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Tag: viva process

Nathan

Hoping

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Hope is a good thing but we typically apply it to situations where our actions have little or no leverage. It’s probably not good to apply it to how we think about viva prep, building confidence or viva success.

Instead:

  • What can you do to prepare? What will you do to get ready?
  • What can you do to feel better? What steps will you take to boost your confidence?
  • What have you done already to show you’ve done something worthwhile? What can you do with the time remaining before your viva to feel sure of success?

You don’t need to hope. You don’t need to wish for good luck.

Recognise you’ve done the work. Recognise that there is still work you can do.

Nathan

Unique?

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Every viva is unique – because every candidate, research project and thesis are unique.

Every viva follows expectations – because there are regulations, academic processes and culture that inform the behaviour, actions and responses of examiners and candidates.

It’s possible to hold on to both of these ideas and embrace the tension that exists between them both.

Your viva will be unique and you won’t know some of what will happen until it does AND your viva will follow the pattern of many others that have come before.

Nathan

Small Expectations

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There is research on viva lengths and the range of experiences. We could plot out the opening questions of a hundred PhD graduates to explore the first questions of vivas. We can examine the fine detail of requested corrections to see how much work is needed.

We can do this and more – and the result would be a big report that does not tell you what your viva will be like.

Keep your expectations small. Keep them simple.

  • Vivas take time. You can take your time.
  • Take the viva one question at a time.
  • Expect it to be difficult. Remember that you are good at difficult challenges.
  • Your examiners will be prepared. You can be too.
  • Most vivas result in corrections. Don’t expect perfection but don’t expect a lot.

What other small expectations do you have for your viva?

Nathan

Preferences

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Your preferences for the viva matter.

They can have an impact on how you engage with the viva and with what happens there. Some preferences can be met much more easily than others. And if some aren’t met you will have to decide what to do regardless.

 

Your preferences for viva prep are probably the most easy to meet: if you need to prepare at a certain time in a certain way or use particular materials to annotate your thesis that’s not so hard to do. You might have preferences around rehearsal – a mock viva date or help from particular friends – and these could be trickier, but not hard.

Preferences for examiner selection are just that: you can prefer certain people but have no direct control over their nomination or acceptance. Supervisors might ask candidates for ideas, but ultimately they have to select who they think will be a good choice. Academics asked to be examiners have to weigh up their other work and responsibilities. You might really want someone or an academic with a certain kind of background but ultimately your preference could be unsatisfied.

You might prefer a 90-minute viva or one that begins with a particular question. You might prefer to feel a certain way or to know in advance what the outcome will be. And you might prefer that you didn’t have a viva at all! But you can’t really control any of these things. There are things you might prefer and then the reality of what happens: some of your preferences might be met and some might not.

 

So what does all of this mean?

First, again, your preferences matter. It will probably help your general viva readiness to be aware of and fulfil your preferences as much as you can.

Second, you have to work past any emotional friction you feel from preferences that can’t be met. That might not be easy but there isn’t anything else to do.

Nathan

Taking Your Turn

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I like board games which have a bit of structure to them: on your turn play one card; follow the card’s rule; move your piece; draw or discard cards until you have a hand of three. There’s a large possibility space for what a player might do, but the structure helps things move along.

The viva isn’t a game thankfully, but there is still an element of turn-taking in a discussion. One person speaks and then another is given the opportunity to respond. You, the candidate, can ask questions in the viva, but more often than not you’ll be responding.

You have to wait for your turn and then you have to take your turn.

On your turn you might be faced with a big question or a small question, easy or hard, simple or difficult and you might or might not know immediately what to say. A bit of structure helps here too, whatever the question: on your turn, breathe; pause to consider the question; ask for clarification if needed; get your thoughts in order; then speak calmly and as clearly as you can.

The viva isn’t a game, you’re not earning victory points or trying to get ahead of everyone else in the room. Decide in advance what strategy you’ll employ to take your turn and use every opportunity your examiners present you.

Nathan

Different Kinds Of Expectations

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Here’s a little model that I’m still working out to see if it makes sense.

Procedural expectations about the viva are what happens generally: the typical lengths, common questions, the process of the exam and so on.

Emotional expectations about the viva are how candidates might generally feel: it’s not uncommon to be nervous, it’s human to wonder “what if…?” and so on.

Personal expectations about the viva are how individual candidates feel: the particular worries, specific requirements, self-knowledge and so on.

 

Knowing more about procedural expectations can have an impact on the other two areas for a candidate: a greater sense of the process could reduce nervousness and any worries. That’s not to suggest that someone shouldn’t do something directly to improve the other areas; perhaps starting with a good foundation of understanding the process will have an impact on the other areas and mean there is less to tackle.

So, if this seems reasonable: what do you not know about the procedural viva expectations? And what are you going to do to fill that gap?

Nathan

A Plan For No Corrections

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Become a good writer.

Think carefully about the material for your thesis and how you might best present it.

Write your thesis.

Proofread your thesis carefully.

Ask for feedback from your supervisor or someone else you trust.

Rewrite based on your feedback and according to what you think is right.

Use a good spellcheck and read your work aloud to make sure that it makes sense.

Make final edits and submit your thesis.

 

All of which makes a good plan, but not a foolproof one. You can invest the time, follow the steps, be careful and still get corrections requested by your examiners at your viva.

You might misspell a word. You might forget something. There may be another way of looking at a situation.

And if that were the case you’ve not missed anything in your plan or in your effort. Writing is hard. Writing a thesis is really hard.

You’ve not done anything wrong. Your effort shines through. The corrections you’re asked to complete are simply one more round of effort to get your thesis as good as it can reasonably be.

 

The plan above is not one that leads to no corrections. The general points could help you write a good thesis for submission.

Happy writing!

Nathan

Future Feelings

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What do you think it will feel like to wake up the day after your viva?

How might you feel if you were to look at a list of requested corrections?

What do you think it will feel like to be told you’ve passed?

How will you feel when you shake someone important’s hand at graduation?

 

And assuming that some of the above are positive or good expected feelings, what are you going to do between now and your viva to get to that reality?

Nathan

Pick One

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Imagine I had a new service, YourViva™, where I could offer you a viva with one of the following characteristics:

  • Your viva will be short, under an hour.
  • Your viva will be easy, no surprising questions.
  • Your viva will result in no corrections.
  • Your viva questions will only come from one of your examiners, your choice.

You can pick one but will have no guarantees on any of the other characteristics. You might get them, their opposites or anything else in-between.

What would you pick? Why does that matter to you?

 

YourViva™ doesn’t exist but if you picked a viva feature it would be for a reason. You may not have any influence over getting that for your viva but, given that it’s in your mind, what will you do as a result? If you have a worry or concern you can still do something.

For example:

  • Viva length is totally out of your control. You’d be better preparing yourself to be at your viva for as long as it takes.
  • You can’t control the questions you’re asked. Rather than hope for easy questions, prepare yourself by rehearsing with a mock viva.
  • Some people get no corrections but not many. Consult your regulations to get a sense of what to expect for minor corrections.
  • Your examiners will have a plan and work together. A little research can help you understand who you’re talking to, what they might ask and why.

Focus on what you can reasonably expect and what you can practically do for your viva. You can’t control all the details of your viva but you can ensure you show up ready to do well.

Nathan

Challenged

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What’s the biggest challenge you overcame during your PhD?

What was a significant challenge that you faced while writing up?

What surprised you about the challenges you found while doing your research?

What do you anticipate being a challenge as you get ready for your viva?

And do you have any thoughts on what might be a challenge at your viva?

 

Examiners might not ask questions directly about PhD challenges but reflecting on them can be a helpful reminder that you have overcome a lot.

Consequently, you are capable of overcoming the challenge you will find at your viva.

 

PS: looking to explore the challenge of the viva in more depth? Take a look at my Viva Survivor session on March 27th 2025. Registration closes soon for this live webinar – and includes a catch-up recording if you can’t attend on the day.

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