Prep Is Personal

The purpose of viva prep is universal among PhD candidates: it’s part of the work that someone does to help them get ready for the particular challenge they’ll find in the viva.

The principles of viva prep are sound for any postgraduate researcher: read your thesis, annotate it, write summaries of things you need to think about and rehearse for meeting your examiners.

The doing of viva prep is individual for every PhD candidate.

No two candidates have the same prep because no two candidates are the same. Every thesis is unique and every set of circumstances is different. There are similarities and generalisations that can be made, but when it comes to doing the work every candidate has to pause, plan and then do the work in a way that suits them.

Plan the work in advance. Fit it around your other responsibilities. Get the support you need.

Prep is personal.

PS: Looking for more ideas of what you can do to be ready for your viva or how to get the work done? Check out the Viva Help Bundle: three great resources for a special price of £6 until November 30th 2023. The bundle has an edited book of 150+ Viva Survivors posts, my successfully Kickstarted 101 Steps To A Great Viva and an original reflective writing game on the PhD journey. Please do take a look!