No Fooling
No trick questions. No gotcha statements. Your examiners aren’t in the viva to fool you or trap you, to belittle you or break you. Your examiners are there to examine you. It’s in the name! They ask questions to start...
Daily viva help for PhDs
No trick questions. No gotcha statements. Your examiners aren’t in the viva to fool you or trap you, to belittle you or break you. Your examiners are there to examine you. It’s in the name! They ask questions to start...
After years of work it could feel odd to be talking about your research in your viva. Perhaps if you’ve had a break between submission and the viva, things might feel a bit rusty when you think or talk about...
Off in the distance, on the edge of a clear blue sky is a single cloud. Something to be aware of, but not something that needs to be acted on. The wind may never blow it your way, and even...
You can read books about the viva. You can ask your supervisors for their advice. You can talk to friends and colleagues about their experiences. Get lots of recommendations. And then you have to do something. Take all the ideas...
Thank your examiners. Take some deep breaths. Make a few notes about what just happened. Make sure your supervisors know what just happened. Call whoever you need to and let them know. Take some more deep breaths. Go find a...
You’ve not simply done something for the last couple of years: you’ve made a contribution, made something different, made something that changes what came before. Made something that matters. You don’t need a model answer or script to hand to describe...
A short reflection for today using my favourite thinking provocation, Why? How? What? The last year or so has been hard – but if you’re reading this today (March 26th 2021) and your viva is soon, then you kept going...
Your viva is a unique exam, tailored just for you and your thesis. No-one else will have this one-of-a-kind experience. But like made to measure clothes, there are patterns. There are ways that things are done. Jacket sleeves stop at...
That’s not you. Whatever your misgivings, self-doubts or nerves: you could only have got through a PhD to submission and be preparing for your viva if you were good enough. That’s the only way. If you have a specific concern...
Try not to overthink the viva. It’s an exam, but just an exam. It’s an important conversation, but still just people discussing things. They’re asking questions, simply looking for honest responses. Each question is a chance to add something to...