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Nathan

Up Your Sleeve

Daily Post

You don’t need to be magical to do well in your viva. You don’t need a hidden card with notes up your sleeve or to be able to divine your examiners’ questions before they ask them. You don’t need to be able to perform feats of wonder to astonish all onlookers.

You only need exactly what every good magician has: the right skillset, knowledge and practice.

You can develop all of these over the course of a PhD journey.

No magic words. No hidden talents. Nothing up your sleeve.

You are more than capable of producing what you need at your viva.

Nathan

Saying Why

Daily Post

Sharing why your research is important is a natural topic of conversation at the viva. Saying why can sometimes be tricky. There are so many factors that you might want to share and so many different ways you might have expressed yourself in the past.

In preparation for talking in your viva, perhaps take a little time to reflect and gather your thoughts. Perhaps make some notes or write a summary. The following questions could help you to explore the “why” of your research:

  • Why was it necessary or important to explore the topic?
  • What were some of the unknowns when you started?
  • What did you not understand? (what do you still not understand?)
  • What are the boundaries of your research?
  • Can your work be applied in other ways?
  • What are the benefits of your work in this area?

Sometimes asking “Why?” is too hard. It’s one word but a big question.

Using other questions to reflect can be a valuable way to break past that barrier. Reflecting on several questions can be a helpful way to respond to “Why?”

Nathan

If You Forget

Daily Post

Forgetting something in the viva could happen to any candidate. It’s a reasonable thing to worry about, even if there realistically wouldn’t be a great consequence to a minor lapse in memory.

It’s reasonable to worry about forgetting; if you do then you have to take action to help yourself get past the worry. There’s a lot you could do:

  • Mark out the start of chapters to make your thesis easier to navigate.
  • Mark key sections so you can find important details.
  • Highlight or underline parts of your thesis that you might want to quote.
  • Create summaries of important information.
  • Practise responding to questions to gain comfort for the viva.

There really is a lot you could do if you worry about forgetting something in the viva – and all of this work is part of regular viva preparation!

Nathan

Finding The Words

Daily Post

If you’re concerned about saying the right thing at the viva – or worried about saying the wrong thing – then invest time before then in finding the words to share your research.

Write summaries to draw out key points. Review literature that has helped your work. Take time to rehearse with your supervisor or with friends.

The last part helps a lot. You can’t find the words by only worrying and thinking. You have to talk, because that’s what you have to do in the viva.

Nathan

More Or Less

Daily Post

Before your viva, work to feel more confident rather than less nervous.

The importance of your viva doesn’t change: you feel nervous because it matters.

Your confidence levels can increase though. You can reflect on your experiences. You can remind yourself of the successes you have created throughout your PhD. You can be sure of the improvement in your ability and knowledge. You can remind yourself that you did the work.

Work to feel more confident and you can feel less of the impact of nervousness.

Nathan

A Constellation Of Confidence

Daily Post

As you prepare for your viva think about a Situation where you did something well. What was the Task that you were trying to accomplish? Was there a goal you were aiming for or a problem that needed a solution?

Whatever the circumstances, what Activities were you engaged with? And when you had finished what were the Results of your work?

Reflecting on a story where you describe the Situation, Task, Activities and Results helps to create a useful narrative for exploring your capability with others. It can be a big help for job applications, interviews or pitching yourself.

Reflecting on a STAR can also help a lot with building confidence. It’s a foundation of knowing that you are good enough.

And you aren’t limited to one story. Find as many as you can and build a constellation of stories that you can look at when needed, to show yourself that you are good.

Nathan

Viva Prep Blues

Daily Post

This post is for anyone who feels down at the thought of getting ready for their viva.

  • Remember that the hardest work is done by the time you submit your thesis.
  • Planning your preparation helps to break down the work you still have to do.
  • There is no rule that says you can’t take a break.
  • There is no rule that says you can’t make your preparations enjoyable.
  • In most cases it’s easier to do a little prep each day than squeeze everything into one or two pressured days of preparation.

And if you feel blue about getting ready or about your viva then it will probably help to talk to someone you trust to get advice or support.

Nathan

The Bridge of Preparation

Daily Post

You submit your thesis, you have your viva and in between these two events is the bridge of preparation.

Viva prep bridges the gap between one challenge and another, but the gap is not that great and the bridge is not so difficult to build. A little effort spread out over a few weeks can be enough to ensure that you get from submission to the viva with no problems.

Maybe you can leap the gap, but why leave it to chance?

Nathan

Ifs And Thens

Daily Post

If you figured out how to get to submission then you can figure out how to succeed in the viva.

If you did all the work and wrote it up in your thesis then you can discuss it with your examiners for a few hours.

If you spent three (or more) years doing the research then you can talk for three hours (or less) about what it all means and how you did it.

Beyond nerves, beyond expectations, beyond the details of your research and your story, this is what it all comes down to. We can find lots of ways to look at the situation but it’s quite simple.

If you did the work, then you’re good. If you’re good then you can pass the viva.

Nathan

Just Ask

Daily Post

Need help before your viva? Just ask.

There are lots of people who can help you practically. Your supervisors, your friends and your colleagues could all do things to help with your preparations.

Need to know more about the viva? Just ask.

You know people who have succeeded who can share their story. You know people who know what’s involved. And there are some people out there – hello! – who write blogs or articles or can otherwise share thoughts if you need them.

Just ask. A lot of viva prep depends on what you do by yourself but you are not alone. Ask for help if you need it. Look for support if there’s something missing.

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