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Month: July 2022

Nathan

Nervousness To Spare

Daily Post

You might be nervous for your viva. Your examiners could be nervous about doing a good job. Your friends and family might be nervous for you. Your supervisors could feel some nerves about the outcome.

Everyone nervous because it, your viva, matters.

We’re wired to be nervous when something is important – it doesn’t have to be something bad. All the people connected to you and your viva could feel nervous. It’s not comfortable, but it’s not a sign that there’s something wrong.

You can’t squash nervousness away, but you can use it to recognise the importance and then respond accordingly. Prepare, get ready and ask for help from others.

There’s nervousness to spare when it comes to you and your viva. But it’s there because it’s important: your success matters.

Nathan

Hacks!

Daily Post

I always make sure I have a plan for Monday before I stop work for the weekend. It helps me to motivate myself at the start of the week.

Whenever I’m about to wash the dishes I check to see if there’s any leftover hot water in the kettle from the last cup of tea. Even a small amount can save some water and gas from running our boiler.

I use a piece of software called TextExpander to help with regular writing tasks. Simple keyboard shortcuts create strings of social media tags, my email signature – even whole emails for sending to university finance departments! It saves a lot of time.

 

I love life hacks and little things that save time or effort. I don’t have anything like that to offer for the viva. Everything you need to do for the viva takes exactly the time or effort needed. You can’t shortcut reading or annotating. You can’t write a summary using an easy method. A mock viva can’t be halved with one weird trick – and neither can the real viva!

There are small viva prep tasks – sticking in bookmarks to your thesis, making lists and the like – but these aren’t hacks. There’s no room for shortcuts – and no need for them either.

Take your time. There’s no need to rush. There’s no need to work smarter or harder.

Use the opportunity of the submission period to get ready for the viva, and use the viva to succeed.

Nathan

Old & New

Daily Post

In preparation for your viva consider the old and the new.

The old:

  • What had been done in your area before your research?
  • What were the most useful papers/references that helped your work?
  • What were your hopes or plans when you started your PhD?

The new:

  • What have you shown through your research?
  • What do you consider the main achievements in your thesis?
  • How have you changed as a result of your PhD?

Reflect and draw out valuable ideas about your research; explore for yourself how you have grown as a researcher. There’s a lot to unpick about your journey, your research and how you have got it done. Take time to reflect and prepare before your viva.

 

Nathan

Read Your Thesis

Daily Post

When you sit down to read your thesis for the first time after submission try to do the following:

  • Read everything. Don’t skim past things you think you know. Read every word.
  • Read for pleasure. Don’t second-guess what you’ve submitted; try to enjoy what you have written.
  • Take your time. Start well in advance of your viva to relieve pressure. This is important work so don’t rush.
  • Note down typos. They don’t mean much unless they cause confusion; they can always be amended later.

Reading your thesis is probably the first step in your plan of viva preparation. Make the most of the opportunity to start well.

Nathan

A Range Of Expectations

Daily Post

Every viva is unique.

Some vivas are long, some are short, but most fall within a certain range. Some vivas start with a presentation, some with the candidate being told they’ve passed, but most begin with a simple question to start the discussions. Some candidates are excited, some are unprepared, but most are nervous-but-ready for the hours ahead. Some candidates get no corrections, some resubmit their thesis, but the vast majority are simply asked to complete minor corrections.

A variety of viva experiences leads to a range of expectations. There are lots of things that could happen: thankfully there are patterns of experience that stand out. Expect to be in your viva for several hours and expect questions that prompt discussion. Expect that you will be ready-but-nervous (or nervous-but-ready!) and expect that you will have to make some changes to your thesis afterwards.

Your viva will be unique but cannot be a total unknown. Understanding the range of expectations for the viva process can help you to prepare for whatever happens.

Nathan

An Unexpected Question

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You can’t know exactly what questions your examiners will ask, but you can have a good idea of the topics they’ll want to talk about in the viva. You can’t have a response ready and waiting for every topic, but you can feel fairly confident in your preparations that you can engage with almost anything your examiners might want to ask.

Almost anything.

There’s always a possibility that they ask something you’ve never considered. There’s a chance they may notice something you haven’t. An unexpected question could be asked that you, at first, don’t know how to handle. You just might not know what to think or say.

At first.

Whatever the unexpected question, however left field it is, you can still engage with it. Pause to consider it. Think about what it means. Respond as best you can. Ask your examiners questions to unpick what they mean. Be patient with yourself.

Pause. Think. Respond.

Nathan

Reading & Writing

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It’s necessary to read your thesis in preparation for the viva. You don’t need to memorise your work, but it helps to have a good recall of the flow of your thesis to make using it in the viva easier.

Annotating your thesis or writing summaries are helpful for viva preparation, and have the added benefit that they have to be done actively. You can’t write a summary without being engaged with your work. You can’t annotate your thesis without being switched on and reviewing what’s there.

You can pass time skimming your thesis, but that won’t help your prep as much as reading actively or investing time in writing about your research. Reading and writing tasks are essential elements of getting ready. Find good ways to do both kinds of work.

Nathan

Final Thoughts

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The viva might be the final challenge of your PhD, but it’s not the final challenge you’ll ever face.

The questions your examiners ask might prompt the final big discussion you have about your PhD research.

Your final preparations for the viva are building on a foundation that has taken years to create.

Before you start your viva take a final deep breath and remind yourself how you have got this far. Not by luck. Not by chance. Through work, determination and ability you have reached the one of the final things to do for your PhD.

Nathan

You Don’t Choose

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You don’t get to choose your examiners.

You might be able to offer suggestions and discuss who they could be, but you don’t get to choose the best examiners for you; you can’t veto anyone that you don’t want either!

If your supervisor has a firm idea on who would be good then talk it through with them. Listen to their reasoning to feel confident about who they nominate.

You don’t choose your examiners – but as you prepare for your viva they won’t be total unknowns either. There will be lots you can learn so you feel good about the people you’ll be talking to on your viva day.

Nathan

Help Yourself

Daily Post

“What’s the most important thing I can do today that would make tomorrow better?”

I’ve had that question stuck on the wall at eye-height next to my desk for as long as I can remember. I saw it in a book or a blog post years ago, liked the provocation, and have used it as a reminder ever since.

Focussing on the most important aspect of the prompt sometimes leaves me trying to do great, big things. Most of the time I think about little tasks, any small things I can do, that will make tomorrow better for me.

  • Maybe I can make a to-do list to be more organised.
  • Maybe I can tidy my desk.
  • Maybe I can make time for a break or a walk.
  • Maybe I can read something small to prepare myself.

I look ahead and think, “What would help Future-Me? What would make my tomorrow better?”

There are lots of big, important things you have to do to be ready for your viva. There’s a lot that goes into finishing your PhD journey. But within a busy day, as an act of kindness for Future-You, consider what you could to do help your tomorrow.

  • Maybe you could email a friend to ask for help.
  • Maybe you could make a list of tasks to do.
  • Maybe you could take care of yourself, take a break or go for a walk!
  • Maybe you could bring together some resources you’ll use.

Look ahead and think, “On the path to my viva, what could I do today to make tomorrow better?”

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