Time Zones
I’m still enjoying my summer break from webinar delivery, but looking forward to starting again in the coming weeks. One thing I always do now is see if everyone that I’m talking to is in the UK. There have been...
Daily viva help for PhDs
I’m still enjoying my summer break from webinar delivery, but looking forward to starting again in the coming weeks. One thing I always do now is see if everyone that I’m talking to is in the UK. There have been...
That’s the key to getting viva preparations done. There are core tasks and activities, but no blueprint for when, where and how you do them. You need to read your thesis. Do you do that in an afternoon? For an...
Before your viva, reflect on the best of your work, your results and your thesis. How can you communicate the value of what you’ve done? What are the words that will share how good your thesis is? Write summaries, capture...
Not want, need. What do you need for your viva? Do you need certain people or kinds of people to be your examiners? Do you need particular support from your supervisors or others? Do you need confidence or a better...
How many of the following bits of viva wisdom have you heard before? The first question will be easy, the last one won’t be. No-one fails. Your examiners will just be your supervisor’s friends, so there’s nothing to worry about....
Again and again this year I am reminded of a lesson I’ve heard many times. “Getting started changes everything.” When I was wondering what to do exactly forĀ 101 Steps To A Great Viva or how to run a Kickstarter, getting...
It’s right to reflect on the significant original contribution that your research makes to your field as part of your viva preparation. It helps to consider how you can share that. If your examiners asked you to dig deeper, what...
Today marks fifteen years since I submitted my final PhD thesis. I remember that I went with a friend to hand my copies in. I wanted someone to be a witness with me to this great moment. The university admin...
Your thesis isn’t perfect. It’s almost certain you have typos or passages to correct. There are likely other approaches you could take in your methods. Your recollection or knowledge might have gaps. And you can’t have done every possible thing...
The process and the goal. Getting ready means reading your thesis, asking questions, checking things, making notes and building confidence. Being ready means feeling certain that your viva will be successful. Before you sit down to get ready, think ahead...