Fired Up
What could get you enthusiastic for your viva? Not just “not stressed” or “prepared” but ready. Would a piece of music do it? Exercising in the morning? A motivational talk from someone who believes in you? I meet very few...
Daily viva help for PhDs
What could get you enthusiastic for your viva? Not just “not stressed” or “prepared” but ready. Would a piece of music do it? Exercising in the morning? A motivational talk from someone who believes in you? I meet very few...
Long term readers will know that I like Why-How-What as a way to frame and explain ideas. I share it a lot in workshops when people ask me how they can explain what their research is about. I think it’s...
Earlier this year I shared a list post, Top Ten Top Fives, that had ideas on how to get started with thinking about the viva and viva prep. A simple setup, prompts to get ideas flowing and start making notes....
The viva matters: Importance and nerves travel Hand-in-hand with you. (for more viva-related haiku, click here)
I like Pat Thomson‘s recent post about looping. In it she describes a useful writing method to quickly expand on a topic, then reflect to distil down, before expanding again. It seems like a nicely structured approach to get yourself...
Before, you could be nervous. During, you’re engaged. After, you’re relieved. Before, you can practise. During, you’re doing it. After, you’ve achieved. Before, you’re the candidate. During, you’re the expert. After, you’re Dr Somebody, PhD. At different times you can...
Most commonly it’s “the viva” but I’ve also heard people refer to it – the event, the exam – as thesis examination, thesis defence, defending your thesis and of course the full viva voce. I’ve also heard people call the...
Heard of the feedback sandwich? It’s when you tell someone something good about their presentation/book/paper/whatever, then offer something constructive or negative, followed by something good. Good-“bad”-good. A feedback sandwich – it has another name, but this is a polite sort...
It’s understandable to be nervous, anxious or scared about the viva. It’s not just any other day of your PhD. You can be nervous, and hope that it doesn’t affect you too much, or you can be nervous and think...
Not just a good viva: the best. Make a list of all of the conditions of the best possible viva for you. However long it is, now make another list of the things you could do to help it turn...