

Question 4: Can you defend your research methodology?

Defending your research methodology entails a comprehensive understanding of its rationale, alignment with research objectives, and acknowledgment of potential limitations. It’s not merely about explaining the methods employed but also justifying why they were chosen over alternative approaches. To effectively respond, delve into the intricacies of your methodology and its implications for the study.

Be prepared to discuss the limitations inherent in your chosen methodology and how you mitigated them. Acknowledge any constraints or shortcomings associated with the selected approach, such as potential biases, sample size limitations, or data collection challenges. Demonstrate your awareness of these limitations and discuss the strategies implemented to address or minimize their impact on the validity and reliability of your findings.

Question 5: How did you analyze the data and what challenges did you encounter?

Begin by outlining the techniques used for data analysis. Describe the specific methods, tools, and software employed to process and interpret the data collected. Whether it involved quantitative statistical analysis, qualitative coding techniques, or a combination of both, provide insights into the analytical framework guiding your study. Additionally, discuss the rationale behind the chosen analytical approach and how it aligns with the research objectives and questions.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about data analysis, consider the following key points:

Question 6: What theoretical frameworks or references underpin your research?

Elucidate on how these frameworks shaped your hypothesis and analysis. Describe how the theoretical perspectives and insights gleaned from seminal works informed the development of your research questions, hypotheses, and analytical framework. Discuss the ways in which these theoretical frameworks guided your data collection and interpretation, influencing the selection of variables, measures, and analytical techniques employed in your study.

Question 7: How did you address ethical considerations in your research?

When addressing ethical considerations in your research, it’s essential to demonstrate a commitment to upholding ethical standards and protecting the rights and well-being of participants. Responding to inquiries about ethical protocols involves explaining the steps taken to ensure ethical conduct throughout the research process, describing the consent process and data protection measures implemented, and mentioning any institutional review board (IRB) approvals obtained.

Mention any institutional ethics review board approvals you obtained. Highlight any formal ethical review processes or approvals obtained from relevant regulatory bodies, such as IRBs or ethics committees. Discuss how the research protocol was reviewed for compliance with ethical guidelines and standards, including considerations of participant welfare, informed consent procedures, and data protection measures. By acknowledging the oversight and approval of institutional review bodies, you demonstrate your commitment to ethical integrity and accountability in conducting research involving human subjects.

Question 8: In what ways does your research contribute to the field?

Begin by detailing the novel insights your thesis provides. Articulate the key findings, discoveries, or perspectives that distinguish your research from existing literature and contribute to advancing knowledge within your field. Discuss how your study fills gaps in current understanding, challenges established assumptions, or offers innovative approaches to addressing pressing issues, highlighting its potential to generate new avenues of inquiry and broaden the scope of scholarly discourse.

In summary, when addressing inquiries about the contributions of your research to the field, consider the following key points:

Question 9: How did you ensure your research was free from bias?

Describe any blind or double-blind procedures employed in the study. Explain how blinding techniques were used to prevent bias in data collection, analysis, or interpretation. This may involve withholding certain information from researchers or participants to minimize the potential for conscious or unconscious bias to influence the results. Discuss how these procedures were implemented and their impact on enhancing the credibility and impartiality of the research outcomes.

Question 10: Where can future research go from here?

When considering the potential trajectory of your research topic, it’s essential to identify areas where further investigation could yield valuable insights, discuss unexplored questions that emerged from your research, and reflect on the limitations of your study as starting points for future research endeavors. Responding to inquiries about the future direction of research involves suggesting fruitful areas for further investigation, highlighting unresolved questions, and leveraging the limitations of your study as opportunities for future exploration.

Reflect on the limitations of your study as starting points for future research. Acknowledge any constraints, biases, or methodological shortcomings that may have influenced the outcomes or interpretations of your study. Discuss how these limitations provide opportunities for future research to refine methodologies, address confounding variables, or explore alternative theoretical frameworks. Consider how addressing these limitations could enhance the validity, reliability, and generalizability of future research findings within your field.

Master Academia

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30 Best Motivational Quotes For Research Students

30 best motivational quotes for research students – postgraduate study.

What is the 30 best motivational quotes for research students ? Sometimes, you just need additional motivation and inspiration to push you through hard times and remain focused to finish what you started. To do that, you need to have a positive mindset all the time.

Read the following 30 best motivational quotes for research students  to help you finish your postgraduate study, regardless of what they might be. Use them as motivation and inspiration to accomplish contentment as well as attainment.

1. Identify Your Research Interests

1. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs

2. “Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing.” – Wernher von Braun

3. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain

4. “In much of society, research means to investigate something you do not know or understand.” – Neil Armstrong

5. “Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” – Wayne Dyer

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2. Always Believe That You Can Do It

6. “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson

7. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar

8. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

9. “All our dreams can come true… if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

10. “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Christopher Columbus

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3. Envision Greatness

11. “I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail, than to attempt nothing and succeed.” – Robert H. Schuller

12. “There is always room at the top.” – Daniel Webster

13. “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” – JK Rowling

14. “My favorite animal is the turtle. The reason is that in order for the turtle to move, it has to stick its neck out. There are going to be times in your life when you’re going to have to stick your neck out. There will be challenges and instead of hiding in a shell, you have to go out and meet them.” – Ruth Westheimer

15. “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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4. Plan and Schedule To Achieve Your Research Milestones

16.“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” – Napoleon hill

17. “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” – Nora Roberts

18. “Without some goal and some efforts to reach it, no man can live.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky

19. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” – Dr. Seuss

20. “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

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5. No Talk, Take Action

21. “One day, you’re 17 and you’re planning for someday. And then quietly, without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life. – John Green

22. “Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot. Make it hot by striking.” – William Butler Yeats

23. “I can’t imagine a person becoming a success who doesn’t give this game of life everything he’s got.” – Walter Cronkite

24. “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” – A. Branson Alcott

25. “Without ambition, one starts nothing. Without work, one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

6. Enjoy The Postgraduate Journey

26. “Life is short, liv26. “Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish it.” – Anonymous

27. “Remember to celebrate milestones as you prepare for the road ahead.” – Nelson Mandela

28. “My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal. We never lose, somehow we win out.” – Ronald Reagan

29. “The person who makes a success of living is the one who see his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication.” – Bob Dylan

30.“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer

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Do you feel inspire and motivate after reading the 30 best motivational quotes for research students or do you have any other motivational and inspirational quotes in your mind that I missed in this list? If so, feel free to share it in the comments section below. Cheers!

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Sie Jing is an experienced proofreader and copyeditor with 8+ years of experience proofreading and editing for a variety of clients. He has helped many PhD students to publish their research in international journals with high impact factor. He is also a Certified Internet Marketing Practitioner (CIMP) & Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB).

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The 10 Key Components of a Successful Thesis Defence Presentation

Sep 27, 2023 | Research FAQs

What are the Key Components of a Successful Thesis Defence Presentation?

The culmination of years of rigorous research, analysis, and academic dedication is often encapsulated in a single event – a successful thesis defence presentation. This pivotal moment in an academic journey can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. Success hinges on a well-prepared and effectively delivered presentation. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the key components of a successful thesis defence presentation, equipping you with the knowledge and insights necessary to navigate this critical milestone in your academic career.

10 Key Strategies To Defend Your Thesis

#1 clearly define your statement of thesis.

At the heart of every successful thesis defence presentation lies a well-articulated statement of thesis. This concise and focused sentence or two should encapsulate the core question or problem your research addresses. Peer review, a critical evaluation of your work by experts in the field, often commences with a thorough assessment of the clarity and relevance of your thesis statement. It is the compass that guides your entire presentation.

The statement of thesis serves as the cornerstone of an entire successful thesis defence presentation, and its importance cannot be overstated. This concise and focused sentence or two should encapsulate the core question or problem your research addresses. Think of it as the spark that ignites the intellectual journey you’re about to take your audience on.

When you consider the peer review process, it becomes clear that the experts in your field are like seasoned explorers, setting out on an intellectual expedition through your work. And where does their journey begin? With your thesis statement. It acts as the compass that guides their critical evaluation. They venture into the depths of your research, often commencing with a meticulous assessment of the clarity and relevance of your thesis statement. It’s not merely a formality; it’s a critical checkpoint to ensure that your compass is finely tuned and aligned with the path you’ve forged.

#2 Comprehensive Literature Review

A robust literature review demonstrates your understanding of the existing body of knowledge in your field. This component of your presentation should not merely summarise relevant literature but critically analyse it. Peer-reviewed journals, academic databases, and scholarly publications are invaluable resources for conducting a thorough literature review. Clearly demonstrate how your research fits into the existing landscape and adds a new dimension to the field.

Your literature review isn’t just a bibliography; it’s the evidence of your mastery over the existing body of knowledge in your field. It should be robust, showcasing your understanding and critical thinking abilities. Think of it as a treasure trove of insights from the minds of scholars who have paved the way before you.

Peer-reviewed journals, academic databases, and scholarly publications are the maps to this treasure trove. They are invaluable resources for conducting a thorough literature review. But remember, your role is not merely that of a summariser; you are an interpreter. Your presentation should not merely summarise relevant literature but critically analyse it. Imagine yourself as an art critic, dissecting each brushstroke to reveal the masterpiece that is your research. Show the audience how your research fits into the existing landscape and adds a new dimension to the field, like an artist contributing a unique piece to a gallery.

#3 Methodology and Data Collection

Describe in detail the methodologies employed in your research, addressing questions such as: How did you collect data? What tools or instruments did you use? How did you ensure the validity and reliability of your data? Peer review often scrutinises the rigor of your research methods, so be prepared to defend your choices and demonstrate their appropriateness for your study.

Your methodology is the blueprint of your research, and the data you collect are the bricks that build your thesis. This section deserves meticulous attention and clarity. Describe in detail the methodologies employed in your research. Address questions such as: How did you collect data? What tools or instruments did you use? How did you ensure the validity and reliability of your data? Think of it as the architectural plans that ensure your thesis stands tall and sturdy.

Keep in mind that peer review often scrutinises the rigor of your research methods. It’s like having a team of experienced builders inspecting your construction site for structural integrity. Be prepared to defend your choices and demonstrate their appropriateness for your study. You’re not just presenting data; you’re presenting the process behind the creation of your data.

#4 Data Analysis and Results

Present your findings with precision and clarity. Utilise graphs, tables, and visuals to enhance comprehension. Peer review experts will closely examine your data analysis methods to ensure they are statistically sound. Transparency in reporting results, including any limitations or unexpected outcomes, is crucial. Remember, transparency fosters credibility.

Your data is the treasure you’ve unearthed through your research, and it’s time to present it with precision and clarity. Visual aids like graphs, tables, and visuals should be your artistic tools. Imagine yourself as a storyteller, weaving a narrative with data points.

Peer review experts will closely examine your data analysis methods to ensure they are statistically sound. It’s akin to having statisticians double-check your calculations. Transparency in reporting results is paramount. Think of it as being transparent about the ingredients of a recipe; it fosters credibility. Be honest about any limitations or unexpected outcomes, just as a chef might explain a dish’s unique flavours. Transparency invites trust and understanding.

#5 Discussion and Interpretation

This is your opportunity to showcase your critical thinking skills. Discuss the implications of your findings in the context of your thesis statement and existing literature. Address any unanswered questions or areas for future research. Peer review experts will assess the depth of your analysis and the coherence of your interpretations.

This is the moment when your audience gets a glimpse of your critical thinking skills. It’s not just about presenting data; it’s about the story behind the data. Consider yourself a detective solving a complex mystery. Discuss the implications of your findings in the context of your thesis statement and existing literature.

Address any unanswered questions or areas for future research. This is your chance to engage your audience in a scholarly conversation. Peer review experts will assess the depth of your analysis and the coherence of your interpretations. Think of it as a roundtable discussion where your ideas are put to the test.

#6 Effective Presentation Skills

Engage your audience with effective presentation skills. Practice your delivery, ensuring that you maintain eye contact, speak clearly, and use appropriate gestures. A confident and composed demeanour goes a long way in conveying your expertise. Utilise visual aids sparingly and strategically to enhance, not overwhelm, your presentation.

As you step into the spotlight of your thesis defence presentation, imagine yourself as a performer on the academic stage. Engage your audience with effective presentation skills that not only convey your expertise but also hold their attention. Practice your delivery meticulously to ensure that you maintain eye contact, speak clearly, and use appropriate gestures.

Confidence is your best companion on this stage. A confident and composed demeanour goes a long way in conveying your mastery of the subject matter. Utilise visual aids sparingly and strategically to enhance, not overwhelm, your presentation. Think of them as props in a play, designed to complement your narrative, not steal the show.

#7 Anticipate and Address Questions

Be prepared for a barrage of questions from the thesis committee during and after your presentation. Anticipate potential queries based on your research and be ready to provide well-informed responses. Peer review often extends to this phase, assessing your ability to defend your research and engage in scholarly discourse.

The Q&A session during and after your presentation is a challenging yet essential phase. Imagine it as the part of your performance where the audience gets to interact with you directly. Be prepared for a barrage of questions from the thesis committee. Anticipate potential queries based on your research and be ready to provide well-informed responses.

Peer review often extends to this phase, assessing your ability to defend your research and engage in scholarly discourse. Think of it as a debate where you defend your thesis against the toughest opponents. Embrace questions as opportunities to showcase your expertise and deepen the understanding of your work.

#8 Time Management

Respect the allocated time for your presentation. Going over your time limit can be detrimental and reflects poorly on your preparation. Time management is a skill that not only demonstrates professionalism but also allows for a smoother and more focused presentation.

Time management is the conductor’s baton in the symphony of your presentation. It’s not just about keeping things on schedule; it’s about ensuring that your performance is harmonious and well-paced. Respect the allocated time for your presentation. Going over your time limit can be detrimental and reflects poorly on your preparation.

Think of your presentation as a well-rehearsed orchestral piece, with each section seamlessly flowing into the next. Time management is the key to orchestrating this performance effectively. It demonstrates professionalism and allows for a smoother and more focused presentation.

#9 Adaptability

Be ready to adapt to unforeseen circumstances or questions. Your ability to handle unexpected challenges with grace and knowledge can leave a positive impression on both your thesis committee and peer reviewers.

In the world of academia, as in life, surprises are inevitable. Be ready to adapt to unforeseen circumstances or questions. Your ability to handle unexpected challenges with grace and knowledge can leave a lasting positive impression on both your thesis committee and peer reviewers.

Think of this adaptability as the mark of a seasoned explorer who can navigate uncharted territory. The ability to pivot gracefully when faced with the unexpected demonstrates your resilience and expertise.

#10 Mock Defences and Feedback

Prior to your actual defence, conduct mock thesis defence presentations with peers or mentors. Seek constructive feedback to refine your presentation. This rehearsal process can help you identify areas that may require improvement and boost your confidence.

Before the curtain rises on your actual defence, consider the value of dress rehearsals in the world of theatre. Prior to your defence, conduct mock thesis defence presentations with peers or mentors. Seek constructive feedback to refine your presentation. This rehearsal process can help you identify areas that may require improvement and boost your confidence.

Think of these mock defences as a preview performance, an opportunity to fine-tune your act before the main event. Constructive feedback from trusted sources is like the guidance of seasoned directors, helping you polish your performance and ensure you’re ready for the spotlight.

In conclusion, a successful thesis defence presentation is a multifaceted performance that combines research expertise, effective communication, and adaptability. Each component plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative of your research journey. Just as a skilled performer prepares meticulously for a show, you too must invest time and effort in honing your skills and refining your presentation. Embrace the peer review process as a means to elevate your work and ensure it stands up to the scrutiny of the academic community. With these key components and a commitment to excellence, you’ll not only defend your thesis but also make a meaningful contribution to your field of study.

Key Tips To A Successful Thesis Defence 

• Clear and Concise Thesis Statement : Craft a thesis statement that is clear, concise, and aligned with your research.
• Thorough Literature Review : Leave no stone unturned in your literature review to demonstrate your grasp of existing knowledge.
• Prepare for Questions : Anticipate questions and practice your responses to showcase your expertise.
• Practice and Timing : Practice your presentation and stick to the allotted time.
• Adaptability and Confidence : Stay adaptable and confident in the face of unexpected challenges.

The Building Blocks of a Successful Thesis Defence Presentation

In the realm of academia, the successful thesis defence presentation is a culmination of years of dedication, research, and scholarship. It is a testament to your expertise in your chosen field and your ability to contribute to the body of knowledge. Key components, such as a well-defined thesis statement, a comprehensive literature review, meticulous data analysis, and effective presentation skills, are the building blocks of a successful presentation.

Moreover, the engagement with peer review processes adds a layer of scrutiny that enhances the quality and credibility of your work. Embrace feedback, both during mock defences and from the thesis committee, as opportunities for growth and refinement.

As you embark on this academic journey, remember that a successful thesis defence presentation is not just a milestone but a stepping stone to a future where your research can make a significant impact. The key to success lies in meticulous preparation, effective communication, and a deep passion for your subject matter. With these components in place, you are well on your way to a successful thesis defence.

Useful Resources

Way With Words – Website: https://waywithwords.net/services/transcription-services . A reliable source for academic research transcription services, ensuring accuracy and professionalism in transcribing your research data.

Peer Review Process – Website: https://www.elsevier.com/reviewers/what-is-peer-review . Understand the peer review process and its significance in academic research.

Engagement Questions

As you prepare for a successful thesis defence, ask yourself:

• How can I best convey the significance of my research to both my thesis committee and the broader academic community?
• How can I use peer review feedback to strengthen my work?
• What are the key takeaways from my research that I want my audience to remember?

Remember that a successful thesis defence is not just about defending your research; it’s about sharing your passion and contributing to the academic discourse in your field. Embrace the journey, and you’ll emerge from it with a deeper understanding of your subject and a sense of accomplishment that comes from mastering this critical academic milestone.

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News & Events

199 quotes about goal setting.

• December 1, 2014
• Posted by: Mike Rucker
• Category: Coaching Philosophy

Unstick.Me has compiled 199 famous goal setting quotes to help inspire, motivate, and encourage you. We have curated these from a large range of sources and have tried to cover as many topics within goal setting as possible. If there are goal setting quotes you feel we missed, or if you believe we have misquoted someone, please let us know in the comments section below.

1) “It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” – Oprah Winfrey

2) “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” – Theodore Roosevelt

3) “Out of clutter, find Simplicity. From discord, find Harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies Opportunity.”” – Albert Einstein

4) “Well done is better than well said.” – Benjamin Franklin

5) “There is only one success… to be able to spend your life in your own way, and not to give others absurd maddening claims upon it.” – Christopher Morley

6) “It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lou Holtz

7) “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

8) “The men who have succeeded are men who have chosen one line and stuck to it.” – Andrew Carnegie

9) “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell

10) “Behind every successful man there’s a lot of unsuccessful years.” – Bob Brown

11) “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz

12) “The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going.” – Napoleon Hill

13) “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

14) “Entrepreneurs don’t waste time/energy worrying about being better than someone else. Focus on being the very best version of YOU.” – Abdulaziz Aljouf

15) ” There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same.” – Chinese Proverb

16) “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.” – Mark Twain

17) “If you genuinely want something, don’t wait for it – teach yourself to be impatient.” – Gurbaksh Chahal

18) “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

19) “The entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and actualizer… He can visualize something, and when he visualizes it he sees exactly how to make it happen.” – Robert L. Schwartz

20) “Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility… in the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have… is the ability to take on responsibility.” – Michael Korda

21) “No man becomes rich without himself enriching others.” – Andrew Carnegie

22) “Success belongs to those who believe in the power of their ideas.” – Michael Irwin

23) “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius

24) “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” – Pablo Picasso

25) “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

26) “By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands — your own.” – Mark Victor Hansen

27) “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein

28) “None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

29) “Life isnt about learning how to weather the storm. its about learning how to dance in the rain.” – Monica Fish

30) “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – William G.T. Shedd

31) “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.” – Eric Thomas

32) “The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it “ – Michelangelo

33) “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

34) “The starting point of great success in your life begins, in the simplest terms, when you discipline yourself to think and talk about only the things you want and refuse to think and talk about anything you don’t want.” – Brian Tracy

35) “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. “ – Winston Churchill

36) “Things come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle” – Abraham Lincoln via Tina MiModels

37) “The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

38) “The tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.” – Benjamin Mays

39) “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

40) “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” – Vince Lombardi Jr.

41) “Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will.” – Unknown

42) “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door” – Milton Berle

43) “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” – Dale Carnegie

44) “Success doesn’t mean the absence of failures; it means the attainment of ultimate objectives. It means winning the war, not every battle.” – Edwin Bliss

45) “How you start is important, but it is how you finish that counts. In the race for success, speed is less important than stamina. The sticker outlasts the sprinter.” – B. C. Forbes

46) “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” – Randy Pausch

47) “Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction.” – Bernstein, Al

48) “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs. “ – Author unknown

49) “Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” – Calvin Coolidge

50) “A strong, successful man is not the victim of his environment. He creates favorable conditions. His own inherent force and energy compel things to turn out as he desires.” – Orison Swett Marden

51) “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

52) “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie

53) “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison

54) “There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” – Ray Goforth

55) “Vision without execution is just hallucination.” – Henry Ford

56) “Four things for success: work and pray, think and believe.” – Norman Vincent Peale

57) “Attach yourself to your passion, but not to your pain. Adversity is your best friend on the path to success.” – Author Unknown

58) “Whenever you see a successful person you only see the public glories, never the private sacrifices to reach them.” – Vaibhav Shah

59) “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer

60) “our success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” – Helen Keller

61) “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale

62) “Every accomplishment begins with the decision to try.” – Anonymous

63) “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going” – Helen Keller

64) “The starting point of all achievement is desire.” – Napolean Hill

65) “There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” – Aldous Huxley

66) “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” – Mother Teresa

67) “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind. “ – William James

68) “If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission.” – Anonymous

69) “Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” – John Maxwell

70) “I’ve been blessed to find people who are smarter than I am, and they help me to execute the vision I have.” – Russell Simmons

71) “The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance. The wise grows it under his feet.” – James Oppenheim

72) “The road to success is always under construction” – Lily Tomlin

73) “People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” – Tony Robbins

74) “When you can’t change the direction of the wind, just adjust your sails.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr

75) “Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.” – Les Brown

76) “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” – Tim Notke

77) “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain

78) “Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.” – George Bernard Shaw

79) “The good news is that the moment you decide that what you know is more important than what you have been taught to believe, you will have shifted gears in your quest for abundance. Success comes from within, not from without.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

80) “Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.” – Winston Churchill

81) “If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut” – Albert Einstein

82) “Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.” – Charles F. Kettering

83) “If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs.” – Dhirubhai Ambani

84) “Get going. Move forward. Aim High. Plan a takeoff. Don’t just sit on the runway and hope someone will come along and push the airplane. It simply won’t happen. Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you’ll love it up here.” – Donald Trump

85) “Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire, which transcends everything. “ – Napoleon Hill

86) “So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you’ll move mountains.” – Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

87) “We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents.” – Eric Hoffer

88) “Unfortunately, there seems to be far more opportunity out there than ability. We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.” – Thomas Edison

89) “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as you mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve.” – Mary Kay Ash

90) “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Vidal Sassoon

91) “Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.” – George Halas

92) “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” – Jordan Belfort

93) “Be content to act, and leave the talking to others.” – Baltasa

94) “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon… must inevitably come to pass!” – Paul J. Meyer

95) “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

96) “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

97) “Success is being able to juggle those Glass Balls called Priorities and keeping them shiny & intact while running the Marathon of Life” – Jouyin Teoh

98) “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

99) “Nobody ever wrote down a plan to be broke, fat, lazy, or stupid. Those things are what happen when you don’t have a plan.” – Larry Winget

100) “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale

101) “You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying. To the best you can do everyday.” – Jason Mraz

102) “For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? “ – James Allen

103) “If at first you don’t succeed; you are running about average. “ – Alderson, M.H.

104) “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen

105) “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.” – Dalai Lama XIV

106) “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.” – Bruce Lee

107) “The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term, is the indispensable prerequisite for success.” – Brian Tracy

108) “The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way.” – Norman Vincent Peale

109) “To achieve the impossible, it is precisely the unthinkable that must be thought.” – Tom Robbins

110) “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

111) “The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” – John D. Rockefeller

112) “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.” – Henry Ford

113) “The test of success is not what you do when you are on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom.” – George S. Patton Jr.

114) “Failure is not in your vocabulary; rather, you convert all working experiences, be they positive or negative, into fuel for future success. “ – Anonymous

115) “You may only succeed if you desire succeeding; you may only fail if you do not mind failing” – Philippos

116) “The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” – Confucius

117) “If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.” – Thomas J Watson

118) “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

119) “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

120) “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” – Chris Grosser

121) “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy

122) “Success is about creating benefit for all and enjoying the process. If you focus on this & adopt this definition, success is yours.” – Kelly Kim

123) ” price has to be paid for success. Almost invariably those who have reached the summits worked harder and longer, studied and planned more assiduously, practiced more self-denial, overcame more difficulties than those of us who have not risen so far.” – B. C. Forbes

124) “Concentration of effort and the habit of working with a definite chief aim are two of the essential factors in success which are always found together. One leads to the other.” – Napoleon Hill

125) “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing.” – Abraham Lincoln

126) “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.” – Buddha

127) “If you have no critics you’ll likely have no success.” – Malcolm X

128) “You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. With it, there is accomplishment. Without it there are only alibis.” – Henry Ford

129) “Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” – Orison Swett Marden

130) “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.” – Thomas Edison

131) “There are two rules to success: 1) Never tell everything you know.” – Nick Tart

132) “Failure defeats losers, failure inspires winners.” – Robert T. Kiyosaki

133) “Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them.” – Anonymous

134) “Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life.” – Dr. David M. Burns

135) “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always some one to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising to tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has it’s victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

136) “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” – Goethe

137) “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.” – Robert Collier

138) “I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.” – Warren Buffet

139) “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson

140) “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” – Gandhi

141) “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world…as in being able to remake ourselves.” – Mahatma Gandhi

142) “No one is going to hand me success. I must go out & get it myself. That’s why I’m here. To dominate. To conquer. Both the world, and myself.” – Unknown

143) “Before the reward there must be labor. You plant before you harvest. You sow in tears before you reap joy. “ – Ralph Ransom

144) “The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible. “ – Arthur C. Clarke

145) “The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can’t do.” – Dennis Waitley

146) “As soon as you realize that you don’t need anyone to make it in life. That’s your first step towards success. “ – Vusi Ndlovu

147) “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” – Lyndon Johnson

148) “Persevere…because on the road to success there is never a crowd on the extra mile!” – Charity Gibson

149) “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

150) “If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.” – Woody Allen

151) “The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.” – Vince Lombardi Jr.

152) “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way” – Martin Luther King Jr.

153) “We become what we think about most of the time, and that’s the strangest secret. “ – Earl Nightingale

154) “Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.” – Malcolm Forbes

155) “The great successful men of the world have used their imagination. They think ahead and create their mental picture in all its details, filling in here, adding a little there, altering this a bit and that a bit, but steadily building – steadily building.” – Robert Collier

156) “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin

157) “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it…Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” – Goethe

158) “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs

159) “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” – Leonardo da Vinci

160) “A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving.” – Ayn Rand

161) “The only thing that can stop you is the doubt that you carry in your mind. “ – Chae Richardson

162) “If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn

163) “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” – Michael John Bobak

164) “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” – David Brinkley

165) “Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.” – Robert Strauss

166) “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy

167) “The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs…. One step at a time.” – Rande Wilson

168) “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

169) “Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.” – Abraham Lincoln

170) “Victory becomes, to some degree, a state of mind. Knowing ourselves superior to the anxieties, troubles, and worries which obsess us, we are superior to them.” – Basil King

171) “To make our way, we must have firm resolve, persistence, tenacity.We must gear ourselves to work hard all the way. We can never let up.” – Ralph Bunche

172) “Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.” – Dr. Joyce Brothers

173) “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” – Truman Capote

174) “Fortune favours the brave. “ – Publius Terence

175) “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” – Swami Vivekananda

176) “God gives every bird his worm but He does not throw it into the nest” – Liam Carey

177) “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

178) “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.” – Mark Caine

179) “Accomplishments will prove to be a journey, not a destination.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

180) “If you think you made it, your at the wrong place, never stop” – Chris Pardo

181) “Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” – Stephen Covey

182) “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” – Napoleon Hill

183) “If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack.” – Sir Winston Churchill

184) “Whenever an individual or a business decides that success has been attained, progress stops. The way to succeed is to double your error rate.” – Thomas J. Watson

185) “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin

186) “The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.” – Norman Vincent Peale

187) “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – Ayn Rand

188) “Successful entrepreneurs are givers and not takers of positive energy. “ – Anonymous

189) “Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.” – William Jennings Bryan

190) “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.” – Donald Trump

191) “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” – Booker T. Washington

192) “Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from doing what you can do. “ – John Wooden

193) “Top Achievers are improvisors, not perfectionists. If you want to create more success in your life you have to move forward not knowing all the answers. “ – Douglas Vermeeren

194) “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. “ – Theodore Roosevelt

195) “Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing, it’s when you’ve had everything to do and you’ve done it. “ – Margaret Thatcher

196) “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” – Maya Angelou

197) “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney Company

198) “If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.” – Thomas J. Watson

199) “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

We hope you have found these quotes on goal setting useful. Again, if you feel we have missed any, or if you believe we have misrepresented someone, please let us know in the comments section below so we can update the quote or quotes. Goal setting also has its own topic section within Unstick.Me, if you are looking for more goal setting content please take a look here .

Nick Byrd, Ph.D.

Using science and technology to understand and improve how we think.

How To Prepare For A Thesis Defense

I defended my doctoral dissertation in 2020—yes, remotely. I also defended a master’s thesis a few years earlier. I learned a few things and sought plenty of advice between these two defenses. In this post I will share the checklist that I used to prepare for the dissertation defense.

(This checklist assumes that your committee has seen the thesis and you have asked them whether they have any reservations about scheduling a defense date—e.g., in case they are concerned that the you or the dissertation are not ready for defense. Here goes.)

1. Have You Followed The Institutional Requirements?

Universities (and their graduate schools) may have weird rules about thesis defenses. For example, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, thesis defenses were expected to occur in person. Even during the pandemic the defenses needed to occur during a semester in which the student is enrolled. And revisions to the thesis needed to occur with a certain number of days from the (successful) defense date. There may be many other requirements. So find your institutions’s thesis defense protocols and follow them.

2. Do You Know Your Advisor’s And/Or Committee’s Expectations?

Ask your advisor for their expectations about the defense. Ask for clarification where necessary and try to fulfill those expectations.

• Should you provide an overview of the thesis at the beginning of the defense?
• Should your committee provide commentary in advance of the defense?
• Will anyone expect you to wear any particular style of clothing?
• About how long might the defense last?
• Who else is allowed to attend the defense?
• Do they or the committee expect some sort of gift?

Note: I consider it odd to provide gifts to your advisor and/or committee after a successful defense. And I consider it a conflict of interest to do so before a successful defense. However, I am unsure if my view on this is the norm. So ask your advisor about informal stuff like as well.

I've been many people's advisors and would consider it highly unusualy to receive a gift. A thoughtful card would be nice but more than that is totally unnecessary. So feel free to skip that one & save $. — Anne Churchland (@anne_churchland) June 29, 2019

3. Have You Prepared For Predictable Questions?

I recommend rereading your thesis the week of your defense. This will help you anticipate the kinds of comments and questions that your committee will raise during the defense.

• If you have thoughts or questions while rereading any part of your thesis, write them down. Then write out some responses to those thoughts and questions.
• Generate at least one critical question or comment that you might expect from each of your committee members. Then prepare a response to each criticism.

4. Do You Understand The Question?

During the discussion portion, if you do not understand a question, then say so. Better yet, ask the questioner a question that will help them rephrase the question in a way that makes more sense to you. Some examples are below. You may want to prepare your own.

• “I am not sure I know what section of the dissertation you are referring to. Do you have a particular chapter, section, or page in mind?”
• “Are you are asking about [X] or [Y]. Or are you asking about something else entirely?”
• “Can you say more about what you mean by [Z]? For example, what observations would allow me to discern it from something else?

5. What Good Questions Can Replace Bad Questions?

Bad questions are not uncommon in academic presentations . If you get a question that seems bad in some way, translate it into a good question and answer that—without saying that the question is bad and that you’re translating it. For example, “This is an interesting line of inquiry. After all it, it raises questions like, [insert good question here]? To that I would say….”

You may want to consult your prepared list of questions and responses if you receive an unambiguously bad question during the defense.

6. Don’t Forget To Thank Everyone Involved

Thank questioners for their questions. When the defense is over, thank everyone involved for their time and attention (and whatever else they have invested in you, if they have). Don’t forget

• anyone who provided comments on drafts of the thesis.
• people who attended presentations of any part of your dissertation.
• those who provided funds for the thesis research.
• administrators who handle many of the bureaucratic aspects of your thesis.
• editors who check your thesis’s compliance with institutional formatting guidelines.

Related Posts

• 6 Tips For Academic Presentations
• Two Years In The Life Of A Grad Student: Time Logging Data
• A Year On The Job Market With A Ph.D. – Some Data
• Multi-disciplinary Philosophy PhD Programs
• Upgrading My Laptop From A 2014 Macbook Air to…?

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Nick is a cognitive scientist at Florida State University studying reasoning, wellbeing, and willpower. Check out his blog at byrdnick.com/blog View all posts by Nick Byrd

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

What is a thesis defense?

How long is a thesis defense, what happens at a thesis defense, your presentation, questions from the committee, 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense, 1. anticipate questions and prepare for them, 2. dress for success, 3. ask for help, as needed, 4. have a backup plan, 5. prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer, 6. de-stress before, during, and after, frequently asked questions about preparing an excellent thesis defense, related articles.

If you're about to complete, or have ever completed a graduate degree, you have most likely come across the term "thesis defense." In many countries, to finish a graduate degree, you have to write a thesis .

A thesis is a large paper, or multi-chapter work, based on a topic relating to your field of study.

Once you hand in your thesis, you will be assigned a date to defend your work. Your thesis defense meeting usually consists of you and a committee of two or more professors working in your program. It may also include other people, like professionals from other colleges or those who are working in your field.

During your thesis defense, you will be asked questions about your work. The main purpose of your thesis defense is for the committee to make sure that you actually understand your field and focus area.

The questions are usually open-ended and require the student to think critically about their work. By the time of your thesis defense, your paper has already been evaluated. The questions asked are not designed so that you actually have to aggressively "defend" your work; often, your thesis defense is more of a formality required so that you can get your degree.

• Check with your department about requirements and timing.
• Re-read your thesis.
• Anticipate questions and prepare for them.
• Create a back-up plan to deal with technology hiccups.
• Plan de-stressing activities both before, and after, your defense.

How long your oral thesis defense is depends largely on the institution and requirements of your degree. It is best to consult your department or institution about this. In general, a thesis defense may take only 20 minutes, but it may also take two hours or more. The length also depends on how much time is allocated to the presentation and questioning part.

Tip: Check with your department or institution as soon as possible to determine the approved length for a thesis defense.

First of all, be aware that a thesis defense varies from country to country. This is just a general overview, but a thesis defense can take many different formats. Some are closed, others are public defenses. Some take place with two committee members, some with more examiners.

The same goes for the length of your thesis defense, as mentioned above. The most important first step for you is to clarify with your department what the structure of your thesis defense will look like. In general, your thesis defense will include:

• your presentation of around 20-30 minutes
• questions from the committee
• questions from the audience (if the defense is public and the department allows it)

You might have to give a presentation, often with Powerpoint, Google slides, or Keynote slides. Make sure to prepare an appropriate amount of slides. A general rule is to use about 10 slides for a 20-minute presentation.

But that also depends on your specific topic and the way you present. The good news is that there will be plenty of time ahead of your thesis defense to prepare your slides and practice your presentation alone and in front of friends or family.

Tip: Practice delivering your thesis presentation in front of family, friends, or colleagues.

You can prepare your slides by using information from your thesis' first chapter (the overview of your thesis) as a framework or outline. Substantive information in your thesis should correspond with your slides.

Make sure your slides are of good quality— both in terms of the integrity of the information and the appearance. If you need more help with how to prepare your presentation slides, both the ASQ Higher Education Brief and James Hayton have good guidelines on the topic.

The committee will ask questions about your work after you finish your presentation. The questions will most likely be about the core content of your thesis, such as what you learned from the study you conducted. They may also ask you to summarize certain findings and to discuss how your work will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Tip: Read your entire thesis in preparation of the questions, so you have a refreshed perspective on your work.

While you are preparing, you can create a list of possible questions and try to answer them. You can foresee many of the questions you will get by simply spending some time rereading your thesis.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense:

You can absolutely prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your thesis and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions. In addition, since you will know who will be on the committee, look at the academic expertise of the committee members. In what areas would they most likely be focused?

If possible, sit at other thesis defenses with these committee members to get a feel for how they ask and what they ask. As a graduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating test questions, so use this advantage to gather as much information as possible before your thesis defense meeting.

Your thesis defense is a formal event, often the entire department or university is invited to participate. It signals a critical rite of passage for graduate students and faculty who have supported them throughout a long and challenging process.

While most universities don't have specific rules on how to dress for that event, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.

It might help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your defense well ahead of schedule. This trusted person could be responsible for:

• preparing the room of the day of defense
• setting up equipment for the presentation
• preparing and distributing handouts

Technology is unpredictable. Life is too. There are no guarantees that your Powerpoint presentation will work at all or look the way it is supposed to on the big screen. We've all been there. Make sure to have a plan B for these situations. Handouts can help when technology fails, and an additional clean shirt can save the day if you have a spill.

One of the scariest aspects of the defense is the possibility of being asked a question you can't answer. While you can prepare for some questions, you can never know exactly what the committee will ask.

There will always be gaps in your knowledge. But your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. You are not expected to know everything.

James Hayton writes on his blog that examiners will sometimes even ask questions they don't know the answer to, out of curiosity, or because they want to see how you think. While it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, but you would need to do [...] in order to find out.” This shows that you have the ability to think as an academic.

You will be nervous. But your examiners will expect you to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions, for example. Dora Farkas at finishyourthesis.com notes that it’s a myth that thesis committees are out to get you.

Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down and take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life.

• Try meditational breathing right before your defense.
• Get plenty of exercise and sleep in the weeks prior to your defense.
• Have your clothes or other items you need ready to go the night before.
• During your defense, allow yourself to process each question before answering.
• Go to dinner with friends and family, or to a fun activity like mini-golf, after your defense.

Allow yourself to process each question, respond to it, and stop talking once you have responded. While a smile can often help dissolve a difficult situation, remember that nervous laughs can be irritating for your audience.

We all make mistakes and your thesis defense will not be perfect. However, careful preparation, mindfulness, and confidence can help you feel less stressful both before, and during, your defense.

Finally, consider planning something fun that you can look forward to after your defense.

It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed. Slow yourself down, and take a deep breath.

Your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. James Hayton writes on his blog that it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", but he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, you would need to do [...] in order to find out".

Your Powerpoint presentation can get stuck or not look the way it is supposed to do on the big screen. It can happen and your supervisors know it. In general, handouts can always save the day when technology fails.

• Dress for success.
• Ask for help setting up.
• Have a backup plan (in case technology fails you).
• Deal with your nerves.

15 Ways to Prepare for a Successful Life Science Thesis Defense

After finally writing and editing your thesis, it’s time to defend. Here we discuss what steps you can take to prepare for your defense and provide some tips on how to successfully defend in front of the thesis committee.

For many graduate students, the thesis defense can be scary and extremely nerve-wracking, but with the proper preparation, it can actually be an enjoyable experience. It is important to remember that you are the ultimate expert in your research project. While professors on the committee may know your field of study in a general sense, they have not spent the time you have studying your thesis topic. Keep in mind that the committee is not there to make you fail, but is there to ensure you are prepared and have the skills necessary to proceed independently as a scientist. Follow the guidelines below to understand what to expect, ease your nerves and show off what you have learned over the past few years. If you need to refresh your public speaking skills, be sure to check out our articles on public speaking for the grad student and seasoned researcher .

What to expect

1. the setting..

While most defenses are open to the public, some are closed door. This will depend on the department and institution so check with your program to see what type of defense you will have.

Since many defenses are seen as more of a formality and celebration, there is often food and drinks provided. Be sure to find out if you are responsible for providing refreshments for your guests and committee in advance.

2. Inviting Friends and Family.

Most programs allow you to invite guests such as friends and family. If your family and friends do attend, tailor your presentation to a wider audience so everyone can understand. Also, don’t forget to be prepared for embarrassing questions. Take them with a sense of grace, and they will brush right over. If you’re worried that your parent with a background in life sciences may try to stump you, remind yourself that it is okay not to know the answer—just stay professional and confident.

Pro Tip: Preemptively involve your family before the time of the defense. The best way to do this is to invite them to your presentation and give them an overview prior to the defense. Ask if they have questions, and if not, provide them with intelligent questions to ask. By charging them ahead of time, they’ll be too distracted by the honor of the task to try anything else, and you’ll already be prepared to respond to their questions.

3. The Committee.

The committee is usually made up of your advisor as well as other professors from your department. Occasionally, there may be a few professors from a related department, but a majority will be from yours. The advisor serves as the moderator for the defense and does not have a say in the outcome.

4. Format of the defense.

At most institutions, the event begins with a presentation by you—sometimes with interruptions for questions. At the conclusion of your talk, the committee may have you leave the room while they decide which questions they will ask you. You will be invited back into the room for the defense portion, and the committee will ask you a series of questions. Most questions are simple and not meant to stump you, but expect a few challenging ones.

5. Failure is rare.

As stated previously, at many institutions, the thesis defense is more of a formality that happens once the final revisions have been made to your dissertation. Therefore, failure is rare. The committee does not let people defend until they are ready. Common outcomes are passing and passing with revisions required. While failure is the third possible outcome, it is unusual.

Before your Defense

6. reread your thesis..

Two weeks before you defend, set aside some time to reread through your thesis in its entirety. While it may seem like overkill since you already spent so much time writing it, going back over your thesis can help to bring the bigger picture back to mind before you present. This is very important when it comes to answering questions from the committee about the implications of your project. The details of your research will be freshly accessible in your mind after going over the paper one last time as well.

7. Pretend to be the examiner.

As you review your thesis/dissertation, try to do so from the perspective of your thesis committee. Look for the strengths and weaknesses of your research. Try to identify potential areas of confusion because the audience will likely ask questions about parts of your thesis that could have been expanded upon. Write out the questions that you come up with while rereading, and then go back and answer them to the best of your ability. Were you able to answer them thoroughly? If not, now is the time to brush up on current literature about the topic as well as the nuances of your own research study .

8. Attend other thesis defenses.

Perhaps one of the most intimidating aspects of the thesis defense is not knowing what to expect. You may have heard rumors about previous thesis defenses and how they were but if you weren’t actually there to see it, these rumors won’t be as helpful. At many universities, students are allowed to observe the thesis presentations of other students. Take advantage of this opportunity before you start preparing your presentation. Not only will this help to calm your nerves since you will have a better idea of what to expect, it will help you to form a list of dos and don’ts in your head for your own talk. Look for the strengths and weaknesses in each student’s defense and learn from their mistakes and successes.

9. Schedule a strategy meeting with your advisor.

Scheduling a time to meet with your advisor can be very helpful. Once you have outlined how your talk will go and what the points of your thesis are, share your plans with your advisor. He or she has been on defense committees in the past and can give you some insight into how you may want to alter the structure or content of your presentation based on common mistakes that other students have made. Remember that your advisor is rooting for you and was once in your shoes preparing for his or her own thesis defense.

Pro Tip: At most universities, you can meet with the committee before your defense as often as you can get them all in a room together—take advantage of this. Each time you meet with them, you will get more and more recommendations on how to make you thesis better and therefore have a better defense.

10. Get the most out of practicing.

There are a few ways you can optimize your practice time so you get the most out of it. Practice alone the first few times until you become more comfortable with your talk. When you feel like you are ready, record yourself giving your defense. One of the most convenient ways to do this is using the camera on your laptop or your cell phone. After you finish, take time to review your recording. Check out your body language and look for certain words or phrases that you use repeatedly—many of us do this when we are nervous. You can also use your recording to gauge the length of your presentation.

Once you have practiced enough, get a group of your colleagues together and practice giving your defense to them. By presenting to people with a background in your field, you have the opportunity to ask them to grill you with questions. Some of their questions may even be similar to questions the committee will ask you when it is time for your actual defense and will help you get used to answering questions about your project on the fly.

Pro Tip: In biology, there are many words that are hard to pronounce if you are not used to saying them on a regular basis. We often get accustomed to using acronyms and abbreviations in daily speech, but try to avoid this by practicing the pronunciation of any words you don’t know how to say. If you are unsure about how a word should sound, inquire with your advisor, look online for a pronunciation key, or check with your peers.

During your defense

11. don’t assume everyone has read your entire thesis..

Even though you provided the committee with your thesis in advance, it is important not to assume that they were all able to read through the whole paper. Therefore, you should present the importance of your research project, what methods you used to complete your project, and what the outcomes of your research were. You should also provide the committee with an explanation of the implications of your study both to your field specifically and also to the wider body of scientific knowledge. Stating your recommendations for future research is also encouraged because you will probably be asked about it if it is not addressed during your presentation.

On the other hand, be prepared to answer questions that may come from your paper rather than your talk. Some of your committee members will have read your entire thesis and may reference a specific paragraph or page in it when posing a question. Be sure to have a paper copy with you just in case!

12. Be prepared for questions.

There are some questions that you can anticipate being asked. For example, if there are any weaknesses or limitations to your project, you can be almost certain that your committee will ask about them. Prepare for questions like this by creating slides with graphics and text that will help you answer any questions you suspect may be brought up. You can leave a blank slide between your presentation and extra slides or save them in an entirely separate file—just be sure they are easily accessible.

Remember that you are not expected to know everything, and if you don’t know the answer, it is best to be honest. Perhaps you hadn’t thought of that question before, but you can tell the committee that you will consider it in the future.

Pro Tip: When answering questions, first listen to the entire question. Next, restate the question back to the person who posed to be sure you understood it correctly. Lastly, answer the question to the best of your ability and provide a succinct close to your answer to minimize a long dialog. If you need to pause to gather your thoughts, that is OK.

13. Dress the part.

It can be easy to put off planning what you are going to wear for your thesis defense when you are caught up in preparing for the talk itself. However, don’t put this off until the last minute. Looking professional is important in making a great impression with your thesis committee. Remember that you are defending the fact that you deserve your master’s or Ph.D. as much as you are defending your thesis—so dress the part. Your outfit should be business professional. For men, wear dress pants along with a coat and tie. Women should wear a skirt or pant suit, but a dress can work, too. Try to steer clear of sleeveless dresses, low cut tops or anything that will make you feel uncomfortable. You don’t want to have to adjust your outfit constantly during your talk; this will appear fidgety and unprofessional.

14. Be confident, but not arrogant.

Body language plays a big role in all types of communication. In your thesis defense, it is imperative to speak with confidence about your research and your findings. If you speak as though you are unsure, it will be hard for the committee to believe what you are saying and it may come off as though you aren’t confident about your results. The defense committee is there to ensure you are capable of working independently after graduation. This is your time to prove to the committee what you have learned over the past few years and that you deserve a Ph.D. in your field.

Pro Tip: Minimize your use of qualifying words such as likely, may, might, could, should, probably and usually . Excessive use of these words will cause you to lose your authority. Add strength to your presentation by instead using works like will, always and won’t .

15. Record your defense.

During or after the question section of your defense, the committee will provide you with feedback, suggestions and revisions for your thesis. However, it can be difficult to remember all of the words of wisdom when you are nervous. If you set up a video or audiotape to record your talk, you will have a record of what was discussed so you can go back and make edits to your thesis as necessary after your defense is over.

These 15 tips can help you successfully deliver a thesis defense at any university, but remember that your institution will have its own guidelines to help you prepare your defense. Since the thesis defense varies between departments and schools, it will also be beneficial to talk to your peers who have already completed one. Gather as much information as you can and jump right in to the planning stages. Don’t get caught up in your fears and remember that you are the only expert on your research. Your advisor and defense committee would not let you defend if you weren’t ready. You can do it!

Category Code: 79108, 79109

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🎙️ How To Ace Your Viva Voce

Three Practical Tips To Help You Defend Your Thesis

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) and Ethar Al-Saraf (PhD) | July 2024

The viva voce or thesis defence is an event that often leaves students feeling a little intimidated. And understandably so. In this post, we’ll share three practical tips to help you prepare for your defence and enter the viva voce room with confidence.

Overview: Defending Your Research

• Practice 1:  Material and format
• Practice 2:  Strengths and weaknesses
• Practice 3:  Oral and visual
• Key takeaways

1. Know both your material and the format

Understanding every detail of your study is a given, but equally important is understanding the specific format of the defence at your institution. This includes knowing the expected duration of the presentation and discussion, whether there’s an audience (and what their role is), and the type of questions typically asked by the examiners. It’s also crucial to familiarise yourself with any changes in your research field that have occurred since you began your project to ensure that your knowledge is current and comprehensive .

Preparing for the unexpected by researching the examiners’ backgrounds can also give you an edge. So, make sure that you understand their areas of expertise and try to anticipate the angles from which they might approach your work. This knowledge can help you tailor your defence to address potential criticisms more effectively.

2. Be ready to discuss both strengths and weaknesses

A successful defence involves not only showcasing the strengths of your research but also openly discussing its limitations . Before your viva voce, take the time to critically assess your work and identify any potential weaknesse s or areas for improvement. Prepare reasoned responses to these issues, so that you can demonstrate your analytical ability and depth of understanding.

It can feel a bit uncomfortable, but it’s important to understand that constructive self-criticism shows a mature approach to your research . In practical terms, this means acknowledging that while your study has limitations, these do not detract from the value of your work – but rather point to opportunities for further research . This mindset can help transform perceived weaknesses into demonstrations of your critical thinking and commitment to the field – so, don’t shy away of exploring this side of things.

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3. Invest in presentation – both oral and visual

Provided your institution allows it (see point 1),  you’ll definitely want to invest the time to prepare a clear, concise, and well-organised presentation . Importantly, less is more when it comes to the visuals. Avoid overcrowding your slides with text – no one wants to stare at a wall of text while trying to listen to you. Instead, use your slide deck to complement what you’re saying , sticking to only key figures, quotes, or concise bullet points.

Needless to say, you’ll need to rehearse your presentation multiple times . Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can “wing it” – you’ll invariably land up just reading your slides and torturing your audience. Practice speaking clearly and passionately about your research, making eye contact, and engaging your audience. It might sound rather menial, but this sort of preparation work will help you remain calm and focused during the actual defence, even when faced with tough questions.

Wrapping Up

The viva voce is as much about demonstrating your knowledge as it is about showcasing your ability to engage in academic discourse at a high level . By thoroughly preparing, understanding the format, and practicing your presentation, you’ll be able to navigate your defence smoothly and present yourself as a competent academic.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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