Daily viva help for PhDs
Tension is created when opposing perspectives meet, in the viva or elsewhere. In daily life that could be very challenging depending on the situation, but it doesn’t have to be that way in the viva. Disagreement in the viva just...
This is a very common question about the viva and I have a lot of thoughts! The most honest response is simply, “It depends,” because it really does depend on the question, the discussion, the situation and what is really...
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...
Lots of questions have answers. Answers are things that are known: factually accurate, true or perhaps established as a logical argument with sufficient supporting reasons and information. If you were asked a question and needed to find an answer in...
No matter how much work you put into your research and thesis, or how much time you spend on viva prep, there’s always something that your examiners could say or ask that you haven’t anticipated. And no matter what they...
The viva is a discussion. It’s not a Q&A. It’s not an interview. It’s not supposed to be combative or about proving who is right or wrong. Remember that your examiners are allowed to have different opinions to you. They...
Limitations in your research are constraints, parameters and requirements. They could arise from setbacks and problems or be a result of the project specifications for your PhD. You might acknowledge them, regret them or be frustrated by them. They could...
There are wrong words you could use in the viva. You could exaggerate or bluff. You could lie! You could mis-speak. You could be too modest or you could be careless in your thought or speech. There are no perfect...
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...
Describing the viva’s conversation and questions isn’t as simple as picking an extreme. Questions can be tricky because of the standard of the work being talked about. Responding could be trivial because of the work that you, as a postgraduate...