How Much Do You Say?
This is a very common question about the viva and I have a lot of thoughts! The most honest response is simply, “It depends,” because it really does depend on the question, the discussion, the situation and what is really...
viva questions
Three Mini-Vivas
I’m still quite pleased with the Mini-Vivas Resource I made several years ago. I think it’s a nice little way to get ready for your viva with a friend; it doesn’t require a lot of preparation to use, and gives...
The First And Last Questions
Old viva advice says that the first question you’re asked at the viva will likely be easy, while the last question likely won’t be. Like a lot of advice, there’s a kernel of truth to this belief but a lot...
The Questions You Expect
A question that’s expected can be prepared for. A question you expect can still be difficult to respond to. If you expect a question you might not be asked it after all. And if you prepare you may still find...
Saying Why
Sharing why your research is important is a natural topic of conversation at the viva. Saying why can sometimes be tricky. There are so many factors that you might want to share and so many different ways you might have...
Good Question!
I listen to podcasts while I wash the dishes. It’s my little bit of “me time” in a busy day! Recently, while scrubbing away at a pan I was struck by how often someone being interviewed began their response by...
A Key Expectation
It occurred to me recently that a key expectation for the viva, very rarely expressed, is that the candidate will not know what questions they will be asked until they get there. There are helpful lists of potential questions on...
The Red Button
There’s a knock at your door. A courier leaves a package in your arms. It’s not heavy, but it has a strange heft to it. You don’t remember ordering anything. You’re not expecting something. But here it is, addressed to...
Knowing Enough
You can’t know what the first question in your viva be will be until it’s asked. You can’t know how long your viva will be until your examiners say, “OK, we’re done!” You can’t know how you will respond to...
Understandable
It’s understandable that the nature of the viva could make a person worry. It’s understandable, given what any PhD candidate has to do to get to the viva, that the person being examined might be concerned or worry about how...