In three seconds…
In three seconds… …a photon travels almost 900 million metres. …a Shinkansen moves over 250m. …Usain Bolt is a third of the way to the finish line. …in the viva you can feel like there’s an awkward pause in conversation....
April 2017
Typos
It’s good to catch as many typos as possible. It’s not always easy to see them, even with spellcheck running. And spellcheck can’t always see when you put words in the wrong order. Proofreading can be hard. Enlist some allies...
Done
The day comes, you click print, and you’ve finished your PhD! Except for the viva. You have your viva, it goes well, and you’ve finished your PhD! Except for corrections. You take the time, do the work, finish your corrections...
Allies and Acknowledgements
I re-read my thesis a few months ago. One of the happiest parts for me was the acknowledgements page. It’s like a time capsule. Some of the people I namechecked were very good friends in that period. Some still are....
Play
Play never stops being important. Want to play let’s pretend? How would you explain your research to: A five year old? Your parents? Your best friend? Someone on the bus? A well-educated person from the nineteenth century? A well-educated person...
The Power of Post Its
I love Post It notes. They’re like joyful paper. They can break big ideas up into smaller thoughts. They can help group disparate thoughts into larger concepts. They label. They highlight. They’re so so useful for viva prep. Put a...
Your Greatest Hits
Examiners and graduates tell me that the viva typically starts with a question like, “Can you tell us about the most important parts of your research?” or “What is your work all about?” It’s a question worth practicing when the...
Just Another Day At The Office
Which is better, treating the viva as a Special, One Of A Kind, Big, Important, This-Is-It Event Day – or going to university like it’s a regular day? Is it better go in thinking that it’s make or break, or...
Tick Tock
As a presenter, I silently curse institutions when I arrive to do a workshop and there is no clock on the wall. A clock is helpful to a presenter because they can keep track of where they are in their...
Next?
Get ready, because after the PhD you have to do something better. It can’t be the peak of your life. Take some time to reflect when you approach the end. Even if you have a job or plans for what...