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Tag: question expectations

Nathan

Blocked

Daily Post

If your thinking is blocked – you freeze or forget – in the viva:

  • Stop. Just stop. Take a moment or two because you’ve probably not done that.
  • Breathe. Before you can speak you need to have some air. Your brain could use it too.
  • Reflect (part one). If stopping and breathing haven’t cleared the blockage then go deeper. Ask yourself why you’re blocked. What’s the reason?
  • Reflect (part two). With a reason in mind, consider what you can do. Maybe you need to ask your examiners a question. Maybe you need to read your thesis. Maybe you just need to sit and think a little longer.
  • Respond. Take your time, but start to talk. Share what you can and move the discussion along.

Being blocked is a starting point. You have to go somewhere from there – so you may as well take charge and do something!

Nathan

When You Don’t Know

Daily Post

What would you do if you went blank or froze or could only think “I don’t know”?

It’s a situation you wouldn’t want; it could even be stressful. It’s reasonable to think about it before the viva but unhelpful to worry about it – particularly because there’s a lot you could do in that situation.

You could pause, take a moment to think and then respond. Your first response might be “I don’t know” but perhaps another moment of thinking will help you find more to say.

You could briefly reflect on why you don’t know something. Different reasons prompt different actions. Perhaps you can check your thesis. Perhaps you can ask a question. Perhaps, after reflection, you can just say “I don’t know”.

You could take a moment to think: even if you don’t know, you can share something with your examiners that will demonstrate your knowledge or skills in an appropriate way.

It’s good to reflect on this possible situation before the viva. It could be stressful, but there’s a lot you could do – if it happens at all.