There are lots of elements to the viva:
- There is what’s presented in your thesis, the pre-requisite to being in the viva at all.
- There is why you did it in the first place, a subject that often comes up in some form.
- There is who you are, and to a lesser extent who your examiners are.
- There is why you are there and what you have planned afterwards perhaps.
- There is the logistics – how, when, where – and the expectations – the things that tend to happen and influence how people feel about the viva.
- There is the beginning, middle, end and afterwards.
- There is the dance between feeling excited and feeling worried.
- There is the preparation, the support, the help – and then just you and your examiners.
There’s a lot to the viva. Focussing only on one element means you will miss something important in all the other aspects. But trying to focus on everything means you’ll also probably miss something.
Another aspect worth mentioning: they almost always result in success for the candidate. Whatever else you need to explore or reflect on for yourself, remember the most likely outcome for all your work.
