Daily viva help for PhDs
It could be a nervous time.
It could be a happy time.
It could be a strange time.
It could be a rushed time.
It’s a time of preparing.
A time for remembering.
A time for reflecting.
A time for checking.
Time could pass quickly.
Or time could pass slowly.
You could be waiting or pacing or chasing ideas.
Time could feel odd.
But it’s your time.
Your time to use as you want or need.
Your time to get ready and then be ready.
Viva time is your time.
What kind of speaking are you expecting to do in your viva?
Do you imagine you’ll have to explain what you did?
Do you think you’ll simply expand on what you’ve done?
Or perhaps you think you will explore what your research really means?
In truth: you’ll do all of these and more. The viva is a discussion centred on your research, your thesis and you. The conversation can go in many different directions. Expect that you’ll explain, expand on and explore a lot of what you’ve done.
Don’t expect that your examiners will expose big problems though – or explode your central ideas!
Doctor Important or Professor Amazing perhaps, but your viva examiners are still just people.
They know that exams can be stressful for the people taking them.
They know that you have worked hard. They know you might be nervous.
They can’t take your nerves away but they can create as good a space as possible for the viva.
Your examiners will do everything they can to make sure the viva is fair. Remember, they’ve likely had a viva or similar in the past too. They know what this means to you.
There are three types of people at your viva: those who will be there, those who might be there and those who may be there only if you agree.
Your examiners WILL be there. Every candidate in the UK has at least two examiners, typically one internal and one external. There are exceptions, but the majority of candidates will have two experienced academics examine them. Yours will have read your thesis, prepared and be ready to discuss whatever is needed at your viva.
You MIGHT have an independent chair at your viva. This person would typically be a senior academic from your university. They would act as an observer: no questions asked, no opinions given, except to confirm that the viva has been appropriate and fair. Not all vivas have an independent chair. It’s a good idea to check and find out if you might have one, so that you can prepare yourself accordingly.
Your supervisor may be present at your viva ONLY IF YOU AGREE. If they come they can only observe. No questions asked, no responses given. They could make notes on your behalf, but their presence might be stressful for you. You get to decide if they’re there: if you say no, they can’t go.
Oh! And you WILL be there. It’s your viva!
How will you warm up on the day of your viva? You might not need to perform vocal exercises or physically stretch, but you could:
Or you could simply sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and wait for the right time to arrive.
Have a break when you submit your thesis. Give yourself space to rest.
Have a break now and then when you prepare for your viva. You don’t need to cram everything into one hectic period of activity.
Have a break during your viva if you need one or if you’re offered. Take your time to make sure you keep performing at your best.
No-one else is going to make sure that you look after yourself or check you’re working at your best. There’s more you can do, but at a minimum have a break!
A viva over video is still a viva. It’s alright that there are pauses caused by technology.
A viva over video is still a viva. Practise with the software you’ll use and think about the space you’ll be in.
A viva over video is still a viva. Expectations are different but that doesn’t make them bad.
A viva over video is still a viva. It doesn’t matter if you’re not there in the same room as your examiners.
Who do you know who could help you get ready for your viva?
Your supervisors can help with a lot: setting expectations, hosting mock vivas, sharing ideas of what examiners do – there’s a wealth of support from them potentially.
Departmental friends and colleagues around you understand: they may have first-hand experience of the viva, they could listen to what’s bothering you or even be a part of discussions to help you practise.
Family and friends might not understand: they can still help you by providing a space that you can prepare in, or by giving you time to do the relatively small work involved in preparation.
No person is an island. You don’t have to do everything alone. You might be doing the most work, but others can help lighten the load, in lots of different ways. Ask your community. Perhaps ask early to help set their expectations and schedule support, but know that there are lots of people in your life who can make a difference as you prepare for your viva.
There are lots of questions you could be asked at your viva, including questions you’ve never been asked before! But by the time you get there you will have had lots of practise responding to questions, certainly enough to do well with your examiners.
There’s a lot of pressure on the whole situation, but you have experience with that sort of thing.
You can’t be sure what your examiners will ask, but before the day of the viva you can find out more about your examiners and rehearse for being in the viva. You can’t arrive perfect but you can take the time to get ready.
Yes, there’s a lot you won’t know about before the moments of your viva, but prior to arriving there you can do as much as possible to be ready for the situation.
You need both candidate and thesis to be good for a PhD. Your examiners need to ask you – the candidate – about both in the viva.
What’s your thesis’ contribution? How did you do it? And what can you do well?
They’re looking for clear confirmation that your thesis has a significant, original contribution, that you did the work and that you’re a good researcher.
If that sounds like a lot, remember:
No candidate, no thesis.
No thesis, no candidate.