Good Responses
Some of your viva questions will have great answers. You’ll know something for certain, either because of your reading or your research. In that situation, when asked you will be able to give an answer. You won’t know in advance...
Daily viva help for PhDs
Some of your viva questions will have great answers. You’ll know something for certain, either because of your reading or your research. In that situation, when asked you will be able to give an answer. You won’t know in advance...
I will engage with my examiners’ questions, whatever they are. If you commit yourself to this goal then you won’t go too wrong in the viva. Keeping this in mind means you’re open to discussion. You’re ready to listen. You’re...
Some PhD candidates think of the viva as a TV quiz show. How do I know this? Because many, many candidates over the last decade have asked me questions like: How many questions can I get wrong? How can I...
A simple and effective way to tackle a tricky question in the viva is to look for the meaning behind it. If your examiner challenges a method, look for why they might be doing that. If you go blank or...
I think a huge part of viva confidence for a candidate is based on feeling comfortable when talking about their research. Examiners need to ask the candidate questions, they need to share opinions and they need the candidate to respond...
As you prepare for your viva, always ask for help if you need it. Ask your supervisor for their advice or guidance, ask your friends about their vivas and ask your family and friends to support you as you get...
It’s reasonable to expect that examiners might object to something in a thesis. In all the many words you’ve written – the ideas, results and conclusions, and the chapters, methods and formatting – in all of this there’s a chance...
There are many reasons that could explain unfortunate situations from your PhD. None of them are excuses: Lack of resources is not an excuse. A sudden change in circumstances is not an excuse. Your supervisor going on sabbatical is not...
It’s true that binary questions – yes or no, true or false, A or B – could feature in a viva as a means of simply qualifying details. It’s a false expectation to think binary questions are the dominant format...
Take ten minutes to write down any questions you really want your examiners to ask. Take twenty minutes to write down keywords for each question to capture ideas of what you might say in response. Take thirty minutes to sit,...