All Or Nothing
Pass or fail. Question and answer. True or false. You versus Them.
There are lots of ideas that imply the viva is all or nothing – and that if you miss something, anything, then it’s going to be nothing for you.
These ideas set up false expectations of conflict and arguing, defending at all costs rather than supporting your work. They lead to stress, worry and being concerned about things that aren’t relevant and don’t help.
You can do better for your preparations than focus on the short, over-simplified ideas above!