Top 25 Likely Project Defense Questions and Answers

Below are likely questions you may face in a defense room. Take note of these
questions and suggested answers, do good by researching more and not limiting
yourself to just these questions.
Question 1: In few sentences, can you tell us what your study is all 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 detail of your research project
from chapters one to the end. The question needs an answer in form of a summary
of the entire study, therefore, to ace this particular question you need to know
every detail in your abstract. If you wrote a good abstract, this question will be a
cross over for you.
Question 2: What is your motivation for this study?
Now you must be careful here. This question can be very tricky and it goes a long
way in convincing your panel members that your study is worth their time.
To answer this question, you may decide to elaborate on the problem investigated in
the 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 model or
conceptual framework used in the study to defend it. For more information on how
to tackle this particular question Click Here
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 research 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 words as you may implicate yourself. Be careful
enough not to sell out yourself. Do not discourse limitations in your methods or data

analysis techniques as this may imply that your study may be biased or not well
researched. Use simple limitations like difficulties encountered 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 to easily be carried along.
Question 8: What Methods or Sampling Technique did you employ?
To answer this question, you must be familiar with your research methodology. Your
chapter three (in Most Projects) must be at your fingertips. Your ability to justify
your sample size and technique will be highly rewarded here. For more tips Click
Here
Question 9: Why choose this method?
As discoursed above, you should not only state a particular method for the study.
You must also be ready and able to justify why you chose the method in a
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
with. In essence you should know your recommendations off hand.
Question 11: Based on your findings what areas will you suggest for future
research?
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 collection in Nigeria, a good area for further
study will be in 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 scientist and engineering students, but a bit tough for
management and social sciences since most management/social science projects
are more of 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 good 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 week 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 you are
talking about. You need to explain your independent and dependent variable(s) to
convince them that you are on point. Your variables are present in your project
topic. 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 about 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 the study?
At this point you have to state the source(s) you got data from. In general you have
to state whether data was gotten from primary or secondary source or both. You can
further convince the committee members by discoursing on literature reviewed for
the study-both theoretical and empirical.
Question 20: What theories or theoretical framework is your study based
on?
This is a 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
Maslows Theory and other theories of motivation. If you cannot find relevant
theories to back up your study, consult your supervisor for help.
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 research 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 skill 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
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 feel 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.