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Tag: viva expectations

Nathan

Terrifying Tales Of Vivas Past!

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How many scary movies have come to cinemas in the last few weeks? How many horror shows have just been released on various streaming services?

Around viva time you’ll notice something about the stories people tell too.

They remember a friend of a friend had a rough time. Maybe it was the wrong examiner for them.

Or that person – what’s-their-name? – whose viva was all day!

And who can forget the story of So-and-so… The year before you started your PhD they failed theirs!

 

Some vivas are tough or especially difficult: there are real tales of bad viva experiences out there, but the vast majority are positive.

Most vivas result in success and most of those successes are vivas that are two or three hours in length, involving deep discussion and resulting in minor corrections.

Around viva time rumours and half-truths swirl about, like ghosts on a Halloween fog conjured from a spooky cauldron – but inspect them just a little, ask some specific questions from people you can trust and you’ll see that that’s not what all vivas are like.

In fact, terrifying tales are the rare exception rather than the typical situation.

Nathan

What Matters To You?

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Your examiners have to ask you about the significant, original contribution that you put forward in your thesis. They have to do this. They have to ask questions about what it adds to your field, how it’s different and why it’s valuable.

In effect they are asking you, “Why does this matter?” – although they probably won’t say it as simply as this.

Every thesis has a logic to it; you have reasons that bring your ideas together. To start exploring yours just ask yourself why your work matters to you.

What is it about your work that made you want to do it? What did you find and what carried you through long hours and hard work?

It’s a starting point – there are more questions to reflect on that will help you find words to explain what you’ve done to your examiners – but as a starting point it gives you a powerful motivation to say more and explore more.

Nathan

Before You Finish

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Before you submit your thesis check and double-check that it says everything you want it to say.

Before your viva day take time to get ready: practical preparations and confidence building!

Before your viva begins spend a couple of moments breathing, reminding yourself that you have done everything you can to get ready and that you have done enough to pass your viva.

Before the end of your viva take a moment to see if there are any questions you want to ask your examiners.

And before you finish your PhD journey take a little time to really reflect on what the journey has meant to you.

It’s more than a book you’ve written or a piece of paper you get from your institution.

Nathan

Viva Day Confidence

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Feeling confident on the day of your viva isn’t a magic shield against difficult questions. It doesn’t mean that you won’t or can’t feel nervous about the prospect of meeting your examiners.

Feeling confident for your viva means you’re as certain as you can be you’ve done as much as you can to get ready. You’re certain your work has value. You’re certain that you are capable. And you feel certain that whatever questions your examiners ask you will be able to engage with them and respond to them.

Viva day confidence is built up through work and reflection – and thankfully you have plenty of opportunities over the course of your PhD and in your viva preparation to build up your confidence.

Remember the work you’ve done. Remember what it means. Remember what a difference your learning and research and effort have made to you. Reflect on the work and all the impacts and you have the firm foundations for feeling confident on your viva day.

Nathan

Forever

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That’s how long your thesis will be finished.

Once it’s done, it’s done.

Maybe it will be a physical book on a shelf in the library or a file downloaded by researchers. It could be appreciated for many years to come.

Perhaps it will only be looked at by a few – and perhaps, like me, you wonder who else your thesis is for…

 

Whatever the case, if it’s going to be finished forever, make it as good as you can.

Do your best when writing it and then listen to the suggestions and requests of your examiners. Corrections are the most likely outcome for the viva because writing is hard. After the viva you have one final chance to make any sensible, realistic changes to your thesis.

Because then it will be done. Forever.

Nathan

Expectations & Responsibilities

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Viva expectations invite responsibilities.

  • If vivas are generally expected to take hours then you and your examiners have a responsibility to be ready for that situation.
  • If vivas typically begin with certain types of starter question then you have a responsibility to prepare for that line of discussion.
  • If vivas are discussion-based then you have a responsibility to be ready to respond to questions – and willing to share your research, your thesis and yourself.
  • If you’re expected to succeed then you have a responsibility to prepare as well as you can – while examiners work towards making the viva the right environment for that outcome.

And most generally, if vivas have expectations then you have a responsibility first to learn about them. Knowing what to expect, even if that covers a range of possible experiences, gives you an opportunity to be as well-prepared as you can.

Nathan

The Cornerstone

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The foundation of viva expectations is hearing the stories of others. Statistics and generalisations only exist because people share their experiences.

So ask around before your viva and tell others afterwards.

 

The questions and structure of your viva are built on what you have done and what your examiners need to dig into during the examination process.

So if you reflect and review what you did and learn more about what examiners do then you can be ready.

 

Viva preparation is founded simply on you continuing to do the work. A particular focus and perhaps a particular urgency, but more good work that you are capable of.

So do the work!

 

Your success has you at the cornerstone. Your past achievements and progress are the basis for doing well and passing your viva.

So remember that.

Nathan

Community Matters

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You’re not alone as you prepare for your viva. Your are part of a research community: your department, your research network and even random people you know on social media. Every member of this community can play a part in helping you.

  • Senior academics, like your supervisor and others, can help you understand what’s involved in the viva. What do they do to get ready as examiners? What do they look for? What does that mean for you?
  • PhD graduates from your department can share what they did to get ready and what happened. What helped them? What happened at their viva? What do they recommend you do?
  • Other PhD candidates can help you to get ready now. Who has time? What do you need? Does anyone have time to chat with you or listen to you talk about your research?

You’re the only person who can go to your viva and meet with your examiners. It’s your viva – but before then there is a lot of support available to you.

And after your viva you have the opportunity to support others in your community too.

Nathan

Anti-Expectations

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There are lots of key viva expectations, based around the typical length, the structure, tone and overall (high!) pass rate.

There are also anti-expectations that are much more particular to individuals: beliefs and expectations that, despite the general picture, something will go wrong this time, for them. Hardworking, capable candidates can come to believe that…

  • …they won’t pass, despite what everyone says.
  • …examiners are not going to be fair, they’ll just look for problems and mistakes.
  • …they just can’t be ready in time for the viva.

With viva anti-expectations, worries are jumped on and magnified. Details from one viva story are generalised. Anxieties blossom through misunderstanding and become something difficult to be shifted.

 

Of course, every viva is unique. It would be ridiculous to claim that every viva is free from problems. But the overwhelming evidence from the stories presented and the available understanding of the general situation is that vivas are fair, examiners are reasonable and prepared, vivas are structured and they can be prepared for.

If you hold any anti-expectations, then look for the evidence that supports them. Is it convincing? Is there even evidence for what you’re expecting?

Or is it better to explore the general expectations of the viva that you can use to get ready?

Nathan

One Last Time

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It’s likely that you will have corrections to complete after your viva. You’ll probably still need to discuss your work with your supervisors. And it’s possible that you might want to do more work based on your thesis research, whether that’s as an academic at a university or just for your own private reasons.

And still the viva is most likely that one last time when you will have a chance to sit down and talk with an eager, interested audience about what you’ve been doing for years of work. Not just a part of it, not just a paper or a poster. Hours to talk about everything you’ve done and all that it means.

One last time.

Make the most of it.

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