Over The Top!
The viva is big, important and can feel a bit scary. You need to be prepared but that doesn’t mean you have to make heroic efforts to get ready. Reading your thesis once is probably enough! A mock viva and...
viva rehearsal
The Sixth Activity
There are six main types of activity that make up viva preparation. Five of them are, in a strange way, quite similar. Candidates can prepare for their viva by: Reading their thesis; Annotating their thesis; Creating summaries; Reading recent publications;...
Hold On
If you feel confident in the days leading up to your viva then do what you can to hold on to that feeling. Remind yourself of what you’ve done to come so far. Remind yourself of the difference your work...
Friendly Questions
Around submission time reach out to your friends and colleagues in your department. For the particular friends who might know a little about your research, ask for time: can they listen to you talk about your work? Would they have...
Talking Comfortably
I think a huge part of viva confidence for a candidate is based on feeling comfortable when talking about their research. Examiners need to ask the candidate questions, they need to share opinions and they need the candidate to respond...
Slide Deck Prep
You might need slides for your viva if your examiners ask you to prepare a presentation. It’s not a common experience, but it does happen. If you need a presentation then prepare carefully: think about what your examiners need to...
What Matters To You?
Your examiners have to ask you about the significant, original contribution that you put forward in your thesis. They have to do this. They have to ask questions about what it adds to your field, how it’s different and why...
Traffic Lights
Traffic intersections use simple colour-coding to indicate what actions should be taken. They’re used to prompt very specific behaviour and action. Perhaps we can borrow the terminology to consider the kinds of questions that might come up at a viva…...
Another Way
If you can’t have a mock viva or don’t want one, there will be another way for you to rehearse talking about your research. Give a seminar, go for coffee with a friend or just chat with people about what...
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...