Rest
A day off in the weeks leading up to your viva is not going to detract from your viva performance. A day off in the week leading up to your viva doesn’t mean that you’re not taking it seriously. A...
May 2021
Starting With A Presentation
Examiners sometimes ask a candidate to prepare a short presentation to open the viva. They’re always clear about whether or not this is something they want: regulations might mention them, your department might have them often, but your examiners will...
Vivas and Prime Numbers
“Anything could happen!” I’ve heard academics and PhD candidates say that about the viva, and while there’s a sort of truth to it, the statement also misses a lot. Anything could happen, but it rarely does. The vast majority of vivas are...
Closing Moments
How will your viva end? Will your examiners simply say something like, “I think we’ve talked enough,” and then request a short break? Will they ask you if you have any questions or anything else you want to say? It’s...
In The Chair
An independent chairperson for the viva can be really valuable. They act as an impartial observer, recording what happens. They can be a navigator carefully steering examiner or candidate away from fruitless discussions. They don’t decide the outcome but they...
A Little Pause, Here And There
A few seconds to make sure you’ve heard and understood something. A few seconds to make a note. A few seconds to check a detail. A few seconds to be sure your examiner has stopped talking. A few seconds that...
Tomorrow’s Story
Tomorrow is the best time to start building your confidence for the viva – assuming you didn’t do it yesterday and you’re busy today. Tomorrow, take five minutes to write down a few thoughts about something that you’ve achieved in...
Keep It Simple
Thinking about how to prepare for the viva stresses some candidates. There can be lots of factors at play. I have work, I have kids, I have so little time, I’m tired, I’m stressed, what to do, when to start, where...
My Story
Where do I begin? Do I start with my teenage dreams of being a teacher? How I left those behind when my father died? Or do I start with telling you about my undergraduate degree in maths and philosophy? How...
Unanticipated, Not Unmanageable
Every viva is “unique, not unknown” – always different, but following patterns from regulations, expectations and even traditions within departments or universities. We can also say with confidence that a viva could be “unanticipated, not unmanageable” in how it occurs....