Answers and Responses
An answer is a kind of response. An answer is grounded in truth or a compelling argument. An answer could be what you offer after a question… …if the question is part of a quiz. But the viva isn’t a...
June 2021
Breaking Up Your Viva
Breaks are an important part of the viva process. For length, for comfort, for medical reasons – there are lots of situations where a break is needed. It’s right to expect your examiners to offer them; it’s right to ask...
Several Steps Back
You might have to take a step back when writing up to really ask yourself, “What else does this need?” You might have to take a step back from your thesis at submission, to give yourself space to reflect before...
7 Reasons, 3 Times
I’m happy that over the last year I’ve been able to continue sharing viva help to universities, as well as opening up my 1-hour webinars to PGRs directly. It’s been great to take the opportunity of delivering short sessions over...
Doing Better
If an examiner asks, “How would you improve your research?” they’re not trying to trick you. There’s no trap in a question like, “What would you change?” These are honest, simple questions to get you exploring the topic of what...
Playing For Confidence
I’m going to share a secret today. I’ve hinted at it in webinars for the last year, but never completely revealed what I’m about to share with you: my secret playlist of songs that boost my confidence. The five songs...
Do I Need A Printed Thesis?
Over the last year a lot of PhD candidates have asked me variations on this question. Any response has to be layered, because there’s lots to think about. Often, the question is being asked because it has been more difficult...
In This Together
Who’s in the room? You, your internal, your external and in some cases an independent chairperson. Everyone present will be prepared. Everyone present will have done the work. Everyone present will have different roles in the viva, but ultimately you...
The Longest Short Break
The break at the end of my viva really wasn’t that long. My memory tells me it was about 17 minutes, but it was a very long 17 minutes. It felt longer than the four hours I was in the...
Say More, Do More
That’s the viva in a nutshell. You invested years of work into research and months into writing up. Now, for a few hours: say more, do more. Say more about your work; do more in thinking and understanding and demonstrating...