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Tag: when you don’t know

Nathan

Best of Viva Survivors 2023: Surviving

Daily Post

Surviving the viva, surviving the PhD… It doesn’t mean overcoming obstacles or terrible trials. Survive means “manage to keep going in difficult circumstances”.

You survive the PhD because you find a way to keep going. You survive the viva by continuing in that way.

Like confidence, surviving is a topic I find fascinating to explore in the context of the viva. I hope you find these posts helpful.

Next year will certainly have challenges, possibly including your viva. How you survive will depend on what you do. It won’t just happen but you can decide how you will approach your year.

How will you manage to keep going in difficult circumstances?

Nathan

When You Don’t Know

Daily Post

What would you do if you went blank or froze or could only think “I don’t know”?

It’s a situation you wouldn’t want; it could even be stressful. It’s reasonable to think about it before the viva but unhelpful to worry about it – particularly because there’s a lot you could do in that situation.

You could pause, take a moment to think and then respond. Your first response might be “I don’t know” but perhaps another moment of thinking will help you find more to say.

You could briefly reflect on why you don’t know something. Different reasons prompt different actions. Perhaps you can check your thesis. Perhaps you can ask a question. Perhaps, after reflection, you can just say “I don’t know”.

You could take a moment to think: even if you don’t know, you can share something with your examiners that will demonstrate your knowledge or skills in an appropriate way.

It’s good to reflect on this possible situation before the viva. It could be stressful, but there’s a lot you could do – if it happens at all.