The Original

What makes your work new?

What makes your conclusions different?

How have you developed what’s been done before?

Why wasn’t your research done before now?

How do you demonstrate originality in your thesis?

How else could you or someone else do something different with your work?

Some of the questions above might not be relevant to you and your viva depending on your research field, your particular topic and your thesis. It might be that only a few questions resonate – or perhaps one reminds you of a more targeted question you need to consider.

Your examiners will have specific questions too; it might be impossible to predict the exact wording but within the meaning they will be giving you an opportunity to respond: what makes your work new?

PS: If you’re looking for more help on how to engage with questions at the viva then check out Viva Survivors Select 15, The Questions Issue, which came out yesterday.  If you like the blog, want more help and want to support what I do then please take a look. There’s twenty curated posts from the blog plus original content to help you get ready for the viva’s questions – and some nice art by me too!