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Tag: getting ready

Nathan

Steering Towards Confidence

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To feel confident for your viva you have to do the work: you have to do the research needed, write your thesis, develop yourself and really realise what all of that means.

Confidence isn’t a destination on your PhD journey. It’s a feeling you have to find through the work that you do. Your actions lead you to feeling confident (or not) and so you have to see what works and what doesn’t. Does your confidence grow through simply doing things, like giving talks or publishing papers? Or do you need to reflect more on how you feel afterwards, perhaps carefully unpicking what happened?

Will simple things like considering what you wear and how you explain things help? Will small things like a music playlist or some other helpful placebo steer you towards feeling confident?

Confidence isn’t a destination. It’s a feeling you can find. Keep going, keep doing, keep thinking and you can steer yourself towards feeling good, both for your viva and more generally.

Nathan

Viva Prep & Getting Ready

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Viva prep starts at submission. You can do helpful tasks before then like searching for examination regulations or sketching out a prep plan, but the actual work of viva prep doesn’t start until after your thesis is submitted. Up to that point your focus has to be on finishing your thesis.

Getting ready for your viva, however, starts on day one of your PhD – or even earlier. From day one you are on a path that is helping you grow, nurturing your research and leading you to being a capable, knowledgeable researcher. Talent and expertise grow as you do the work and stay committed, helping you get closer and closer to being ready.

 

There’s prep to do after submission because the viva is a particular challenge.

Remember that you’ve been getting ready for your viva for a much, much longer time than the weeks between submission and your viva.

Nathan

Just One

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There’s a lot to consider when you’re preparing for your viva, but getting started is easy. You need just one thing on a list and you can start to work.

Just one paper to read and reflect on.

Just one question to ponder and write about.

Just one chapter – or one page! – to annotate.

Just one hour with your supervisor or a trusted friend to have a chat.

Just one task can start the process of getting ready. There will be more to do, but you can always find a way to get started – or always find something to do that will make a difference to how prepared you are for your viva.

Nathan

Examiner Perfection

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A list of characteristics a candidate should look for in examiners is very short: do they have PhDs in a relevant area? Do they have enough post-PhD experience and training?

That’s it. After that you and your supervisor are not looking for the best examiners: you’re trying to find examiners who are available and who are best for you.

What attributes would your ideal examiners have? Would they be people whose work you’ve cited? Would they be people who do similar things to you? Would you want someone with a long career and significant expertise? Or someone who has finished their own PhD in the last few years?

You can’t find examiner perfection, but you can find “good for you” if you reflect on what you think you need, ask the right questions and explore who might be available with your supervisor.

Nathan

The Pledge

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I will engage with my examiners’ questions, whatever they are.

If you commit yourself to this goal then you won’t go too wrong in the viva.

Keeping this in mind means you’re open to discussion. You’re ready to listen. You’re well-prepared.

You’re not listening to worries about “hard questions” or hoping to keep certain topics off the table.

You’re remembering that while you can’t know every question ahead of time, you can take your time in the viva to think and respond as well as you can.

Pause, think and respond as well as you can to each question and comment in your viva. Engage with your examiners’ questions, whatever they are.

Nathan

Encouragements

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Ask your supervisor about the best parts of your work.

Ask friends and colleagues about the best parts of their vivas.

Look to your graduate school or doctoral college for helpful resources for viva prep.

Look to friends and family for kind words and help in making a good space to do your viva prep.

Find kind words to encourage yourself: you’re almost there.

Find encouragement for your viva where you can. There’s a lot in the people around you, and a lot in you as well.

Nathan

Legend

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There are several ways we use the word.

Someone is a legend if they’re amazing. They have talent and are someone who has demonstrated that for a long time. For example, a postgraduate researcher when they reach thesis submission…

A legend can also be about someone or something, perhaps a story or collection of stories. Quite often this describes how the person or thing came to be great. For example, consider a PhD journey with all of its ups, downs and ultimate successes…

Less well known is using the word legend to describe the marks on a map. The legend explains the symbols of important features, which isn’t all that dissimilar to when someone looks for the highlights in their story. For example, a postgraduate researcher reflecting on their PhD journey as they prepare for their viva…

Taken together: consider the highpoints of your story so that you can appreciate your capability and how you got here.

Or perhaps: the legend of your legend makes you a legend!

Nathan

Build Up To The Viva

Daily Post

On your first day of viva prep you don’t have to push yourself to work at maximum intensity.

Maybe make a list.

Read a chapter.

Check a regulation or two.

You don’t have to start and maintain an exhausting pace of work and progress towards being ready.

 

You don’t have to do that from day two either. Or day three.

You can build up your prep and yourself. Take your time, plan your prep, build yourself up for the viva. A little work every day for however many weeks you need to not be stressed by your schedule. That’s all you need.

Build up to the viva rather than risk wiping yourself out with too much pressure.

Nathan

The Final Step

Daily Post

Testing transcription service. OK. Seems to be working today.

Here we go!

 

I have a procedure for the hour leading up to a webinar. Step by step, task by task, a process that helps guide me to starting well.

My water bottle is full. I have an emergency break snack. I’ve got my notes and my desktop is arranged just so. I’ve done all the work I can. Email off. I’ve checked that my family know not to disturb me. I check I’ve got everything I need.

Then the final step is to check that Zoom’s transcription service is working well, “Testing transcription service…”

 

What could your viva day procedure look like? What will you need to do? What might the first task be and what will the final step be that will help you to feel ready?

Then, here we go!

Nathan

On The One Hand…

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…your examiners are experienced, they have to ask questions, they have to challenge you and they will be prepared for your viva when they arrive.

But on the other hand, you are experienced, you have experience at responding to questions, you can rise to challenges and you can be prepared for your viva when they arrive.

Everyone at your viva is capable, ready and engaged. The viva can be a difficult challenge and you can be ready for that challenge.

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