5 AI Prompts That Will Practically Guarantee You Nail Your PhD Defense Viva

Preparing for your PhD defense can feel overwhelming. It’s one of the most important academic milestones you’ll face, and yet many students go in without a clear plan for how to approach it.

▼ ▽ Sign up for my FREE newsletter
Join 21,000+ email subscribers receiving the free tools and academic tips directly from me:
https://academiainsider.com/newsletter/

▼ ▽ MY TOP SELLING COURSE ▼ ▽
▶ Become a Master Academic Writer With AI using my course: https://academy.academiainsider.com/courses/ai-writing-course

In this video, I share a set of tools and strategies that helped me — and now help others — feel confident, clear, and prepared. These aren’t just surface-level thesis defense tips. They go deeper, helping you understand how to think about your defense as a performance, a conversation, and a chance to show how far you’ve come.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is students waiting until the last moment to start preparing. They focus too much on memorising details from their dissertation, but forget that their committee wants to see critical thinking, adaptability, and a clear sense of purpose. That’s why this video is about more than just what to say — it’s about how to prepare for your PhD defense in a way that actually builds confidence.

I also go into how AI tools can help you with things like identifying likely questions, revising your slides, and even practising your opening and closing statements. These tools don’t replace your own understanding — they enhance it. If you’ve ever wondered how to do well in your PhD defense, this will give you practical, time-saving prompts that help you prepare without burning out.

Whether you call it a PhD viva, a defense, or an oral exam, the goal is the same: demonstrate that you're ready to join the academic conversation in your field. If you want to know how to have the best start in your PhD defense, I cover how to structure a strong opening and what impression you should aim to make in the first few minutes. That part matters more than people think.

Ultimately, this video is here to help you feel more in control of the process. I’m not promising shortcuts, but I do believe that with the right approach, your PhD defense can feel less like a trial — and more like a final chapter in a story you’ve written over years of hard work.
................................................

▼ ▽ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:26 Research Your Panels
02:08 Having Answers for your Thesis Chapters
04:08 Key Points on Visual Presentations
06:08 Dealing with Research Challenges
08:51 Starting and Finishing Strong
10:55 Outro

................................................

▼ ▽ Socials for shorts and reels
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drandystapleton/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drandystapleton