Under It
Viva prep doesn’t take much, space it out, don’t overstress yourself by trying to do too much in too short a time- Good advice but if you are really under time pressure, if you just feel stress because of your...
Daily viva help for PhDs
Viva prep doesn’t take much, space it out, don’t overstress yourself by trying to do too much in too short a time- Good advice but if you are really under time pressure, if you just feel stress because of your...
In over six years of writing about the viva I don’t think I have ever posted about my PhD graduation. The thought came to me a few months ago as, coincidentally, I was asked in a series of sessions about...
Begin viva prep by writing down everything you think you might need to do. Write down any upcoming work – projects, tasks, employment, responsibilities – that you also have to complete. Sketch a plan of how much time you have...
Ahead of my viva I wrote in my thesis margins to simplify jargon. I checked my maths to convince myself I was right. I found an unclear explanation and rewrote it so it made more sense to me. I wrote...
There are lots of necessary breaks before, during and after your viva. When you submit it’s good to pause from looking at your thesis and thinking about your PhD research. You might have other research work to do but at...
There’s a lot in your thesis. You created a record of what you did, how you did it and why that matters. Whatever the format or discipline, your thesis describes problems that you’ve solved or addressed. You might share hints...
Before your viva you could be nervous about what’s going to happen. After your viva you’ll maybe struggle to understand how it happened so quickly. And between those two points you might not notice what’s really happening because you’re so...
An audience doesn’t see the preparation and planning that goes into a talk. They might appreciate that work because of the effect it creates in the talk, but they don’t see it. They might not fully understand just how much...
Every viva is unique, but expectations show that yours will not be a total unknown. Expectations provide an outline. “Vivas are generally like this and not like that.” Viva expectations shape preparation and build confidence. The set of expectations you...
Every now and then we’ve had trouble with the boiler in our house. One of the more extreme problems was a time when the temperature of the shower would cycle between pleasant and absolutely-freezing while in use. Over the course...