Planning and Passing Your PhD Defence

This book is a toolbox for PhD students to plan and prepare for the PhD defence regardless of their scientific discipline or location. The authors discuss various defence formats that are used internationally and identify the main differences and similarities. With international examples, practical strategies, and tips from former PhD students and supervisors, this book unpacks the principles and unwritten rules underpinning the defence. Addressing planning and preparing for the doctoral defence, and what to do afterwards, this book covers topics such as: - understanding your defence format - preparing for committee questions - preparing mentally and dealing with anxiety - dealing with corrections, finalizing your graduation requirements and marking the end of your PhD trajectory. This book is crucial reading for students across the world looking to defend their PhD thesis, and also for their supervisors and examiners. The 'Insider Guides to Success in Academia' offers support and practical advice to doctoral students and early-career researchers. Covering the topics that really matter, but which often get overlooked, this indispensable series provides practical and realistic guidance to address many of the needs and challenges of trying to operate, and remain, in academia. These neat pocket guides fill specific and significant gaps in current literature. Each book offers insider perspectives on the often implicit rules of the game -- the things you need to know but usually aren't told by institutional postgraduate support, researcher development units, or supervisors -- and will address a practical topic that is key to career progression. They are essential reading for doctoral students, early-career researchers, supervisors, mentors, or anyone looking to launch or maintain their career in academia.

Olga Degtyareva is an award-winning scientist turned productivity coach, who runs her own company, Productivity for Scientists, helping researchers around the world to be more productive and in charge of their day. Eva O.L. Lantsoght is the Professor of Structural Engineering at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador, a tenured assistant professor at Technische Universiteit Delft, Netherlands, and author and co-host of the PhD Talk blog and podcast.

1. Introduction 2. Overview of defence formats 3. Planning for a successful defence 4. Preparing for your defence 5. Defences around the world 6. Your PhD Defence 7. After the PhD Defence