Hard Limits
There are limits for everything related to your PhD journey. There is a finite number of hours you could have spent on your PhD. You can’t read everything that could be relevant. You would never have time to work towards...
research
Disagree
In your research you might disagree with something: a position taken by another researcher, the results of a paper or conclusions of a thesis. Your examiners might disagree with a method you use, the way you interpret something, or your...
What Have You Forgotten?
I believe it’s worth reflecting on this a little before the viva. What have you forgotten? Perhaps you can’t know for sure. You’ve had to edit out papers, ideas and references that didn’t fit. You forgot them, to concentrate on...
Creation or Discovery
When I was a mathematician, some of my colleagues said maths research was like sculpture. A big block of stone was chipped away at until you had the art you were trying to make. You have to start with everything...
Making An Impression
A question from a nervous candidate, “What should I wear for the viva? I want to make the right first impression on my examiners!” Except that’s not the first impression. Your examiners’ first impression is your thesis. They get their...
Implications
Whatever else your thesis has – ideas, opinions, theories, hypotheses, results, conclusions – it has implications. What might someone else do with your work? How might they be inspired? What questions do we now know to ask? What questions do...
Gaps & Holes
At the start of your PhD you have gaps: the things your research seeks to address. At the end of your PhD you have holes: the things you didn’t get to, couldn’t show or don’t know. Both need some of...
Strengths & Weaknesses
Your examiners will want to talk about the strengths of your work in the viva. They’re there to talk to you about your contribution. Spend time in your prep thinking about what makes your work strong. How is it new?...
What Was Hard?
Was it reading everything you did to understand your discipline? Was it finding ways to frame questions for your research? Was it difficult getting to grips with methods and processes? Was it tough to write your thesis? Anything that’s hard...
Favourite Failures
I have failed many times. Three years ago I spent a lot of effort and time developing an independent viva preparation workshop. I found a great venue and booked it three times upfront. I spent a lot of time and...