Who Is It For?

Who does your significant original contribution matter the most to? Does your explanation of your research change depending on your audience?

Reflect on who your work is for and what it might mean to different groups of people. This could help a lot when it comes to unpacking and explaining your research to your examiners.

 

PS: Need more ideas for reflecting on your research? Check out the latest issue of Viva Survivors Select, my curated viva help zine that digs into the Viva Survivors archive!

Who Is It For?

Your thesis is not written for your examiners. You have to write it for your PhD and your examiners have to read it to examine you. It’s not written for them – the goal is to make a contribution to knowledge.

You don’t learn about viva expectations so you have a template you’re trying to complete. You’re learning more so that you can prepare well. You’re not trying to meet some ideal for your examiners.

Your prep is not done for your examiners. It’s for you. You want to be at your best, ready, refreshed, feeling confident – but that’s not for them. You want to to feel ready for you.

Remember to keep the focus where it needs to be for the viva.