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Nathan

Best of Viva Survivors 2023: Viva Prep

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It’s that time of year where I share my favourite posts from the last twelve months!

I always like to start my round-up posts with viva preparation as it’s a big part of the viva experience. The viva itself is done in a few hours, but preparation is often spread out over several weeks. Here are five helpful posts:

Look for more viva prep posts on the site, and look out for tomorrow’s post with my favourite reflections from this year.

Nathan

Fun & Games

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The PhD journey is long, often tough and regularly features setback, failure and difficulty on the path to making a significant, original contribution.

It can also be very enjoyable, and while you can’t simply put all the obstacles to one side, it might help you more as you get ready for your viva to remember the good times.

  • When did you have fun while doing your research? What made those experiences fun?
  • Have you been able to challenge yourself to get better at something?
  • Was it possible to share your growth or your research with others?

Reflecting on how you overcame something can be powerful, but it’s also helps to remember those moments where you simply shone, where you enjoyed doing something that mattered.

Nathan

SWOT Your Prep

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SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It’s often used to help assess a situation where you need to come up with a plan. By exploring each area you have all the information you need to plan your next steps.

So why not apply it to viva prep?

  • Strengths: What do you have taken care of? What resources do you have? What can help you as you prepare?
  • Weaknesses: What are you currently lacking? What are you not looking forward to? What are you less sure of?
  • Opportunities: Who can help your preparation if you ask for support? Are there events in the near future that could help you get ready?
  • Threats: Are there things that might get in the way of your preparation? What obstacles do you have to avoid as you prepare?

Taken together, all of these explore the environment you have for getting ready – and can help you figure out the environment you need for viva prep.

Nathan

Who Are Your Examiners?

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Unless they are both well-known to you before you submit your thesis, take some time in your viva prep to find out more about both your internal and your external.

  • Ask friends and colleagues what they know of them. What work do they do? What are they known for?
  • Explore their recent publications to get a sense of their interests and research focus. Is their work similar to yours or very different? Are there interesting connections between your areas?
  • Talk to other academics about the role of the examiners. How do they approach the task? What do they look for in a good thesis?

Your examiners, whoever they are, are not just two random people. They are chosen for particular reasons. Explore that choice with your supervisors, explore your examiners’ work and explore the role of the examiner to be well-prepared for meeting them in your viva.

Nathan

Do & Don’t

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Do read your thesis in preparation for your viva, but don’t feel that you have to memorise it to be able to respond to questions well.

Do check the regulations to know about various outcomes, but don’t focus too much on major corrections as you are less likely to receive them.

Do check your examiners’ recent work to have a sense of their interests, but don’t become an expert in what they do – unless you already are!

Do prepare well for your viva and don’t forget that you are building up from a solid foundation of talent, knowledge and experience from your years of work.

Nathan

A New Page

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Creating a summary is a useful viva prep task, but it can be a daunting one when you are faced with a blank page. There’s a lot of space to fill, and if you only intend to write something then it can be easy to be overwhelmed at the prospect.

Instead, have a clear idea in mind when you set to work to write a summary. On a single page you could:

  • Write a list of ten key references.
  • Explore why you started your research, how you did it and what the result of your research was.
  • List a handful of papers you need to check in your prep.
  • Summarise the main points of each chapter in your thesis.
  • Outline your contribution and key conclusions.

Summaries allow you to gather your thoughts and key ideas before the viva. They are an opportunity to reflect and consider many aspects of your research. Don’t let a new page intimidate you as you get started!

Nathan

Past, Present, Future

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As you get ready for your viva:

  • Look back over everything you’ve done that has got you this far. Consider what has helped you to grow and what you’ve achieved.
  • Think about where you are now and what you can do in the days leading up to your viva. Decide on the actions you will take to help your prep.
  • Cast your mind ahead to the viva. What do you expect from your examiners and what do you think will need to be explored in your thesis?

Looking back helps remind you of the journey that has lead you this far. Taking action now can help you be more prepared for your viva. Looking ahead and reflecting on the challenges you’ll face will allow you to be more ready for when they arrive.

Nathan

Hitting The Target

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An archer doesn’t get close to the target consistently through luck. If their arrow flies and strikes the bullseye they have been fortunate: this particular moment of skill has been rewarded.

It takes time, effort and learning to build capability to the point where someone can consistently hit their target. An archer has a different skillset from a researcher, but both need to demonstrate a great level of commitment and growth tif they are to be good enough to meet the challenges that face them.

When you sit with your examiners, discuss your work and respond to challenging questions you will show yourself to be capable of hitting your target consistently. There’s no luck: it takes time, effort and learning, everything you will have invested in during your PhD journey.

Nathan

The Distinction

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Viva prep is the set of tasks and activities related to your research and thesis that help you be prepared for meeting with your examiners. You feel comfortable responding to their questions and engaging with the discussion. Viva prep involves reading your thesis, making notes, checking papers and rehearsing.

Getting ready for the viva requires viva prep, but also preparing oneself emotionally for the viva. It involves feeling confident. It involves reflecting on your doctoral journey to realise that your work has value and that you are talented. Getting ready is a lot of practical work and a lot of hidden work.

Viva prep is something that you do in the weeks leading up to your viva, but getting ready for your viva is something that you start when you begin your PhD – if not earlier.

Nathan

Make A Good Space

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A few weeks ago I shared four pointers that help when preparing for a video viva:

  • Read the regulations because then you know what your institution expects.
  • Talk to friends so you can find out about their recent experiences.
  • Practise! to rehearse for responding to questions.
  • Make a good space for yourself and that way you will have a good environment for doing what you need to do.

It struck me today that all of these apply for preparing for in-person vivas as well.

There are differences; the good space you need for an in-person viva is the space you’ll prepare in rather than the space for your viva. Even then you can do things to help yourself. Ahead of an in-person viva you can check the room out, be certain it has what you need and make arrangements for anything else that you require.

In-person or over-video, the viva is still the same event. There are differences because of the format, but they are not that great.

Neither are the differences in preparation.

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