To reach submission you must have made a contribution: you must have done something. Reflecting before the viva and making notes, even using a simple question, can be quite powerful.
To begin with, three simple questions: Why did you do it? How did you do it? What did you do?
If you’re looking to dig a little deeper with simple questions, consider the following:
- Why is your contribution valuable?
- How do you know your contribution makes a difference?
- What does your contribution mean for others?
These are simple to ask, but could have complex responses. Notice too that they are aiming at the same thing – your contribution – but from different perspectives.
By reaching submission you must have done something. Use questions in your preparation to help you explore that something and find useful ways to think about it and share it with others.
