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Tag: viva confidence

Nathan

Find Your Numbers

Daily Post

I’ve worked with over 6500 people who were getting ready for their viva. I’ve now been publishing this daily blog for five years. Today happens to be the 1800th post.

And every time I am about to start a webinar I get nervous.

Every time I finish up a post I wonder if it is alright.

Every month I wonder if I’m going to run out of things to say or what I might do if no-one wants my help.

I’ve been working in this area for over a decade and I still have doubts. I still get nervous. And that’s OK, that’s part of the process. Over time I’ve found ways to build up my confidence and balance out the nervousness I feel. I’m nervous because I treat what I do as important.

I’m confident, at least in part, because of the numbers I focus on. If I’ve done that many viva prep sessions, helped that many people, written that many posts – well, I can do one more!

What numbers will help convince you on your journey to the viva? The number of times you’ve presented work? The number of days or hours you’ve shown up to work on your PhD? The number of papers you’ve read to build your knowledge of your field?

Find the numbers that will help build your confidence for the viva.

Nathan

What Do You Do?

Daily Post

Here and there in my posts you’ll see subtle hints and outright confirmation that I love games of all kinds. Computer and video games, board games, card games, role-playing and story games. Thematic games, abstract games, little games, big games – basically games of all kinds, purposes, styles and descriptions.

I have a particular fondness for role-playing and story games. I love the countless possibilities when one reads a game and appreciates the intent and flavour that someone else has presented – that is now open to interpretation, modification and enjoyment by the people who are going to play. It’s a great thrill!

In many role-playing games, whatever their mechanical rules or genre, there is a fundamental question asked by the people playing whenever a situation is encountered: What do you do?

  • A dragon appears in the dungeon! What do you do?
  • You try to open the door but it’s stuck. What do you do?
  • The person you’re talking to has answered your question but you’re not sure if they’re telling the truth. What do you do?

There could be a facilitator for the game or not. You might be playing with a group or responding to prompts in a text. You might be rolling dice or drawing cards to influence the outcome but still at some point the question is always, “What do you do?”

 

It strikes me that this simple question is one that helps a lot in so many other situations, even with the viva.

  • You find a passage in your thesis after submission that doesn’t read well. What do you do?
  • Your first-pick for external examiner has cancelled. What do you do?
  • You have a week before your viva and want to boost your confidence. What do you do?
  • It’s two hours into your viva and your internal has called for a break. What do you do?
  • It’s two hours into your viva and your internal has asked a question you’ve never considered before. What do you do?

You might have an idea in mind. You might need to ask someone for information or help. You might not be in a hurry. Eventually, you have to do something. You’re the only one who can do something to move things forward or start the process.

It might not help to consider endless “what if…” possibilities, but considering how you might approach particular challenges could help. More importantly, recognising that it really is you who will have to do something to resolve a challenge, big or small, can help you realise that you’ll need to take action.

So, what do you do?

Succeeding in the viva is not a game, but it can help your confidence to have a winning strategy. You don’t need to play a role to pass. If a challenge presents itself pause and ask yourself what you will do. Then do it and move closer to your ultimate goal.

Nathan

Tell Your Story

Daily Post

After your viva tell your story to anyone who you think it will help. Why you did a PhD, how you got through it, what happened at the viva – share practical help but also how it felt as you were working your way through. Help others see that they can make it through too, that it’s not luck or chance.

Before your viva tell your story to yourself. Remind yourself of what you did to get as far as you have. Find words to describe how you overcame obstacles and resolved problems. Help yourself see and believe that you are capable, talented and not lucky.

Nathan

Keep Going

Daily Post

Survive means manage to keep going in difficult circumstances.

I often tell candidates that getting ready for the viva could be summarised simply as “keep going”. If someone has got to submission they must be talented, knowledgeable and determined. Whatever challenges they’ve faced they have done enough: if they keep going then they will succeed at the viva.

Hence, one could simply offer advice on viva prep as “keep going”.

But…

This advice doesn’t mean “just keep going without finding out more about the viva”.

It doesn’t mean “keep going even if you’re worried or anxious”.

You can’t simply “keep going” if you are overstretched or overwhelmed.

And I’m definitely not suggesting that anyone “keep going” alone when they need support.

Keep going is an encouragement: “Keep going because you made it this far.” If your situation now is such that you need help, support, advice, direction then ask for it. Find help and then carry on.

Nathan

A Time and A Place

Daily Post

You won’t get to fully decide when and where and how your viva takes place. You’ll be asked when you’re free and what your preferences might be. By then you’ll know who will be involved and you’ll know what it will all be about: your thesis will be finished and you’ll be in the process of getting ready.

The final logistical details of the viva are when and where.

When you know the time and the place just consider what else you need to do. Do you need to go and check the room out at your university? Or do you need to think about where will be best at home? Do you need to decide how you will get there on the day? Or do you need to practise using whatever video platform the viva will use?

When the time and place are confirmed, simply think about what that means for you. What else do you need to check or do?

Nathan

The Right Direction

Daily Post

Through twists and turns, over and around obstacles, past doubts and worries you’ve been moving in the right direction for a long time.

Sometimes you’ve followed the path laid down by the advice of others. Sometimes you’ve taken wrong turns before you found a way forwards. Sometimes you’ve moved and discovered it was, thankfully, the right thing to do.

But this progress is not all luck. It’s definitely not only due to other people.

You’ve come so far, moved along in the right direction with your research, your thesis and yourself because you did the work. You invested the time. You persisted through a pandemic and disruption and more.

Whatever you feel now about your viva – excited, anxious, unsure or fine – you’re moving in the right direction. You’re on the right path: to preparation, getting ready, succeeding and beyond.

Where will you go next?

Nathan

Webinar: 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva

Event, Update

A short extra post about an upcoming webinar!

Next Monday, April 4th 2022, I’m delivering my 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva session: it’s a 1-hour live webinar I created in 2020 during the first UK lockdown. Since then, I’ve shared it regularly with postgraduate researchers via universities, and occasionally offered it for people to attend independently.

This is my first independent webinar of 2022. I don’t know how many I’ll deliver this year, but not very many! If you’re in your final year or have already submitted your thesis and you want:

  • to learn more about the viva,
  • or to know what you can do to get ready,
  • or to build your confidence for meeting your examiners…

…well this session could be for you! 🙂

Check out the full details on Eventbrite for 7 Reasons You’ll Pass Your Viva, Monday 4th April 2022 – and get in touch if you have any questions about the session!

Nathan

The Parts of Ready

Daily Post

You need to read your thesis, write some notes, rehearse for the viva and so on. You need to prepare for your viva, but preparation is only a part of getting ready.

You need to build your confidence for the viva; that can be based partly on your practical preparations, but is also done by reflecting on your progress, your success and your talent.

You also need to rest. You need to recharge. You need to relax. Making time to read and reflect can already feel tricky, but you still need a break too. You need time to just be yourself.

Plan your prep. Build your confidence. Rest and recharge.

Nathan

Vision For Your Viva

Daily Post

Recently I was preparing for a talk and reflecting about the idea of “having a vision” for what someone does. My vision for this blog is:

To help all PhD candidates see the viva is a great big manageable challenge!

That’s the purpose, the goal, the reason I keep doing this. After nearly five years I’ve shared a lot – but there’s more to say. I sit down regularly and write because there’s more people to help. That’s why I do what I do. My vision statement helps remind and reinforce the why that I work towards.

Having a vision can help in so many ways. It can help keep you going, help you make decisions, help remind you of why you’re doing what you’re doing.

What’s your vision for your PhD? What’s your vision of your viva like? Reflect on how clear your vision is and think about how it aligns with what you’re doing. Then explore how you can steer yourself more towards your vision. What can you do to make that your reality?

Nathan

Use Your Opportunities

Daily Post

The viva is a discussion driven by questions from your examiners. Every question is an opportunity for you to share your work and show your capability.

Every question is an opportunity for you to demonstrate what you did, what you know or what you can do. Every question is a step closer to finishing and passing.

If any question causes you to stumble, to freeze, to forget, then you’ll be alright. Another opportunity will present itself.

Every question is an opportunity in the viva, but there will be far fewer questions and opportunities than those you’ve already answered, responded to or made the most of on your PhD journey. The viva itself is one more opportunity to learn, grow, develop and show your ability as a researcher.

So make the most of it.

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