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Tag: responding to questions

Nathan

A Changing Why

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Why did you want to do a PhD?

Why did you want to explore the topics or projects you did?

Why did you keep going even when your PhD journey was hard?

Why did you want a PhD still when you were finishing?

Your examiners might not ask you directly about why you’ve been doing a PhD, but motivations are worth reflecting on before your viva. The reasons you started and kept going might change.

It helps to remind yourself why you did all this work, either to help with sharing things with your examiners or to keep you motivated for the final weeks of your PhD.

Nathan

Show Them What You Know

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At your viva you’re expected to explore your significant original contribution with your examiners, tell them about your PhD journey and demonstrate for them that you are a capable researcher.

Which is simple to understand but sometimes difficult to do!

You have to show your examiners what you know. Show them what you understand. Show them what it means.

Whatever their exact questions are you know the topics they will be interested in. Part of the challenge is being ready and able to respond well, whatever the question might be.

By the viva, you’ve done the work. You’ve done the prep. Take a deep breath and show them what you know.

Nathan

Think Again

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Two words that make up a little tip for responding to questions at the viva.

You hear a question and you think and you have something to say. Think again and check: is it correct? Is it clear? Is there anything else you want to remember?

You hear a question and you think and go blank. You’re not sure what to say. Think again and check: why has this question made you freeze? What can you do? Can you ask your examiners something to get a clearer picture?

You hear a comment and stop to think. You have an idea of how to engage with it. Think again and reflect: is that the best you can do? Is there something better you can say?

Don’t rush to say the first thing that comes to mind. Your viva is not assessed on how quickly you respond to questions but on how well you engage with the discussion.

Nathan

Between Questions

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Your examiners make a note. They check their prompts. They quickly confer.

Breathe. Take a sip of your drink. Breathe. Think about what you’ve done so far. Think about what you might still want to talk about.

Just wait for the next question or comment. It won’t be a long time coming. Then you’ll have to think and say something.

For now, wait. Breathe. Relax if you can.

The next opportunity to show your talent is coming.

Nathan

Questioning Difficulty

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A simple distinction for the viva: your examiners might have difficult questions for you but they’re not asking them to be difficult.

Difficult questions naturally follow your work. They come from doing something original. They result from writing a book and needing to explore it deeply. They follow the challenges of your research into the particular challenge of your viva.

Neither your external or your internal is purposefully asking difficult questions to make you sweat, to make you worried, to tear your work apart or to bring you down. The viva is not a hazing ritual you have to get through before you’re allowed to call yourself Dr.

Expect difficult questions at your viva – not difficult people.

Nathan

Gasp!

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If a question or comment in your viva makes you freeze then just stop.

Breathe again.

Think again.

Try to understand the question.

Think some more.

Breathe again.

And if the question or comment still makes you freeze then reflect, “Why?”

Why is this question or comment giving you trouble?

Once you start thinking about that, even if you still don’t have an answer or an opinion you’ll have the beginning of a response that you can share with your examiners.

If a question or comment gives you pause, makes you freeze or even makes you gasp, just sit with it a moment. Take a little time to think and explore how you can still respond.

Nathan

Good Responses

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Some of your viva questions will have great answers.

You’ll know something for certain, either because of your reading or your research. In that situation, when asked you will be able to give an answer.

You won’t know in advance which questions will lead to that in the viva. In fact, aside from some good guesses or small hopes, you won’t know any of the questions or comments that your examiners will ask or offer at your viva.

You might not have an answer standing by but you can always be ready to respond. Through practice and preparation, no matter the question or comment, you can:

  • Listen carefully to what is being said.
  • Pause and think carefully.
  • Make a note if needed.
  • Check your thesis for information if that will help.
  • Choose your words carefully and offer a good response.

Some viva questions or comments won’t have answers. Some don’t need them. Your examiners are looking to you to offer a good response by engaging with their words and doing your best.

Great is great but good is good enough. Engage with your examiners’ questions; offer the best responses you can and you’ll succeed at your viva.

Nathan

The Pledge

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I will engage with my examiners’ questions, whatever they are.

If you commit yourself to this goal then you won’t go too wrong in the viva.

Keeping this in mind means you’re open to discussion. You’re ready to listen. You’re well-prepared.

You’re not listening to worries about “hard questions” or hoping to keep certain topics off the table.

You’re remembering that while you can’t know every question ahead of time, you can take your time in the viva to think and respond as well as you can.

Pause, think and respond as well as you can to each question and comment in your viva. Engage with your examiners’ questions, whatever they are.

Nathan

Quizzical

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Some PhD candidates think of the viva as a TV quiz show. How do I know this? Because many, many candidates over the last decade have asked me questions like:

  • How many questions can I get wrong?
  • How can I score highly?
  • Can I pass on questions I don’t know?
  • How big is the thirty-second timer in the room?!

…OK, maybe they haven’t asked that last question! 🙂

But the questions people do ask give a window into how they think of something.

Thinking of the viva as being like a game show, even in some small ways, is not helpful. The viva is not a quiz show. Questions are not only true or false, they’re not multiple choice or needing to remember a fact.

The viva, first and foremost, is a discussion. That’s how you respond. That’s how you engage with your examiners.

Knowing things and being able to share information helps, but be ready for a conversation and not a quiz at your viva.

Nathan

The Meaning

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A simple and effective way to tackle a tricky question in the viva is to look for the meaning behind it.

  • If your examiner challenges a method, look for why they might be doing that.
  • If you go blank or think “I don’t know” then ask yourself why.
  • If you can’t see what your examiners are getting at then ask them why.

Searching for the meaning behind a difficult question or comment is far better than trying to stumble your way to a few words. It’s far better than sitting in silence and hoping that something clicks.

Ask yourself why or ask your examiners why, and watch as information and ideas start to move.

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