Midsummer
Today is the longest day of the year in the UK. More hours of daylight. The shortest night. A special date in the calendar. And just one more day. Your viva could be the longest exam you’ve had. More concentration...
important
Either/Or
I hear a lot of people describe vivas in binary terms. The viva is long or short. Either you’ll love it or hate it. Expect examiners to be fair or critical. Questions are either easy or hard. Preparation is straight-forward...
Great Expectations
Last year I waited for the latest Spider-Man movie for a long time. I wondered if I would even get to see it at the cinema because of the pandemic. Then I wondered if all of the rumours were true...
The Viva Challenge
The viva is a challenge because you don’t know what will happen. It’s a challenge because you don’t know what your examiners think. It’s a challenge despite the vast majority of candidates passing. It’s a challenge because the outcome matters....
Nervous Correlates
If you feel nervous before your viva there is typically a simple explanation: you’re recognising that the viva is important. You need to pass, you’ve invested a lot of work to this point, and even though the vast majority of...
Nervous & Important
People tend to get a bit nervous about important events in their lives. Sometimes they’re nervous because of the circumstances around it, sometimes because of the outcome, and sometimes for no real reason they can pin down. People are nervous...
Important
The viva is important. Passing is important. Lots of things in life are important. Getting your dream job. Passing your driving test. Publishing a book. Being on TV. Finding true love. Living a long and happy life. Going around the...
No Different?
One of my favourite scenes, in one of my favourite movies, is when Yoda is trying to teach Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. Luke is learning to be a Jedi, but is not finished. He can lift rocks...
Why Is It Called The Viva?
Viva voce, is often translated as living voice or word of mouth. In the viva you have to answer questions and engage with your examiners. You have to demonstrate that the expertise that created your thesis is lodged in your...