The Perfect Defense: The Oral Defense of a Dissertation 

I'm defending this upcoming Wednesday, July 26th, 2023 at 12pm. I am feeling very anxious, but this video helped me to have a fresh new perspective on what to expect in the next days. UPDATE: I succesfully defended my dissertation yesterday! I'm oficially a Dr!

This has to be THE greatest video to watch before you defend your dissertation. No joke, I probably watched it 50 times before mine. My committee told me it was one of the best defenses they have ever seen. She is dead on what to do and say. Three cheers for posting it!

My defense is in six hours, and I am reviewing your video for the 20th time Thank you for clarity and building my confidence all the more.

I have my defense tomorrow 14th March 2024 at noon... I woke up today a bag of nerves , however watching this video has calmed my nerves and changed my perspective. Thank you Dr. Valeria Balester.... @RobbinJane and others, congratulations

I passed my Ph.D. defense today in chemical engineering, at the University of Toronto. I used several of the concepts mentioned in this video. Huge thanks to Dr. Balester for these extremely practical tips. 😊❤

On Monday, April 3, 2023, I praise God that I successfully defended my dissertation. I want to say thank you to Dr. Balester for this video. This was one of the greatest videos to prepare me for my defense. I would say look view it several times as part of your preparation. Again, thank you Dr. Balester.

My defense is in 48 hours. This video is 12 years old and still extremely helpful. How come things haven't changed since then?!

Defended my paper yesterday (27/06/2022), I passed and this video helped me so much. Thank you Dr. Valerie Balester.

Awesome presentation! It's been four years since I had my defense. My advice is, practice your slides to a point where you can go through the entire presentation without having to look at them.

who else is here in 2019 trying to figure their sh*t out

Having watched this, I believe I am ready to defend my thesis just 18 hours ahead!

I can not thank You enough for this video. I went to my defense presentation and was so excited to present my research. My nervousness turned to enthusiasm and I had a easy breezy presentation for my masters defense. Thank you. Alhumdulilah⭐️ 10/10/2019 9a.m. 😁🙏💖

I would honestly pay for this advice. What a great speaker as well. Bravo Dr. Valerie!

Thank you Professor Valerie. The jury's demand was very strong, to the point of disconcerting me. But I got over the crisis. And in the end what you said happened: "Congratulations, you have passed, but it is recommended that you make adjustments to this" After a few hours of my dissertation, I remembered you and had the pleasure of seeing your video again. I am already from this day Doctor in Psychology. 😊

I experienced two (2) opportunities to defend doctoral degrees. I was not very well prepared for the first. As I listen to Dr. Balester, I was successful the second time around because I did many of the things she talks about in this video. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

This video was posted 12 years ago but wil still help countless candiates for their big defences. You are truly a hero.

As I prepare to defend my dissertation next week, I found this video to be helpful, encouraging, and succinct. In my process of earning my Ph.D., I have had little guidance on how to defend my work (let alone how to write the chapters of the dissertation). As you know if you're going through this process, it is a unique and steep learning curve. Without educators like Dr. Valerie Balester who help make transparent the idiosyncrasies of this arduous process on the web, I would not be defending next week. Thank you Dr. Balester for your kindness!

This video is underrated. I watched this video and it built my confidence. I slayed my thesis defense.

I'm less than a week away from my defense.. I have to say that the most important thing I got out of this video is that this isn't a "grilling" but a conversation. Doing a scientific defense on something that hasn't been done before is terrifying but I feel more at peace with that fact. Thank you for this video! I wish everyone luck and strength for their defenses! You got this!!!!!

Love this. Just the first minute of the video and she already gave me reassurence. No one knows my PhD research better than me. All we need is preparation and enough confidence! Good luck everyone who wants to make through it!

This is gold for Masters and PhD students. Thank you for this video.

Will come back to this in about a year or so - all the very best to everyone here preparing for their defense. You've done the hard work now go get that degree, Doctors of the Future! 👍🏼

OMG!! I wasn't nervous until I heard this woman.... theres so much more that I need to check, and rehearse... My defense is next week, and my native language is spanish.... I'm freaking out... !!!

This woman is the ultimate rockstar. Career-saving advices. Thank you so much!!

This video was informative and succinct. I especially appreciated Dr. Balester's reassuring message from start to finish! Thank you for posting this for the rest of the world to benefit. I'll be sure to review this video again before my actual defense.

Oh wow! My defense is ten days away. I’ll watch this in the morning to prepare.

Thank you so much! Man, this is really helpful, especially on the small details.

Oh! That really helped me out. It was great. Thanks.

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you

My defense is in less than 48 hours. Thank you Dr. Balester for easing my anxiety!

WONDERFUL tips; thank you!

Thank you for this talk. Extremely helpful!

Thank you for posting this! I found it really helpful. Very reassuring and has helped me calm my self down and place my focus on delivering good defence and hopefully everything will go well.

I express my deepest gratitude for uploading this video. I've been tired searching for an authentic source that can help me prepare for my defense and hopefully nail it. Thank you again! Bless your heart.

Awesome hints! Thank you very much for sharing this!

Exactly what I need to hear right now. Thank you!

Perfect... It really helped me.. I have a defense is next month... thank you very much for your help.....

This video is so spot on. I defended my PhD two months ago and it went really well. Practicing and confidence are indeed so important. Thanks Valerie for the helpful tips!

This is so encouraging! Thank you very much.

this lady is amazing! thank you!

Thankyou Valerie, I'm going to have my defense next week. And just by re and re watching your video I feel confident adds up everytime.

Quite informative! Thanks.

Thank you so much for this video! It has taken the "mystery" out of the process and has given me tools for my defense.

This is great information-- informative and comforting!

Thank you very much Dr. Valerie; its really helpful.

Thank you Dr. Valerie Balester! I appreciate so much your guidance, suggestions, and encouragement!

Great tips! Thank you Dr.

Thank you. I really love this video. It's very help full.

Dr. Balester, THANK YOU, this video helped me pass my Ph.D. first defense today. It was direct, on point and my professors were extremely happy my information was concise and thorough. I will continue to use these methods again for my Final Defense. Thank you again.

highly informative. got my defense coming up soon and more confident than ever. Than you Prof

That was very helpful, thank you!

Thank you! Really helpful!

Thank you so much. I'm recommending this video to many classmates!

Watched this just one day before my PhD viva. Highly recommended, great tips and worth watching 22 min. Salute, Dr. Valerie Balester ! (You are a doctor and I'm a doctor too)

Thank you, Valerie. This was extremely helpful.

thanks a lot! you gave me more confidence.

I'm so glad I watched this video Dr. Valerie. It really helped me a lot. Thank you

A very inspiring and helpful video! thank you Mss.Balester! your presentation made me more confident in the preparation my own defense, you are such a inspiring and professional speaker!, I hope my defense will be good (20/09/14), and I'll try to do my best with your recommendations. p.s good luck for everyone who is also going to defense master dissertation, wish u big sucsess in your study!

Thank you Dr. Valerie, it is sooooo helpful!!

Thank you for this great explanation❤

Thank you so much Dr Balester, I had my thesis defence last week and I used your format...I got good results . You gave me confidence, and most importantly the right approach to my presentation.

This has indeed tickled my brain and helped me to create the content for my presentation. from being anxious im getting excited.. thanks you

This is quite helpful, thanks for taking the time.

Thank you, that was very helpful

This video was very helpful. I hope I will pass my defense tomorrow.

Valerie, this presentation helped me so much. I had a low confidence about my defense, but honestly you saved my life. your presentation is so empowering and strong, yet kind and honest. I am not looking forward to defend my thesis, but I am more confident and I just want tot thank you for that. :) Have a good day. Kind regards form Denmark

This is an excellent resource. Thank you for sharing it.

Be confident! Thanks for your good advice.

Thank you! I found this a week before my defense and this saved me. Everything happened exactly as laid out - even down to having hard copies of my power point - we had a last minute room change and I used them! I was prepared. Thank you, Dr. Ballister. BTW, I passed (insert happy dance here)

Dr. Valerie: The video is quite informative. I plan to defend sometime early 2016, and with the points noted in the video, I know my defense will be much better than I first anticipated. Thank you so much

Thanks for this. Really helpful and uplifting.

This is soooooo helpful! Defending in less than two weeks!

THANK YOU!!! I really needed a good review of this. I lost so much confidence during the process after running into problems securing my data & other obstacles. It’s been 5.5 years since my proposal was approved & I am finally about to defend. I really wanted more guidance, asked my chair about what I needed to put together for my slides & he only just yesterday asked about it. I’ve spent the last two weeks focusing on the wrong stuff because of my anxiety & zero guidance & basically just started from scratch & only have 2 days left to prepare. My colleagues were kind enough to give me some feedback on my presentation. My confidence is my biggest concern. I know my topic, but I draw blanks if my anxiety gets triggered.

Thank you for this! I will be defending my thesis in one month and I am already quite terrified. I will be working on my presentation very thoroughly in the upcoming days/weeks to make sure I am a confident speaker. This helped extremely however. Thank you :)

Thank you! It was helpful!!

Great presentation! Very helpful. Thank you, Valerie. :)

Lots of thanks! I am preparing my dissertation to achieve my bachelor degree for chemical engineering . I am actually sweating and wasting energy thinking about what will be the questions from the jury. I feel really nervous when I am speaking in public, but you transmit me confidence and strength.

Dear Dr Balester, your video was of great help. Thanks for sharing and supporting stressed PhD students around the world. Receive my gratitude from Brazil. Best regards, Aylmer

Your presentation has provided me many good pointers.

I really get confidence even before the time thanks a lot

Thank you very much! It was incredibly useful when defending my Master degree dissertation...and I got full marks! Obviously, not only because it was a nice speech, but this video helped me...a lot.

An outstanding presentation on how to prepare and present the dissertation. It is a MUST-see for all Ph.D. students in the defense process.

This is such a fantastic video, I'm defending in two days and this had some great advice.

Thank you for posting this to You Tube...this was very helpful!

What a nice lady, thank you! In France, where I live, many of the defenses I have been to are done by terrified candidates, even though, as she said, they always pass. Of course one has to take it seriously but there's no need for all that fear. That being said, it's my turn next week and I'm super stressed too!

My defense is two weeks later, and I am extremely nervous. I found this presentation greatly helpful and overcoming my anxiety. Thank you!

Thank you so much for sharing this video!

This is great! Thank you! Very succinct--you make everything seem achievable by breaking it down into realistic sections.

I almost cried when she said, "congratulations"…. 3/28/14!!!!

I just gave my Defense and it went very well and smooth. I sincerely want to thank Dr. Valerie for helping me and all of us through this video.

thank you for sharing this!

Great job Valerie! Thank you for the tips. My defense is in two days and you helped me to clear up a lot of things for the actual day of. Great presentation!

Thank you, i will be defending my master thesis next weak insha allah .

It really helps! Praise God. I will defend next week (March 17). Thank you for posting this. God bless!

Thank you for this helpful video! It still works.

Thank you for an excellent and informative presentation.

This is so helpful. I'm going to be watching at least 100 more times in the next month.

Hi every body :) my name is Hanane , I am a linguistics stream student, I have done my research about the use of ICT in English language teaching and learning. tomorrow I have my defense , I think I can do it for sure because Dr. Valerie makes me happy and motivates me so much. thanks soooo much I find this video very useful . thanks I will keep in my mind your advice and I will try to breath whenever I didn't find an answer. May Allah help me and all students. Regards.

Thank you for sharing this video, it is so helpful!

I agree. Informative and puts my mind at ease, too. Thank you!