Daily viva help for PhDs
A few weeks ago I shared four pointers that help when preparing for a video viva: Read the regulations because then you know what your institution expects. Talk to friends so you can find out about their recent experiences. Practise!...
Since 2020 video vivas have become much more common, first as a necessity and then later as an accepted part of practice. If you have one soon or are wondering whether it might be a good option for you, consider...
In-person and video vivas have differences but at the core is the same viva experience. The viva is the same whether or not you are in the same room as your examiners: same purpose, same drivers for questions, same outcomes...
A viva over video is still a viva. It’s alright that there are pauses caused by technology. A viva over video is still a viva. Practise with the software you’ll use and think about the space you’ll be in. A...
In July, our daughter was in school and so my wife and I snuck to the cinema for a day-time date. Watching the movie on the big screen was amazing: the story, colour, the scale, the sound, all fantastic. A...
It used to be that an in-person viva was the right way to have a viva. Video vivas were anomalies, rare arrangements made out of necessity. Then they were the necessary arrangement. For a time they were the only way of...
In over eighteen months of delivering sessions from home I’ve had many minor tech problems. My connection has failed. I’ve been caught out by lag and not realised people were trying to catch my attention. I’ve displayed slides and they’ve...
Is an online viva “worse” in some way? No, it’s just different. Is it “harder” in some way? No, it’s just a different set of challenges. It could be harder to engage. It could be harder to have free-flowing discussion....
You might not have to travel for your viva, but it’s still good to consider how you’ll arrive. What will the journey be like, possibly from one room to another? What could you do to help you transition from a...
Let’s keep it simple. Check the regulations and requirements for your institution. Find out who will organise the viva, what platform you will use and the procedure for a video viva. Practise using the tech. Check you can use the...