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Tag: viva expectations

Nathan

Patterns

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Vivas are governed by regulations. There are over 100 universities in the UK, each with their own set of rules for thesis examination – but these rules are all very similar in purpose.

Vivas are mostly conducted by academics. While there are typically two examiners in any viva they have colleagues who they talk to. Ideas of what makes a viva “good” or “right” are passed around.

This leads to cultures of thesis examination.

Culture can be specific to individual departments. Academics can have the idea that a certain length of viva is desirable, a certain focus, a certain structure and so on.

So: there are rules for what happens, ideas for what is right and these lead to patterns of experience by candidates. Viva stories describe exams tending to be a certain length, beginning with similar questions, and so on.

Patterns of experience, if passed on, give rise to useful patterns of expectation.

You can’t know exactly what will happen at your viva. Every viva will be unique, but if you ask the right people the right questions you can get a good idea of what to expect – and then prepare accordingly.

Talk to your supervisors, friends and colleagues to find out more of what vivas are like in your department. Understand the pattern of what happens at the viva and you’ll know what you need to do to be ready.

Nathan

Unreasonable Corrections

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After the viva most candidates will be told to complete corrections. For most, corrections will be simple things: amending spelling mistakes, making ambiguous sentences clearer, breaking up long and clunky paragraphs, and so on.

While no candidate wants to get corrections – however minor for the most part, they’re still more work – it’s rare that a candidate would be asked to complete unreasonable corrections. It’s rare that an examiner would ask for rewrites of chapters over a minor point or for a style change based solely on their preferences. Requests for more research have to come with real justification.

If a suggested correction strikes you as unreasonable:

  • Ask yourself why you think that.
  • Discuss it with your supervisor.
  • Decide if you need to appeal the request.

Everyone can make a mistake. You can make mistakes in your thesis. Examiners can sometimes make a mistake with a request. Nobody wants unreasonable corrections.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be asked to complete anything unreasonable, but if something seems wrong to you then know there are options.

Nathan

Supervisor Presence

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There are good reasons to have your supervisor present at your viva.

They can be moral support. They can make notes on your behalf. You could feel like it’s a fitting moment in your working relationship.

There are good reasons to not have your supervisor present at your viva.

You might be distracted. You might not want an audience. Perhaps you don’t have a good relationship with them.

Either way it’s your decision; you get to choose and that’s that.

Reflect on what matters to you.

Nathan

The Long Distance Viva

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A video viva is still just a viva in the same way that an ebook is still just a book. There are fundamentals that we would expect in both cases – a conversation in a viva, text in a book – but features that mark the experiences of a long distance viva or an ebook as being different in some way.

Video vivas require special equipment. There are extra rules and regulations. It really helps if the people involved have had practice with the software beforehand. The distance can cause a signal delay that is awkward at first.

And yet, for all the differences between a video viva and one on campus, it’s still just a viva. Complete within a few hours, very little extra prep, no big differences in what is being done. Rather than focus on what makes the experience unusual compared to previous expectations, it’s much better to invest time in preparing for it.

Nathan

Great Expectations

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Last year I waited for the latest Spider-Man movie for a long time.

I wondered if I would even get to see it at the cinema because of the pandemic. Then I wondered if all of the rumours were true or not – no spoilers in this blog post, don’t worry! Then I built it up in my mind, expecting that it would be good.

The first trailer was amazing! The second trailer was spectacular!! And then after all of that build-up the movie was great!!!

And also over in the space of a few hours. My great expectations were matched and in some cases smashed, but it wasn’t long before reality intruded, work and normal life beckoned…

 

It’s not wrong to have great expectations about your viva. It’s not wrong to think of it as a big deal. It is, of course, hugely important.

And it will also be over in the space of a few hours. Remember that whatever you expect it will happen and be done on just one day.

Your viva is important – and then you have to go and do something else with the talent, skill and knowledge you’ve developed over the course of your PhD.

Nathan

Ask For A Break

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You can ask for a break in the viva.

You can let your examiners know that you need one for a medical or health-related reason.

You can ask for one because your viva is becoming long.

You can ask for one if you’re on campus or over video.

You can ask for one if you’ve had one already.

You can ask for one before the end of the first hour.

If you need one, at any time, ask for a break in your viva.

Nathan

Make Plans

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Make a plan for submission. Set milestones to help keep you on track. Check the details for the official things you need to do. Maybe ask a friend to go with you if you have to submit paper copies and make an event of the occasion.

Make a plan for your prep. It doesn’t take a lot to get ready; if you’re already busy it helps to map out what you will do and when you will do it. Ask for help in advance so you can arrange specific times. Start soon enough so you don’t have to rush to finish.

Make a plan for the viva. Think about how you would like it to go, how you would like to present yourself, what you will need for the day. Plan your outfit and supplies. Plan your space if your viva is over video. Decide on how you will try to engage with questions. Check the details but remember that you can’t control everything: you can plan to do your best.

Make a plan for the short break at the end of the viva. Find something to do in that brief period of waiting to occupy yourself.

Finally, make a plan to celebrate your success!

Nathan

Don’t Prepare Monologues

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Your examiners are not attending a play. They don’t want you to sit (or stand) and talk at them for hours. They want a conversation. They want you to respond rather than recite.

There might be tricky parts of your research or thesis where it matters if the words are said a certain way. Of course, check that you remember them correctly – but don’t expect to simply parrot them to your examiners.

It’s far better to have general rehearsal for responding to questions (with a mock viva or having a chat with friends) than it is to write down and try to memorise lots of possible responses to lots of possible questions.

You need to talk in the viva. You need to prepare to do that. You don’t need to have prepared responses or monologues.

Nathan

Saying The Right Thing

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In the viva, no candidate wants to say the wrong thing. No-one wants to misremember a detail or misquote a paper. No-one wants to go blank and say the first thing, the silly thing, the wrong thing.

No-one wants to say the wrong thing, but remember there might not be a right thing.

Not every question has an answer. Not every question is probing for truth. A question could be exploratory. A question could be to clarify a point. A question could be seeking an opinion if there is one.

In the viva you could definitely say the wrong thing; depending on the question you might not be able to offer a right thing. You can always take your time and offer your best. Listen to the question, pause, think and respond.

Nathan

Stories Beat Statistics

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We can look at all of the numbers for the viva – pass rates, lengths, percentages of candidates told they’ve passed at the start, correlation of questions and disciplines – and see lots of little details about the general expectations.

We can listen to the stories of candidates – what they did, what happened, how they felt and what that meant for them – and we’ll build a real sense of the viva experience.

The numbers help but certainty of what to expect and what to do is only going to be found by asking people about their experiences. Ask the right people the right questions and you’ll know what you need to do and what you can expect for your viva.

Statistics about the viva help, but stories about the viva help more.

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