Cut

What did you leave out of your thesis?

You can’t have included everything you did over the last few years. You read papers that aren’t listed, had ideas you didn’t follow, worked on projects that ultimately aren’t written about and probably even developed results that you’re not sharing.

Part of the work of writing a thesis is curation: you did a lot but only present the material you think is necessary. For your viva do a little work to remember why. Reflect on what you cut and remember why you didn’t include it.

More importantly, remember what you left in and why. All of the references you’ve included and their impact, all of the ideas and their value, all off the projects and their outcomes – and all of the results and their meaning.

You made a contribution by deciding what really matters.

PS: you’ll find more helpful reflections in Viva Survivors Select Volume 1 – my complete collection of helpful viva zines that I made in 2025. Volume 1 is eight issues containing 165 curated posts from the archives along with a lot of new resources to help with viva prep. Check out the introductory offer price available until 31st January 2026.