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Tag: viva expectations

Nathan

Not Ideal

Daily Post

There’s no such thing as a perfect viva. You can be very happy on the day of course, but at the time or afterwards you might feel like you want something else:

  • A different examiner;
  • An opening question that hits differently;
  • A shorter viva;
  • More time to talk about more stuff!
  • Another break;
  • A different date so you can prepare more.

However much time you think you need and whatever circumstances you want, at some point your viva happens. There will be some examiners, it will start and then it will go on until it’s done. You can steer some of these things but you can’t control them. Some of the details of the viva will be totally beyond your control or influence and they might even be not to your preference.

 

So what can you do? Work on and for the things you can control or influence.

  • You might want different examiners, but you can be ready for the ones you have;
  • You can prepare to respond to whatever question they start with;
  • You can find out what to reasonably expect from your viva;
  • You can rehearse to engage with the discussion however long it becomes!
  • You can always ask for whatever breaks you need;
  • And you can, if you really need to, make an honest request to change your viva date if there are extenuating circumstances.

But you probably don’t need more time to prepare – you just need to recognise what you can do to respond well to the situation, however it presents itself.

There is no perfect viva – but then you don’t need idealised circumstances in order to succeed.

Nathan

Think Again

Daily Post

Two words that make up a little tip for responding to questions at the viva.

You hear a question and you think and you have something to say. Think again and check: is it correct? Is it clear? Is there anything else you want to remember?

You hear a question and you think and go blank. You’re not sure what to say. Think again and check: why has this question made you freeze? What can you do? Can you ask your examiners something to get a clearer picture?

You hear a comment and stop to think. You have an idea of how to engage with it. Think again and reflect: is that the best you can do? Is there something better you can say?

Don’t rush to say the first thing that comes to mind. Your viva is not assessed on how quickly you respond to questions but on how well you engage with the discussion.

Nathan

Between Questions

Daily Post

Your examiners make a note. They check their prompts. They quickly confer.

Breathe. Take a sip of your drink. Breathe. Think about what you’ve done so far. Think about what you might still want to talk about.

Just wait for the next question or comment. It won’t be a long time coming. Then you’ll have to think and say something.

For now, wait. Breathe. Relax if you can.

The next opportunity to show your talent is coming.

Nathan

What Do You Do?

Daily Post

What do you do if something goes wrong in your viva?

  • What do you do if you’re feeling nervous?
  • What do you do if you’re feeling unsure of what to say?
  • What do you do if you’re feeling forgetful and the right thoughts seem out of reach?
  • What do you do if you panic in your viva?

The most simple response to any of these is that you keep going. In a very real sense there isn’t anything else you can do. You’re in your viva and you’re trying to succeed. You have to keep going to do that.

 

The simple response is to keep going, but to be more specific:

  • If you’re feeling nervous you could try to pause and breathe. You could remind yourself of something helpful. You could ask for a break to compose yourself.
  • If you’re unsure then you could acknowledge that. Tell your examiners you’re not sure and why. Or start by asking yourself why you’re unsure and take a moment to think.
  • If you’re feeling forgetful then you can take a break to check something. Explain that the information has slipped your mind but you really want to talk about this.
  • If you panic then ask for a break. Find a way to calm. If you can, check what has caused that panic and see what steps you can take to address it.

You have to keep going. You have to do something. Perhaps the simplest thing to suggest is that you pause, read your thesis, drink some water, make a note and talk with your examiners.

Keep going.

Nathan

Crumbs

Daily Post

That’s the way the cookie crumbles!

An old saying which means that some things have a tendency to behave in a certain way. There’s no equivalent saying for vivas, but there are still lots of patterns that tend to be followed:

  • Candidates are nervous – because the viva is really important.
  • Examiners are prepared – because they want to do the job well.
  • Vivas last for hours – because there’s a lot to talk about.
  • Questions can be difficult – because one of the topics of conversation is original research.
  • Candidates are often asked to complete thesis corrections – because writing a book is hard.

And candidates often succeed – because, when you think about it, a person couldn’t work for years and years and submit a thesis without being good enough.

Nathan

Yes, You Can

Daily Post

Can you know what to expect from the viva process?

Yes, you can because there are regulations and stories that describe the viva process. Yours will be unique but you can still know enough to know what to expect.

 

Can you know enough about your examiners to feel confident meeting them?

Yes, you can: talk to your supervisor and check your examiners’ recent publications to get a sense of who they are.

 

Can you be prepared for the viva?

Yes, you can be prepared for your viva! Take time to make a plan and do the work. There’s no shortcuts but also no long and hard tasks either.

 

Can you engage well with your examiners’ questions and respond to their comments?

Yes, you can engage well with your examiners at the viva. You know your stuff, you’ve taken time to prepare and a little rehearsal will help you be ready.

 

Can you succeed at your viva?

Yes, you can.

Nathan

Misunderstood

Daily Post

Confusion can happen in the viva. Your examiners might not understand. They could have read a passage and got a different idea to what you meant. You could misunderstand a question, a comment or the point of a conversation.

Confusion in the viva doesn’t necessarily mean you’re wrong, your examiners are wrong or that something is wrong. It just means that there is confusion…

…but eventually confusion clears. It’s not comfortable but not harmful to your viva. It’s simply a possible part of the process.

It’s possible to actively work around confusion too. Pause to think. Check your thesis. Ask questions and in particular ask them to improve clarity. Check that your points are being understood.

Confusion isn’t comfortable but consideration and conversation clears the way to clarity.

Nathan

Two People

Daily Post

In preparation for the viva there’s not a lot you need to explore about your examiners to be ready for them. There are most likely two people, one internal and one external, and for each of them you need to:

  • Read their recent publications.
  • Check their staff pages to get a sense of their interests.
  • Talk to your supervisor about why they’re good examiner choices for your viva.

And that’s it.

You don’t need to second-guess these two people. You don’t need to predict every possible question they might have for you or find some deeper understanding. You certainly don’t need to be an expert in who they are.

They’re just two people. They have a job to do. They’ll do it well.

To be ready for them you need to get a sense of who they are, what they do and why they’re a good fit for your viva.

Nathan

Find X

Daily Post

I love maths problems that look really simple.

A simple statement that asks a question. A string of numbers looking for connection. A picture with an undefined angle or shaded area.

They can look really simple but require real thought to unpick what’s involved and then find X.

 

This isn’t very different from having concerns about the viva.

If you or someone you know feels worried we have to find the X that is worrying them. We have to unpick why X is a concern. We have to understand what that means. We can then start to think of possible options.

A maths problem typically has a single solution being looked for. Viva problems can have lots of possible solutions; they depend on the person or the situation.

In viva problems, finding X is the first step to a bigger solution. Find why the problem is a problem and you can start to find options for resolving the situation.

Nathan

Whispers About The Viva

Daily Post

Vivas are long.

Examiners ask tough questions.

Corrections are terrible.

Conditions are harsh.

There’s nothing you can do but hope.

Whispers about the viva are everywhere. They thrive because we don’t talk enough about what happens in vivas, at least not clearly.

Silence allows the whispers to creep in: the half-truths, the unexplored contexts and the unsubstantiated rumours.

Whispers can cause a lot of unnecessary worry. It’s not wrong to be nervous or worried about the viva, but the whispers aren’t worth your concern.

Ask more people more questions about their experiences. Talk to your supervisors. Read the regulations.

Beat back whispers with certainty. Bring your focus back to what matters.

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