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Tag: viva process

Nathan

Simple & Easy

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These two words are not equivalent.

A question might be simple to understand but your response won’t be easy to unpack.

You might have a simple explanation for some of your research results but the work to get to that realisation will have been anything but easy.

And your examiners might ask some simple questions to start your viva – “Can you summarise X?” or “Why did you explore this area?” – but know that your thoughtful response will be anything but easy.

The challenge of the viva is relatively simple to explain. The work you’ll do at the viva will not be easy.

 

PS: Looking for more viva help? Then check out tomorrow’s live Viva Survivor webinar where I’ll share viva help for three hours! You’ll get four-week access to a recording of the session and follow-up materials too. There’s more information at the link and registration closes this afternoon. Thanks for reading!

Nathan

On Track

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What might it take to convince you that you’re on track to succeed at your PhD?

If you have questions about viva regulations and the process then information is available (from many sources) to satisfy your questions. If you need to finish your thesis or research then time, work and support will help remove those obstacles. Or if you’re done with all of that but need to get ready then there’s a wealth of ideas on good viva prep.

But if you have all of this and you need confidence – something to help you feel certain – then perhaps the only place to find that help is from yourself.

You need to look back, reflect, consider and recognise how you’ve got as far as you have. You did all of that so you can do the work needed at your viva.

You are undoubtedly on track to succeed.

 

PS: I’ll share a lot more about the viva process and confidence at my live 3-hour Viva Survivor webinar this Wednesday 25th March 2026! You’ll get four-week access to a recording of the session and follow-up materials too. Registration closes tomorrow afternoon and there’s more information at the link. Please get in touch if you have any questions or want to know more. Thanks for reading!

Nathan

Who Knows?

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If you and your examiners all know about something then you can talk with the same reference points.

If you know something and your examiners don’t then you might have to explain something to them so that you can have a fruitful discussion.

If your examiners know something and you don’t then you will benefit from being ready to ask questions so that you know more and can respond to their questions.

Neither you nor your examiners can know everything! There might be topics or questions where no-one knows the truth and none of you have given much thought to it previously. That doesn’t mean you can’t take the opportunity of the viva to use what you do know to consider and discuss.

Whatever you or your examiners know or don’t know, because the viva is a conversation you have space to think, ask questions, offer ideas and make the most of the opportunity.

 

Inspired by thinking about the Johari Window model!

Nathan

No Tricks, No Traps

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That’s what you can expect most of all from your examiners. They’re not there to ask awkward or difficult questions to catch you out. Their questions are always asked with real purpose. They want to hear what you think, what you know, what you understand and what you can do.

They don’t want to catch you out. They don’t want to haze you or break you. They don’t want to find the edges of your capability and test you that way. Every question they ask is an opportunity for you to demonstrate what you can do. Every question is one more chance for you to keep going and keep showing what your research is all about.

No tricks, no traps – just opportunities to shine.

Nathan

Expecting Corrections

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When I share viva expectations with PhD candidates I emphasise that they can expect some corrections.

Most candidates get asked to complete some after the viva. They’ve not failed. They’ve not missed something. They’ve not been careless or lazy or ignorant.

Writing anything is hard. Writing a book is really hard. Writing a book for the first time – which is something that the vast majority of PhD candidates are doing when they produce a thesis – is really, really hard!

Corrections, for the most part, are a chance to make small improvements for accuracy and clarity. They are, relatively speaking, only a little more work in the weeks after the viva. It makes sense to check the regulations of your institution to get a sense of how much time you’ll have to complete them. Check to see what the formal process is like. Talk with others to see the scale of corrections they received.

And above all expect that you’ll have some to do when you’ve finished your viva.

One more step.

Nathan

Share Your Experiences

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Tell other people about your PhD journey.

Tell people working towards a similar submission date to you to share stories, advice and ideas. Tell those with further to go so that they get a sense of what the journey is like and what they can think ahead and plan for.

Share what it’s like to write up your thesis, what worked for you and what didn’t.

Share your prep plans and how they worked (or didn’t!).

Afterwards, tell others about your viva experience to help them have good expectations for their viva.

And let them know what it was like to complete corrections and the end of the PhD process.

Share your experiences with others so that they can know they’re not alone. Their research and thesis might be unique but they are not the first to do a PhD or have a viva.

Nathan

People Like Us

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Seth Godin defines culture as “people like us do things like this.”

This relates to the viva in lots of ways.

Some academic culture comes from rules. The regulations describe how things must be done in a formal way. General viva experiences follow stories: past experiences are shared, become embedded and then show up as general expectations. Examiners and candidates do things in a certain way because past examiners and candidates have done it before.

More particular viva experiences can become an expectation too. The culture in a department could lead to presentations as viva starters, a particular opening question, a way of communicating results or even celebrating success.

“People like us do things like this.” It’s important to figure out the things that people do – and remind yourself that you’re included in that definition. People like YOU do things like this – including succeed at your viva.

Nathan

Listening

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It’s a big part of the viva.

There are no gotcha questions and hazing remarks. Your examiners are there to listen and they’ve giving you opportunities to speak about your work, your PhD journey and yourself.

They’re there to listen but you have to listen first. The questions they ask and the discussion they prompt are your opportunities to do well. You have to listen carefully to make the most of them.

When they ask a question, pause and check that you understood it. Ask for clarification if you didn’t. Consider what it all means and take your time to respond well.

They’ll be listening.

Nathan

Closing Stages

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When you’re close to being done with your PhD it’s a really good idea to pause and check you’ve not missed anything. This applies to all of the closing stages: writing up, submission, viva prep, the viva and the post-viva period.

As you finish writing up make sure you leave time to talk to your supervisors and reflect on their final feedback. With a little thought and planning you can submit your best possible thesis. Take time to check the regulations so you know you’ve not missed anything important.

Submission should be a happy exercise in following forms and guidelines! It might be an anti-climax in some ways though; one day you’re working hard to finish writing a book and the next day you’ve hit return on a webpage submission. You can still take time to make sure it’s done well.

Viva prep is best when it is personal and planned. Look for advice but do it your way. When you submit your thesis invest a little time to sketch out a plan for doing it well. Aim to remove stress from the process.

You’ve read the regulations but also remember to talk to PhD graduates about their viva experiences. Get a sense of what to expect. If you’re worried find an action to take that will lower the worry.

At your viva pause and think before you respond to any question or comment. Take it slow and remember how you’ve got to this point and all the work you’ve done.

Finally, when the viva is done and you know what corrections you need to do take time to make a plan. Check the regulations again. Ask for guidance on anything unclear. Figure out how and when you will get the work done. It helps to know in advance how much time is typically given for completing corrections and what the process is for submitting your final thesis.

There are lots of stages to the end of the PhD journey. As you get close to them take your time to do them well. Often this means checking details or making a plan – and typically the sooner you do these the more ready you will be for tackling the final closing stages.

 

PS: Looking for more help with getting ready for your viva? Then check out my live 3-hour Viva Survivor webinar on Wednesday 25th March 2026 – I’ll talk about a lot of things to help with your viva! You’ll get four-week access to a recording of the session and plenty of follow-up materials too. There’s more information at the link but please get in touch if you have any questions or want to know more. Thanks for reading!

Nathan

All Or Nothing

Daily Post

Pass or fail. Question and answer. True or false. You versus Them.

There are lots of ideas that imply the viva is all or nothing – and that if you miss something, anything, then it’s going to be nothing for you.

These ideas set up false expectations of conflict and arguing, defending at all costs rather than supporting your work. They lead to stress, worry and being concerned about things that aren’t relevant and don’t help.

You can do better for your preparations than focus on the short, over-simplified ideas above!

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