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Some good advice here. She should keep in mind that:
1. Technically, the committee wants her to be successful -- but they don't want to be embarrassed that they let through a shoddy piece of work and that they want others to see her as a good example of what their program(s) can produce. Their job is to produce Ph.D.'s. If they can't do that, they won't have jobs.
2. She should know her thesis issue better than anyone else on the committee. Assuming she knows who's going to be there, make sure she knows if anyone has a particular axe to grind about her topic or area. Her thesis advisor should be able to give her a head's up--especially if she asks. But it should be easy for her to do a quick review of the publications of committee members to anticipate their bias/interests. I'm not sure I'd be quick to cite their work. Just know what their issues might be if you can. Nevertheless, she should still know her specific issues better than anyone else in the room.
3. OK....this is an absolutely weird, off the wall suggestion. But my wife was going through a similar oral defense. She knew that a guy on the committee was an a$$; they had squared off before. But, she was forced to be polite to him despite almost ad hominem attacks from him. She called me from her hotel room the night before the defense and was in tears worrying about the guy and trying to keep her anger about him under control, anticipating a scathing attack. I had her get out a magic marker and write, "F'k You" (no abbreviations) on her underwear. That way, the entire time she was sitting there being polite and smiling at the guy, her underwear was screaming, "F'k You!!" Oddly -- she came back thrilled. It worked. Got her to focus on the issues and not the personal relationships. Over the years, I think she's had no fewer than 14 other graduating students do the same thing when faced with an oral defense in front of unpleasant committee members.
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James
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