Chris C. Attorney-At-Law: Part VI -- Final Defense and Writing the Final Manuscript

My preparation for the final defense is more intense than my preparation for the protocol defense. I pampered myself with a a new hair spa and a corporate attire which I bought on sale. I managed to buy a laser pointer which I used during my presentation. Unlike my strategy during the protocol defense, I operated my laptop without any assistance from a third person. Results were still not perfect but I passed with major revisions.

The race was not yet over..... I have a deadline to finish all the revisions and my adviser is about to leave for the United States .... I have to finish writing the manuscript with the proposed revisions in a month's time.

It took me a week to complete all the revisions. All five members of the panel of evaluators, including the Dean of the Graduate School of Management, have recommendations and suggestions which must appear in the manuscript before everyone signs the approval sheet. My reader gave the final advise regarding my proposed framework. I got everyone, including my adviser, reader and the Dean of the Graduate School of Management, sign my approval sheet in a matter of two weeks. There was a last minute revision regarding the format of my manuscript, but I was able to to finish in time for Graduation Day.

So what have I learned during this exercise? Allow me to share some tips to help you finally earn the degree of Doctor of Business Administration:

Wear Corporate Attire. This rule cannot be dispensed with. Be always at your best during your presentation.
Organize your presentation within the time limit. The time limit varies. But if you go beyond the time limit, you will be asked to stop your presentation to proceed to the question and answer portion. I was allowed a maximum of 40 minutes to finish my presentation.
Slides for the presentation must be well-planned. It would not hurt if you have a prepared script for your presentation. A proposed script will help you finish your presentation within the time limit. Moreover, your powerpoint slides must be well-planned. Emphasize your expertise in the field. The first three slides must be catchy to explain in an nutshell the objectives of your study. Present pictures on how you conducted the data gathering. Tables and figures must be clear and simple.
The Results of the Study must be clear and concise. Tables and Figures must be explained clearly. Should there be new terms that arise in your findings, make sure that these are operationally defined. Recommendations and Conclusions must be in line with the Statement of the Problem / Objectives. Lastly, do not forget to use the Harvard Referencing Style for all your references.
Observe the proper format, margins and pagination when writing your manuscript. Make sure you use the prescribed format and pagination when writing your final manuscript. There are a lot of sample works stored at the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Management. Margins are measured at LEFT=1.75"; RIGHT=1.25"; TOP=1.30" and BOTTOM=1.3". Use Arial size 12 as the font design, double spaced. Observe the prescribed color for bookbinding.

Below are photographs during my Graduation Day. My husband was with me on stage during the placing of the hood. My parents were seated at the guest side.