Daily viva help for PhDs
Your viva is coming up and you got this!
Whatever questions, comments or criticisms your examiners have, you got this!
Whatever pressures you faced throughout your PhD, you got this!
However the pandemic impacted your work, you got this!
Whatever challenges you face in your prep, you got this!
However you feel – nervous or excited, anxious or eager – you got this!
Because if you don’t, who does?
Viva preparation is not a production line. It doesn’t follow anything as neat as moving from one task to the next, finishing one component and moving neatly on to the next. Prep does not follow a flow diagram: it’s not reading followed by notes, checking papers and then a mock viva at the end.
Viva prep is a series of workouts. You practise various activities to feel ready. You read your thesis to help your memory; you read more later to build on that feeling. You make notes in your thesis, then review them to check they are sticking – and to find out how you think now.
Viva preparation is personal. It involves exploring. There are things you need to do, but many ways to do them. There are lots of steps, but some are steps to the side and some follow path you’ve already been down before.
It all helps. In some ways, viva prep is work to help you realise that you’re ready: you really did the work and you can go succeed in your viva.
When you read your thesis before submission you’re trying to make it better. Each draft moves your research towards a better state of presentation. Each revision helps you tell the story of your work in a more polished way. You want to find typos, unclear writing and places that need a little help.
When you read your thesis after submission you’re trying to prepare for the viva. Each time you read moves you closer to a state of being ready. Every minute of careful reading helps you build yourself up for discussing your research with your examiners. You don’t want to find typos, unclear writing or places that need a little help!
So don’t look for them. If you find them, make a note, but focus on what matters. Focus on the flow of words and ideas. Focus on what you set out as important.
To help the transition between the periods before and after submission take a break. Leave your thesis alone for a few weeks, if you can. Come back to it with a refreshed mind. Take your time and read it carefully.
There are PhD games that people play that are ultimately not fun or helpful. They’re founded in perfectionism and not knowing what’s expected. Playing them seems like a good idea sometimes, but is ultimately frustrating. Don’t play those games.
These games aren’t worth playing. They won’t reward you or your progress.
The games that will help are personal games. You set a reasonable target and try to achieve it. You recognise the commitment you have and your growth (as a person and a researcher). You take action and move along the very, very long journey.
Play the games worth playing. Save your focus for what matters the most. Your success does not have to be defined by the achievements of others or false expectations.
Viva prep principles are fairly simple to share. How you put them into practice is not hard, but it is personal.
Read your thesis to refresh your memory. Annotate your copy so that information is easier to find or clearer to see on the page. Create summaries to help you clarify your thinking. Rehearse to help your comfort and confidence for the discussion in the viva.
Read your thesis – but when do you start? How much do you do at a time? It depends on how big your thesis is, how busy you are and when works best for you.
Annotation sounds good – but how much? What kind of things? What’s best? It all depends on how your thesis is written, what information will help you and how you like things to be organised.
And so on. The principles of viva prep are simple. How you need to do the work is personal. Reflecting on your thesis and circumstances will help you navigate getting the work done.
How much preparation do I need to do?
Not too much.
How long will the viva be?
Not too long.
How tough will the questions be?
Not too tough.
How critical will my examiners be?
Not too critical.
How often do I need to read my thesis before the viva?
Not too often.
How likely is it that I’ll get no corrections?
Not too likely!
In my experience, PhD candidates over-estimate how much, how long, how tough and how good they need to be in order through the viva process.
Prepare, learn expectations and get ready. Your viva is not too much for you.
Typos matter because they need correcting. It’s important to work towards your thesis being as clear and polished as possible – but it also helps you to know that perfection is an ideal. Most PhD candidates have to complete corrections of some kind after the viva.
After submission you don’t need to scour your thesis to identify mistakes. If you find one, make a note in some way. Be prepared to explain something that’s unclear or incorrect. In general, identifying mistakes is less important than spending time to identify your strengths.
“What potential corrections have I found?” is a much less useful question to ponder than “What’s good about my thesis and research?”
In Dumbo, the little elephant with the big ears believes he can fly because of a magic feather.
He can’t, there’s no magic, but it’s enough to help him believe at least for a time – until he recognises that he doesn’t need them.
Do you have or need a magic feather? Magic feathers won’t make the difference to your viva success. You need skills, knowledge, work and and a thesis to help you succeed – but a magic feather might help how you feel about getting through the process.
It probably wouldn’t be a feather for you. Your magic feather could be a favourite song. Planning and doing your prep in a certain way. Wearing a favourite pair of socks or a special badge.
Your magic feather could be a routine, a belief, a placebo, a cup of coffee or dancing your nerves away. Whatever it is, it won’t make a difference to your success: it might make a difference to you. A magic feather can help you remember you’re good enough.
After twelve years of workshops and webinars and helping more than 7000 researchers through them, I still have my magic feathers to help me feel confident.
Find your magic feathers, let them help you on your way. If at some point you don’t need them that’s great. If you always do then remember they are a reminder of your talent and confidence, not the cause.
You can’t have perfect recall.
A mock viva won’t make you bulletproof to a difficult question.
Notes and summaries won’t cover everything.
Remember that perfection isn’t the point of preparation.
Prepare to become prepared.
Read, revise and rehearse to be ready.
If you’re looking for some help reflecting on your research ahead of the viva, consider reading one of the chapters in your thesis and then respond to the following questions:
There’s a lot more that you could do to get ready for the viva than simply consider the valuable, the interesting, the vague and the questions someone might ask. To start reflection these four words can be very useful – and very easy to remember when you spot the acronym they make!