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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

Similar, Not The Same

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If you hear five viva stories from different people you will spot common threads and notice differences.

If you hear five viva stories from people in your department you will notice examination practices and understand why they are different.

Every viva is different.

Every viva is influenced by regulations, expectations and departmental practices.

You viva will be similar to others, but can’t be the same.

Nathan

Your Thesis

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There are lots of ways you could look at your thesis at your viva.

  • Your thesis is a resource to help you respond to questions. You can annotate it beforehand to be even more useful.
  • Your thesis is a lifeline in case of emergency. If you need it you can take a moment to remind yourself of something that escapes your memory.
  • Your thesis is a contribution. It’s one focus for your examiners’ questions.
  • Your thesis is proof that you did the work. It’s one focus for you and your confidence.

Which of these matters most to you at the viva? And what will your thesis mean to you after the viva?

Nathan

Silver Bullets

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In stories werewolves are powerful, almost unstoppable. Perhaps you can guard against them or run away for a time, but there’s no great defence you can mount. You have to hope that you can find or make silver bullets.

We sometimes use the idea of silver bullets as a shorthand for a solution to a particularly tricky problem. They are the one thing that will allow us to understand a situation, help us to plan better or get things done. It would cut through everything and solve the problem – if only we can find a silver bullet.

PhD candidates sometimes look for silver bullets for the viva. They hope for one thing that will help them to be confident. Or one thing that will help them feel prepared. Or even the one question they will definitely be asked that they can be ready for.

It might be nice to think about, but all of this forgets a couple of things:

  • Silver bullets, if they were needed, are rare, expensive and hard to make. Do you have time for that when you’re getting ready for the viva?
  • Werewolves, if they existed, are unique and difficult encounters. Your viva might be unique and difficult to some extent but vivas happen almost every day: there is a lot to learn about them and about how others have faced their challenges.

Don’t look for a single silver bullet to solve all your problems. Silver bullets are a distraction. You don’t have the time for them and you don’t need them.

Take simple steps to learn what you need to do to be ready for your viva – and then do the work.

Nathan

Looking Forward

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I didn’t think my viva would be terrible but I also wasn’t thinking, “I can’t wait!”

Looking back 17 years, I could best describe my feelings in the days leading up as resigned.

I guess I have to do this.

I slept only a few hours the night before. At the time I couldn’t understand that sleeplessness. I had never experienced insomnia in that way. Afterwards I came to believe it was connected with not really knowing what to expect from the viva experience and not feeling like I was a good candidate.

 

It’s only recently that I’ve realised just how connected those two thoughts might be.

How can you feel like you’re a good candidate if you don’t know what to expect?

If you’ve no idea then you can’t know if you’re good enough.

 

If any of this resonates with you I think your next steps are clear.

  • Find out what to expect. There are regulations to check and people who you can ask to learn more about viva experiences.
  • Remind yourself of what you’ve done and what that means. You’ll see that your capability is more than enough to meet the requirements of the viva.

If you know what the viva is and are sure of who you are then the experience can definitely be something to look forward to.

Nathan

Important Things

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I have a piece of paper on the wall next to my desk that says, “What’s the most important thing I can do today that would make tomorrow better?”

I like the sentiment of this but I’m also the kind of person who gets stuck sometimes thinking about what the most important thing could be.

I’m part of a family, a writer, a researcher-developer, a business owner… How do I decide what the most important thing is? Which area do I give my attention to so I can make tomorrow better?

I have to remind myself that not knowing the most important thing can’t get in the way of me doing something to make tomorrow better, even if that’s in a small way.

 

If you like the question too but also fear getting stuck on figuring out the most important thing then for you and your viva a better framing might be, “What can I do to make my viva better?”

Then you have options. There are so many things that you can do for viva prep. There are so many ways you can reflect on your PhD to boost your confidence. There is so much you can do.

Doing something towards prep is enough. You don’t have to be overwhelmed by the important things.

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