Enjoying Your PhD Viva

1. Enjoying Your PhD Viva My thesis Gareth Shaw School of Business and Economics University of Exeter

2. Before the Viva • Understand the ‘philosophy’ of your thesis • Check out your external and internal examiners • Submission and viva date

3. Your Preparations • Know your key ideas provide yourself with summaries of chapters-basic points • Highlight the key parts of your thesis • Spot any typos and make a list • Ask your supervisor to do a mock viva

4. The Viva Process • Examiners will have produced a preliminary report before the viva • This will form the basis of their questions • Viva is to clarify any uncertain points/ideas • An opportunity for you to discuss your ideas in detail and provide further explanations • It is a forum for discussion

5. The Viva Setting • Usually 2 examiners, possible chairperson Sometimes supervisor • Not a test of your memory • You are the expert • Try to control the pace

6. In the Viva • Three main phases of discussion: 1.General discussion settling in period 2. Period of detail discussions-most questions asked here are specific ones 3. End point period of reflective discussion and looking ahead

7. Phase 1 Common Questions • Why did you undertake this study? Or What made you choose this topic? • In one sentence what is your thesis about? • What are your key findings? • What are the innovative/distinctive aspects of your thesis?

8. Phase 2 Getting into details • Questions around the conceptual framework • Questions on the methods used • Questions on the results and main findings Usually now the viva is working through sections of the thesis page by page.

9. Phase 2 Cont. In general terms examiners will look for common links between • Objectives • Literature • Methods • Results • Key Findings

10. Phase 3 • Reflecting back- Would you have done anything different ? • Publication of results • Discussion of areas for further work