Daily viva help for PhDs
If you’re concerned about saying the right thing at the viva – or worried about saying the wrong thing – then invest time before then in finding the words to share your research.
Write summaries to draw out key points. Review literature that has helped your work. Take time to rehearse with your supervisor or with friends.
The last part helps a lot. You can’t find the words by only worrying and thinking. You have to talk, because that’s what you have to do in the viva.
Before your viva, work to feel more confident rather than less nervous.
The importance of your viva doesn’t change: you feel nervous because it matters.
Your confidence levels can increase though. You can reflect on your experiences. You can remind yourself of the successes you have created throughout your PhD. You can be sure of the improvement in your ability and knowledge. You can remind yourself that you did the work.
Work to feel more confident and you can feel less of the impact of nervousness.
As you prepare for your viva think about a Situation where you did something well. What was the Task that you were trying to accomplish? Was there a goal you were aiming for or a problem that needed a solution?
Whatever the circumstances, what Activities were you engaged with? And when you had finished what were the Results of your work?
Reflecting on a story where you describe the Situation, Task, Activities and Results helps to create a useful narrative for exploring your capability with others. It can be a big help for job applications, interviews or pitching yourself.
Reflecting on a STAR can also help a lot with building confidence. It’s a foundation of knowing that you are good enough.
And you aren’t limited to one story. Find as many as you can and build a constellation of stories that you can look at when needed, to show yourself that you are good.
In your viva your examiners are, essentially, presenting you with a challenge.
Your examiners want to have a conversation about all of these things. Given the level that you work at, given the work that you’ve invested and given the outcome you’re working towards – and what that means – this is a challenge.
But only a challenge.
Just one particular situation that you need to rise to, after a long series of success at responding to challenges throughout your PhD. Your viva might be difficult. You might be nervous. But that only makes the viva a challenge, nothing more.
What can help you be ready for it? Who can you turn to for support? And what have you learned throughout your PhD journey about rising to challenges?
A mock viva or mini-viva is like a prototype for the real thing you’ll experience.
A prototype never has all of the features of the final product, but it helps one to get a feeling for what it will be like. Whether you rehearse with your supervisor or with friends, make some time to engage with viva-like practice before your viva.
Certain kinds of feedback can be useful as you prepare for your viva. By that stage you can’t make any changes to your thesis. Feedback has to be carefully targeted to things you can change.
If you have a mock viva it will help to get feedback afterwards. Focus on the good stuff. Ask questions that you want thoughts on, rather than simply see what your supervisor says.
If you rehearse by sharing your research or having a conversation with friends then ask key questions. Were you clear? What did they not understand? Was anything confusing?
When discussing your thesis with your supervisor after submission, remember that feedback has to drive action. Critical comments or things to think about must have real purpose behind them. If a method could be challenged then how could you respond? If X is open to interpretation then what can you do?
Time is limited after submission, so feedback needs to be limited too. To get good feedback ask questions that you really need responses to – and consider before you ask how you might act on them.
When your PhD journey is finally finished you get a piece of paper. It will be quite fancy with official words and special ink. One page that says: you did it.
Before graduation, before your viva even, you might need something else to help you believe that you are capable. Kind words and good experiences help, but self-confidence has to come from you.
So take another sheet of paper, probably less fancy, but important all the same. Write down anything and everything you can think of that you know is good about your work: ideas, conclusions, methods – whatever you think makes a difference.
Then realise that all of those things are a part of your work because of you, your effort and your ability.
After your viva you’ll have a piece of paper that shows everyone what you did. Take time before the viva to show yourself what you’ve done.
What are you holding on to that you don’t need any more?
Perhaps it’s a drift of papers that you’ve never quite got around to reading. Maybe some scraps of notes for a section you’re not sure you need in your thesis. Or maybe you’re holding on to ideas about the viva that don’t help you.
If you think that vivas are a big mystery, then you can replace those thoughts with real expectations. Talk to people about their viva experiences, read blog posts and find out more. If you wonder what examiners might ask about your work then talk to your supervisor. Again, ask people about their vivas for a sense of what’s wanted. And read your thesis because that’s something you’ll definitely be asked about in your viva.
And if you worry that you’re not good enough, that you need to know more or need to be better, then look back over your PhD journey for the success. Look for the highlights. Realise when and how you have become a more capable researcher.
Let go of the old ideas that don’t help, and find new ways to think about yourself, your work and the viva.
I finish every year of Viva Survivors with a look back at some of my favourite posts from the year. In the coming days I’ll share topics like surviving and confidence, as well as general reflections on the viva and some of my favourite short posts.
Today we start with viva prep as that feeds into lots of areas related to the viva. What can you do to get ready and how do you do it? Here are some ideas:
Viva prep is not a huge amount of work. A little thought in how you do it can make a big difference in terms of how you feel. Tomorrow: some of my favourite reflections from Viva Survivors 2022!
PS: the Viva Survivors blog celebrated five years of daily posts earlier this year! To mark the journey so far I wrote and published “Keep Going – A Viva Survivors Anthology” – a curated collection of the best of the first five years. If you’re looking for viva help then this blog is and always will be free – if you want to support the blog and get an awesome book as well, then take a look at the options at the link. Thanks!
This post is for anyone who feels down at the thought of getting ready for their viva.
And if you feel blue about getting ready or about your viva then it will probably help to talk to someone you trust to get advice or support.