“Don’t worry my lad, this will sort it out.”
My grandma was adamant that butter on a burn helped ease the pain. She’d always done it, had always known it was the thing to do. The afternoon passed and all I knew was my hand still hurt.
Come forward a few decades, and a Google search in 2018 will tell you that putting butter on a burn is not an advisable form of treatment. The notion persists as a kind of folk wisdom. People share it, true or not.
Handed down and passed on over time, like so many thoughts about the viva I’ve heard:
- “They’re all random, you can’t do anything to get ready!”
- “They’re out to get you, so you have to be prepared to defend!”
- “Your viva will be an hour or less if you’ve got a publication!”
There are lots of people who will offer advice about the viva. Don’t just accept it, turn it over in your mind, does it make sense? Check another source. The following is some good viva advice…
- A typical length for the viva is two to three hours, so don’t worry about rushing to an answer.
- The most common outcome is minor corrections, nearly everyone gets some.
- It’s essential you read your thesis in preparation for the viva.
- It’s important to find opportunities to practise answering unexpected questions.
…but don’t just take my word for it!
Butter is not a good treatment for a burn. Fortunately, it’s easy to check that out. Advice about the viva is easy to check too.
Make sure you’re getting good advice.
