Daily viva help for PhDs
It was five years ago yesterday that I first published 7776 Mini-Vivas. Since starting this blog in 2017 it remains one of my favourite resources I’ve created. Since then I’ve shared it with over five thousand PhD candidates in workshops and...
I’m still quite pleased with the Mini-Vivas Resource I made several years ago. I think it’s a nice little way to get ready for your viva with a friend; it doesn’t require a lot of preparation to use, and gives...
Certain kinds of feedback can be useful as you prepare for your viva. By that stage you can’t make any changes to your thesis. Feedback has to be carefully targeted to things you can change. If you have a mock...
What should I include in a 15-minute summary of my thesis? The candidate asking me this had been prompted by their examiners to prepare a presentation to start their viva. This isn’t a common situation, but it’s one way to...
What can I do in the viva if my research is boring? Oof. This was a tough question to hear at a webinar. My first instinct was to turn the question around and ask, “Well, why do you think your...
You can’t know exactly what questions your examiners will ask, but you can have a good idea of the topics they’ll want to talk about in the viva. You can’t have a response ready and waiting for every topic, but...
Feedback from your examiners could be a great help if your plan is to continue in academia. Questions, opinions, insights – whatever they offer or you ask for could give you a boost. If you’re hoping for something from them,...
Faced with a difficult question or unexpected comment in the viva, perhaps the best thing you can do is ask why. Ask your examiner(s) why that question is important. Ask why a comment matters to them. Ask why they think...
The viva is a discussion driven by questions from your examiners. Every question is an opportunity for you to share your work and show your capability. Every question is an opportunity for you to demonstrate what you did, what you...
Friends who have recently had a viva in your department are good to ask about what to expect. Listening to their stories can give you certainty for your viva. There’s great variety generally when it comes to viva experiences; local...