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Nathan

Confrontation?

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The language that’s often used to describe the viva has unfortunate associations. Defending your thesis could make someone think that the viva is a confrontation and that they have to protect their work.

“Defend” really means support in this context: you’ve done a lot of work and now in the viva you’re doing a little more to explore, provide clarity and discuss your research.

But what if you face a question that shows disagreement? What if your examiners have a different opinion?

In the first instance make sure you understand why your examiners are expressing their view. Ask them why if you need to. What is there reason for disagreeing with what you’ve done or written?

When you know, think about what that means. Is this really a big deal? Is it a minor point? Is it simply a difference of opinions? Does it make an impact? Do you need to do something to defend your work or do you simply need to acknowledge a different perspective?

You don’t need to approach the viva as a confrontation or be argumentative. You can be ready to defend and support your research in a good way.

Nathan

Their Focus

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The two academics who examine you and your thesis at the viva are first of all focussed on doing the job well. They are taking on the responsibility of being examiners and do it carefully.

Your examiners, internal and external, are focussed on exploring your contribution, discussing your PhD experience and examining your capability as a researcher. While they have a big picture focus they have their own work and ideas as well. Taking a little time to understand what they do as researchers can help you to think about how they read your thesis and what they might want to talk about, what they will understand and so on.

 

One more way to grasp their focus is to remind yourself of your focus. Whatever you did during your PhD and whatever you’ve presented in your thesis is the focus of the viva.

Nathan

Every Viva Has A Start

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The start of your viva can be prepared for even if you don’t know exactly how it will begin.

There are many questions people suggest are typical for the start of the viva:

  • Can you tell us why you wanted to do a PhD?
  • What attracted you to this area?
  • How would you summarise your main project?
  • Can you start by giving us an overview of your thesis?

Assuming these questions and similar are typical you don’t need to prepare scripted responses. They are the kinds of questions that connect with topics you’ve talked about many times before. They’re asked to be a good opening, something to ease you past any initial nervousness and into the main discussion.

Some examiners ask candidates to prepare presentations to start the viva for the same purpose. They always do this with plenty of advance notice and clear expectations in terms of length, purpose and logistics.

There are lots of possible starting points to a viva. You can be prepared even if you don’t know which question will start yours. More importantly, you can decide how you want to start your viva and take steps to be ready.

 

PS: got questions of what to expect from the viva and yourself? You’ll find a lot of answers and ideas in  Viva Survivors Select Volume 1, which released this week! Volume 1 is my complete collection of helpful viva zines from last year: eight issues, 165 posts from the archives and lots of new resources – and available at an introductory offer price until 31st January 2026!

Nathan

Fair

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What’s fair or unfair at your viva?

  • Is it fair to be asked questions at your viva that you’re not expecting?
  • Is it fair if your external examiner does something different to you?
  • Is it fair if your internal examiner was the only person available?
  • And is it fair if either of them expresses a different perspective to some part of your research?

What’s fair or unfair at your viva? And is “fairness” a useful thing to focus on?

Worrying about what questions might come up or whether your examiner is the best choice is at best a distraction. Instead, bring your focus on to what you can do and what you did.

Is it fair that your examiners have to examine you after a short amount of preparation compared to your years of work?

Nathan

Unexpectations

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There is a lot that you can expect from your viva.

If you explore regulations and viva stories you can get a good sense of what they are like. Regulations give a foundation of the process and what examiners do. Viva stories describe the pattern of experiences that candidates have.

They give a feel for vivas. As a result, you can build expectations you can work towards.

 

There is also a lot that you can’t expect from your viva.

Stories might showthe range of experiences but you can’t expect a particular viva length or a definite opening question. You can be confident of the work you’ve invested but you can’t expect your examiners to agree with you about every detail of your research.

You can know about vivas but still expect that there will be some unknowns – aspects of your viva that you cannot know until you get there.

You can expect a lot but must also expect the unexpected.

Nathan

Your Research, Your Questions

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Your examiners don’t ask random questions.

They might have some common questions. If examiners typically ask about the methods you used then there will be common formulations of questions that could explore that topic.

When it comes to the deep discussion in your viva the questions will become targeted. They’ll ask about the particular sentence on page 47. They’ll ask you to say more about the summary on page 78. They’ll ask you about the choices you made in Chapter 4.

 

All of which is to say that you and your work lead to the questions you’ll get in your viva. Common, generic questions exist – but they will still be asked about your work. And these questions are small by comparison to the specific and relevant questions that will be directly inspired by your work.

If you want to be ready for the discussion at your viva you could take a glance at questions you’ll find on the internet or be prompted by an AI – but then get to work with reviewing your thesis, take time to create summaries and invest a few hours in rehearsal with others.

Your research leads to your questions at the viva.

Nathan

Beyond The Viva

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We need to do this by… We have to make time to… Oh don’t forget we have to…

I’m willing to bet that these kinds of sentences aren’t just being said in my house! As the last days of the year line up it can sometimes feel like time is running out.

 

There’s a similar feeling with the viva I think.

Time has to be made to get X, Y and Z done. There’s the time of the viva itself, a small number of hours on one day but which can feel much bigger and important.

Then the viva is done. Over. Finished. Passed. Success.

And then there’s what comes next.

 

The days and weeks immediately after your viva are the almost end of your PhD journey. They might be bittersweet. They might not be what you were expecting or what you imagined.

Whatever happens there’s more afterwards. A new challenge like a new year, the same as the last one but unique and special.

Take a little time to brace yourself as you get ready for your viva. You’ll be done before you know it and then you’ll have new challenges to embrace.

Nathan

Basic Expectations

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Here’s an incomplete list of what to expect for your viva:

  • Examiners have training and support.
  • Examiners prepare for the viva in an appropriate way.
  • Examiners ask relevant questions and make appropriate comments to examine a candidate.
  • Logistics for the viva are communicated in a fair and appropriate way.
  • The viva will be a fair and reasonable challenge given the nature of the research, the thesis and the candidate.

And as the candidate you’re expected to have done the work, prepared and have a sense of what the viva is supposed to be like.

Or, more concisely, at a basic level you are expected to be ready.

There are patterns for lengths of viva, common first questions and so on, but the expectations that really matter are knowing that your examiners are professionals and that you are capable – ready to do what you need to do to succeed.

Nathan

Questions For Friends

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Before submission check in with your academic friends and colleagues. Ask those who’ve had a viva what it was like. Look for detail and common threads in the stories that you hear. Ask anyone who might be willing if they can practically help you with viva preparation when the time comes.

After submission ask your friends to listen. Will they be a sounding board for rehearsal? Will they be happy and able to help you rehearse over tea or coffee? (this resource might help!) Do they have any other insights into viva prep that might help you? And do they have any insight into your examiners’ work that might help you prepare well?

After the viva ask your friends to celebrate!

And in the future ask any friends or colleagues who are approaching submission if they need any help or advice. Help make a better community for getting ready for the viva.

Nathan

Hope and the Viva

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You can hope that your viva won’t be too long – but be prepared to engage for as long as is required.

You can hope you don’t get corrections – but know that the most common outcome is minor corrections and know what’s involved.

You can hope your preparations are enough – but perhaps it’s better to do the work and feel certain that you are as ready as you need to be.

There is a place for hope in the viva process. I think that comes after you’ve done the work and have a feeling you’ve done all you can to be ready.

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