Every Question

The viva is a facilitated discussion. Your examiners have a plan with notes and prompts. They’ve prepared. They come to the viva with questions, comments and ideas to invite you into conversation.

There are many possible questions they could have for you:

• Easy questions;
• Difficult questions;
• Closed questions;
• Open questions;
• Questions you’ve heard many times before;
• Questions you’ve never considered;
• Questions you know the answer to;
• Questions you’ll need to consider your opinion on;
• A question that sounds simple but when you think about it, it really isn’t;
• A question that seems complex but has subtle ideas at the heart;
• Questions you want;
• Questions you don’t want;
• The one question you love to talk about;
• And the one question you hope never to get.

With all of that said, you don’t need to write a big list of possible questions ahead of the viva and make notes on them all so that you’re ready.

You can prepare for every question simply by rehearsing for the viva. Get experience by finding opportunities to practise responding to questions. Mock vivas, conversations with friends and seminars can vary in how close they will be to your actual viva but all can give support.

Have a plan (which you can practise in advance too!). Whatever the question, take your time to think. Maybe make a note in some way. Pause, take a sip of water. Then take your time to carefully respond. There’s no rush to get the viva done quickly.

Treat every question as important and you’ll give your examiners what they need at your viva.