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Tag: viva advice

Nathan

Viva Prep Heuristics

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There is no one-size-fits-all approach to preparing for the viva. As every thesis and candidate are different, and every set of circumstances for viva prep are different too, so every person has to decide for themselves how best they are going to approach things – rather than listen to someone on the internet telling them what to do.

With all of that said, here are some general ideas from someone on the internet that might help you – or not!

  • Plan your prep in advance and allow two to four weeks to do the work.
  • Start your prep by reading your thesis.
  • Ask friends from your discipline about what helped them get ready.
  • Read the regulations to get a feel for viva outcomes.
  • Arrange a mock viva.

And very importantly: test any advice against how you feel about something. There is a lot of good advice, a lot of well-meant advice and support for the viva, but it doesn’t apply to every situation.

A mock viva is regularly seen as the gold standard, “best way to rehearse,” but it might not be what you need (for lots of possible reasons).

Read the rules of thumb, explore ideas that have worked for others and then square all of that with your experience, your preferences and your needs. It’s helpful when others share advice, but ultimately you have to find a way to do the work.

Nathan

Have Fun

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Smile! Enjoy yourself. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Things we don’t often say to someone when they have a viva soon…

But isn’t that a shame?

Yes, there’s work to do and an exam to pass, questions to respond to and a thesis to defend. Of course you have to share your research, discuss your thesis and demonstrate your excellence.

But who says that can’t be fun, enjoyable, a positive experience? Why don’t we encourage that more?

I’ll start: I hope you have a great time at your viva.

Nathan

The Value of Advice

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Viva advice is available in many forms. There are books, podcasts, blog posts, seminars and people you can ask for help. You could talk to people on the internet, in your department or from your own network. You could speak in person, over email or via Zoom.

Viva advice could cost you money to buy a book while reading a blog post could be free. Searching the internet to find help could cost you time but be very convenient; asking a colleague might cost you in terms of scheduling, but be a quick conversation at the appropriate time.

There’s lots of viva advice and it costs in different ways – but it’s only worth the cost if it helps you to do something (or perhaps not do something) that helps you on the way to your viva. Viva advice is useless if you don’t do something as a result.

Advice is valuable, but the real value comes when you do something.

Nathan

It Depends

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There are many questions asked about the viva to which a response has to begin with, “It depends…”

  • Is it best to have an expert in my research area for an examiner? – It depends on what you think about the situation, what your supervisor advises and whether someone is available.
  • When should I start preparing for my viva? – It depends on how busy you are, how big your thesis is and how you want to approach things. There’s general advice but you have to tailor things to your situation.
  • Should I have a mock viva? – It depends on your relationship with your supervisor, your schedule and how you want to prepare.
  • Will I have an independent chair at my viva? – It depends on the regulations for your institution, and perhaps on who your examiners are.

And the list goes on.

There is lots of advice and good practice related to the viva. There are many general expectations. But so much depends on the candidate, their research, their thesis and their life.

When you ask for viva advice or look for help, think about how things change when it connects to your situation.

Nathan

Lots Of Help

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Did you know that there is a link on the Viva Survivors site that takes you to a random post?

You can click here and the magic of the internet will, today, whisk you away to one of almost 2000 posts.

(there’s a very small chance that it will bring you back here!)

I just used the link three times and it gave me these posts:

  • Show Your Working – exploring the idea of demonstrating what you have done.
  • And So On – thoughts on engaging with questions in the viva.
  • Unscripted – a short post about the value of rehearsal.

If you’re looking for help with the viva there is a lot of it on this site now. A lot. And there is even more out there in the world. Your institution, your supervisors, your friends, other great blogs and resources.

Whatever you need for the viva, whatever’s missing, you can find help if you look for it or if you ask.

And if you’re not sure what you need then you can’t go too wrong by clicking to get a random post of viva help.

Nathan

Out Now: Keep Going – A Viva Survivors Anthology

Links, Update

I’m thrilled to announce that Keep Going – A Viva Survivors Anthology is out today! I celebrated with my book launch party yesterday and am now very happy that the book is available to buy. What is it? Here’s a little snippet from the book blurb:

Keep Going collects posts about viva expectations, viva prep and examiners, as well as:

  • reflections on the PhD journey and confidence;
  • practical steps for getting ready for the viva;
  • thoughts on what it really means to survive the viva.

Over 150 posts from five years of writing, carefully curated and edited to be a valuable guide for every postgraduate researcher with a viva in their future.

I’ve been working on Keep Going for the last six months: curating the very best from nearly 1800 blog posts and five years of writing. The book is available now in three places, as an ebook and in print. Here are the links if you’re interested:

It’s been a great project to make this book for the last six months and a thrill to present it to you today.

I define the work I do as “helping PGRs become PhDs”. Keep Going – A Viva Survivors Anthology is made for that purpose. If you have a viva in your future this book will help you know how to be ready for it. If you know someone with their viva coming up then please pass on news of the book.

Thanks for reading!

Nathan

Nathan

7 Reasons, 3 Times

Update

I’m happy that over the last year I’ve been able to continue sharing viva help to universities, as well as opening up my 1-hour webinars to PGRs directly. It’s been great to take the opportunity of delivering short sessions over Zoom and to share my work with so many people.

I’ve tried to offer my 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva sessions as regularly as I can, but have been aware that my mostly-Monday morning slots were not always the most accessible time.

So! I’m delivering 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva three times in the coming weeks:

Despite delivering the same webinar for three days in a row there are no video recordings involved – I will be delivering the session live each time. An hour of viva help, key information, top tips, practical pointers, a chance to ask questions and get answers – plus a follow-up email summarising the session and sharing even more.

Registration for all of these sessions is open now: places are limited and until midnight this Wednesday there is a special earlybird ticket. If your viva is some time this year, if you’re looking for help or advice, if you need to know what you need to know about the viva process then this session is for you.

You can find links and details for all of the dates here, plus the date for another session in July (which is likely to be my final date until September). If you have questions about 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva just email or tweet and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading! I hope to share this session with you soon 🙂

Nathan

Recommendations

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It’s useful to get recommendations from others on lots of things connected with the viva.

  • Suggestions on what makes for good and bad examiners.
  • Ideas on what a good thesis looks like.
  • Tips for viva preparation.
  • Tools to help you get ready.
  • Advice on whether or not to have a mock viva.
  • Help with feeling confident before the big day.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach for any of these though. Ask for help, listen to recommendations, then sift with the ideas you get from others to see how you might apply them to your circumstances.

And after your viva be prepared to offer your own recommendations. Couch them as best you can in terms of ideas only. Leave space for people to make their own decisions, rather than give them room to doubt themselves.

Nathan

Considering Examiners

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I’ve frequently been asked, “What should I consider when selecting an examiner?” – a question which usually produces a very long response from me, but I’ll try to be brief and keep it simple!

First, candidates don’t get to select – they can be part of the discussion with supervisors, but supervisors choose.

Second, there’s no should. Good examiner qualities come from candidate preferences. Some will want an examiner they’ve cited; others won’t. Some want an expert, others will want a generalist.

Think about your preferences. What criteria does that give you? Who might meet those criteria? Talk it over with your supervisor.

I think the most useful criteria – for a candidate – are having met the examiners and knowing what other people say about them. If you’ve met your examiner at a conference or around your department then you know this is a real person. It’s not just a name at the top of a paper. And if you know what others say about them, you can build up a picture from their reputation about the kind of person who is going to be examining you.

Start with your preferences. Discuss with your supervisor. Be certain of who is coming.

Nathan

3 Kinds Of Viva Clickbait

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You won’t see these articles on the internet, but you will see them in what people say and how they tend to talk about the viva…

This person had their viva and OMG you’ll never guess what happened next!!!!!

Viva Coming Up?! Do these 4 Things academics don’t want YOU to know and you’ll get ZERO CORRECTIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Eliminate viva nerves with this one weird trick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is lots of clickbait around the viva. Because it is as seen as mysterious, uncertain – maybe even unwelcome – discussion and advice can be dominated by headlines, short thoughts and a desire to move past it quickly.

We need to take time with the viva. It might sometimes be uncomfortable, but go past the clickbait for a deep dive; reflection rather than quick tips. That’s what will help.

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