Wed, 10 January, 2024
Effective Strategies to Combat Viva Stress
Preparing for your viva will help you reduce stress and anxiety.
You're not alone. Every PhD student feels Viva Stress, so if you're getting ready for your viva, it can help to understand what to expect during the viva voce examination.
The PhD Viva, or viva voce as it is also known, is an oral examination that usually takes place after you have submitted your PhD thesis.
Although it is an examination of a kind, the purpose of the viva is not to catch you out or highlight any errors. It is a discussion about your research. An interesting interview about you and your research topic, establishing the strengths and weaknesses of your thesis, and any future research, all to confirm that you are the person who submitted your thesis.
During the viva examination, you will be asked a range of viva questions about your research and thesis by external examiners.
The number one strategy above all to reduce anxiety is to read your thesis thoroughly and make sure that you know your research inside out. It must be fresh in your mind, and it may have been a while since you submitted your thesis.
A mock viva with your university or colleagues is also a great way to make sure that are ready to answer questions on your research question and methodology, as well as any other topics that you have covered in your PhD thesis.
By preparing well, you will turn that PhD Viva Anxiety to your advantage and harness the difficulty.
Viva Stress: A List of Strategies that will Help
Get a copy of your thesis and study it carefully. Make sure you know your research project inside out.
- Practice answering a range of PhD viva questions / mock viva questions with an internal examiner. You can find a list of questions the examination panel might ask online, or speak to your supervisor.
- Be ready to answer questions on your research question and methodology, as well as any other topics that you have covered in your PhD thesis.
- Familiarise yourself with the different types of questions that might be asked, such as closed questions, open questions, and hypothetical questions.
- Be prepared to defend your research and thesis. You may need to explain why you made certain choices during your research, or justify your conclusions. Keep things conversational, but do NOT get defensive and confrontational. Be engaged and interested by differing opinions and let that build into a more well-rounded conversation.
- Be ready to discuss any major or minor corrections that you may have to make to your thesis.
- Finally, make sure to prioritise self-care in the lead-up to your viva examination. Get enough sleep, take breaks, and engage in activities that help you relax.
Remember, the viva voce is an opportunity to showcase your contributions to knowledge. You are an expert in your field!
By preparing well, you can feel more self-assured and ready to tackle any viva questions that come your way. Good luck!
Reduce Viva Stress and Anxiety by preparing well so that you can take more control of the situation. Photo: Unsplash
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