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Tag: needs and preferences

Nathan

The Good Viva

Daily Post

How do you have a good viva?

That’s a hard question to answer. What counts as good is going to vary depending on what you think, feel and know about vivas. It also depends on what you really want from your viva. If you are trying to get through your PhD and want the viva to be an exam and done then you’ll have a different set of criteria than if you are looking for a rewarding conversation with your examiners.

So on one level it’s hard to say how someone has a good viva when they can have different expectations or desires.

On another level it’s quite straightforward:

  • Do the work;
  • Write the best thesis you can;
  • Read the regulations;
  • Find out what to expect;
  • Do the necessary prep;
  • Show up to do the work on the day.

And that’s how you have a good viva. You do the work and keep doing the work. If you have other criteria that are bound up in your viva being good then you can probably work out steps that will help you get closer to that too.

 

PS: Want to explore having a good viva in more depth? Then check out the details of my Viva Survivor webinar which is running on Wednesday 3rd December 2025. I’ve shared this session more than 400 times and it is my comprehensive live session on getting ready for the viva. Check the link for full details of what to expect!

Nathan

Needs & Preferences

Daily Post

There’s a difference between needs and preferences.

Both can have a great impact on how you feel about and approach your viva.

 

If you need something for your viva – from regular breaks, examiners to wear microphones or anything else – then you need it. That shouldn’t be up for debate with anyone else; the best thing to do is make sure the appropriate people in your department, doctoral college or graduate school know and know what to do for your viva.

A need is something you absolutely have to have. A preference is something that would be helpful. You might prefer if your examiner was someone you’d cited. You might prefer to have your viva in-person or over Zoom. You might prefer to have your viva sooner rather than later. But if that preference isn’t met an alternative way can be found.

 

Whenever something feels like a need or a preference for your viva, unless it’s unambiguous, reflect again and just be clear for yourself.

Is it a need? Is it a preference?

And whichever it is you have two questions to respond to: Do you need help from someone? What do you need to do next?