Nice, But Not Necessary
As you finish up your thesis, take twenty minutes to make a list of all the things that didn’t quite make it. What did you not have time for? What did you not have enough resources to do? What didn’t...
Daily viva help for PhDs
As you finish up your thesis, take twenty minutes to make a list of all the things that didn’t quite make it. What did you not have time for? What did you not have enough resources to do? What didn’t...
A few weeks back I was moaning because I had to wake up at 4am to catch a flight. Grumble, grumble, too early, grumble, grumble, why do I have to do this? Then I remembered Seth Godin’s recent post about...
The viva is your final exam, but it’s not the only test. Throughout your PhD there are plenty of tests, big and small, formal and informal. You’ve passed them all to get to the viva. You didn’t need to be...
The process of doing a PhD is like doing a really hard jigsaw when you don’t have the picture to start with. It takes time to get going. You have to find the corners, establish your boundaries, and make sure...
What’s your number one tip for the viva? I was asked this recently by a PhD candidate… Take time to think is a good one for the viva; make sure you pause and think before answering. Read your thesis carefully...
Check off the following as you complete these thesis-related tasks before the viva: Added Post-it Notes to the start of each chapter to help with thesis navigation. Read through every chapter carefully at least once. Highlighted key references in each...
You might be. Certain, no doubts, no wavering. Or your examiner might be. 100%, thought about it, no alternatives. When someone is convinced, the best thing you can do is ask why. Once you know the why, you know what...
I’m sorting out my home office while I procrastinate about my next book. I’ve gathered a lot of notes and material over the last ten years of working with researchers, and not all of it is useful now. There are...
I love finding valuable questions. I try to read as widely as possible in things like self-help books, coaching blogs and interviews with interesting people. The ideas and advice are often helpful, but a good question hooks my attention more...
Don’t worry. It means you have something interesting in your research. It means that in the viva your examiners have a lot to ask about. And it means you’ve been working on your thesis for a long time. You will...