Bubbles
You’re in a bubble of research. There’s a clear sphere around the space you occupy that lets others look in, see what’s there. As with a lot of bubbles, there could be some distortion – from how you present it,...
Daily viva help for PhDs
You’re in a bubble of research. There’s a clear sphere around the space you occupy that lets others look in, see what’s there. As with a lot of bubbles, there could be some distortion – from how you present it,...
Yes and no. Every chapter in your thesis will be read by your examiners. Everything will be considered. In reading it though, examiners may find things they particularly want to focus on in their thinking and then in the viva....
I have complicated feelings about my viva. It was fine, it went well, but it wasn’t totally enjoyable for me; that has nothing to do with my examiners. It was “bad” that I didn’t sleep well the night before. I...
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...
While your examiners might feel inscrutable at times, they aren’t Sphinxes. Questions aren’t obscure, topics aren’t hidden, and the purpose isn’t a game… …or life-or-death! Some examiner questions could be anticipated, but not all. While they might be tricky to...
Examiners have intentions for vivas: questions they might want to ask, a tone or atmosphere they want to encourage. Candidates have experiences in vivas: a mix of the reality of the situation and how they feel about it during and...
Early last year, I was sharing my Viva Survivor session to a dozen people in large room. It was a cold day outside but a warm room thanks to the heating. The session got off to a good start after...
How did you get interested in this area? How would you summarise your research? Could you tell us about your most important contributions? There are other potential opening questions. None are trivial, all rely on a deep knowledge and talent...
Wishlists for presents and wishlists for the viva are two very different things. For presents you’re telling others, “If you can, if you want to, can you please get me this?” For the viva you’re saying, not asking, “These are...
You’ll get plenty of questions in your viva, but it could be a good time to ask your examiners some questions too. But don’t ask: “So, how did I do?” right at the start. “Can we start again?” if you...