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Tag: viva worries

Nathan

Worries Are Human

Daily Post

Viva worries are a very typical, human response to an important situation.

It doesn’t mean that something is necessarily wrong. Given the journey that leads to the viva, the known and imagined aspects of the exam and the hoped-for outcome, feeling worried is a very natural response.

It’s also a first response: a first feeling upon thinking about the situation.

You can do more than just worry: you can ask for help, learn more about the viva and generally take steps to get ready. You can take action get past worry.

 

Worry doesn’t come from nowhere. Something prompts it.

Worry isn’t the end either. You can do something about it when it finds you generally – and you can do something specifically to help with your viva.

So, if you feel worried, what will you do?

Nathan

Why Worry?

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You’re not wrong to worry about your viva.

A PhD takes a long time. Postgraduate research culture builds the viva up as some monumental event. The outcome – even when it is overwhelmingly positive for most people – is such a big thing that wanting to pass can lead to worries for all sorts of reasons.

What will your examiners say? Will you be OK? How long will it be? Will they be fair? Will your viva be fair for you and your needs?

And just what will happen?

Even though most vivas are a matter of a few hours, your viva is a big deal.

You’re not wrong to worry about your viva.

 

But…

…what will you do about it?

Worry doesn’t have to be the end. If you feel worried, nervous, anxious, scared or unsure then there’s a reason for it. By knowing the reason you can then start to make the situation better for yourself.

Ask for help. Take steps. Prepare and get ready.

You’re not wrong to worry about your viva.

If you are worried, what are you going to do?

Nathan

Generous Questions

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I often thank people in webinars for “generous questions” that they ask.

Typically these are questions that cover a sensitive topic or difficult area for them. It might be something they would struggle to talk about in another context or if it was outside the private space of the webinar chat.

I often call these generous questions because they allow me to talk about difficult things. Without exception and despite the specifics for that person, the questions are always related to broader topics that concern others.

  • The specific question about a regulation worry can be addressed for that person and for others who will be worried.
  • The question about what to do about a mock viva with a challenging supervisor can be explored and we can look at other options for everyone.
  • Not knowing how to respond to particular criticism or disagreement can be widened out for all present.

Another thing that’s quite common in webinars but which happens in real life as well is people apologising for “silly questions” or “questions that might not matter much” or “questions that are difficult”.

Of course, these apologies aren’t necessary – in fact the questions themselves are necessary because they can help the person asking to find some peace or next actions to take, assuming that they’re asking the right person.

If you have a question, ask it. And if the response can be applied more broadly than your particular circumstances then please pass it on.

Nathan

Concerned?

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What should I be concerned about when it comes to my viva?

There are two strong words in that question. “Should” you be concerned at all? If you’re putting your focus on potential negative impacts is “concern” a good way to frame things?

At face value the best response a stranger could give to that question would have to begin with “It depends…” If you’re worried then that is concerning. If you feel that there’s a gap in your knowledge, understanding or confidence then that needs addressing.

But it depends: do you feel anything like that?

 

Maybe instead of the opening question we need different ways to frame this:

  • What could I do to make sure I’m ready?
  • What do I need to explore to be ready for my viva?
  • What do I need to check I understand for my viva?

There’s no need to feel concerned for your viva generally. If something is distracting you then unpick why, possibly in conversation with your supervisors. Beyond that, reframe your focus for getting ready.

Nathan

Oops!

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Anyone can make a mistake.

If you find one before your viva, in your research or your thesis then – after taking a deep breath and not panicking – reflect on the following three questions:

  • Why is this a mistake?
  • How did it happen?
  • What can you do about it now?

Reflect on these questions and make some notes. If you think you need to then discuss the situation with your supervisor. That will probably be enough to help you feel ready for talking about it in your viva if you need to.

And if a mistake is brought to your attention in the viva (or if you make one in the viva) then the three questions above will still be helpful.

Deep breath, don’t panic, think and respond.

Nathan

Not The Reason

Daily Post

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

Suggestions, Not Solutions

Daily Post

If someone says do X to help with your viva problem Y…

  • …you shouldn’t do X if you’re not confident it’s a good idea.
  • …you shouldn’t do X if you don’t think it will meet your needs.
  • …you shouldn’t do X if your problem was Z rather than Y!
  • …you shouldn’t do nothing either if X seems like it won’t meet your needs.

Advice isn’t an order. Advice is an option. Assuming that anyone you look to for help is offering it with good intentions, ideas are still suggestions: they are not definite solutions to a problem.

Getting ready for the viva can be a stressful time for many reasons. Don’t let suggestions that aren’t suitable add to that.

If you can, be precise when making requests for help; if you receive suggestions that aren’t solutions to your situation then you have to decide on the next step.

Do you adapt the advice? Do you continue exploring options with the person who made the suggestion? Or do you look elsewhere?

 

PS: I’ll be offering a lot of helpful suggestions at Viva Survivor, my live webinar on Thursday 5th December 2024. I’ve delivered it for university groups for over a decade – to more than 7000 PhD candidates – and this is my first independent webinar. Do take a look and see if it might be a help – just a suggestion of course! 🙂

Nathan

Problems And Solutions

Daily Post

In the last four years I’ve tried various lighting options when I present webinars.

Natural light can work well but only when the sun is shining and typically only in the morning. I’ve tried ringlights and they make me look like a ghost. Mostly I have hoped that it will work out and people will be able to see me.

And none of this matters any more: after my summer break I noticed the new “portrait” option in Zoom. A clever filter darkens my background and lightens me. This tiny bit of contrast makes a great difference!

It’s an unexpected solution to the problem I had.

 

All of which is a roundabout way to my point: it can be very easy to focus on one type of solution to a problem. I tried many lighting options but needed something different. Perhaps the problems you face for your viva have different solutions than you expect – or perhaps they are different problems altogether.

  • How will I remember everything for my viva?! Maybe you don’t need to remember everything, perhaps you need to annotate your thesis effectively.
  • How can I get ready when I don’t have time?! Sketching a plan to break the work down will help, as will remembering all the work you’ve already done.
  • How do I get rid of my nerves?! Why not focus instead on building confidence? Build confidence to offset nervousness, rather than try to eliminate nerves.

I spent a long time wondering about how to light myself for the camera – and realised when I landed on a solution that this was only one way to look at the problem.

If you have any viva-related problems and they seem intractable, perhaps a helpful next step is to consider whether or not there are any other ways to look at the situation.

Nathan

At First Glance

Daily Post

Rescued baby hedgehog turns out to be hat bobble (BBC News)

This news story has been stuck in my head for over six months: a well-meaning member of the public took a hair bobble to a wildlife rescue centre because they mistakenly thought it was an abandoned baby hedgehog.

Awwwww!

 

And because of the way my brain works it made me think of the viva and all the things that are mistaken about that.

  • Candidates mistake corrections for failure, when really they are just part of the process.
  • People mistake examiners for the enemy, when in fact they’re there to do their job and do it well.
  • Questions are mistaken for criticisms, opinions are mistaken for facts and experiences are mistaken for the whole story.

At first glance there’s a lot about the viva that can seem negative – but that doesn’t come from the viva itself. Perception plays a big part and perception can be distorted by stress, nerves, the situation and skewed expectations.

Before you worry and before you act, make sure that you’re considering something real – and not just a metaphorical hair bobble!

Nathan

The Supervisor Wish

Daily Post

Let’s imagine your supervisor could fix one problem you have about your viva. What would you wish for?

  • Inside information about an examiner?
  • More confidence at responding to questions?
  • Certainty that your thesis is good?

Now temper your expectations! Your supervisor, good as they are, is unlikely to be able to simply solve your problems.

But if you know what your problem is they can probably help.

In fact, if you can think clearly and can state your what your problem or issue is, you’ll probably find that you, they and lots of other people can do something to help the situation.

You don’t need wishes or supervisor magic to make a difference to a viva problem.

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