Pause To…
…think in the viva. …reflect on what you’re about to say to your examiners. …decide how you will get ready when you’ve submitted your thesis. …compose a response to a difficult question in practice or in your viva. …realise that...
Daily viva help for PhDs
…think in the viva. …reflect on what you’re about to say to your examiners. …decide how you will get ready when you’ve submitted your thesis. …compose a response to a difficult question in practice or in your viva. …realise that...
Every viva is different but knowing what to expect can help you to paint a picture for yourself. Read the regulations, listen to stories and find out about norms in your department or discipline. Your viva will be different from...
It’s not wrong to want your viva to be done. That’s a natural response to the challenge and the situation. But don’t try to rush your viva so it’s over as soon as possible. Don’t try to get every thought...
It’s unlikely that you will have to give an elevator pitch of your research at the viva. I’ve never heard of examiners asking for a polished thirty-second or two-minute overview of 3+ years of work. But that said, exploring a...
My wife found beautiful curtains in a local charity shop. They were a lovely pattern, they would look good alongside the colour of our living room walls and tone in with the furniture. They were clean and in great condition,...
Has it really been three years? That’s when I shared Interesting Times, just before the first UK COVID lockdown. It was a strange time, and that strangeness seems to have been magnified and distorted as the last few years have...
In case you didn’t spot it at the time, I was interviewed a few months ago for The PhD Life Raft Podcast! Dr Emma Brodzinski runs The PhD Life Raft and hosts the podcast. I was a returning guest, having appeared...
“Submitted is perfect” was a piece of thesis writing advice that jumped out to me on Twitter a few weeks ago. I wish I could remember where I saw it, though I imagine the person sharing it was not unique...
I can’t imagine that many people reading this would want to encounter surprises at their viva. A question that you’ve never considered. A piece of feedback that makes you freeze. A suggestion that you really don’t want. A realisation that...
There doesn’t need to be rush in viva prep. Before you get to submission, sketch out a plan. Think about your life, commitments and responsibilities. Plan your prep so the work gets done. Bit by bit. Day by day. Slow...