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Tag: the PhD journey

Nathan

Choosing Mistakes

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It’s likely there will be mistakes of some kind in your thesis.

Writing is hard. Proofreading is hard. Add to that hundreds of references and three or more years of research and it overwhelmingly likely that there are mistakes in your thesis.

It’s not your fault but you are responsible. Your examiners will most likely ask you to correct mistakes as a condition for you passing your viva and achieving your PhD. When they ask for this what they’re really doing is giving you an opportunity: would you like to make the best possible version of your thesis given the circumstances?

Given that you have spent years of work, a long time writing and a very long time thinking, here’s just a short time to make a final version. Finished, for good.

No-one wants mistakes or to have to correct them.

Which is better though: hoping and hoping for the small chance that you have no mistakes or trying your best and accepting that you’ll have some to amend?

Make your choice.

Nathan

Your Expectations

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What do you expect of yourself at your viva?

Viva expectations are often discussed in terms of length and first questions, format and examiner tone – but what do you expect from yourself? What should others expect of you?

  • A good thesis?
  • A capable candidate?
  • Lots of knowledge?
  • A little nervousness?
  • An understanding of the process?
  • At least a little confidence?

Together, you and your examiners can all reasonably expect that you’ll succeed at your viva.

Nathan

More & Different

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There is always more work you could have done. There are different questions you could have asked. There are other ways you could have approached your research.

More and different do not mean better.

They’re just more or different.

As you prepare for your viva, work to find the confidence to acknowledge alternatives but support what you did. Explore and explain the choices you made, easy or difficult, and build the certainty that what you’ve done is enough.

Build your confidence that you are enough.

Nathan

Again & Again

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How many challenges have you overcome?

The viva is one more.

It’s not trivial. It’s not easy.

It’s one more.

It’s not the biggest challenge. It’s not the hardest challenge.

It’s one more.

Prepare for your viva when the time comes and remember: you can only have got this far by overcoming difficult challenges. You can do this too.

Nathan

Steps To Finishing

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There have been many times in the last six months I’ve thought “I’ve finished!” when I’ve been working on an issue of Viva Survivors Select. I’ll be sure I’m done and then remember, oh wait:

  • …I have to create jpegs of all the pages for promoting it.
  • …I have to create a new page in my Payhip store for it.
  • …I have to remember to promote it!
  • …oh, and I’m not even close to any of those because I just remembered that I didn’t do a final proofread…
  • …and I still need a nice public domain image for the bottom of page 13…

 

I’m getting better at mapping out all the stages so I don’t get ahead of myself. While doing so I’m reminded that this is not so different from the closing stages of a PhD journey. There’s a lot of steps you need to check off so that you can finish your PhD.

  • Write your thesis.
  • Definitely finish your thesis!
  • Submit your thesis – having checked the regulations as well.
  • Prepare for your viva.
  • Have your viva.
  • Do your corrections.
  • Have your corrections checked.
  • Submit your final version of your thesis – having checked the regulations for this again as well.
  • Wait for graduation.
  • And probably go to graduation too!

The viva is set up as the end of the PhD, but there are lots of steps to finishing before you’re really, truly done. Don’t lost sight of the end. Don’t forget that you will get there one day.

 

PS: and one more step might be to check out The Expectations Issue, the latest issue of Viva Survivors Select, newly out this last week!

Nathan

The Starting Point

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The most important thing you can remember about the start of your PhD journey is that you are a long, long way from it.

This is more important than remembering your first meeting, the first paper you read or even why you wanted to pursue a PhD!

 

You have done more. You know more. You can do more.

You are more knowledgable, more capable and far better at what you do.

Remember that whatever else has happened in your PhD you have come a long way. You have not got this far through luck. You got here because you are good at what you do. You can build on that foundation to be ready for your viva.

Nathan

Talent, Work and Time

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Success at the viva takes talent, work and time.

Talent means that you’re capable. As you get closer to submission and the viva take time to reflect on what you know, what you can do and how you think. Be sure of how you developed.

Work means you applied yourself. Reflect on what you did. Explore the practical elements of your research, the choices you made and the outcomes of your research.

Time means that it didn’t happen overnight. Remember the time to understand the real effort you’ve committed.

A PhD journey is busy. It’s long. It’s easy to forget or be distracted.

As you get closer to your viva date reflect on the talent you’ve built, the work you did and the time it took. Remind yourself that you’re the reason you have come so far.

Nathan

Understanding Limitations

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Every PhD journey has limits.

In research you might call them constraints. They could have been necessary choices. You might have found them frustrating at the time and their consequences could be disappointing depending on their impact.

 

Limitations can also be a gift: a constraining factor helps narrow possibilities for action. They could help when faced with overwhelming options.

When it’s time to get ready for your viva, understanding the limitations you face – in time, circumstances and even your preferences – can help you to plan out your prep and get the work done.

 

Reflect on your research and PhD limitations to help you explain and explore your research.

Unpick your limitations when it’s time to get ready to help you plan and do the essential work of viva prep.

Nathan

Ready At The Viva

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Everyone at the viva is ready.

Your examiners have prepared. They were selected for good reasons and have taken the time to study your thesis and do the work required. Your examiners are ready.

Your independent chairperson, if you have one, is there to support the viva. They are experienced, know the regulations and know how best to support the exam. Your independent chair is ready.

Your supervisor, if they’re observing, is ready to watch. They can’t respond to questions and won’t ask any, but can be a friendly face or make notes for later. Your supervisor is ready, if they’re there.

Above all you are ready. Years of work and weeks of prep, all for a few hours when you can show what you’ve done. You are ready.

Nathan

Now & Then

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A lot can happen during the work of a PhD journey.

You might face challenges that seemed too big to overcome. You could have realised after weeks of work that you were at a dead end and would need to start again. You could make mistakes, fail or need a break to get your thoughts together.

 

That was then.

Now you know more. Now you know better.

Now you’re not perfect! But you are good.

You have learned a lot and done a lot. You might still feel some of the things that you felt during your PhD like a lack of confidence or a lack of capability.

It might not be simple, but try to remember that there is a big difference between now and then.

In a very real sense you are where you are now because of what you did then.

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