1. Preparing for your Viva
What is it?
What can you expect?

2. What is the purpose of a viva?
This an opportunity for the examiners to check:
whether it is your own work
whether you understand what you did
whether it is worth a PhD (i.e. is a contribution to knowledge)

3. What makes a successful viva?
Rationale
Explain and justify
Knowing the types of questions
Knowing your own thesis thoroughly

4. Preparation: before your viva
Put your thesis away for a week or two after submission

5. Preparation: before your viva
After your mini break…
Re-read your thesis
Summarise
Be familiar with references
Think about viva questions

6. Anticipated questions......
You could be asked about your:
methods of data collection and analysis
justifications for choosing such methods and data analysis
central research question
approach to the research – underlying philosophy
field of study more generally

7. More anticipated questions….
You could be asked about the:
data
findings/conclusions
contribution to the field
limitations and where next
literature

8. Viva views and opinions
erience

9. What has your thesis contributed to our knowledge in this field?
Exercise one
What has your thesis contributed to our knowledge in this field?
Working in groups of 2 or 3 each answer this question in 3 minutes

10. Preparation: on the day
Bring in your thesis
List of your anticipated questions and how you might respond to them
Any notes you made in revision
Room number and time of your viva

11. Who will be there (normally):
2 examiners – an internal and an external.
Your supervisor (main in the case of 2 or this can be negotiated)
Depending on your department you may have an independent ‘Chair’ or ‘Examinations Advisor’

12. The viva process Usually between 2 and 3 hours
Examiners will ask you questions (similar to a job interview)
You will do all the answering of questions and defending your thesis

13. Think of your viva as a conversation where...
You explain (and defend) what you’ve done
You can ask for clarification if you don’t understand a question

14. Some things to remember about competent researchers
They recognise, anticipate, acknowledge and overcome weaknesses
They know how to sell their research and are positive about the work they have carried out

15. Exercise two
A mock viva

16. Outcomes Award degree in question Pass with minor corrections
Resubmission of thesis
Award lower qualification (the degrees of MPhil or the appropriate Masters degree by Research may be awarded)
Failing the candidate

17. The Viva https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7ihcJk2sKY

18. 5 Top Tips

19. Number One
Your examiners want you to do well, they will be fair but rigorous

20. Number Two
You are the expert in this field

21. Number Three
Preparation, preparation, preparation.

22. Number Four
If you don’t know your thesis the night before your viva you never will

23. Number Five
Expect the unexpected

24. Extra Footage

25. And finally....
Good Luck