Daily viva help for PhDs
Very simple viva directions!
There’s a process and prep, a thesis and a candidate, two examiners with questions and comments and expectations and –
– really you just need to sit down and talk.
Have a conversation. A discussion. A chat.
Three prepared people, one thesis, one PhD journey and a few hours for everyone to do what they need to do.
Be ready to sit down and talk. Prepare, rehearse, be ready.
Plan your prep. You’re busy, you’re tired and you have 101 things to do. Plan your prep so that the work doesn’t add to any stress and pressure you already feel.
Accept your mistakes. Typos and clunky sentences don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Spot them? Make a note and move on.
Ask for help. You have people around you who care and can support you. Ask for what you need and pay it forward when you’re asked in the future.
Gather your resources. Bring together what you need as early as you can so you don’t waste time or focus later. Make a space and a place for doing the work needed to get ready.
Tell good stories. TO YOURSELF. Remind the nervous person inside you what you have achieved, what you have learned and what you can do. Tell good stories about the last few years to help your confidence.
Be kind to yourself.
Read your thesis. Make notes. Reflect on your PhD journey. Rehearse being in the viva. Plan your prep to avoid pressure.
Can we say a lot more? Of course!
Do we need to say more? Sometimes.
Can we make it more complicated than it needs to be? Often!
Plan your prep. Do the work. Get ready. Be ready. Go succeed.