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Tag: viva prep

Nathan

What’s Missing?

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When you read through your thesis to get ready for your viva ask yourself, what’s missing?

When you make a plan for viva prep, take a short break, review it and ask yourself, what’s missing?

If you write a summary of your methodology, or of your examiners, or a cheatsheet of key points, take time at the end to reflect and ask, what’s missing?

As you pause and get your thoughts in order to respond to your examiners, take an extra beat and consider, what’s missing?

 

At any of these points you might reflect and conclude that nothing is missing! And that’s fine.

Still take that little moment, whenever it is, to ask what’s missing? – make that extra little effort to do your best.

 

PS: If you’re looking for more things to add to your viva prep plan or just more things to reflect on then do take a look at the Viva Help Bundle, still half price until Friday as a result of my little birthday sale!

Nathan

Consistent & Different

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Thesis annotation is a useful part of viva prep. Take time to review your thesis and add details to make a more useful version for your viva. Make things in your thesis easier to find and easier to see at a glance.

Thesis annotation is inherently personal as your thesis is unique. Follow your preferences for information and marking up work to make your thesis helpful for you.

Two words that might help you annotate well are consistent and different.

  • Be consistent in how you annotate things. If you underline your typos in red ink, for example, do that throughout your thesis and don’t switch it up.
  • Be different in how you annotate different things. So, for example, if you use pink highlighter to emphasise key references then use a green highlighter to add emphasis to quotes or statistics.

Keep consistent and different in mind to make the final, annotated version of your thesis as useful as possible for you at the viva. Make it so that when you see an addition it is clear and unambiguous.

Nathan

Prep & Placebos

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Prep helps to you get ready for your viva. Placebos help you to feel ready for your viva.

Prep is the practical work that gets you closer: read your thesis, make notes, check papers, rehearse with a mock viva and so on.

Placebos are the necessary activities and artefacts that help you feel better: the routines and rituals, the music that is just right or the outfit that helps you feel confident.

Both have an element of personal preference. Prep involves specific kinds of work done in particular ways to meet your needs. Placebos can be cultural but are more typically unique to each person.

(my paperweight is just for me!)

Prep helps you get ready. Placebos help you feel ready. Together they help you to be ready.

Nathan

Getting There

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How are you going to get to your viva?

If your viva is on campus, what route are you taking? Are you relying on public transport, driving yourself or getting a lift from a friend or family member?

When will you leave to be on time (or as early as you like)? How much time are you allowing in case of a delay?

What will you wear? What will you take? What will you take just in case you need it?

Decide in advance so that you remove some pressure – and hopefully stress – from your viva day.

(if your viva is going to be over Zoom many of these questions have counterparts worth considering)

Nathan

Resting

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Include some rest time in your viva prep plan.

Your circumstances might not allow for proper time off. Holidays and breaks might be out but certainly give yourself time away from your research.

Your day-to-day life might be filled with work, family obligations or caring responsibilities. If this is so, don’t then go straight from submitting your thesis to viva prep.

Rest from your research. Rest from your thesis. A little breathing room will help when you return to your work.

Nathan

Differences Matter

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I couldn’t decide what to title this post. I was thinking about Differences Don’t Matter, then Differences Do Matter and then Do/Don’t! Maybe you can decide at the end which word seems best. Hopefully you’ll appreciate why this needed a little thought – and I’m still thinking 🙂

 

Some differences don’t matter when it comes to the viva and viva prep. Your thesis might be bigger than your friend’s, but you still just need to get ready. That difference doesn’t make a difference to the work involved.

You might have an examiner who is an expert whereas your friend had someone more general. They had their supervisor present but you feel that that’s not the right approach for you. These are differences, but do they alter the viva’s purpose or process? I don’t think so.

Of course, two big and important caveats:

  • differences like those above might matter to you because they do change things for you. A larger thesis or a different format might change how you need to approach your prep. Examiner A or Examiner B might change the situation for you.
  • some differences might necessarily have an impact to time, resources and the approach you take; if you have particular requirements that need to be met for your viva or viva prep – for any reason – then that could change the situation for you compared to someone else.

Maybe it’s as simple as this: differences don’t change the what or the why of the viva and viva prep. You still need to get ready. The purpose and general process of the viva remain unchanged. Some aspects just are.

Differences could likely change the how of the viva or viva prep: a specific approach might be particular to you or any other individual. Your needs might alter a very practical element of your prep or the viva day. Sometimes a difference could be as simple as how you feel – and what you might then need to do as a result.

Nathan

Best of Viva Survivors 2024: Viva Prep

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I’m always happy to get to this time of year when I can share some of my favourite posts from the last twelve months!

Today we begin with viva prep. It’s a key thing for any candidate to reflect on how they will get ready. The following five posts can help:

And of course there are many more posts about viva prep on Viva Survivors if you’re looking for ideas of what you can do to get ready for your viva!

Nathan

Tinsel, Wreathes & Viva Prep

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I’m not a Scrooge. I love Christmastime and all things festive. But some decorations just make me roll my eyes.

I’m not a tinsel fan. I hate the feel. I don’t like wrapping it round the tree. I frown whenever I see a detached strand on the carpet.

I’m not fussed on wreathes either. I like having one on our door. But I don’t really see the point in having five or six strategically placed around a house as well. It doesn’t do anything for me.

Of course, these decorations aren’t for me. They’re for my wife, my daughter, my relatives at their houses, and they’re just one way that someone might make their house festive and ready for Christmas. It’s nice to celebrate, and for some people certain decorations or traditions help make the celebration.

Which is how it works with viva prep as well!

For example, thesis annotation is an essential part of prep: it helps someone to think about their work, highlight what matters and make a more useful version of their thesis for the viva.

Some candidates might prefer to use red pen to underline typos, while others might prefer to note them with coloured tabs. One person might mark out a key section with a bookmark; another might decide that the best way for them is to use sticky notes.

And when it comes to practice a mock viva might be the best rehearsal for you. Your friend might prefer to give a seminar. You’re both right.

Personal preference plays a huge part in effective viva prep and Christmas celebrations!

Nathan

Survival Aides

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Who can you count on to help you get ready for your viva?

To survive you need to manage to keep going in difficult circumstances. You don’t have to do it alone.

To keep going you might need someone to talk to. Your supervisor, your colleagues or university staff could help.

To understand the difficult circumstances you’ll face it could help to listen to people who have already faced the viva.

To manage you might need very practical help: resources that others can highlight or simply quiet time to prepare.

Most candidates manage to keep going in the difficult circumstances of the viva and viva prep. Few candidates do it without support.

Ask for help as early as seems sensible. Do the work but get support.

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