Daily viva help for PhDs
It might be the start of your response to a particular question at the viva.
It’s unlikely to be the only thing you can say or the only thing you need to say in response to that question.
(see also: “I don’t know”, “My supervisor told me to” and “I’ve not thought about that before”)
They’re probably better than your first thoughts at the viva.
First thoughts might come from nerves, worry, mishearing a word, wanting to get a point across or wanting to move past a question as quickly as possible.
Second thoughts are definitely considered. They might be the same as first thoughts but they might have more nuance or be better expressed. They’ll slow the pace a little and show your thinking.
Think, then think again. Take your time to give the best responses you can at your viva.
There’s a good chance, whatever your research area, that you can be asked a question at your viva for which you have no answer. There’s a chance even that you could be asked a question for which no-one has an answer – there are simply opinions.
When you have an opinion – or are called to think and explore your opinion in the moment – it helps to pause and think a little. There’s plenty of time to do that in your viva.
None of this is evading the question: it’s all geared towards you offering the most considered opinion you can depending on the situation.
In fact, to engage well at the viva, whatever the question, pause and think before you respond. Even if you have an answer ready, something you’ve considered and refined for years. Pause and think just in case there is a subtlety in the question that you’re rushing past in your desire to show what you know.
When you’re called on for your opinion at the viva give yourself a little time to respond well.
It always helps to pause when you’re asked a question at your viva; take some time to think, consider, get your thoughts in order (and make notes, check your thesis and so on) before you respond.
You could do all of that and still, in that moment, think, “Well, maybe…” Taking everything into account, you might not know something or might not be sure.
That’s OK. The viva is not about demonstrating perfection or total knowledge: it’s about showing what you did, why you did it and how you can do things well. If you listen carefully, think carefully and your careful response to one particular questions begins with “Maybe…” then you’re doing fine.
You don’t need to know everything. You don’t need to have thought of everything beforehand.
PS: Looking for help with the viva discussion and expectations? Then check out my live 3-hour Viva Survivor webinar on Wednesday 25th March 2026 where I’ll talk about these topics and a lot more. You’ll get four-week access to a recording of the session and follow-up materials too. There’s more information at the link but please get in touch if you have any questions or want to know more. Thanks for reading!
It’s a big part of the viva.
There are no gotcha questions and hazing remarks. Your examiners are there to listen and they’ve giving you opportunities to speak about your work, your PhD journey and yourself.
They’re there to listen but you have to listen first. The questions they ask and the discussion they prompt are your opportunities to do well. You have to listen carefully to make the most of them.
When they ask a question, pause and check that you understood it. Ask for clarification if you didn’t. Consider what it all means and take your time to respond well.
They’ll be listening.
Those three words might be true but they will never be enough for a response to a question in your viva.
There’s always a reason and it’s always worth digging into. You always need the “because” or the “why” behind doing things a certain way in your PhD.
“I had to” might be the first words that come to mind with something difficult or even something particularly challenging in your research journey. If you know of situations like this ahead of your viva then it will be helpful to consider what else you could say. If it’s a sensitive topic you’ll probably still need to say something more than “I had to” – so think in advance what you might feel comfortable saying.
Your viva is a conversation.
It will have a rhythm and a flow.
The direction is lead to some extent by your examiners with their questions and comments, but you set the pace with your responses.
Pause to think, to breathe, to check and to be sure.
Take a moment to break up what you’re saying.
The viva is a conversation and you want it to flow well – but the viva is an important conversation that needs time. You need time to think well and respond well.
A moment here or there will not increase your viva length dramatically or negatively. Taking a pause to respond well can only help your viva and your performance.
Pause when your examiners ask a question or make a comment.
Use the time to think and get your thoughts in order.
Remember that you might not have an answer but you can always respond.
And also remember that pause, think and respond has a tempo that you can use for every question, not just the tough ones.
PS: want to find out more of what to expect at the viva? Then check out the latest issue of Viva Survivors Select, The Expectations Issue. Twenty posts from the Viva Survivors archive plus two new pages of viva help exploring what the viva is like.
There’s a relatively small chance that a question at the viva could make you feel like you’re in an emergency.
If your first thought is “I don’t know” or “Aaaaaargh!” it can be hard to figure out how to respond.
Here’s the best advice I can give for those moments: do exactly what you’ve been doing for the non-emergency and non-stressful questions.
Whatever the question or comment from your examiners: pause, think it through and then respond. Your response could be an answer, an opinion, sharing an idea or asking a question.
If the question is really simple: pause, think and respond.
If the question is complex: pause, think and respond.
If the question makes you think “Aaaargh!”: pause, think and respond.
You don’t need an answer for everything. You do need to engage with every question.
Having one process that you can follow for simple questions and stressful questions makes it easier for you to follow and engage with the discussion in the viva.
Questions can be complicated. Your process for responding to them doesn’t need to be.
Pause: you don’t need to rush to speak after a question. Take your time, check your thesis, sip some water and catch your breath. The viva is a test of how well you engage, not how quickly you answer.
Think: you don’t need to fire away with your first thought. Pausing gives you space to think deeply. Again, check your thesis, make a note or two if needed. Get your thoughts in order.
Respond: calm and careful, say what you need to say. Remember that not every question has an answer. You might be sharing an opinion, offering an idea, asking a question or even saying that you don’t know. The viva is a discussion, not an interview, not a Q&A.
Pause, think, respond. Don’t forget.
PS: this month’s Viva Survivors Select is subtitled The Focus Issue, because that’s what a summary helps you do: focus on what really matters in your research and thesis. The issue has twenty posts from the Viva Survivors archive and two new pieces, including an original reflective game that would be perfect for you to practice pausing, thinking and responding! You can find out more details here 🙂