{"id":31682,"date":"2021-01-09T11:59:19","date_gmt":"2021-01-09T15:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/?p=31682"},"modified":"2021-08-17T01:20:59","modified_gmt":"2021-08-17T05:20:59","slug":"how-to-give-an-online-dissertation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/how-to-give-an-online-dissertation\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Give an Online Doctoral Dissertation during COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr. Arian Houshmand (PhD SE, 2020), now a Software Engineer at Zoox<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The COVID-19 epidemic has upended everyone\u2019s lives, with no exceptions for PhD students who are ready to defend their dissertations. Are you in need of some suggestions on how to best present remotely over Zoom? Here\u2019s a guide on how to best communicate your ideas and research without technology getting in the way.<\/p>\n

Creating a Presentation that Works<\/h3>\n

Format Accordingly
\n<\/strong>You want to develop a presentation that is clear, organized, and provides enough background for the audience to understand your work. Sans serif fonts (Arial is a great choice) are easier to read, and be sure to use a type size of 18 points or larger. Format your presentation background with high contrast (a white background with black font, or vice versa). If you use lists to explain evidence, use no more than three bullet points for brevity.<\/p>\n

Focus on Organization
\n<\/strong>Susan McConnell of Stanford University recommends structuring your presentation to start broad, get specific, and end broad. Comparing it like \u201ctaking someone by the hand and walking them through the science,\u201d McConnell says it\u2019s a great idea to organize it like a solid scientific paper\u2014starting with a big question, building content that supports it, and conclude by answering the previously question. For more suggestions on how to effectively design scientific presentations, view her YouTube video here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Setting Up the Presentation<\/h3>\n

Adjust Format for Easy Online Viewing
\n<\/strong>There are a couple of options to revise your presentation for easier online viewing. If you\u2019re planning to use a presentation tool, such as PowerPoint or Keynote, it\u2019s not a bad idea to save slides as a PDF to remove any slide transitions or animations in case of a lag or potential glitch. Be sure to also distribute numbered<\/em> slides to the committee prior to starting in case they need to follow along on paper.<\/p>\n

Quiet + Plain Backgrounds are Key
\n<\/strong>Locate a quiet space with a plain wall that is best suited to present professionally. Be sure to note Wi-Fi reliability and connection, lighting, the height of the computer camera so it\u2019s at eye level (you can always put books underneath your laptop). It\u2019s best to practice far in advance with your video on, and during the time of day you\u2019ll be defending your dissertation. Make sure that there aren\u2019t any echoes, and the light source is in front of you. That way, you don\u2019t look like a shadow on camera. If you\u2019re concerned about potential interruptions, you can also consider renting out a conference room at the university.<\/p>\n

Practice, Practice, Practice<\/h3>\n

Limit Note Referencing
\n<\/strong>Treat your dissertation like a presentation in real life\u2014though you\u2019d want to keep your notes nearby, it\u2019s distracting and unprofessional to those attending if you continue to read off of them directly. Over Zoom, you should be mindful about where you place your notes for any quick reference. Instead of continuing to break eye contact with the screen to look down at a notepad, try sticking a post-it right below your webcam. You can also try opening your presenter notes in another window but not sharing that screen as well, so they\u2019re there for reference without your audience knowing.<\/p>\n

Make Eye Contact with the Audience
\n<\/strong>When you make eye contact with the computer camera, instead of looking at your own video or audience members, it goes a long way to make your presentation feel personal and prepared. When you practice the way you\u2019ll present, it makes it easier day-of. When using Zoom, try selecting \u201cHide Self View.\u201d That way, you don\u2019t have to worry about your own video box and can focus your attention to the listeners.<\/p>\n

Record Your Practice
\n<\/strong>Zoom\u2019s recording tool offers a great way for you to practice your dissertation to perfection. When you record and revisit your presentation, you\u2019ll be able to make the appropriate modifications. Be mindful of too many hand gestures, difficulty making eye contact with the camera, or rushing your dissertation.\u00a0 \u201cBe sure to time your presentation and make modifications if you go over too,\u201d recommends Dr. Arian Houshmand, a Software Engineer at Zoox who received his PhD from Boston University in Spring 2020. You can also send your Zoom presentation recordings to a friend or family member so they can review it for you.<\/p>\n

Day Of<\/h3>\n

Establish Security & Privacy in Your Online Space on Zoom
\n<\/strong>Unfortunately, people have found ways to \u201ccrash\u201d Zoom meetings, disrupting presentations and getting speakers off-track. To combat any potential interruptions, \u201crequire a Meeting ID and Password to join your event,\u201d suggests Elizabeth Flagg, Graduate Programs Manager, Division of Materials Science & Engineering and Division of Systems Engineering.\u00a0 For increased security, use Zoom settings to generate a meeting ID automatically (rather than using the personal ID). Requiring a meeting password enables a waiting room, so you can vet participants, and remove the setting \u201callow removed participants to rejoin.\u201d For additional online meeting tips, visit BU TechWeb\u2019s Zoom Meetings page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Check Your Equipment
\n<\/strong>Confirm that all of your technical equipment is working properly. Plug in your laptop (even if it\u2019s fully charged!) in case of any battery issues. To prevent any lags with audio or video, double-check you\u2019re connected to the correct Wi-Fi, as computers sometimes switch networks. Test your audio and video by joining a Zoom Test Meeting<\/a>. Also, close out all tabs and be sure your computer is on Do Not Disturb\u2014you don\u2019t want any notifications, sounds, or distractions during your presentation.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Go Time
\n<\/strong>On the day of your presentation, Houshmand suggests asking your committee members to join the meeting 10 minutes early. This gives everyone a chance to make sure their systems are up and running, and confirm they can see and hear you clearly before you begin. \u201cYou can also ask your advisor to become the co-host of the Zoom meeting,\u201d Houshmand adds, \u201cthat way they can take control of the meeting while you are presenting.\u201d Lastly, don\u2019t forget to record your presentation as well.<\/p>\n

After the Presentation<\/h3>\n

Celebrate Your Accomplishments
\n<\/strong>Be sure to schedule a post-defense videoconference with others to celebrate. Plan to meet in person with friends, family, and fellow peers in academia once the pandemic ends! Your hard work and accomplishments are worth celebrating.<\/p>\n

Additional Resources<\/strong>
\nFor more tips on how to give a remote dissertation, tune into Hello PhD<\/em> podcast\u00a0Episode\u00a0131: How to Host a Dissertation Defense On Zoom<\/a> to hear an interview with Dr. Ashton Merck.\u00a0 Merck, who received her PhD from Duke University, presented in March 2020 and developed a Google Doc-Manifesto \u201cDefending a Dissertation by Videoconference\u201d<\/a> that has already been referenced thousands of times by scholars everywhere.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The COVID-19 epidemic has upended everyone\u2019s lives, with no exceptions for PhD students who are ready to defend their dissertations. Are you in need of some suggestions on how to best present remotely over Zoom? Here\u2019s a guide on how to best communicate your ideas and research without technology getting in the way. Creating a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18553,"featured_media":31683,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[245,26],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31682"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18553"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31682"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33437,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31682\/revisions\/33437"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}