Making Mistakes

It’s important if you find a mistake after submission that you take a little time to think about the correction. Other people – including your examiners – might think you are unprepared.

It’s important to correct any mistakes after your viva because otherwise you won’t pass!

It’s not important generally whether you have things to correct or not. Writing is hard. Doing research is hard. Bringing those difficulties together makes making mistakes almost inevitable.

It’s important to know what’s important at your viva. You can work hard, proofread and do your best. Did you make mistakes or not spot some typos? That’s OK, so long as you’re prepared.

You did something that matters in your research – and that’s far more important than a few mistakes that can be corrected.

PS: The Confidence Issue, the most recent issue of Viva Survivors Select, has a lot about focussing on what matters. Do you want to know how to build confidence for your viva? Do you want ideas on how to respond well to questions from your examiners? Then take a look at this curated collection of twenty posts from the Viva Survivors archive plus two new helpful resources!