25 Possible Questions For Research Defense

Question 1: In few sentences, can you tell us what your study all is about?
The question is simple right? Many professors will tell you that most students get
choked on a question like this. Anyways the question is simple, but a bit technical. To
answer this question, you need to know every single detail of your research project
from chapters one to the end. The question needs an answer in form of a summary
of entire study, therefore, to ace this particular question you need to know every
single detail in your abstract. If you wrote a good abstract, this question will be cross
over for you.
Question 2: What is your motivation in doing this study?

Now you must be careful. This question can be tricky and it goes a long way in
convincing your panel members that your study is worth their time. Another way this
question could be twisted is WHAT IS YOUR RESEARCH PROBLEM?
To answer this question, you may decide to elaborate on the problem investigated in
the research study. Your zeal to solve this problem becomes your motivation. Do not
state financial reasons or the need to graduate as a motivation as you may easily go
off point.
Question 3: How will this study contribute to the body of knowledge?

At some point the need for justification will arise and that is when you will be asked to
mention how your study will add to the body of knowledge if approved.
Here you will need to use your methods, case study or any unique method or
conceptual framework used in the study to defend it.
Question 4: What is the significance of the study?

Just like stating how your study will contribute to the body of knowledge, you will
need to state the importance of your study. To answer this question, you will need to
highlight how your study will aid the government in policy development and
implementation, how it will help other students who may wish to conduct research
studies on the subject matter and how organizations and the society will benefit from
your study.
Question 5: Did you bridge any gap from your study?

Every study must have a problem. Your ability to solve this problem and explore into
areas not yet researched on gives you the full marks allocated for answering this
question. You must be able to convince the committee members that your approach
is unique and it has covered areas where much have not been done by other
researchers.
Question 6: What limitations did you encounter?

This is another simple but tricky question. Most times the question is not asked to
sympathize with you, rather to get loopholes to criticize your work. To answer this
question, you must be careful with your words as you may implicate yourself. Be
careful enough not to sell yourself. Do not discourse limitations in your method or
data analysis techniques as this may imply that your study may be biased or not well
researched. Use simple limitations like difficulties in combining lectures and project
instead of limiting your study.
Question 7: What are your findings?

At this point it is expected of you to present your results or findings from the study in
a clear and concise manner. Always link your findings to your research
objectives/questions. This will make your panel members easily carried along.
Question 8: What methods or sampling techniques did you employ/ used in
your research study?
To answer this question, you must be familiar with your research methodology. Your
ability to justify your sample size and technique will be highly rewarded here.
Question 9: Why did you choose this sample?

As discoursed above, you should not state a particular method for the study. You
must also be ready and able to justify why you choose the method in convincing
manner. At this point you are free to quote sources or similar studies where such
methods were adopted.
Question 10: Based on your findings, what are your recommendations?

Recommendations are very vital in every research study and should not be joked in.
In essence you should know your recommendations off hand.
Question 11: Based on your findings, what areas will you suggest for future
researchers?
Questions like this are just there to test your reasoning and authority in your research
area. Based on your findings in a manageable scope, you should be able to suggest
future research areas in line with your study. For example, if I researched on the
challenges of personal income tax in Nigeria, a good area for further study will be on
other forms of taxation such as VAT, Company Tax, etc.
Question 12: How can your research study be put into practice?
Easy for the computer scientists and engineering students, but a bit tough for
management and social sciences since most management/social sciences projects
are more in abstract in nature. However, you should try your best to be realistic here.
Relate your study to current trends in your environment, office, economy,
government, schools, church, etc. Use of relevant examples and illustrations will
score you god point here.
Question 13: How would you summarize your study to a practitioner in a few
sentence?
Your ability to convey technical information from the study will score you good points
here.
Question 14: What would you change if you were to conduct the study again?
Hmmm. Be careful! Do not be too jovial! There is a loophole here! Just like your
limitations, this question can be asked to identify your weak points.
Question 15: What is your measurement instrument?

In simple terms, what data collection method did you employ for the study? Here you
state if questionnaires were distributed or data was gotten from secondary sources.
Question 16: What are your research variables?

Here you will need to convince your panel members that you know what are you
talking about. You need to explain your independent variables to convince them that
you are on point. You need to identify these variables and know their definitions as
well to ace your defense.
Question 17: What are your research questions?

Very simple question. It should take you 0.015 seconds to answer this question if you
are fully prepared.
Question 18: What do you plan to do with your research project after
Graduation?
Here you are at liberty to say your mind. If you intend to publish it, this is the best
opportunity to discourse and interact with the committee members- maybe a
professor there can help.
Question 19: What source of data was employed for this study?
At this point you have to state the sources you got data form. In general, you have to
state whether data was gotten from primary or secondary source or both. You can go
further to convince the committee members by discoursing the literature reviewed for
the study- both theoretical and empirical.
Question 20: What theories or theoretical framework is your study based on?
This is very technical question but interesting. Before you step into the defense
room, you should know at least two relevant theories that relate to your study. For
example, the “impact of motivation on employee productivity” will be based on
Maslow’s Theory and other theories of motivation. If you cannot find relevant theories
to back up your study, consult your research adviser.
Question 21: How would you relate your findings to existing theories on the
study?
To ace this question, one will have to read extensively. You should know existing
theories on the subject matter as well as empirical studies too. Your ability to link
your findings to previous studies (whether they agree or not) will go a long way in
validating your study. You will score good points here, TRUST ME!
Question 22: What recommendations do you have for future research?

Your problem solving skills is put to test here. You should be able to identify areas
that will need more research.
Question 23: What is the scope of the study?

This one is a cheap or should I say bonus question? Here you quickly state the
scope and delimitation of the study in brief.
Question 24: What question(s) do you have for the committee?

Not a likely question in our Nigerian context, but I have defended a seminar project
where this question was asked and I was shocked to my marrows. This is an
opportunity to interact with your committee members and ask some constructive
questions. Do not ask silly or too difficult questions as the goal should be to make the
committee members fell as the “BOSS”. It will also go a long way in showing that you
are a brilliant individual.
Question 25: Do you have any closing comments?

This is praising time! Use this opportunity to thank your committee members for their
time and questions. Tell them how much you have learnt from them and how you
intend to correct errors (if any) identified in your work. This can go a long way in
impressing your internal and external supervisors. All the best!
 Thank you panel members for your time and questions. Thank you so much
because we learned so much from you ad thank you for correcting errors in our
research work. Thank you also to our adviser, Ms. Alona Taloza and her sister
Ms. Allison Taloza for their guide and support for us throughout this research
study
BONUS TIPS:
 When confronted with a difficult question, adopt a strategy to make rephase or
repeat the question. This will give you more time to think.
 If your research project is empirical in nature, or you used any statistical tool to
test hypothesis, try to know how you arrived at such conclusion. Also know how
your data was analyzed and the various tools used for the analysis.
 Before your defense day. Practice with your friends or group mates. Make them
to drill you with likely questions/
 Talk calmly with confidence. Do not talk too fast as this may pave way for
tension and stage fright.
 Read your project thoroughly. Know basic definitions and terms in the study.

25 Possible Questions For Research Defense

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25 Possible Questions For Research Defense

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Question 1: In few sentences, can you tell us what your study all is about?

Question 2: What is your motivation in doing this study?

Question 3: How will this study contribute to the body of knowledge?

Question 4: What is the significance of the study?

Question 5: Did you bridge any gap from your study?

Question 6: What limitations did you encounter?

Question 7: What are your findings?

Question 9: Why did you choose this sample?

Question 10: Based on your findings, what are your recommendations?

Question 15: What is your measurement instrument?

Question 16: What are your research variables?

Question 17: What are your research questions?

Question 22: What recommendations do you have for future research?

Question 23: What is the scope of the study?

Question 24: What question(s) do you have for the committee?

Question 25: Do you have any closing comments?

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