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Tag: viva expectations

Nathan

Short Thoughts About The Viva

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The viva is an exam.

The viva is a conversation.

The viva is a challenge.

The viva is a process.

 

The viva is planned.

The viva is unscripted.

The viva is unknown.

The viva is expected.

 

The viva takes time.

The viva is not trivial.

The viva can be stressful.

The viva is typically passed.

 

Your viva might be different.

And if it is your viva will still engage with the format and what’s expected from the viva.

Do any of the above descriptions resonate with what you’ve been already thinking about your viva? What might that mean?

And what do you then need to do?

 

PS: if you want to hear lots more thoughts about the viva then check out Viva Survivor, my upcoming live webinar on Wednesday 25th June. I’ve delivered this session with PhD candidates all around the UK more than 400 times, but this is only the third time I’ve opened up registration like this. A 3-hour live webinar, catch-up recording and follow-up materials all about the viva, viva prep and getting ready. Do take a look if you’re looking for more help for your viva.

Nathan

Unique?

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Every viva is unique – because every candidate, research project and thesis are unique.

Every viva follows expectations – because there are regulations, academic processes and culture that inform the behaviour, actions and responses of examiners and candidates.

It’s possible to hold on to both of these ideas and embrace the tension that exists between them both.

Your viva will be unique and you won’t know some of what will happen until it does AND your viva will follow the pattern of many others that have come before.

Nathan

Everything But That

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“I don’t want to talk about my methods chapter.”

“I’m ready for any questions except something about my bibliography!”

“Please, please don’t let them ask about my interpretation of that paper…”

“I will be OK so long as……”

 

Sound familiar? If any resonate with how you feel about your viva and talking with your examiners then you are most definitely not alone.

You’re perfectly rational: the process and pressures of the viva could easily make anyone nervous about needing to talk about a particular something. It might even make them stressed.

What do you do? If a possible question makes you feel nervous or stressed before the viva, what are you going to do?

You could review part of your thesis, talk with a friend, make some notes, read a paper or ask your supervisor to bring it up in a mock viva.

If there’s something that troubles you then there’s something you could do.

Consider your options and make a choice. Don’t stop at feeling nervous or stressed.

Nathan

Different Words

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The viva is a purposeful discussion or series of them: sparked by your thesis, made deeper by your contributions and aimed at providing enough evidence for your examiners to confirm that you’ve earned your PhD status.

What you and your examiners say helps to move the conversation along. Of course, different prompts and different responses mean different things.

A question has a different impact than a statement. An answer means something different to an opinion. A big general question is different to a finely-focussed small question about page 72. Saying “I don’t know” means something different to a three-minute monologue about something you do know.

Different does not mean better or worse. It’s just different.

Whatever your words, be clear. Be thoughtful. Take your time. Check the details.

Nathan

The Closed Door

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The viva typically takes place in a small room with a small team of examiners, one person and their thesis and their history – and a closed door that screens it all off from the outside world.

There are lots of negative perceptions about what happens at vivas. The perceived attitudes of examiners, the nature of questions, the unlikely-but-possible negative outcomes – these all combine and make many candidates feel down on the whole experience.

All of this is perception though: if you ask PhD graduates typically they’ll describe a challenge but one that’s positive. Maybe tiring, but fair. Difficult but doable.

It’s hard to change the overall perception of the viva in academic culture, but you can steer yourself if it seems intimidating to you. Focus on regulations and expectations. Yes there’s a closed door and two examiners and a challenge but what can you focus on?

You’ll be asked a lot of questions but remember: you did the work.

The door is closed here and now perhaps, but you have years of work, weeks of prep and a few hours to show what you know. The closed door doesn’t mean that you’re closed off.

Nathan

Certain & Right

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Do you feel that you need to be right in your viva? Do you need to have an answer for everything? The right answer?

I think that would feel like a lot of pressure. Needing to be right might also remove a lot of other opinions, opportunities and perspectives from a discussion.

 

Perhaps it’s better to strive for certainty. Take time in the viva to put your thoughts in order so that you are careful and certain in what you’re saying.

It’s far better to be clear in your responses than push to be right about everything.

Nathan

Small Expectations

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There is research on viva lengths and the range of experiences. We could plot out the opening questions of a hundred PhD graduates to explore the first questions of vivas. We can examine the fine detail of requested corrections to see how much work is needed.

We can do this and more – and the result would be a big report that does not tell you what your viva will be like.

Keep your expectations small. Keep them simple.

  • Vivas take time. You can take your time.
  • Take the viva one question at a time.
  • Expect it to be difficult. Remember that you are good at difficult challenges.
  • Your examiners will be prepared. You can be too.
  • Most vivas result in corrections. Don’t expect perfection but don’t expect a lot.

What other small expectations do you have for your viva?

Nathan

Associations

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Eggs. Hot cross buns. Hills. Rabbits. Sunrise.

Easter has a lot of associations. These come from religion and tradition but also from the specific associations that build up in families.

It’s a recurring tradition in our family that we organise little treasure hunts at Easter – I’m not sure how common that is in the UK!

 

The viva has strong meanings for lots of people, whether or not they’ve had one. What associations are you aware of? When you’re getting ready it’s important to unpick what you think and feel about the viva. Why do you think that? Who told you? Why do you feel that way?

Associations can be generally true expressions of viva expectations. Equally they might be part of the local culture in your department, the way things are done in your discipline – or the result of learning of a single bad experience of someone else.

Unpick the associations you have when you think about your upcoming viva. Make sure that the story you’re telling yourself is accurate and helpful.

Nathan

Beliefs Lead To Actions

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What happens if you believe your examiners are going to be harsh with you?

What happens if you believe the viva is a tough process?

What happens if you believe you’re going to forget something important?

You won’t be more likely to fail, but if you believe the viva will be harsh or tough then you’re going to act accordingly.

You’ll be on alert in your prep, looking for problems instead of looking for progress; you’ll be cautious in the viva, wondering when the bad questions will come. If you worry about forgetting you’ll be watching yourself and distracted from simply engaging with the discussion.

Your beliefs about the viva have an impact on how you approach it. Sometimes they place limits where there don’t need to be.

What happens if you believe that you’ve done enough? What happens if you believe you’re good enough?

Nathan

Stress & Tensions

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It’s a good idea to reduce stress ahead of your viva. A little pressure might motivate some people but stress never helps anyone. You can reduce stress by planning your prep so that you aren’t overwhelmed. You can reduce stress by reading regulations and asking others about their experiences. You can reduce stress for the viva by doing the prep you need to do so that you feel more ready.

On the other hand, it will help to accept that there are tensions around the viva – and the best you can do is acknowledge them and work with them. For example, the tension between not knowing the questions you will be asked but still being able to respond. There’s a tension between knowing that most vivas succeed but not knowing your own outcome until the end. There can be a tension between being nervous because the viva matters but being confident that you have done enough to do well.

Reduce stress. Accept tensions. In both cases, you need to find your way forward.

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