Top tips for viva preparation
14 March 2017
DPhil Student life
Panic setting in for an impending viva? Fear not, we asked two recent graduates, Anja Mizdrak and Gill Cowburn, to share some tips on how to survive the process (and perhaps even enjoy it).
What’s the best way to prepare for a viva?
- Read, read and re-read. You know your thesis better than anyone else, but make sure you’re familiar with the papers that you’ve referenced too (especially the ones way back from you started 3 years ago).
- It’s also a good idea to do a quick literature search to see if anything relevant has been published in the last few months, especially by your examiners.
- On the blank side of my thesis, I made notes about details of papers which I thought the examiners might ask about but which I thought I wouldn’t remember
- I also noted any typos as I reread my thesis and gave the examiners a printed version of ‘typos’ which I had noted and would correct. My examiners weren’t that bothered (or impressed by this) but I know other examiners have been. It was also useful when I came to do my corrections because I could sort out the typos first.
Did you do a mock viva?
Anja: Yes, my supervisors did a mock viva with me, so ask yours if they will do the same. The questions they asked were quite different to the actual viva, but it was good practice at defending my thesis out loud and definitely gave me a confidence boost
Gill: I didn’t do a mock viva but I did think about the questions I would ask if I were the examiner; I’m the one who knows most about the strengths and weaknesses of my work so I tried to think of what I’d ask if I were critiquing my thesis. I’d recommend that you prepare for a few of the basic stock questions in advance – like ‘why did you end up doing this subject for your thesis’ and ‘why did you choose these methods’? Having a few phrases prepared was really helpful when I was asked these questions as I didn’t panic and it really helped me get going.
Did you attend a course on viva training? Would you recommend it?
Yes, there’s a viva preparation course hosted by the Medical Sciences Division that’s really worthwhile. They’re only run in term time though so you might need to think ahead and book in advance of actually submitting your thesis, but it’s a highly recommended course.
Do you have any tips for picking examiners?
Anja: I wanted one of my confirmation of status examiners as my internal as they’d been positive about my thesis previously. The external was a bit more of a challenge as I wanted a quick hand-in to viva turnaround. My supervisors suggested and contacted people who they felt would be on-board with the general premise of my work and who they thought would be fair in assessing the thesis.
Gill: I picked my internal examiner because they had done my transfer, and my external because they would understand the concepts behind my thesis. I was pleased that they agreed to be my examiners because I knew by reputation that they would be thorough but fair. I did know both of them, although I had never worked or published with either and my supervisor said it was up to the examiners to decide if they thought there was a conflict of interest, which they didn’t.
Did you get any particularly hard to answer questions during your viva?
Anja: Some questions were definitely easier than others and there were surprisingly more on the ‘background’ sections of my thesis than I expected, but having done lots of reading, I felt happy answering them all. If you’ve scrutinised your thesis and are fully aware of its strengths and limitations, then all the questions you get will be fair.
Gill: I did do a lot of preparation around things (like the background) which I’d written a long time ago and wasn’t sure I was that up to date with, but although I worried about this, they didn’t spend too long on this part of my thesis. I did hear myself waffle on when answering some questions, so not all of them were straightforward and required more thought. But in general, they didn’t ask me anything I was surprised by and I did get into a long discussion about a topic which both examiners were keen on and which I’d prepared for, just in case…
What tips would you give someone waiting for their viva now?
Anja: Stay calm. You know your thesis better than anyone else, so be confident and try and enjoy it! Make sure you’re familiar with any recent literature relating to your thesis and any relevant publications by your examiners. By this point you know your thesis inside out, you’ll be fine!
Gill: Don’t worry about forgetting everything in the gap between submission and your viva! When you submit you know your thesis inside out but you are also probably a bit bored by it. Although it was a bit tricky to rev myself up again to prepare for my viva (which was 2 months after submission) having time to reflect on what I’d written (and to prepare for the viva) was actually useful in gaining a bit of perspective.
Is there anything you wish you’d known before you’d had your viva?
Gill: It will be over sooner than you think – very few actually drag out for 3 hours plus! Wear the most comfortable version of Sub fusc that you can, remember that the external examiner might be feeling a bit awkward at not being dressed the same as you and the internal!
What to read next
Wisdom of the crowd: DPhil advice from current students
4 May 2020
Starting out on your DPhil/PhD and looking for some inspiration and wise words? Or part way through and needing some? In our first ever crowd-sourced blogpost we asked Twitter to tweet us answers to the question: 'What do you wish you’d known when you started your DPhil/PhD?'
Top tips for preparing for a fellowship interview
23 October 2018
Getting your first research grant
30 November 2017
Peer support
19 July 2017
In the academic year 2016/2017, a peer support programme was introduced in the department. You may already be familiar with peer support, or have heard about it from your college. This blog reiterates the concept of peer support, introduces the departmental peer supporters and tells you a little more about what activities we have planned for the year ahead.