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Year: 2023

Nathan

Exploring Objections

Daily Post

It’s reasonable to expect that examiners might object to something in a thesis.

In all the many words you’ve written – the ideas, results and conclusions, and the chapters, methods and formatting – in all of this there’s a chance there’s something they might object to.

Does an objection mean there is something “wrong”? Does it mean you need to make changes? Does it mean you need to apologise?

No, not necessarily; it would be rare for something to need an apology!

An objection needs to be understood first. You might need to ask questions if the comment or point isn’t clear. You might need to think. You might need to read or check something in your thesis. And it’s possible that you can’t simply give a short, quick response to an objection.

You need to understand what the objection is, then respond to it.

And that could be it. That could be all you need to do. It could be that you need to add a sentence to your thesis. It could be that you just need to explain your thoughts because they weren’t clear on the page.

Objections: understand, then respond.

Nathan

The Rs of Viva Prep

Daily Post

Refresh your memory: read your thesis, check a few papers and make whatever notes you need to feel confident that you know what you need to know.

Review your thesis: add annotations to create the best supporting resource possible for your viva.

Rehearse for the discussion: you have to be ready to talk.

Reflect on the journey: remember why you have got this far – not by being lucky, but by working hard and growing as a capable researcher.

Rest: give yourself space to breathe.

Nathan

On Mini-Vivas

Daily Post

It was five years ago yesterday that I first published 7776 Mini-Vivas. Since starting this blog in 2017 it remains one of my favourite resources I’ve created.

Since then I’ve shared it with over five thousand PhD candidates in workshops and webinars, posted supporting posts on the blog from time to time – most recently in September – and adapted it as a print resource. Before the summer it inspired another new resource I’ve started offering with my sessions.

All of which is by way of preamble to say, “I made a thing to help with viva prep five years ago and I still think it’s really good and other people do too!”

If you’re looking for something to get you thinking or talking about your work then check out 7776 Mini-Vivas, because after five years it’s still a really helpful thing.

Nathan

Excuse Me

Daily Post

There are many reasons that could explain unfortunate situations from your PhD. None of them are excuses:

  • Lack of resources is not an excuse.
  • A sudden change in circumstances is not an excuse.
  • Your supervisor going on sabbatical is not an excuse.
  • COVID is not an excuse.

You don’t need excuses. You don’t need to apologise. These are reasons why something didn’t work or something didn’t happen.

You might need to explain why something happened (or not). You might need to explain the impact of something and what happened as a result. You might need to explore what you think would have happened had things gone to plan.

Don’t offer excuses: share explanations.

Nathan

Academic Siblings

Daily Post

During my PhD I came across the Mathematics Genealogy Project: an attempt to explore the family tree of mathematicians going back hundreds and hundreds of years.

Maybe you have something similar in your discipline or maybe you have a general appreciation that you are part of a tradition: your work continues to build on the past ideas, research and achievements of other dedicated humans. It’s nice to think about and can be very helpful to reflect on where your work comes from as you get ready for the viva.

Don’t forget you have academic siblings today too. There are many people around you who can help you to get ready for your viva, either by helping you practically, sharing information or simply being there. Make sure you ask for support from people who are really well-placed to help.

Nathan

Cracking The Code

Daily Post

Information about the viva sometimes seems hidden but that doesn’t mean you can’t figure out what it all means.

  • Read the regulations for how vivas are conducted. What do you need to do?
  • Look for stories of viva success to see common expectations. What’s helpful to know?
  • Ask your friends about their recent experiences to explore common practices in your department. What can you prepare for?

There’s no secret code or process to the viva. It’s not hidden, the information is out there, but if you don’t explore and ask then you might find yourself wondering how to decode the rumours you hear.

Nathan

New Beginnings

Daily Post

The viva is an ending but also sparks questions about where your research could go next.

  • What could someone do with your work, now that your thesis is finished?
  • What would be the next steps for your research if you had the option to continue?
  • What new ideas did you not have the space to explore during your PhD?

At the viva there’s no expectation that you will continue in research after your PhD, but it’s reasonable for your examiners to ask you what those next steps might be. It’s important for you to take a little time to consider them before your viva.

Nathan

Responding To A Problem

Daily Post

As you prepare for your viva you might come across a problem in your thesis.

I don’t mean a typo or a simple bit of editing that you’ve missed: typos and clunky sentences can still be understood, even if they’re undesirable. You could underline them and correct them later after your viva.

A problem is different.

Maybe it’s not immediately obvious what’s wrong, but you can just tell that something isn’t right. Maybe you understand what’s wrong but it will be tricky to correct. And on top of that, maybe you’re concerned because this is a problem in something that you’ve submitted and you’re going to have a conversation about this very soon!

Deep breath.

And another.

OK. Now move forward.

If you find a problem, first of all pause, reflect and review.

What’s the situation? What do you understand or not? Can you do something about this?

If you can understand it all, then make a plan. Do you need to do something practically or just make notes? Is this going to be a big piece of work or something small? And how could you approach this in the viva? Can you wait to see if your examiners bring it up, or do you need to raise the topic?

Do the work, whatever it is, depending on the situation.

A problem found during your viva prep is not the end. It’s the start of a series of actions to resolve the situation. And though a problem might stand out there’s a lot more of your thesis that is absolutely what it should be and a lot you can do to resolve anything that needs your attention now.

Nathan

Terrifying Tales Of Vivas Past!

Daily Post

How many scary movies have come to cinemas in the last few weeks? How many horror shows have just been released on various streaming services?

Around viva time you’ll notice something about the stories people tell too.

They remember a friend of a friend had a rough time. Maybe it was the wrong examiner for them.

Or that person – what’s-their-name? – whose viva was all day!

And who can forget the story of So-and-so… The year before you started your PhD they failed theirs!

 

Some vivas are tough or especially difficult: there are real tales of bad viva experiences out there, but the vast majority are positive.

Most vivas result in success and most of those successes are vivas that are two or three hours in length, involving deep discussion and resulting in minor corrections.

Around viva time rumours and half-truths swirl about, like ghosts on a Halloween fog conjured from a spooky cauldron – but inspect them just a little, ask some specific questions from people you can trust and you’ll see that that’s not what all vivas are like.

In fact, terrifying tales are the rare exception rather than the typical situation.

Nathan

What Matters To You?

Daily Post

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 it’s valuable.

In effect they are asking you, “Why does this matter?” – although they probably won’t say it as simply as this.

Every thesis has a logic to it; you have reasons that bring your ideas together. To start exploring yours just ask yourself why your work matters to you.

What is it about your work that made you want to do it? What did you find and what carried you through long hours and hard work?

It’s a starting point – there are more questions to reflect on that will help you find words to explain what you’ve done to your examiners – but as a starting point it gives you a powerful motivation to say more and explore more.

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