Should I Bring Treats Like Cookies To My Dissertation Defence?
Dissertation defense may seem like a nerve-wracking task; sometimes they turn out to be fun withal. It depends a lot on your evaluating committee that what kind of environment they want to maintain. However, generally speaking, the environment of dissertation defense is kept formal which leaves no room for external gestures. This evaluation is primarily focused on the subject of your dissertation topic and it is vital that you defend it to your fullest.
Some students try to go overboard with this event and they try to embed a friendly vibe by bringing snacks along to their dissertation defense. Sometimes this gesture is accepted by the committee, however, most of the times, this action is perceived as amiss. Bottom line, if you want to avoid brutal consequences, you should refrain from bringing snacks like cookies to your dissertation defense.
There are numerous reasons quoted by the dissertation writers to the question of why you should not bring snacks to the dissertation defence. Some of the obvious reasons are listed below:
Seems Like a Bribe: You don’t want to give out the notion that you are trying to please your evaluating committee by some snacks because clearly speaking, this action sort of look like a bribe. This action may also enrage your evaluating committee and they may speak some harsh words that may shatter your confidence then and there. This anger may also reflect on your evaluation report which is definitely injurious for your dissertation. Therefore, avoid the probability of this agony and focus solely on your dissertation defense presentation.
May Teach You Wrong Lessons: However there are minimal chances for the approval of tagging snacks along to the dissertation defense, but let us for a moment consider this happens. This may teach you that it is okay to use some external resources to get your work done. However, this may not be your intention at first, but you may develop this trait along the way which may backfire you at a certain time.
In many cultures, this may be looked down upon as a heinous act that may serve you a setback. Also, generally speaking, this act is morally and ethically considered wrong at so many levels that may put a shade on all the right attributes of your personality.
Evaluators May Perceive a Negative Notion: Evaluators may think that you are trying to provoke them to award you positive feedback. Most of the personals at the evaluating committee may find this as a disrespectful act that violates the code of conduct in their eyes. As a result, they may set a high bar for your dissertation assessment with rigorous scrutiny.
The formal behavior of the committee may change to harsh reaction real quick and you may feel displeased at the end of your presentation. Their questions may be tougher than you think and it may seem that your comeback answers can never satisfy them. You definitely don’t want such a harsh environment for your dissertation defense event, therefore, you should avoid taking treats to your presentation.
To sum this up, it can be said that the defense of your dissertation may be hard and you may want this event to be perfect having no room for error. If you decide to take snacks like cookies to your dissertation defence, there is a high probability that this may be perceived negatively by your evaluating committee. Nevertheless, it is not always the case, but you should avoid this fair chance of disapproval by totally discarding the idea of bringing treats along. In the meantime, you should work on your dissertation defense presentation and make it speak for itself. Good luck!
