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Tag: consulting your supervisors

Nathan

Look To Your Community

Daily Post

You have many people around you who could give support as you get ready for your viva.

Ask your supervisor for help. Ask early in case they’re busy. Be clear so that they can support you. Check their availability to show you respect their time.

Ask your colleagues about their vivas. Explore common elements of viva stories to get a sense of what to expect. Find out if anyone has time to listen to you talk about your work or ask you questions.

Tell friends and family what you’re going through. A lot of viva prep work is all down to you but others can provide practical support to help you work well.

In the viva, you’re the only person who can engage with your examiners. Before then there are lots of people in your community who can help you get ready.

Ask for the help you need.

Nathan

Consulting Your Supervisors

Daily Post

Your supervisors will be able to help with lots of things related to the viva. It’s good to consider them in the role of a consultant.

Consultants take a step back, they’re there to advise: you have to do the work. It’s best to ask highly-targeted questions and make specific requests – both to get the best response from them and respect their time.

  • Before submission they can offer feedback on your research, guidance on your thesis and talk through expectations for the viva.
  • During preparation time they can steer your perspective, share insights into your examiners and perhaps practically help your preparations with a mock viva.
  • After it’s all done they can support you as you deliver on your corrections, and hopefully even find a way to help you celebrate!

There’s lots of possibilities: before you ask for help, consider what you might really need from them. Then focus on asking for that.