How to Prepare for Your Viva

Finishing your thesis is a major milestone, but it’s not the end. Suddenly, you have to start thinking about your viva, which is a completely different challenge. You might not relish the thought of reading your thesis again, but preparation is vital. As Professor Iain H. Woodhouse advises, “Do not assume that just because you wrote the thing that you can go into an examination and still sound like you wrote it.”¹

In the viva, you need to look at your research from different perspectives. The document itself is written in a linear way, but your examiners are approaching it differently, from 360 degrees. Indeed, they can approach it any way they like, which is why a viva can be challenging. Understanding your thesis means fully grasping the arguments, recognising its strengths, and also identifying its flaws.

Even though you’ve been intimately acquainted with your thesis for many years, there will still be murky areas that you’ve blanked out, or sections that no longer make sense. After submission, you suddenly get more perspective on your research project and can assess it more realistically and uncomfortably. Your thinking has probably changed in some areas, too. That’s absolutely fine. One of the purposes of the viva is to get you to reflect on your development as a researcher. What would you do differently if (heaven forbid) you embarked upon another PhD?

The 7 Steps for Viva Preparation

Step 1 - Reread your thesis

One of the biggest complaints from examiners is that the candidate is unfamiliar with their own work. This is either because it was written by AI, or they haven’t looked at it properly since submission. Even if you run out of time for more thorough preparation, make sure you read your thesis from cover to cover. You need to approach it in the same way as your examiners. Be systematic: don’t jump around and focus on your favourite bits. This is excruciating, but essential.

Step 2 - Flag problem areas

As you reread your thesis, you’ll probably find errors, gaps, and horrible writing. This is completely normal. After all, your thesis isn’t a publication, it’s part of an examination. You’re assessed on your significant and original contribution to knowledge, not the elegance of your prose. Make a note of any problem areas, then move on. Mark them with a page flag or a comment so you can return to them later. Don’t become fixated with that problem right now. Your task here is to effectively audit your thesis and work out what you need to do afterwards. Your examiners will almost certainly focus on those problem areas, so that’s where you need to prepare most thoroughly.

Step 3 - Review the key literature

Unfortunately, it’s not enough to have a thorough understanding of your thesis. You also need to demonstrate an awareness of how your project relates to the wider research context. Imagine your thesis is a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Before you can place that piece, you need to understand the shape of the other pieces that surround it. Of course, that jigsaw puzzle doesn’t remain static, so you’re constantly assessing those contours to ensure your thesis is still the right shape. You’ve already done a literature review, but now you need to review your literature so you can defend your contribution. It’s not about rereading everything you cited. Instead, identify the most important authors and sources that support your argument and justify your gap.

Step 4 - Check the latest literature

Annoyingly, fellow scholars will keep publishing books and articles, even after you’ve submitted your thesis. Your literature review is an ongoing debate. You don’t have to update your thesis with the latest research, but you might be expected to discuss it at your viva. Examiners could ask how a specific paper impacts upon your findings. Don’t try to read everything, as you don’t have time. Also, you don’t want to fill your head with everyone else’s ideas ahead of your viva. Select the three most important or influential publications. For instance, if a key theorist has published since submission, you need to familiarise yourself with this work. Or if there’s been a breakthrough or a challenge to established thinking in your field, identify the most important discussion that you can consult. Don’t panic if there’s overlap between your thesis and this new research. It’s very unlikely that someone has taken exactly the same approach to exactly the same topic as you have. Focus on the differences, rather than the similarities.

Step 5 - Explore your examiners’ research

In the viva, examiners’ questions are often prompted by their own research. Familiarising yourself with their interests, methodology, and theoretical frameworks makes it easier to anticipate their direction. This doesn’t mean reading everything they’ve ever written. Focus on their most recent research, as that’s reflective of their current thinking. Look out for areas on which you converge, as they suggest safe territory to which you can guide the conversation. Pay particular attention to areas where you diverge. Those differences are likely to provoke debate. For instance, if your external examiner favours a different methodology, they might want to know how you chose yours. This isn’t about agreeing they’re right, rather it’s justifying your own choices.

Step 6 - Anticipate questions

It’s impossible to predict what your examiners will ask you. It’s about preparing, not predicting. Having said that, you can probably predict around 80% of the questions. If you’re prepared for those, you have a lot more headspace available for that mysterious 20%. Some of the likely questions will emerge from the earlier steps. Note them down as you go. There are also generic questions that come up in most vivas, such as “What’s your main contribution?”. You can find some examples here. Spend some time imagining your Nightmare Questions: what are you hoping the examiners won’t ask you?

Step 7 - Practice, practice, practice!

Once you’ve identified those questions, you need to start practising your answers. It’s important that you don’t use exactly the same questions each time, though. The more difficult and random the question, the better. When you learn a foreign language, you have to get used to the fact that people don’t ask questions in exactly the same format as Duolingo. And you need to get used to thinking on the spot. The more you practice, the faster your retrieval, and the more pathways you’ve established in your brain. If you can’t bribe someone to interrogate you on your thesis, flashcard apps like Anki can help. Make sure you include your Nightmare Questions 🦇

Conclusion

Your viva is part of the PhD examination and often proves pivotal. Good preparation can make the difference between minor and major corrections. Following the 7 steps means you’re better placed to talk about your research and you’ll feel more confident on the day. Wishing you all the best with your viva, and beyond.

If you’d like support with your viva preparation, take a look at my coaching page. I can help you:

• Create a realistic viva preparation plan.
• Anticipate questions.
• Practice talking about weaknesses.

I also offer a Preparing for Your Viva workshops that can be booked by institutions.