5 Random Posts
Last year, with the help of a plugin, I made a little link that diverts to a random post every time it is used: www.viva-survivors.com/randpost/ I use it to find old posts to read. I look for little thoughts I...
Daily viva help for PhDs
Last year, with the help of a plugin, I made a little link that diverts to a random post every time it is used: www.viva-survivors.com/randpost/ I use it to find old posts to read. I look for little thoughts I...
I try to be as careful as possible using the s-word. …should… You should get ready for your viva this way… You should be prepared for your examiners to ask… You should start your viva prep… Lots of well-meant advice...
Time or work pressure. Not knowing what to expect. Being unsure of how to prepare. Hearing stories that create doubt. There can be lots of obstacles in your way of getting ready for the way. They’re real, they are barriers....
If you feel nervous about your viva then you’re reacting to the importance of the event. In anticipation you feel that you want everything to go well and that’s the nerves you feel. If you feel excited about your viva...
95% of vivas are finished by the four-hour mark. I estimate that less than one-in-ten candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation. Around 85% of candidates are asked to complete minor corrections to their thesis as the formal outcome...
Good day socks. A playlist that helps you feel happy. A lucky teddy. Three cups of coffee. Dancing around. A Post-it Note of encouragement. An outfit that just feels right. There’s practical must-do tasks that help candidates get ready for the...
You can’t be ready for your viva until you’ve at least submitted your thesis. You need to have spent some time doing various viva prep tasks. To be ready you have to feel some amount of confidence for the viva....
A key step of viva preparation is investing a little time to practise. A mock viva could be a great rehearsal for the real thing, but it’s not the only option. Simply talk. Sit down over coffee, over video if...
I can’t imagine what someone could say in the viva, without going to flippant extremes, that would be so wrong as to lead to a terrible outcome. Wrong couldn’t be saying too little or too much; your examiners will help...
Don’t keep your viva worry bottled up in your brain where you can merely be anxious about it. Write it down. Tell a friend. Talk to your supervisor. Your worry could be unfounded. Talking to someone who has had their...