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The Actual Final Oral Defense
The Actual Final Oral Defense
A Student who will undergo a thesis final oral defense shall follow the following
procedures:
1. Start the final oral defense with a prayer. This shall be followed by statement
from the Dean formally declaring the start of the final oral defense.
2. The adviser then makes a brief remark introducing the researcher and the title
of the thesis.
3. The formal presentation of the researcher work shall last for a maximum of 20
minutes showing the highlights/important points and results of the research in
summary form.
4. During the presentation, the researcher should be allowed to discuss his or
her research uninterrupted. Question from the panel members should be
reserved for the question and answer portion of the final oral defense.
5. After the formal presentation the elected Chair shall preside over the final oral
defense until the aforementioned activity ends. The Chair shall be responsible
in putting the final oral defense in order and in guiding the oral defense panel
make fair, honest and, and logical decisions.
6. The members of the panel shall decide on the procedure to be adopted in
scrutinizing the research work presented (i.e. page-by-page or by chapter)
without sacrificing the quality of the output, expediency, and rigidity.
7. After a specific procedure is adopted by the panel, the question and answer
portion of the final oral defense shall commence.
8. The question and answer portion may last for a maximum of one (1) hour for
thesis.
9. Each panel member is given the chance to ask questions. No panel member
shall be allowed to have the monopoly of asking question. Tie limits/number
of questions to be asked may be arranged or agreed upon by the members of
the panel to avoid unnecessary delay.
10. Scope of questioning may be focused on the following areas but not limited
to:
a. Knowledge of the content of the research work;
b. Application of the research work;
c. Research skill involved;
d. References used; and
e. Research procedure and format used
11. The adviser shall in no way participate in the deliberation on the merits of the
research work of his or her advisee except on the following instances:
a. When asked by the members of the panel to participate in order to
shed light or give needed information;
b. Clarify matters to gain full understanding of a particular issue or fact;
and
c. To guide the researcher in answering questions or to help the
researcher understand the inquiry.
12. The Chair, with the aid of all panel members, shall gather all corrections and
inputs given during the open forum. These shall become the bases of the
revision to be implemented on the research work. The researcher and the
adviser shall be given a copy of the corrections and inputs by the members of
the panel.
13. After the open forum, the adviser and the researcher shall requested by the
Chair to leave the room for the panel members to freely and objectively
deliberate on the merits of the research work. Afterwards, the adviser and
researcher will then be called back to the room.
14. The decision of acceptability of the thesis or dissertation shall be based on
the criteria provided for by the academic unit concerned. This shall be the
basis of scrutiny/extensive deliberation during the final oral defense and the
decision it has to reach by giving the rating of: a) Passed or b) Failed.
15. After the panel made a decision on the acceptability of the research work, the
adviser and the researcher will be requested to stand before the panel while
the Chair declares the majority/unanimous decision of the panel.