Nathan

The Point Of Prep

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Remember that your viva prep isn’t the point. Being ready for your viva is the point.

You need to plan your prep but the plan isn’t the point. It mostly doesn’t matter what you use to annotate your thesis, except that it makes your thesis better for you and your viva. You’ll probably benefit from a mock viva but the conversation with your supervisor isn’t the point.

Being ready is the point. How you exactly get there is less important than getting there.

Figure out what you need to get you to “ready”.

Nathan

Describing The Viva

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The viva is an exam.

The viva is a discussion.

The viva is a challenge.

The viva is almost-but-not-quite the end.

The viva is a part of the process.

The viva is regulated.

The viva is a milestone.

The viva is an event that you can prepare for.

The viva is a few hours on one day.

What words are you using to describe your viva? How do you think they’re influencing you?

Nathan

Fair Adjustments

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You might need adjustments for your viva to be fair for you.

  • You might need your examiners to use a microphone.
  • You might need them to ask questions in a particular way.
  • You might need to write questions down so that you can process your thoughts.
  • You might need frequent breaks.
  • You might need a room at a particular location or with a particular setup.
  • You might need your viva to be over video or have some other technology involved.

It’s expected that every PhD viva might be difficult. The viva is supposed to be a challenge because of what you’re there to do, the level you work at, the meaning of what you’ve done.

Difficult is reasonable but barriers that limit you engaging with the viva are unreasonable. If you need adjustments to make the viva fair then make sure your institution knows.

Nathan

Happy Times

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When were you most happy on your PhD journey?

Your first thoughts probably tell you a lot about what you value from your PhD. They may or may not line up neatly with your research, your thesis or things you think you’ll share with your examiners. But they’ll give you something to think about.

The viva is a big important day in your life – and then you’ll do something even more important afterwards. Whatever it was you were doing when you were most happy, it probably makes sense to see how you can have more of that in the future.

Nathan

Rehearsal, Not Run-through

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A mock viva is rehearsal for the viva but not a run-through. It’s important to grasp this. There are no scripts to learn but there’s a mood to appreciate. You can’t know the right words in advance but you can get a sense of the tone and the process.

Your supervisor and anyone else involved will try to give you an experience that feels like a viva. They’ll ask relevant questions and make comments to simulate a typical viva but ultimately it won’t match the real one that you’ll eventually have.

It’s a rehearsal, not a run-through. If you understand and accept the purpose then a mock viva is probably one of the most valuable activities you can engage with to help your viva preparation.

Nathan

Hundreds Of Somethings

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700 to 800 days.

A not unreasonable estimate for how many days a PhD candidate might show up to do work.

Some days might be bigger or more important than others. Some days you stare at a screen and try to work, others you punch the air and celebrate. Some days you read a whole book and others you can barely write two sentences.

What matters is that you keep going. What matters is that those hundreds of days include hundreds of somethings: actions, experiments, thoughts, conversations and opportunities that you apply to your research, your talent and your capability.

A long process of small steps that leads you to success. No two days the same. All those days and somethings adding up to a thesis and a candidate that are good.

Nathan

A Non-Examiner

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An independent chairperson isn’t there to examine you at your viva. They’ve not read your thesis and don’t have questions. They’re there to make sure the process is fair and make sure that the viva is following regulations. They might steer your examiners or provide guidance but they’re not there to examine you.

If you have a supervisor present at your viva then they’re not examining you either. They’re there to watch and maybe make notes. They can’t respond on your behalf and they can’t ask you anything.

If you want to know more about the examiners and non-examiners who might be at your viva then look at the regulations well in advance. Get a sense of what to expect, what that means for you and what you might need to do as a result.

Nathan

Explaining Enough

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How do you define what “enough” means for a contribution to knowledge?

How do you know that you have read “enough” to have a good understanding of your research area?

How do you feel like you are capable “enough” as a researcher in your field?

How do you explain to someone that what you have done is “enough” for your thesis – or your PhD?

 

These are hard questions. It’s unlikely that your examiners will ask you them directly. Being able to think through and consider how you respond to them will help a lot as you get ready for your viva.

Think it over, talk with your supervisor and talk with friends. When you know how to explain that you have done “enough” you’ll feel better about responding to questions more generally in the viva.

Nathan

Routes To Confidence

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Confidence comes from lots of places. The confidence you want for your viva could be found in many things.

You can feel confident if you feel capable. Your talents can help you to see you can manage this challenge.

You can feel confident if you’re calm. Putting problems and stress to one side can help you find self-confidence for the viva.

You can feel confident if you reflect over your PhD journey. You have got as far as you have by doing well, by making something that matters.

You might not be able to do all of these to the full extent you would like. Doubt, time and other pressures might get in the way. Make an effort with any of the steps above and however far you get will prompt greater confidence for your viva day.

There isn’t one way to viva confidence. Find a route that works for you. Don’t hope you’ll feel good – work your way to feeling good.

Nathan

Nasty

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Do you think your examiners would ask a harsh question at the viva? If you think yes, why?

If you think yes, what do you think it would be about?

And if you think yes, how likely do you really think it is?

 

I don’t think it’s common for candidates to worry about particularly nasty questions, but for candidates who do the worry is particularly nasty. If it’s on your mind, don’t wait to find out if your fears will come true at the viva.

Talk to someone. Talk to your supervisor. Review anything and everything related to the topic of the question.

Questions at the viva shouldn’t be nasty but if you’re worried, don’t wait: do something to help yourself.

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