Nathan

Too Early!

Daily Post

It is way too early for Halloween decorations. Some of my neighbours have had skeletons hanging in their windows and plastic pumpkins in their yard since the weekend! It’s very strange to me.

Before thesis submission is way too early to think about viva preparation. I can understand why some candidates think it takes a lot of work. If it takes years to produce a thesis then surely it must take a lot of effort to get ready for the viva?

Before submission is too early to think about all of that.

First, your focus before submission must be on finishing your thesis. Second, the work you do to complete your thesis is also work that aligns with what you need for your viva. Finally, the work you need to do specifically for the viva – for that particular challenge – is not the work of months. A small amount of work, relatively speaking, that can be completed in a matter of weeks.

Planning ahead will help. Exploring how reading your thesis, making notes and rehearsing will fit with your busy schedule will help you to see how you can get it done. You don’t need to start getting ready before submission – it’s too early! – but remember that a lot of what you naturally do for your PhD helps you anyway.

Now, with all of that said, it’s not too early for me to go and have a conversation with my neighbours…

Nathan

Marking References

Daily Post

Your final thesis can be annotated in preparation for your viva. While you might naturally be drawn to underlining typos or adding a few helpful words to the margins, paying attention to the references you cite can be a simple way to improve your thesis’ usefulness as a resource in the viva.

You could highlight different kinds of reference – information, methodology support, question and so on – in different ink colours to draw distinctions between them. You could find the ten most important ones and add highlighter tabs or bookmarks to draw attention to where you use them. You could write a sentence or two at the top of the page to catch your eye.

You had to pay a lot of attention to the work of other researchers to help your research grow. You had to invest a lot if time in being certain that you understood their work and how to apply it to yours. Now, as you prepare for your viva, take a little more time to consider which of these references has been most helpful to you – and find a good way to mark this out in your thesis.

Nathan

The Last Minutes

Daily Post

What do you do if you have an hour left until your viva and you feel a little nervous?

You do something.

  • You write a few sentences to describe your contribution.
  • You check the bookmarks you have placed in your thesis.
  • You talk with a friend and tell them how you feel.
  • You go for a short walk and breathe!

When you’re nervous in the viva you can only be there and engage as best you can. Before then, if you feel nervous, you can do lots of things to help yourself. Be thoughtful as you prepare: if you were to feel nervous in the last minutes before your viva, what could you do to help yourself?

Nathan

One More Thing

Daily Post

There’s always more you can do.

More ideas to be pursued to add to your research.

A new perspective or an extra thought to include in your thesis.

Another paper to read. And another!

All that proofreading and there will still be a better way to say something – or one more typo that’s not been spotted.

There’s always more but remember, by submission and through preparation for the viva, you’ve done enough to pass.

Nathan

Warming-Up For Viva Prep

Daily Post

Instead of jumping straight into a long session of reading or note-writing, do one or two of these little things to get your brain warmed-up for viva prep!

  • Pick a chapter in your thesis at random and write two sentences describing how it makes a contribution to your research.
  • Write down three things about both of your examiners and their work.
  • Rehearse for a moment how you explain a core idea of your research.
  • Gather together two or three items of stationery to help annotate your thesis.
  • Grab a Post-it Note and write down one thing you want to accomplish in the period of viva prep.

Getting ready for the viva can sometimes involve intense concentration on a particular task. Before you focus, do something small to start well.

Nathan

Reflecting On Change

Daily Post

What can you do now that you couldn’t at the start of your PhD?

What skills have you developed that you didn’t have when you began?

What do you now know that you didn’t when you started your research?

What have you created, in your thesis, that didn’t exist when you started your PhD?

Before your viva, reflect on how you’ve changed and how you’ve changed things. You’ve done so much – more than enough to find success at your viva.

Nathan

When Do You Know?

Daily Post

Getting ready for the viva can feel hard sometimes. Reading your thesis, checking old notes and papers, finding time for a mock viva, and so on. The whole point is to get to a point where you feel ready.

But when do you know? How do you know that you’re all set and ready for the viva?

As “readiness” is based around how you feel there is always space for doubting yourself. Try some of the following if you’re uncertain or worry about feeling ready:

  • Set targets for your prep. Define what you’re going to do, make a plan and tick things off as they’re completed. Seeing that progress can help how you feel.
  • Ask friends about what they did. Your story and needs may differ in some aspects, but having an example to follow can provide reassurance that you’re doing the right thing.
  • Remember times that you have felt ready for big events and compare how you feel now. If you don’t feel ready in the same way then consider what other actions you could take.

Perhaps we can’t set a time or standard for when you will be ready for the challenge of your viva – but you can set out how you might get to that feeling.

Nathan

One, Two, Three

Daily Post

A short pause between hearing your examiner’s question and responding.

A little break to check you understand and think things through.

A simple beat to get things right in the viva.

Your examiners don’t expect you to rapid-fire responses to their questions. The viva is a discussion, not a quiz. Take your time to listen, think and respond well.

Nathan

In The Spotlight

Daily Post

In preparation for the viva you can reflect on possible questions, talk with friends or have a mock viva – but don’t forget that you’re not the only one in the spotlight on the big day!

Your thesis is centre-stage with you. Your examiners have read it cover to cover, so you’d best do the same as well. Your examiners will be thinking about it a lot, so it helps if you do too. They’ll be considering it carefully so take some time to do likewise.

Being in the spotlight, for you or your thesis, might not always feel great – but the only way to get around that feeling is to spend more time in the spotlight. More time rehearsing, more time reading and reflecting.

Nathan

My Comfortable Shoes

Daily Post

I didn’t feel particular nervousness about the viva, but I don’t remember feeling great about it either. To feel a tiny bit better I wore my most comfortable shoes. I continued to do this for years afterwards when I was in situations – mostly work-related – where I felt uncomfortable.

In fact, I did everything I could to make my situation comfortable. Comfortable shoes. A preparation routine. Arriving early to make sure I had plenty of time. Anything and everything I could think of to feel more comfortable and more capable.

The nature of the viva can make it very uncomfortable for some candidates. It’s to be expected: general nervousness or apprehension about what might happen can be unsettling. Feelings of nervousness about the viva aren’t bad in themselves – they’re normal responses to the environment you’ll be in – but they aren’t comfortable and they aren’t always helpful.

So, if the event could feel uncomfortable, what could you do to increase your comfort?

  • You could find out more about what to expect and possibly remove anxieties that aren’t necessary.
  • You could have a mock viva to remove discomfort at thinking about questions and responding to them.
  • You could take something with you that helps you to feel good or better.
  • You could invite your supervisor to your viva to be a friendly face – assuming that’s how you feel about them!

What could you do to increase your comfort at the viva? Once you have some options, decide what you will do to be more comfortable on viva day.

1 … 108 109 110 111 112 … 319