Daily viva help for PhDs
A list of characteristics a candidate should look for in examiners is very short: do they have PhDs in a relevant area? Do they have enough post-PhD experience and training? That’s it. After that you and your supervisor are not...
Your examiners are interested in your work. They have to be, or they just wouldn’t be there. Your examiners are prepared for the viva. Like you, they have to get ready to do this particular event. Your examiners are experienced....
Candidates don’t choose examiners. For all the good ideas you might have about this person or that person to examine your thesis and you in the viva, you don’t choose them outright. Your supervisors choose your examiners. They might ask...
You don’t get to choose your examiners. You might be asked for your opinion but ultimately, your supervisors will decide. They have the responsibility of nominating the two people who will examiner your thesis and convene your viva. You don’t...
You don’t get to choose your examiners. You might be able to offer suggestions and discuss who they could be, but you don’t get to choose the best examiners for you; you can’t veto anyone that you don’t want either!...
It’s not necessary for every PhD candidate to cite their examiners in their thesis. It might be helpful for you in particular to have cited your examiners. Or rather, who you have cited might have an influence on the list...
Examiners aren’t all equivalent. Some choices will be better than others – which means, naturally, that some are less desirable. For example: The Egotist. Someone who just wants to talk about their work, how important they are, and make connections...
I’ve frequently been asked, “What should I consider when selecting an examiner?” – a question which usually produces a very long response from me, but I’ll try to be brief and keep it simple! First, candidates don’t get to select...
As you get closer to submission and the end of your PhD, it’s worth exploring possible examiners. Who would be your number one pick for your external examiner? Why? What do they have that others don’t? How about for your...
What do you need to know about your examiners? What will help you to feel happy about them being the ones asking questions in your viva? Google is your friend. You can check out your examiners’ staff pages and their...