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Tag: viva experiences

Nathan

The Wrong Ideas

Daily Post

Candidates sometimes have the wrong idea about the viva.

They expect that they’re an inch away from failure.

They think it could be a lawless free-for-all where examiners can do and ask anything.

They sometimes believe it’s a terribly high bar to clear, that too much will be demanded from them.

Or they sometimes think that because most candidates pass that the viva itself is a trivial exercise.

There are lots of ways you could get the wrong ideas about the viva. The simplest way to find some right ideas is to learn more. Don’t build your ideas of the viva on doubts, worries and half-truths. Learn about what they are like. Ask people who have passed, rather than rely on rumours. Read the regulations. Talk with your supervisors.

The right ideas about the viva will give you a sense of what to expect, what happens in your department and institution, how people experience them – and give you right ideas for what you can do to get ready.

Nathan

Vivas & Job Interviews

Daily Post

It’s understandable to think of the viva as being “like a job interview”…

  • You dress a little smarter than the everyday probably.
  • You expect to be challenged by the questions you’ll be asked.
  • As much as you prepare, you know you can’t anticipate everything.
  • Like job interviews, it helps to treat a viva as something serious.

The success rate for a candidate is much higher in a viva though – because you’re not competing with anyone else. You’re trying to demonstrate what you’ve achieved and what you’re capable of, but not to be better than someone else.

It’s understandable to think of the viva as being like a job interview but there are better mindsets and better reflections to make of the viva. Understand what the viva is like, understand what it’s for, understand what you need to be and do.

When it comes to passing your viva, you’re the right person for the job.

Nathan

Your Viva

Daily Post

Viva expectations are useful.

It helps to know that vivas vary in length and that some are more common than others.

It helps to know that examiners are prepared and they use certain questions more often than others to begin.

It helps to know that there are specific topics or areas that are regularly discussed in the viva.

It helps to know the ways that examiners direct the viva.

Expectations are useful and at the same time we have to understand that they are not predictive. You can know the range of times, questions and common approaches for discussion but you cannot know which combination you will find on your viva day.

You can’t prepare by trying to anticipate every possible permutation directly.

Instead, listen to viva stories and understand viva expectations as a framework. This is the shape of things. This is what vivas look like. This is what you need to be ready for your viva.

Nathan

The “Get To” Shift

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Our daughter, being eight, says something like, “But do I have to…?!” most days.

Shortly after that, on being told that yes she does have to, she’ll give a big sigh and say, “Okaaaay…” then go off to do whatever thing is needed.

I’ve seen a similar energy around the viva and viva prep on many occasions:

  • Do I have to read all my thesis before the viva?
  • Do I have to do a certain task as part of my prep?
  • Do I even have to have a viva?!

It’s hard sometimes to find words to explain helpful things in “have to” terms.

A few years ago Seth Godin published a short post that always helps me to shift my thinking when I “have to” do something. As a result I try to find a way to think of my “have to” as a “get to” instead.

You don’t have to have a viva: thankfully you get to have a viva. You get to have a viva after years of work and development. You worked hard and got this far, now you get to have a discussion with your two examiners.

The difference between “have to” and “get to” works well to shift my perspective and it also works well when thinking about the viva.

(or when explaining things to eight year olds!)

Nathan

Joining Instructions

Daily Post

Since March 2020, for every session I’ve delivered, I’ve created a Zoom meeting, written up joining instructions for participants, been responsible for hosting the session and had to send all of the information through in plenty of time.

I’ve had to revise the terms of my joining instructions several times over the last eighteen months. I’ve been able to make them clearer, more engaging and also set out expectations for participants. Hopefully they arrive at my session knowing what to expect and what we will be doing more than when I first delivered a session over Zoom: I’ve learned a lot since then!

 

Reflecting on my changing life and work processes over the last two years has got me thinking about the “joining instructions” that are sent out for the viva. Not the links and logistics that will be arranged in the weeks leading up to a viva, but the signals and signposting in academic culture generally.

Why do so many candidates not know what to expect generally? Why do so many worry about the process when there are so many people passing the viva every year? Why do so many not have a clear picture of how to get ready or how to arrive on the day, with what mindset or approaches they could take?

In the absence of good joining instructions for the viva in academic culture, I would encourage you to write your own. Think about what you need to know. Think about who could help you. Think about what you will do in prep and what you will then do on the day. Consider how you will get ready for all of this.

Then write your own joining instructions: a checklist telling you what to find out for your viva, what to do and when to do it. You can do do what’s needed and be ready to join your viva on the day.

Nathan

Fireworks

Daily Post

For a change I want to write about fireworks today.

 

To begin with, a lot of hubbub and excitement beforehand, anticipation at what’s about to happen. Will it be like last time? Someone shares their thoughts based on what they heard from someone else. There’s a certain level of expectations and anticipation.

Right or wrong, fair or unfair, people have strong feelings about whether they like them or not.

When it begins there’s a lot of concentration! Everyone involved at the time offers something, sharing what they think as the event unfolds. There are pauses, lulls, and sometimes things are a little unexpected. It has to be, I suppose, because every time the factors involved are different. Different people, different materials, different day.

And for nearly everyone involved on any given day, it’s over much sooner than expected. The time just flies by.

 

I wanted to write about fireworks, but found myself writing about the viva as usual. Sorry!

Nathan

“Not The Word I’d Use…”

Daily Post

I’ve asked over six thousand candidates in workshops, seminars and webinars, “How do you feel about your viva?”

Less than 1% have said they felt excited.

There’s probably some selection bias there; if you’re attending a session about getting ready for the viva then perhaps you’re less likely to feel excited.

Candidates often feel nervous, which is a similar flavour of emotion; nervous and excited are both a reaction to how you anticipate something, but nervous has a much more negative sense to it. Candidates often express concern or worry: rather than being simply nervous about the viva, they have a particular aspect that they’re focussed on, a problem that needs a solution.

Many candidates feel unprepared. Thankfully that’s a temporary state; work moves you from unprepared to prepared. Work also helps with worry, you have to do something to change how you feel. Preparation won’t help nerves directly but it can help to build confidence. Confidence helps a candidate feel capable – they know what they know, they’re sure of what they’ve done, they can do what they need to – even if they then feel nervous they can put that into perspective.

And, on occasion, preparation and learning more about the viva could help someone to feel excited. As they know more of what to expect they could come to see that perhaps this is an event that’s not a final hurdle to jump or an encounter they need to win. It’s an opportunity to enjoy.

It’s not likely though. On most occasions when a candidate tells me they are excited they hastily clarify, “Er, excited to be done!”

 

You feel how you feel. It’s not good or bad to feel one thing or another, but understand that some states are more or less helpful for you. How you feel cannot simply be changed, but you can work towards a different state. So: how do you feel? How do you want to feel? What could you do to try to change how you feel?

Nathan

Happy

Daily Post

Happy to be there?

Happy to be discussing your research with your examiners?

Happy that your viva day has arrived?

Happy that it will all be done soon?

Happy to have made a contribution?

Happy to be starting something else soon?

The viva could means lots of different things. Can you be happy in some way that you’ve arrived at this almost-end to your PhD journey?

Nathan

Practical Defending

Daily Post

Defending your thesis at your viva does not mean shielding it from harm or arguing aggressively.

(attack is not the best form of defence)

To defend your thesis well you need to know your thesis and research well. You need to know your field. You need to be a good, capable researcher. You need to know a little about your examiners. You need to have rehearsed for the viva with some kind of practice at responding to questions.

And all of these things are neither unreasonable to expect of you or too burdensome to satisfy during your PhD and prep time. You don’t need any aspect to be perfect.

To defend your thesis you need to do the work, be a good researcher and show up ready.

Defending your research doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.

Nathan

Average, Normal, Typical

Daily Post

We can’t really talk about the average viva. We could calculate mean lengths, modal questions asked and so on, but it wouldn’t amount to much.

There’s far too much variety in research for us to make claims about a normal viva either. There are norms within disciplines and departments that arise from specific practices, but they have to be explored by candidates in their communities.

The typical viva is knowable though.

It’s typical to have two examiners, one internal and one external. It’s typical for a viva to be between two and three hours in length. It’s typical to expect everyone present to be prepared. The most common outcome for the viva is minor corrections.

Average makes the viva sound predictable (and dull). Normal implies there is a “right” process for all vivas. Typical reminds us that there are common expectations. Neither normal or average, they just are.

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