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Tag: viva expectations

Nathan

Unrecorded

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The vast majority of viva experiences are unrecorded.

Candidates don’t typically write an account of it or give an interview afterwards. Until fairly recently vivas were occasionally audio-recorded for quality assurance but it wasn’t common at all to record vivas beyond examiners’ paperwork and notes.

During and after the surge to video vivas during 2020 and 2021, the opportunity for recording vivas has grown massively. It’s now possible to record many vivas quite easily with a few software options. My suspicion, based on hunch and anecdotes, is that vivas still are not typically recorded in this way though.

I can see that it might be helpful for some candidates if they were. I am confident that no major objections would be made if a candidate wanted to make a recording to review the viva discussion afterwards.

(I can’t imagine it would be something the candidate would watch a lot though!)

 

It would be helpful if PhD candidates reflected and recorded their experiences after the viva though. It could help someone else to hear or read a short account of what happened at your viva, what you thought and what that might mean.

It might also be a good memento of the day: a reminder when you encounter future challenges that you are very capable of rising to big things.

 

PS: one thing that will be recorded in the near future is my Viva Survivor live webinar on Thursday 5th December 2024! I’d love everyone to be there for the full three hours, but if you have to arrive a little after the start or dash away before the end there will be a four-week catch-up recording you can stream. More details here, do check it out.

Nathan

Not The Reason

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I’ve lost count of the number of PhD candidates who’ve told me that they’re worried about receiving critical questions.

Some are worried about particular criticisms. Some are worried about hypothetical questions. Some are worried about the questions that they haven’t anticipated.

All are being rational.

It’s not that they should worry, more that it’s not irrational to worry about critical viva questions. Given the amount of work involved in getting to the viva – and given the outcome that a candidate would be hoping for – it’s understandable to worry.

As ever, in situations where someone worries it helps to ask why.

  • If you’re worried about a particular criticism, why? What’s the reason?
  • If you’re worried about a particular hypothetical question, why? If you’ve thought about it, can’t you do something to think about how you might respond?
  • If you’re worried about the undefined mass of questions you’ve never considered, why? Is there nothing you can do to change how you feel?

I have a three-word aphorism that I always try to keep in mind (both for myself and others): work past worry. Worry is human, but action will always take you closer to resolving the situation than worrying alone.

If you worry, do something.

If you worry there’s a reason for that worry. If you do something you can work towards the concern being satisfied in some way.

Remember as well that whatever question your examiners ask, there is always a reason motivating them. If you’re not sure how to respond then try to consider the reason for their question in the first place.

Nathan

Defining The Unknown Viva

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Every viva is an unknown until someone experiences it – but that doesn’t mean that the viva itself is completely unknowable.

  • Your university has regulations that govern how vivas proceed. This leaves a lot of blanks for individual vivas but lays out formally what’s expected of examiners, candidates and others involved.
  • Stories of vivas past create a body of general experiences that show patterns and trends of vivas. Viva lengths, key questions, structure, flow, tone and more – there are no guarantees but a definite sense of what’s appropriate.
  • The stories of PhD graduates from your department can help shape your expectations of the common practices for vivas in your discipline. For example, in my department it was very common for candidates to be asked to give presentations to start the viva.

Taken together these can all give you something to expect about your unknown viva: you can’t know for certain exactly what will happen, but given the possibilities you can know that you will be ready for it.

Nathan

Important Future Dates

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Your submission date: it helps to be mindful of when this will be. Check what paperwork needs to be completed for your institution – including notice of submission forms – and also double-check whether you have a specific deadline when you must have submitted your thesis.

Your first day of viva prep: it doesn’t matter so much when it is or what you do. Plan for it in advance. Decide what you will do. Start with a good intention.

The day before your viva: deep breath, final checks, decide on what you will wear and pack your bag (if needed).

Viva Day: do I need to say anything more?

Final submission deadline: most candidates are asked to complete minor corrections. Universities have regulations that state the amount of time for completing minor corrections. Therefore as soon as you know your viva date you can estimate when you will have to have your corrected thesis completed and submitted.

Graduation Day: attendance is your choice, but this marks the date when you’ll officially be Dr Somebody – and that will be something worth celebrating!

 

PS: and one important future date is Thursday 5th December 2024 – when I’ll be sharing my live Viva Survivor webinar! Full details at the link – do check it out.

Nathan

Overconfident For Your Viva?

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It’s unlikely!

Even the most self-assured individual will probably feel some nerves and disquiet on their viva day. It’s unlikely that anything will go seriously wrong, but fairly probable that you might be asked a question you’ve never considered, face a criticism you don’t like or simply feel awkward at being in there.

So I don’t think you’ll be overconfident for your viva.

 

The one dangerous area that a PhD candidate can stray into is feeling that they need to have the last word. That they’re the only one who can be right. That they’ve considered everything.

Your viva is a discussion. Your examiners are exploring your thesis, your research and your capability. You might be the best-placed person to respond to their questions but you are not the only smart person in the room.

Listen carefully, take your time in responding and don’t forget to pause and think!

Nathan

The Right Fit

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Thesis examination regulations are like clothing sizes in different stores: largely the same but with lots of small differences that can add up to a different experience.

If a friend has told you about viva rules, check. If you think you’ve heard it all and it all sounds fine, check. If you checked in your first year and now you’ve submitted your thesis, check!

Viva regulations change from time to time: submission protocols, paperwork requirements, video vivas and more. Particularly over the last few years many, many universities will have either revised or restated their regulations.

Check thesis examination regulations in the same way that you would try on clothes to be sure they were the right fit. You don’t want any unexpected surprises or an experience you’re not prepared for.

Nathan

The Exceptions

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Viva expectations have exceptions. Aspects tend towards certain patterns, like viva lengths and opening questions. A thesis topic, the candidate, the day or the examiners could all have an impact on what actually happens.

Good ideas of viva preparation have exceptions. A mock viva is almost-universally seen as a great piece of preparation work but you might know for you, your supervisor or your situation it won’t be a help.

Advice about the viva follows certain well-intentioned tracks but there can be exceptions. Do this, unless… This is great, but…

Exceptions can be frustrating but you have to grapple with them. If there is a common idea for a typical situation (expectation, prep, advice and so on) then when you meet an exception you have to consider:

  • Is the common idea a specific detail of a broader idea?
  • Is it completely unhelpful to the exception or can it be adapted?
  • And whatever the case, what can we do?

That last question is key. Whatever the general situation, whatever the exception, what can we do?

Because, whatever the exception, we – the candidate, the helper, the person on the internet writing a blog post – have to do something. That’s the only way forward.

Maybe there are no unique solutions but there are also no impossible situations – no exceptions!

Nathan

Substance, Not Surface

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At the viva you are invited into a discussion.

Of course you’ll respond to little questions for clarification and confirmation, but the overall drive of the viva is towards conversation.

It’s not a quiz or game show where the fastest answer wins. Your examiners want your considered thoughts and ideas. They want substance, not surface.

Do the work. Prepare well. Listen to the question. Take your time and think. Be as clear as you can be.

Which is all to say: do your best. That’s all your examiners are looking for and all anyone could expect.

Deep questions require more than surface-level responses.

Nathan

Absence of Expectations

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I don’t know what to expect.

An absence of viva expectations still gives someone something to expect: they expect the unknown, the scary, the negative. If you don’t know what to expect for your viva you’ll probably feel that it’s going to be bad.

I’m always happy to respond to questions in webinars or over email and help people build up a picture of the viva…

…but I’m always slightly sad that they’ve not asked someone sooner. I’m sad that they’ve let themselves get stressed so much. They’ve not realised that there are many others around them they could probably ask for help.

If you don’t know what to expect then that’s your cue to find out more. Don’t continue to sit with the scary feeling that something bad is probably going to happen at your viva.

Nathan

When To Get Ready

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Get ready for the specific challenge of your viva after taking a short break from your research and thesis submission.

Get ready by making sure you sketch out a plan for your viva prep. Give yourself enough time to read and review your thesis. Take time to reflect on what it all means and rehearse for meeting your examiners.

Get ready during this period by building up your confidence. Recognise that you are a capable researcher. You must be: that’s the only way you could have developed as much as you have.

And recognise that while you are preparing for the specific challenge of your viva, in reality you’ve been getting ready for your viva for a very long time.

 

PS: you don’t need to get ready for the viva until after submission. For help with all of the work and days leading up to submitting your thesis, check out Final Year Focus – my 1-hour live webinar running TOMORROW! Figuring out priorities, getting clear on plans, writing up, thinking about life after the PhD and more. Full registration details are on Eventbrite and there will be a catch-up recording if you can’t attend live. Thanks for reading!

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