Ten 2-Minute Viva Prep Tasks

A simple post! Here’s a list of ten things you can do in two minutes or less that will make a difference to your viva preparations.

1. Find and download the regulations for thesis examination for your university.
2. Check and make a note of a member of staff you could contact – in your Graduate School or Doctoral College – in case you need help with arrangements for the viva.
3. Gather together a suitable assortment of stationery to support annotating your thesis.
4. Write and send a short email to three friends who could help you have a mini-viva.
5. Find and bookmark the webpages of your examiners for later reading.
6. Write a short email to your supervisor(s) asking about their availability in the coming weeks.
7. Contact two or three people you know who have recently had a viva in your department and ask them a few questions about the experience.
8. Write “YOU CAN DO THIS” at the top of the first page of your thesis.
9. Stick a Post-it Note at the start of each chapter in your thesis to help you navigate it well.
10. Write down one thing that you know is a valuable contribution in your research.

Viva prep takes time, but there are lots of little things that can make a big difference. Whenever you have a spare moment, think about what you can do to help yourself get ready.

Bonus 11th suggestion! Read this blog post about the book I published a few months ago! Ordering in print or ebook will also take less than two minutes and will help! 😉