Crossing A Line

Some PhD candidates worry about getting something wrong at the viva because they don’t know what they need to do to get it right.

Does that resonate? If it does you don’t have to do a lot to get rid of the worry.

• Read the regulations for your institution;
• Talk with friends and colleagues about their viva experiences;
• Ask your supervisors if your department has any particular viva practices.

These three sources are enough to figure out a useful sense of what to expect. You’ll see that there are no hidden red lines, no secrets and no terrible traps waiting ahead.

You’re unlikely to cross a line. Get things right at your viva by learning that there’s nothing really you can get wrong.