Quizzical

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.

The Meaning

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.

Talking Comfortably

I think a huge part of viva confidence for a candidate is based on feeling comfortable when talking about their research.

Examiners need to ask the candidate questions, they need to share opinions and they need the candidate to respond so that they can have a discussion and examine. Candidates have to do their part and want to do their part, but too often worry that they won’t be able to in the moment.

  • “What if I forget something?”
  • “What if there’s a long pause?”
  • “What if I don’t know something?”
  • “What if it’s a bit awkward or I’m hesitant?”

The short answer for all of these questions and worries is that the viva will still happen. It’ll continue however you feel, but will feel better for you if you’re able to talk with some confidence about your research and all the related things your examiners want to discuss.

How do you get to talk comfortably? You prepare. You read your thesis and think and make notes. More important than anything you take time to rehearse for being in the viva through opportunities like a mock viva.

You can’t be ready with pre-loaded responses to every conceivable question or comment.

You can be ready to engage with whatever question your examiners ask by taking time before the viva to rehearse.

Have a mock viva. Talk with friends. Talk with your supervisor. Make opportunities to be in situations where you’ll talk about your work and respond to questions. Make sure you have real experience before the viva so that you feel more comfortable talking about your PhD research.

Always Ask

As you prepare for your viva, always ask for help if you need it. Ask your supervisor for their advice or guidance, ask your friends about their vivas and ask your family and friends to support you as you get ready.

While you’re in the viva, always ask your examiners if something is unclear. Ask them to rephrase a question, ask for more information and ask for their opinion if you really want to know.

As you get ready, always ask yourself how you’re feeling. Ask and reflect on whether or not you’re moving in the right direction, ask yourself if you need to do something more than your plans and consider whether you need to do anything else to build yourself up.

And again, while you’re in the viva, always ask for a break if you need one. Ask yourself to breathe. Ask yourself to take it one question at a time. And ask yourself to be kind to yourself in those hours, if you’re nervous or stressed or uncertain.

Exploring Objections

It’s reasonable to expect that examiners might object to something in a thesis.

In all the many words you’ve written – the ideas, results and conclusions, and the chapters, methods and formatting – in all of this there’s a chance there’s something they might object to.

Does an objection mean there is something “wrong”? Does it mean you need to make changes? Does it mean you need to apologise?

No, not necessarily; it would be rare for something to need an apology!

An objection needs to be understood first. You might need to ask questions if the comment or point isn’t clear. You might need to think. You might need to read or check something in your thesis. And it’s possible that you can’t simply give a short, quick response to an objection.

You need to understand what the objection is, then respond to it.

And that could be it. That could be all you need to do. It could be that you need to add a sentence to your thesis. It could be that you just need to explain your thoughts because they weren’t clear on the page.

Objections: understand, then respond.

Excuse Me

There are many reasons that could explain unfortunate situations from your PhD. None of them are excuses:

  • Lack of resources is not an excuse.
  • A sudden change in circumstances is not an excuse.
  • Your supervisor going on sabbatical is not an excuse.
  • COVID is not an excuse.

You don’t need excuses. You don’t need to apologise. These are reasons why something didn’t work or something didn’t happen.

You might need to explain why something happened (or not). You might need to explain the impact of something and what happened as a result. You might need to explore what you think would have happened had things gone to plan.

Don’t offer excuses: share explanations.

True or False

It’s true that binary questions – yes or no, true or false, A or B – could feature in a viva as a means of simply qualifying details.

It’s a false expectation to think binary questions are the dominant format of the viva though.

The viva is a discussion, not a quiz. Engaging well at yours means sharing responses to questions, not merely providing short answers.

The Questions You Want

Take ten minutes to write down any questions you really want your examiners to ask.

Take twenty minutes to write down keywords for each question to capture ideas of what you might say in response.

Take thirty minutes to sit, think and maybe write about what this is telling you.

 

It’s common for PhD candidates to have a sense of questions they don’t want to be asked in the viva.

Flip that feeling. What do you want to be asked?

Or, perhaps when you reflect, what do you want to share with your examiners? What would you say? And what does that mean?

Respond Well

Two words that really summarise what you need to do in the viva.

Respond: you don’t have to have an answer for every question. You may or may not have an idea or opinion that’s fully formed. The viva is a discussion, not an interview, not a quiz. You respond to questions, offering what you can…

Well: …and it has to be your best thinking in that moment. Whatever you remember, know or can piece together needs to be shared clearly. You need to pause and think about what your examiners are really asking, so that you can meet the expectations of their question or comment.

Respond well. Pause, think, speak.

Motivations & Questions

There are three things your examiners have to do in your viva:

  • Explore your significant original contribution;
  • Unpick the hows and whys of your research;
  • Examine your capability as a researcher.

They have to do this. There’s a lot to talk about and a lot that could be brought up through the discussion, but as a starting point, consider how you would respond to these three questions:

  • Why would someone value your research?
  • How did you solve a difficult problem in your PhD journey?
  • What can you recognise as an area of growth in your ability?

Each question corresponds to a point from above; there’s more to ask, more to say and these are just starting points. But what would you say?

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