Out Of Options?
I don’t think there’s ever a situation in the viva where you can do nothing. I can’t think of a question that could be asked that a candidate couldn’t respond to. Questions from examiners are asked to prompt discussion. They’re...
pause think respond
Evidence
Whenever you respond to a question in the viva, remember that you need to offer evidence. A question might be seeking information; you need to provide it. A question might ask if you are correct; you can’t simply say yes....
Don’t Prepare Monologues
Your examiners are not attending a play. They don’t want you to sit (or stand) and talk at them for hours. They want a conversation. They want you to respond rather than recite. There might be tricky parts of your...
Saying The Right Thing
In the viva, no candidate wants to say the wrong thing. No-one wants to misremember a detail or misquote a paper. No-one wants to go blank and say the first thing, the silly thing, the wrong thing. No-one wants to...
Pause, Think, Respond
The three words to keep in mind when you are in your viva. Pause: take a moment to check you understand the question. Think: invest a little time into organising your thoughts. Respond: start talking, being clear to yourself and...