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Tag: plan your prep

Nathan

Clearing

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Clear your mind as you consider viva prep. Get a pen and paper and unload all the bits and pieces that you’re carrying around in your brain.

  • What do you need to do?
  • Who do you need to ask for help?
  • When will you do things?
  • When do you need to get started?
  • And as well as prep, what else do you have to do during that period?

Don’t try to hold everything in your head. Large scale plans might not be your preference, but at least help yourself by gently drawing your attention to what you need to do.

Nathan

Big Challenge, Small Step

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What’s the biggest challenge standing between you and feeling ready for your viva?

What’s the smallest meaningful step you could take to overcoming that challenge?

If you feel there’s a problem stopping you from being prepared it helps to name it, however big it might be. It also helps to realise that most big problems aren’t solved by a single big action: it takes a lot of little steps. Sometimes it helps just to do something – anything – to start the process.

Nathan

Too Early!

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It is way too early for Halloween decorations. Some of my neighbours have had skeletons hanging in their windows and plastic pumpkins in their yard since the weekend! It’s very strange to me.

Before thesis submission is way too early to think about viva preparation. I can understand why some candidates think it takes a lot of work. If it takes years to produce a thesis then surely it must take a lot of effort to get ready for the viva?

Before submission is too early to think about all of that.

First, your focus before submission must be on finishing your thesis. Second, the work you do to complete your thesis is also work that aligns with what you need for your viva. Finally, the work you need to do specifically for the viva – for that particular challenge – is not the work of months. A small amount of work, relatively speaking, that can be completed in a matter of weeks.

Planning ahead will help. Exploring how reading your thesis, making notes and rehearsing will fit with your busy schedule will help you to see how you can get it done. You don’t need to start getting ready before submission – it’s too early! – but remember that a lot of what you naturally do for your PhD helps you anyway.

Now, with all of that said, it’s not too early for me to go and have a conversation with my neighbours…

Nathan

When Do You Know?

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Getting ready for the viva can feel hard sometimes. Reading your thesis, checking old notes and papers, finding time for a mock viva, and so on. The whole point is to get to a point where you feel ready.

But when do you know? How do you know that you’re all set and ready for the viva?

As “readiness” is based around how you feel there is always space for doubting yourself. Try some of the following if you’re uncertain or worry about feeling ready:

  • Set targets for your prep. Define what you’re going to do, make a plan and tick things off as they’re completed. Seeing that progress can help how you feel.
  • Ask friends about what they did. Your story and needs may differ in some aspects, but having an example to follow can provide reassurance that you’re doing the right thing.
  • Remember times that you have felt ready for big events and compare how you feel now. If you don’t feel ready in the same way then consider what other actions you could take.

Perhaps we can’t set a time or standard for when you will be ready for the challenge of your viva – but you can set out how you might get to that feeling.

Nathan

Good Viva Prep

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At submission, if not before, take a little time to sketch a simple plan for getting ready for the viva.

When will you start? What do you need to do? Who do you need to ask for support?

As you ask and reflect on these questions you’ll realise changes or missing details. If you have a big thesis maybe you need to start reading it sooner. If you need more practise then you can make better arrangements with your supervisor or friends.

Sketch a plan, because it will help you to get organised – you can always make changes to it too! It can be hard to simply react if things change when your whole plan for prep is “just wing it”.

Good viva prep starts with a plan: you know what you need to do, when you need to do it and who will be there supporting you.

Nathan

Pace Your Prep

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Viva prep is not the kind of work that has to be compacted into a short period of time. It can be done that way, but is probably far better to give yourself space and time to think.

Explore your situation and consider: when will you do the work? How will you do it? Where will you do it? How often will you sit down to read your thesis and when will you begin?

You can pace yourself. An hour a day. Five days a week. Four weeks. That could be enough to be ready.

Of course, you might want to take an afternoon off to do a big concentrated burst of work; you might need a few hours in a row to take advantage of a mock viva opportunity.

Pace yourself in a way that works for you. Find the space in your schedule when you can do the work and not stress yourself. Do the work in a way that doesn’t add too much to an already busy schedule.

Nathan

A Score For Ready

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A little bit of fun to help you think about getting ready for the viva.

Think about each of the following statements and give yourself a score from 1 to 10 depending on how well you agree with them (1 being that you don’t agree with it and 10 representing total agreement):

  • “I feel like I know my research and my thesis pretty well.”
  • “I know what to expect from a viva.”
  • “I have taken time to annotate my thesis well.”
  • “I feel confident about my examiners and who they are.”
  • “I have rehearsed for the viva enough.”
  • “I feel confident about meeting my examiners.”

Now reflect on the scores you’ve given. Think a score is low? Well, what can you do about that? What will you do about that? Who could help you? When will you take the next step?

Think a score is about right for you and your situation? Why? What evidence supports that? Is there anything else you could do to help?

Numbers can help you move yourself closer to being ready.

Nathan

Time To Prep

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The time to prepare for the viva is after submission. There are many things you could do before submission that could help – and a lot you do while finishing your thesis will build you up for the viva – but your focus has to be on getting your thesis submitted.

The time to prepare for the viva is not a fixed period for everyone. Work and other responsibilities could mean a shorter time span for some or force activity to be spaced out over a long period than others. Preparing over the course of two to four weeks seems typical for most candidates.

The time to prepare will be better if you plan it: decide in advance how and when you will do the work. Sketch out a schedule that seems suitable and doesn’t leave you feeling stressed.

The time to prepare is getting ready for the particular challenge of the viva. It’s reading, note-making, practice and a chance to remind yourself: I can do this.

Nathan

First Things First

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A little tip for viva prep that can also be applied to any project: whenever you finish a period of activity or a task, leave a note for yourself of the first action you’ll take when you do more work.

  • “Re-read the summary of my methods.”
  • “Email supervisor to arrange mock viva.”
  • “Check recent paper by external.”
  • “Gather stationery for marking up thesis chapters.”

Whatever you need to do next time, leave a note for yourself: a reminder, a prompt, a shove to get started well.

It’s easy to sit down and think “What do I do?” but hard to ignore a clear direction you leave for yourself.

Nathan

Make A Space

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Gather the things you need to get ready.

Your thesis. A notebook or papers. Pens and assorted stationery. A loose page with a sketch of the coming weeks.

Decide where to do your prep. Find a place and make your space.

This is where you get ready. This is where the magic happens. Your little zone where your thesis is read and gets better. Where you think and write. Where you check and confirm. Where you ready yourself for a mock and for the real thing.

As you’re reading this post you might be imagining somewhere in particular to do your viva prep. Where are you? Would that space really work for you? And if not there, where? Where can you make a good space to concentrate, relax, think and prepare?

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