Consulting Your Supervisors

Your supervisors will be able to help with lots of things related to the viva. It’s good to consider them in the role of a consultant.

Consultants take a step back, they’re there to advise: you have to do the work. It’s best to ask highly-targeted questions and make specific requests – both to get the best response from them and respect their time.

• Before submission they can offer feedback on your research, guidance on your thesis and talk through expectations for the viva.
• During preparation time they can steer your perspective, share insights into your examiners and perhaps practically help your preparations with a mock viva.
• After it’s all done they can support you as you deliver on your corrections, and hopefully even find a way to help you celebrate!

There’s lots of possibilities: before you ask for help, consider what you might really need from them. Then focus on asking for that.