The Questions You Expect
A question that’s expected can be prepared for. A question you expect can still be difficult to respond to. If you expect a question you might not be asked it after all. And if you prepare you may still find...
Prep & Procrastination
If it’s hard to get started on viva prep or you’re putting it off then perhaps you need to make a plan – not to procrastinate but to give yourself some structure. If you get distracted then maybe you need...
Discipline Differences
Reading viva regulations and googling about what to expect for your viva can only tell you so much. There are a lot of general viva expectations worth paying attention to – related to the format, the questions and examiners –...
It Depends
There are many questions asked about the viva to which a response has to begin with, “It depends…” Is it best to have an expert in my research area for an examiner? – It depends on what you think about the...
Three Things
Do you want a simple task to help how you feel about your viva? Every day after submission, take five minutes to write down three things about your research: things that you know are good, that you’re proud of, that you...
When You Don’t Know
What would you do if you went blank or froze or could only think “I don’t know”? It’s a situation you wouldn’t want; it could even be stressful. It’s reasonable to think about it before the viva but unhelpful to...
The Best Of The Best Of Viva Survivors 2022
At the end of December I shared five days of posts recapping my favourite writing from 2022. In case you missed that or you’re looking for some helpful highlights, here’s the best of those five days, with links to each...
What’s Important?
Two words to prompt reflection on nearly every aspect of the viva and viva prep. What’s important… …about your thesis? Explore it chapter by chapter with a notebook in hand. Make notes about anything that stands out to you. …about...
Plan For The Unexpected
Plan your viva prep. Take a sheet of paper when you submit and spend ten minutes thinking about how you would space out the work that you need to do. When will you start? Will a month investing an hour most...
Recognise Your Strengths
As you prepare for your viva, take an hour to think about how you have changed during your PhD journey. What can you do better now than when you started? What have you learned how to do? What methods, processes...