Rehearsing For Examiners

A mock viva might be the best thing you could do to be ready for meeting your examiners. Taking time to practise being in the viva environment will help you rehearse listening to questions, taking your time and responding. This should help you feel comfortable and confident for your viva.

It’s not all you can do though. Make sure you’ve had a good conversation with your supervisors about your examiners. Get a sense of who they are and what they do if you don’t know already – and dig deeper by exploring their most recent publications. This can help you appreciate any particular areas of crossover or connection with your research.

Your examiners will be preparing to do their job well at your viva. You need to do the same. They have a responsibility and a role to play: you can be ready for them through rehearsal and preparation.