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How to pass your PhD viva

By Rachel Brazil 2018-07-17T15:00:00+01:00

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Five tips to a less painful thesis defence 

In most of Europe, the PhD viva is a formality. In Finland, you get a ceremonial sword. In Australia, it doesn’t exist at all. But in the UK, the oral viva (or, in the US, the thesis defence) is an integral part of achieving a doctorate. In a gruelling two-hour (or more) face-off with internal and external examiners, the candidate must prove they can support their thesis and are ready to become an independent researcher.

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Vivas: because who doesn’t want to be grilled for two hours about a subject they are thoroughly sick of thinking about?

The viva is not universally popular. With little regulation or standardisation, many academics feel it is no longer fit for purpose. And while there are few outright failures, the level of fear and anxiety around vivas is high. University of Bath, UK, chemist Oli Weber, who successfully completed his viva in May, had heard these stories too: ‘that was very much in my mind beforehand, because you just don’t know until its actually underway how it’s going to pan out.’

It was after a bad experience as an examiner that Pat Sikes, a sociology professor at the University of Sheffield decided to look into these stories. She collected accounts from a group of around 20 examiners. 1  The horror stories recounted to her mostly related to examiners with grudges or long-running issues between candidates and their supervisors. However, Sikes herself is not against the practice: ‘I’ve been in a number of vivas where the outcome that the examiner thought was going to be didn’t happen, and often for the good of the candidate,’ she explains. Of her involvement with 160 odd vivas, she says only five stand out as being horrendous.

‘It is very rare for people to have a viva which is a totally negative experience,’ adds postgraduate skills trainer Nathan Ryder. Using his own experience completing a PhD in mathematics, he has created a ‘viva survivor’ workshop designed to help postgraduates prepare. He has also recorded viva experiences in a podcast and created a free downloadable advice booklet.

So how should you prepare for you viva?

Present your thesis well

Make it easy for the examiners! ‘I’ve never come across an examiner who sets out to be unpleasant, but I’ve come across examiners who get irritated by the work they have been asked to examine,’ says Sikes. ‘That’s often because the work is badly presented, and takes far too much energy on the part of the reader and this feel disrespectful.’

Weber adds: ‘Make sure that there aren’t too many leaps in thinking and arguments that you can’t defend.’

Read your thesis from cover to cover

Ryder says the most important task is to read your thesis. ‘Line by line. Don’t skim it, don’t just focus on the good bits or the bad bits, where people’s preferences lead, but really read it.’ He also suggests annotating and highlighting the text or using post-it notes to help find each chapter or important results – this will prevent that feeling of panic when you can’t find what you are looking for in the viva.

Revise the wider field

You may be asked questions around the wider topic of your work, so make sure you are well read in the area, including reading your references. Weber did this for his PhD on thin-film perovskite solar cells. ‘It was really helpful to read through the thesis and the research that we had published, but also to review all the basic theory to make sure that it was really fresh in my mind … I was doing some of this work three and a half years ago.’ Another top tip is to read up on your examiners’ work: they’ll probably want to talk about it!

Practice talking about your work

Some supervisors create a mock viva for their students. ‘I’m not convinced they are useful but a lot of my colleagues do them,’ says Sikes. ‘You are not going to have the same degree of stress and anxiety.’ However, Ryder says it is useful to talk about you work as much as possible and prepare summaries as you may be asked to introduce your project. He also suggests coming up with answers to some general questions, such as why this research interested you and what the results have contributed to your field.

Be confident

Ryder says the most important thing he does at his workshops is try and instil confidence in candidates. Sikes agrees that most people should be justifiably confident: ‘If failure was looking to be on the cards, people will generally have exited before they get to the viva.’ For most, she says, it turns into a positive experience. ‘These people have read your work more carefully than anyone else ever will and so you can have a really good discussion and at the end of the day most students come away and say there were challenges, but I really enjoyed it.’

‘There were definitely some difficult questions but nothing unfair, everything was very relevant,’ recalls Weber. ‘[The examiners] were clearly very engaged with it and quite positive.’ But, he says, ‘I think it’s hard for me to say that I actually enjoyed the process…’

1 P Sikes, Qualit. Res. J. , 2017, 17 , 230  (DOI: ">10.1108/QRJ-12-2016-0074 )

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What is a viva? PhD viva, viva voce, viva process and more

If you are a PhD candidate and preparing to take the biggest step in your academic journey, you might be overwhelmed by the thought of your impending viva voce or the oral defense of your thesis.

Worry not, we are here to demystify the process and provide you with actionable tips to successfully navigate this crucial academic milestone.

Here, we will guide you through the viva process, shed light on the perspective of your examiners, and help you understand how to prepare for this pivotal examination. 

Whether you’re just beginning to wrap your head around what a viva entails or are already deep in the trenches of preparation, this blog is designed to offer you comprehensive, step-by-step guidance.

By understanding the process, expectations, and preparing effectively, you can walk into your viva with confidence, ready to defend your thesis and demonstrate your deep understanding of your research area.

What is a PhD viva or viva voce?

A PhD viva or viva voce is an oral examination where you defend your thesis in front of internal examiner(s) from your institution and/or external examiner(s) from another institution specializing in your subject area.

There may be up to 5 people on your viva panel. 

They are testing your knowledge and thought processed to be admitted into the degree.

Typically lasting for an hour and a half to two hours, the viva is a conversation between experts, giving you the chance to elaborate and clarify your research.

Preparation for the viva can involve ongoing conversations, with supervisors and focused development after thesis submission.

As the viva voce derives from the Latin for ‘living voice,’ let your passion for your research come alive in your defense.

As nerve-wracking as it might be, remember to relax and use this opportunity to share your contribution to your field. 

Supervisors will (or at least should) conduct mock vivas to help you prepare for questions and build confidence. Ask for a mock viva if one is not offered by your supervisor. 

During the viva, your supervisor may be present as a silent observer, ensuring examination conduct.

Outcomes of a viva range from:

• passing without corrections,
• passing with minor or major corrections,
• or not passing at all.

Examiners won’t necessarily spot all mistakes, but they read your work thoroughly, engage in a comprehensive discussion, and submit independent reports before the viva.

Understand what’s expected of you in your viva (Examiner point of view)

From an examiner’s point of view, in your viva, you are expected to confidently explain and defend your thesis.

You should be well-prepared, recognizing that examiners will carefully read your work and may identify minor mistakes.

Keep in mind that examiners may not know your thesis as well as you, so be prepared to clarify and elaborate on your research. 

They may ask some really simple and basic questions of you – particularly early on in your thesis defense.

It is essential to demonstrate your understanding of the topic and address any questions posed by the examiners.

You may have the option to include your supervisor or other supportive figures from your institution during the viva for moral support and to witness the examination’s conduct.

Understand that examiners typically work independently and exchange reports just before the viva, so be ready to engage in a comprehensive discussion about your work.

Focus on showcasing your:

• research abilities, and
• significance of your thesis

during the viva.

How to prepare for your viva exam

To prepare for a PhD viva, follow these actionable steps:

1. Familiarize yourself with your examiner’s and supervisor’s work (4-5 days): Know their research interests, potential biases, and recent publications, and consider how they might relate to your thesis.

2. Understand your thesis deeply (5-6 days): Be able to explain your research question/hypothesis, aims, theoretical framework, methods, and key results concisely. Review all the papers you discussed or mentioned in your thesis, noting their relevance to your work. Address any weaknesses in your analysis, and justify your study’s merit to earn a PhD.

3. Practice summarizing your thesis: Prepare a 200-word summary of each chapter and a 2-minute explanation of your whole thesis. Be ready to clarify your work in one or two sentences.

4. Anticipate general questions : Examples include summarizing your thesis, stating your research question or hypothesis, and discussing your main results. Prepare answers for potential questions from both a general and discipline-specific context.

5. Conduct mock vivas with your supervisor: Simulate the viva experience to get comfortable with the format, build confidence, and receive feedback on your performance.

6. Review general questions and answers (last 1-2 days): Brush up on your prepared responses and make any necessary final adjustments.

Remember, most PhD students pass their viva, so focus on preparing and confidently discussing your research.

Things to keep in mind during your viva – top tips

Here are the top tips to keep in mind during your viva:

1. Ask for clarifications if a question is unclear. Be polite and ensure you understand the question before attempting to answer it.   2. Don’t interrupt the examiner while they are asking a question. Give them time to finish, as it shows respect and allows you to fully comprehend the inquiry.

3. Be honest if you don’t know the answer to a question. Prepare a polite response for unexpected questions you cannot answer.

4. Maintain confidence without arrogance. Display a level of nervousness that reflects your dedication to the process, but avoid overconfidence or disrespect.

5. Keep your answers concise and structured. Use a clear format when providing your response, such as breaking it down into key points.

6. Speak at a moderate pace. Avoid talking too fast or too slow, as it can be distracting for the listeners. Practice controlling your speech rate during your preparations.

7. Give yourself plenty of time before the defense to prepare and relax. You should be in the right state of mind for your viva.

8. Be familiar with the protocols, format, and panel of your viva. Attend other thesis defenses, read your institution’s guidelines, and research the background of the examiners on your panel.

By following these tips, you can enter your viva well-prepared and have a successful defense. Enjoy the experience and demonstrate the hard work you have put into your research.

Wrapping up – thesis viva

Concluding our comprehensive guide on the viva process for PhD students, the final thought we leave you with is this: your PhD viva, or viva voce, is an opportunity to defend your research, a unique chance to demonstrate your motivation, strengths, and even your limitations as a researcher.

It’s important to understand the viva definition in its entirety: a viva voce is an oral test undertaken in front of a panel of examiners.

This panel usually includes one internal examiner from your institution and one external examiner from another. It may also include other experts depending on policies and practices.

Preparation is key when you get to the viva stage.

To that end, arranging a mock viva with your supervisor could help you anticipate the types of questions you’ll be asked. This practice could enable you to put your best foot forward during the real deal.

Don’t be surprised if the viva examination lasts anywhere between one and four hours.

You may be asked to elaborate on your PhD thesis, defend your field of study’s claims, discuss its strengths and weaknesses, and suggest future research opportunities. Your response to the assessment task should be in-depth and thoughtful.

Under the current COVID-19 conditions, many students are having their viva over Zoom or Skype.

In these cases, it’s important to arrange your setting to minimise distractions. Feel free to ask for clarification if the audio cuts out or you miss a question.

In preparation for your viva, review the academic profiles of your panel members, anticipate questions they might ask, and keep a copy of your thesis at hand.

Also, remember that while it’s important to provide an in-depth response, a concise explanation is ideal to avoid going on a tangent. If you’re asked about any weaknesses or limitations in your work, be honest and thoughtful in your response, highlighting your problem-solving skills as a researcher.

You’ve worked hard to reach this stage; now it’s your chance to shine! Best of luck!

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a viva

The viva voce exam is the final hurdle for PhD students, but for most it is also a new and fear-inducing experience. Edward Mills offers one framework to help those preparing to discuss their completed thesis at length

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In many ways, my own PhD viva voce examination was shaped by when and where it took place. Because I was examined at a UK institution, mine was not a public event; it was held virtually, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic; and, perhaps most depressingly, I didn’t get to wield a sword at the subsequent graduation ceremony (although my fiancée did make me a small wooden one).

Many parts of the viva, though, will be familiar to PhD candidates the world over from almost any discipline. After working independently for four years to produce an 80,000-word thesis, I was suddenly expected to discuss my work in depth, with two examiners (one from my institution, and one from elsewhere) and an independent chair present. During that time, the examiners would be checking whether my thesis was indeed my own work, and whether it met the criteria for the award of a PhD.

Understanding the ‘whole thesis’

Like many PhD students, I’d spoken about my research over the previous three years at conferences, but these presentations had largely been confined to individual chapters. Now, though, I had to become familiar not just with (say) my arguments on medieval calendars, but also on how they fitted into my broader narrative about language use in medieval England.

The approach that I took – which formed part of a suite of resources for postgraduate researchers produced by the University of Exeter’s Doctoral College – was based around what I called “augmenting” my thesis. Intimidating as this may sound, it was based around a fundamentally simple concept: turning my thesis from a lengthy PDF file into something physical and tangible and which would be of use to me during the viva.

There is, of course, no single “right way” to do this, but for the sake of clarity, and at the risk of sounding like a 1980s Blue Peter presenter , I’ll outline my own process in a series of numbered steps for the benefit of readers who may be approaching the viva themselves.

• Resource collection: Resources on academic writing
• Viving la viva: how to answer viva questions
• How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guide

An ‘augmented’ thesis in four steps

Print out and bind your thesis. This would form the basis of the “object” that I would eventually take into my viva, but it also has the advantage of getting you away from a screen, making you less likely to skip over certain passages as you reread it.

As you reread, place sticky markers along the top of the thesis to coincide with chapter headings and subheadings. At each point, write a one-sentence summary of that section. These big-picture notes give a bite-sized summary of your argument in each section, and when strung together, they provide you with a sort of “thesis-on-a-page”.

When you’ve reminded yourself of how all of your arguments fit together, start to look for points of detail. This is where highlighting can be at its most useful, if done selectively: I used yellow for material that I thought was central to my argument (and that I wanted to be able to quote back to my examiners) and red for material that I felt, on reflection, would benefit from further explanation. Any sticky notes can be placed along the outer margins of the thesis, which will distinguish them from the summaries along the top.

Record typos separately. However hard you try, typographical errors will find a way into the thesis that you submit. Highlighting each individual one, however, is likely to take more time than it’s worth: instead, I’d advise making a list of typos, keyed to page numbers and suggested changes, separately: this could later form the basis of a table of corrections to be submitted to the examiners.

There are, of course, plenty of other ways in which a thesis might be augmented: one of the main themes that emerged from collaborating on Researcher Development was that doctoral research is shaped by the researcher and their own experience just as much by field and topic. A PhD thesis may have a completely different structure to the one alluded to above; it may require more or less context for an oral examination; it may (whisper it) have fewer typos than mine did. Nevertheless, finding some form of structure in the isolating and stressful months and weeks prior to the viva is an absolute necessity for doctoral researchers, and producing an augmented thesis might just be the way to achieve it.

Edward Mills is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter. 

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How to Prepare for your PhD Viva | Lex Academic Blog

28 August 2022

In the Middle Ages, a student defending his thesis would hope to do so before a crowd – the greater the audience, the greater the glory. It would start civilly enough. Carefully crafted points would be met with equally clever counter points. Soon, however, the debate would get heated, the attacks nastier. The audience would behave as if at a ‘prize fight’, wrote Nathan Schachner in his 1938 book The Medieval Universities . The candidate would find himself ‘impaled on the horns of a dilemma’ one moment, before saving himself with an artful retort the next. ‘The disputations were battles’, he wrote, ‘literally battles of words, just as the jousts and the tournaments were battles of physical strength [1] ’.

In many parts of the world, a thesis defence retains its sense of theatre. In Sweden, you may be asked to literally nail your thesis to a wooden board . In Germany, once your defence is over, it is possible your supervisor will pull you down the street on a mobile throne . In Finland, you receive a doctoral sword and a hat . The public, performative oral component of such systems endures, though defanged and more or less a part of the ceremony for those who have already proved themselves. In the UK, the opposite is the case.

Formality is almost entirely absent in a UK oral examination. In place of the formal gowns and quirky traditions that comprise the stately dance of many European defences, you’ll find nothing but your examiners at a table in a familiar room. And that table might well have on it the debris of university-catering sandwiches your examiners hadn’t quite finished before you entered the room. The almost comical British casualness belies a severe system, where much is at stake. Though it takes place behind closed doors, you might say the viva retains a medieval battle quality – a gentle battle, with an opponent who may even be on your side. Nevertheless, it’s an event where your mettle is tested.

So, how do you prepare for such an ordeal? First, you might prepare strategically by asking exactly how your mettle is being tested. What is the purpose of a viva? What exactly are your examiners looking for? How will they judge you? These questions are surprisingly difficult to answer. Several research papers have found that universities lack universal, absolute standards against which to judge a thesis or examine a viva. The authority to award a PhD rests with individual institutions, and they rely on the expertise and nous of the examiners. Accordingly, when researchers have asked about the purpose of a viva, what examiners are looking for, and how a student will be judged, they’ve found ‘inconsistencies and contradictions [2] ’ and have been unable to find a ‘consensus [3] ’. One sensible way you might prepare for your viva, then, is to read up on your institution’s specific guidance, and talk to your supervisor and others in your field about their own experiences.

A second, practical step would be to think carefully about the examiners you pick. As Keith Noble suggested in his case for abolishing PhD vivas altogether, ‘examiners can, and do, enter bitter and rancorous disputes over doctoral research, and this type of development always leaves candidates helpless and in an extreme state of stress [4] .’ In an attempt to avoid the bitter, jaded, and deranged professor types, PhD candidates are sometimes advised to choose younger, newly qualified examiners. With their own wounds so fresh, it’s thought they’ll be naturally more supportive of the candidates in front of them. Evidence collected by Gerry Mullins and Margaret Kiley, however, suggests that veteran examiners with their longer experience turn out to be the safer choice: they are more likely to know what a student can realistically achieve in three years. By contrast, unseasoned examiners, they found, are more likely to have impossible expectations and need to be reminded that they are evaluating a ‘PhD, not a Nobel Prize.’ [5]

Another of Mullins and Kiley’s findings was that first impressions count. ‘Experienced examiners’, they write, ‘decide very early in the process whether assessment of a particular thesis is likely to be “hard work” or “an enjoyable read.”’ They do this by looking at the structure, references, and particularly the quality of the written work. [6] Does your thesis make sense, and is it presented well? Does it meet the relevant form of university guidelines and has it been proofread for typographical mistakes, grammatical and punctuation errors, structural infelicities, and sentences that do not read well? A badly written thesis tends to be a bad thesis. While this may not actually be the case – bad writing could conceivably conceal a brilliant thesis – examiners have also admitted that sloppy presentation is irritating, and this first impression influences how they approach your viva. As one examiner put it, she has to ‘work very hard at overcoming this irritation [and] this is not easy.’ A badly prepared thesis, she concluded, indicates ‘lack of attention to detail [7] ’. Given a sparkling performance in a viva, a student can come back from any bad impressions they gave in their written work, but it’s a struggle.

At the University of Helsinki, doctoral candidates must ensure that the language of their dissertation fulfils academic publishing standards. If they are writing in a language other than their native one, then they are instructed to submit their dissertation for language revision (the cost of which is typically supported by the faculty). As a general rule, this revision is undertaken after the preliminary examination and before printing and binding, but it may also be done before the preliminary examination. Understanding the specific expectations of your institution, choosing the right examiners, and submitting a tidy and well-presented thesis are three strategically sound ways to prepare for your viva.

You might also prepare for the ordeal itself. Some of the advice given in our blog post on major corrections applies here, too. Visibly marking your thesis copy, for example, and stuffing it with Post-its will help you come across as a conscientious scholar, in the same way as a well-presented thesis shows respect for its reader. You might also keep an eye open for new developments in your field in the weeks leading up to your viva. And identifying and having a view about weak (or weaker) sections of your thesis will help you prepare: work on justifying in speech what you failed to justify in writing; admit to mistakes, and tell your examiners that, were you to write your thesis again, you’d write this bit a little differently.

You might also arrange a mock viva with your supervisor, and approximate this experience by posing yourself some of the questions you’re likely to be asked. Why have you decided on your particular study? How have your ideas have developed during your PhD? In what way is your contribution to knowledge unique? Which scholars have most influenced you and how? Why did you choose your particular methods? A quick google will reveal more sample questions than you could ever answer. And it’s a good idea to practise with these, both to prepare your response to such common questions, and to become fluent by thinking about the same issue from multiple angles.

As you start to watch the clock and count down to the viva – for the final twenty-four hours or so – it may be difficult to even think of preparing. Some find it helpful to re-read their entire thesis in those final hours, perhaps reviewing their overall argument and original contribution to the literature in anticipation of being asked to summarise it. Others will try to forget they have a viva coming up. These are personal choices, and down to temperament. You might try to manage nerves, breathing deeply, collecting yourself before an ordeal you expect to be unpleasant. It’s also possible you might enjoy the viva, adopting something of the swagger of your medieval predecessors, and try to feel some delightful anticipation for the verbal jousting ahead. However you budget your time in the moments leading up to your viva, make sure that the moments following your viva are low-pressure, celebratory, and prepared especially for you.

[1] Nathan Schachner (1938). The Medieval Universities . New York: Frederick A. Stokes, p. 322.

[2] Carolyn Jackson and Penny Tinkler (2001). ‘Back to basics: a consideration of the purposes of the PhD viva’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education , 26(4), pp. 355-66.

[3] Chris Park (2003). ‘Levelling the Playing Field: Towards best practice in the doctoral viva’. Higher Education Review , 36(1), pp. 47-67.

[4] Keith Noble (1994). Changing Doctoral Degrees: an international perspective . Maidenhead: Open University Press, p. 67.

[5] Gerry Mullins and Margaret Kiley (2002). ‘“It’s a PhD, not a Nobel Prize”: How Experienced Examiners Assess Research Theses’, Studies in Higher Education 27(4), pp. 369-86.

[6] Ibid . p. 377.

[7] Ibid . p. 378.

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Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

What is a PhD Viva Like? Sharing Graduates’ Experiences

When you’re trying to prepare for a PhD viva it can be really difficult to know what to expect. Unlike pretty much every other exam you’ll have experienced, the viva isn’t a standardised exam so you won’t find any past papers to practice on!

In this post I’ll be sharing the inside scoop on what a PhD viva is like. Both from my own experiences plus those of a few other PhD graduates.

Preparing for your viva? You may also want to take a look at some of the other PhD viva content I’ve written:

How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva

Common phd viva questions.

Note: Every viva is different, in this post I’m focussing on my viva which took place in the UK. Two PhD graduates in Spain and the US also share their experiences.

What is a PhD viva?

For those who aren’t already familiar with what a PhD viva is, I’d highly recommend reading my full post on How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva . This delves into how a PhD viva is assessed, who is present, the potential outcomes and what follows after.

As a quick recap, a PhD viva (also called a defense in some countries) is the final assessment a PhD student undertakes in order to pass their PhD. The format the viva can take varies from country to country and even institution to institution, but it typically involves discussing and defending your PhD thesis with experts in your field.

In this post you’ll hear about the viva experiences of three PhD graduates, each with a slightly different format.

To get the best understanding of how PhD vivas take place at your university I’d recommend:

• Checking out any webpages your university have which formally outline the viva process
• Speaking to your PhD supervisor
• Chatting to colleagues such as postdocs who’ve been through it

Viva Experiences from PhD Grads

Prof elizabeth bondi-kelly , phd from harvard university, usa. assistant professor in computer science at university of michigan.

What was your PhD viva like? At my (virtual) defense, I had my committee, adviser, labmates, and family/friends. I was fortunate to give my job talk presentation again for my defense, so I had already had a lot of practice with presenting it and being asked questions about it.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? For anyone who hasn’t had that opportunity, I highly recommend practicing to get a polished talk and practice answering questions about it.

Prof Raúl Santos-Rodríguez , PhD from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. Full Professor in AI at University of Bristol.

What are PhD vivas like in Spain? The viva process in Spain varies from university to university. In most cases there are a few previous filters (internal/external reports) that make it such that, once you are through those, most of the pressure is off for the actual defence. The viva consists of a public presentation (usually with colleagues, friends and family in the audience) followed by questions from a panel, with each member asking their questions in turns. Both presentation and Q&A tend to be time limited (around 45 minutes each). 

What was your PhD viva like? My viva experience was nerve-wracking but rewarding too. I remember how the exercise of putting together the presentation with the panel in mind actually gave me quite a different perspective on how to tell the story of my thesis. The event took place in a rather formal lecture room in our faculty. The panel consisted of five examiners (three externals including one from abroad, and two internals), all of whom were experts in my field of study. The panel asked me a wide range of questions, covering both very specific details and very high level matters. Once I answered their questions to their satisfaction, and after a short deliberation, I was given the good news. Overall, I found the viva to be a challenging but stimulating experience — and a good memory.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? In terms of advice, I would suggest to:

• Expect to be surprised by unexpected questions about your research
• Be clear and concise, allowing examiners to ask for more details if needed
• Practice your presentation without being constrained to say the same things every time
• Not be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand and take your time to respond
• Enjoy the interaction with the examiners as they are experts that have a lot to add to your work

Me! PhD from Imperial College London, UK. Research Fellow in AI at Bristol.

What was your PhD viva like? My viva, which took place over Microsoft Teams, included just an internal examiner, external examiner and myself. I gave a short presentation giving a summary of my PhD then about five hours were spent giving suggestions to improve content I was preparing to submit to journals. It was much less intimidating than I was expecting.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? I mainly suggest to not over prepare! Sure, reread your thesis and swot up on any content you don’t feel comfortable describing (for instance certain techniques you’ve used), but I would caution against rehearsing too much: come to terms with the fact that you won’t be able to predict all the questions you’ll get asked.

I’ll be sharing more details on my viva experience in the rest of the post.

How To Prepare For a PhD Viva: The Advice I Was Given

Ahead of my own viva I typically got told to:

Relax and take your time in replying . This is somewhat sensible advice but a bit like telling someone to calm down: it doesn’t always work. Furthermore, relaxing can be hard to do when you also get told to…

Be prepared to answer questions about every part of your work . At face value this can seem reasonable: if you did the work, and deserve a PhD, you should be able to explain your work. Like many of us I heard the horror stories of examiners asking students to provide an explanation of fundamental techniques from first principles such as: “derive energy”!

However, I don’t think any rational examiner can expect a student to be able to answer every possible question about their PhD work. Not least because many students aren’t relaxed during the viva and instead are filled with nerves.

Thankfully, the reality is that examiners simply need to check that you’ve done the work and understand it. Therefore, yes you should be able to give a broad explanation of the techniques you’ve used but you can’t be expected to know everything about every technique.

Once it strays from your work to underlying principles I suggest that you explain as much as you feel comfortable then push back – the internal examiner (who acts as a moderator) should also step in if unreasonable questions are being asked. For more details on what PhD examiners are looking for, read this section of another post I’ve written .

How I Prepared for My PhD Viva

The time between submitting my thesis (14th February) and viva (25th March) was shorter than for most people. On top of that I didn’t spend long writing my thesis, meaning that the time between finishing my actual research and my viva was pretty short (around two months). Therefore I didn’t feel the need to “revise” for my viva. As in, sometimes you’ll hear of people reminding themselves of how certain experimental or analytic techniques work, but it was pretty fresh in my memory.

Instead, about 48 hours before my viva I started to read through my thesis. This is going to sound really bad but this was actually my first (and only) time properly reading through my thesis. No, I didn’t outsource or use ChatGPT to write my thesis!

When I submitted my thesis I had of course assembled all the chapters but had never given it a proper cohesive read all the way through. I read through the thesis over the course of 4-5 sittings. Reading fiction is definitely more fun .

I personally didn’t prepare by trying to come up with answers for lots of potential questions. But if you’re keen to have those to hand, read my Common PhD Viva Questions .

Preparing for your own viva? I’ve created a set of viva preparation worksheets which are available for free in the resource library. Click the image below for access!

Why didn’t I prepare more?

I felt pretty relaxed about my viva. This isn’t because I am crazy clever or knowledgable. In fact, like many of us I’ve felt imposter syndrome, waiting for the moment that my lack of knowledge gets discovered: and if there ever a moment you’d expect this to happen it would be at your viva.

These three things relaxed me for the viva:

• The external examiner seemed nice from the time I’d met him in the past at a conference. Certainly not a sure-fire sign that he wouldn’t turn into a scary beast during a viva but it seemed like a good starting point.
• It was virtual. My viva took place right at the start of COVID and as such took place over Teams. For some reason this felt reassuring, as if I could get away with just unplugging my internet connection if they asked anything particularly scary. Thankfully I didn’t ever feel the need to try this out!
• I had published PhD work in a well-ranked respected peer-reviewed journal. This was far and away the most reassuring thing. As mentioned in another post, examiners have to be confident in all of the following things to let you pass your PhD viva. If you have published some of your work somewhere respectable you tick many of the boxes immediately:

Oh, and I also didn’t prepare much because I was preoccupied with moving from London the week before my viva because of COVID and the start of lockdowns. Unexpectedly I ended up moving in with my girlfriend’s parents. It was rather chaotic but probably a useful distraction too.

My PhD Viva Experience

Who was at my viva.

Unlike vivas in other countries, such as the two international experiences shared above, a viva in the UK usually only involves:

• PhD student – me in this case!
• Internal examiner – an academic working in the same research area from the host university. They’re there to moderate the discussion and check that the university’s viva regulations are followed.
• External examiner – another academic working in the research area from a different university. In my case this was someone who was a leader in the field who came from another UK university.

Optionally the PhD student may ask their supervisor to attend. I’ve known of a few people who’ve had their supervisor there too, though it’s pretty rare and unnecessary in my opinion.

How long did my PhD viva last?

All in all it was about five and a half hours.

This was much longer than I anticipated. When we scheduled the viva to start at 10am I naively expected us to be finished by lunch. Admittedly the examiners did suggest stopping for a break at lunch time but again I naively thought we’d be done shortly afterwards, so declined the opportunity for more than a 5 minute comfort break. In the end we finished up around 3:30pm.

How was my PhD viva structured?

• Introductions (2 minutes) . I’d actually never met my internal examiner (who should act as a moderator) so introductions were necessary.
• Presentation (10 minutes) . A few weeks in advance of the viva I asked whether or not the examiners would like a presentation, and if so of what length. They said yes, 10-12 minutes. My supervisor strongly suggested making it on the shorter side: short and snappy is good and you’re about to have hours to discuss the details.
• Discussion (5 hours, yes, really!) . More on this in a moment.
• Decision and final comments (10 minutes) . I was asked to leave the metaphorical room (Teams call, remember!) and after a few minutes was invited back in after which they told me I’d passed with minor corrections. They gave a summary of the next steps, which were mostly administrative with paperwork, and briefly went over what changes/corrections they were expecting to the thesis.

What did we discuss for five hours?

Before my viva I had visions of it being like a job interview that lasts for hours and hours. They ask a slightly tough or awkward question, you try and answer, rinse and repeat x 100. The reality was really different.

The experience was much less intense than I was expecting. The examiners said from the outset that they were happy with the quality of the work and just aimed to give feedback to improve both the thesis and publications.

The vast majority of the viva was spent going page by page through the thesis covering points that the examiners had written down: not questions, merely suggestions. Very little of the viva involved me getting questioned: most of what I said was probably along the lines of “I agree, that’s a great idea”.

The examiners commented that they liked the [short] length of the thesis (140 pages before references) which may have helped. I was expecting at least a few dodgy questions such as explaining the content of a particular reference or deriving something from first principles. In all honestly I’m not sure I’d have been prepared for some of this, so was fine with not getting a hard time of it.

There were very few questions in general which was somewhat of a relief, though I was kind of looking forward to more of a discussion around the project. There were only two actual questions I think I got asked: one explaining why a particular technique wasn’t representative, and secondly a much more fluffy question of what would I do differently if I was starting again. That was it. I was really expecting more questions.

Every viva is unique so I can’t claim that my experience is representative but I will say that it was a relief to get through it unscathed.

What I wish I’d done differently

Asked more questions myself . The viva is one of the few times you’re likely to have hours of access to academic experts with such a keen interest in your work.

Was it tiring?

A little, just as any meeting which lasts over five hours would be. But because I didn’t feel like I was actually getting quizzed the whole time it was nowhere near as tiring as it could have been. Mostly I was tired just from having to pay attention for that long: I usually don’t sit still for more than 20 minutes!

What happened afterwards?

My viva was in March 2020, at the start of lockdown. I’d moved from London just the week prior and had to cancel the scheduled celebratory drinks with colleagues. So instead I had a glass of champagne with my girlfriend and her parents (who I was staying with).

After that, I got cracking right away the next morning on making the examiners’ suggested changes to my thesis.

My Advice If You’re Preparing For Your Own PhD Viva

• Download my free viva preparation guide .
• Read your thesis!
• Look up likely questions (if you want), here are some Common PhD Viva Questions
• Don’t over prepare
• Be honest. If you’re not sure about something, make this clear. Feel free to say you’re not sure.
• Ask questions
• Enjoy it! Channel those nerves as excitement and make the most of having experts show such an interest in your work.

Do you have any other questions about the PhD viva experience? Let me know in the comments and I’ll answer them as best I can!

If you’d like personalised help with preparing for your PhD viva I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

If you’re currently preparing for your own PhD viva, best of luck and remember to enjoy it! Be sure to check out the couple of other viva-related posts I’ve written .

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This page has been reproduced from the Vitae website (www.vitae.ac.uk). Vitae is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development.

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Defending your doctoral thesis: the PhD viva

Format for defending a doctoral thesis.

Every institution will have specific regulations for the thesis defence. In some countries or institutions, the convention is for thesis defences to be public events where you will give a lecture explaining your research, followed by a discussion with a panel of examiners (opponents). Both your examiners and the audience are able to ask questions.

In other countries, including the UK, the oral examination is usually conducted behind closed doors by at least two examiners, usually with at least one being from another institution (external examiner) and an expert in your topic of research. In the UK the supervisor does not participate in the viva, but may be allowed to observe. Sometimes someone from your own institution is appointed as an independent chair. Although it is now becoming more common for the candidate to have an opportunity to give a public lecture in UK institutions, this does not form part of the examination and may or may not be attended by the examiners.

Viva preparation

Take the preparation for your viva seriously and devote a substantial amount of time to it. The viva preparation checklist may be useful to help you prepare.

Your institution may offer courses on viva preparation and there may be opportunities to organise a practice viva. Take advantage of these opportunities: they can be extremely valuable experiences.

Things you may wish to take with you

• your thesis – mildly annotated if you wish
• a list of questions that you might be asked and your planned responses
• any questions that you want to ask your examiners
• additional notes which you have made during your revision
• list of minor corrections that you have come across during your revision.

During the viva

Your study will have strengths and weaknesses: it is essential that you are prepared to discuss both. You could think of any weaknesses as an opportunity to demonstrate your skill at critical appraisal. Examiners will seek to find and discuss weaknesses in all theses. Do not interpret criticism as indication of a possible negative outcome.

Examiners have different personalities, styles and levels of experience. Sometimes a candidate may feel that a challenge is made in a confrontational way. Experienced, effective examiners will not be inappropriately confrontational, but some will. Do not take offence. A relaxed, thoughtful, and non-confrontational response from you will help re-balance the discussion. Having an independent chair can help maintain a constructive environment.

Useful tips for during your viva:

• Ask for clarification of ambiguous questions or ask for the question to be repeated if necessary
• Take time to think before answering
• Be prepared to ask questions and enter into a dialogue with your examiners
• Be prepared to discuss your research in context of other work done in your field
• Be ready to admit if you don't know the answer to a question
• Be prepared to express opinions of your own

You are not expected to have perfect recall of your thesis and everything that you have read and done. If you get flustered, or need to refer to notes your examiners will understand. They have been in your situation themselves!

After your viva

There are several possible outcomes   of a thesis defence. Most commonly, your examiners will recommend to your institution that you are awarded your degree subject to minor corrections, although in some instances they might ask for more substantial work.

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Leighton Pritchard

I’m a computational biologist working mostly in genomics and modelling.

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What to Expect from Your Viva

5 minute read

The viva voce examination is the main assessment of your PhD. Typically, students don’t ask about it until they are ready to submit, and it can seem for some to be an intimidating event, lurking on the horizon. It doesn’t have to be a horrible, traumatic experience. In reality, it’s one of the few opportunities you’ll have to discuss so much of your work in detail with interested people, and it can be very enjoyable, even fun. This page has some advice (adapted from a University of Strathclyde training course: “ Preparing Your Student for Viva ”) that might help put the viva into context for you.

All this advice is based on the UK PhD viva process. It can be very different in other countries. In Finland people wear swords.

This is not official university advice. Please be sure to check the current regulations for your home institution.

Who will be in the room?

The number of people in the room varies, depending on the university and department/school. You can expect the following:

• The internal examiner (maybe two): this is often the departmental moderator of your work, and you will likely have met them before
• The external examiner (maybe two): their role is to assess your work
• The convenor: their role is to take notes and ensure the viva is fair, ensuring that the process runs smoothly

You may also invite your supervisor(s) to be present. If they agree, their role is observational only, and they may not contribute to the examination.

What is the examiner going to ask?

No-one knows, except the examiner. There is no point attempting to predict questions or to lay traps to invite specific questions. You can be asked:

• Anything in your thesis
• Anything about work related to your thesis
• Anything about the field in general
• Anything about the papers you cite (or do not cite)
• Technical questions to probe for evidence of understanding, independence and autonomy

This is not an examination you can easily revise for, but after four years’ work on your topic, you should certainly feel confident to answer those questions comfortably, and not be too intimidated by any questions.

What does the examiner want to know?

The job of the external examiner is to satisfy themselves about the standard of your work, but they may have in mind to get answers to the following:

• Is this thesis and the reported research the student’s own work?
• What is the contribution to the community/field?
• What is the novelty of the work?
• Is the work of the same quality as that usually published in the field?
• Is there this capacity in the candidate?
• Is there this capacity in the work?
• What are the gaps in the student’s knowledge and understanding?
• What are the limits of the student’s knowledge and understanding?
• Can they do this for their own work?
• Can they do this for the field in general?
• Does the student display autonomy and independence?

These can’t be answered in only a few questions, which is why the viva takes so long.

Is there anything I can do to prepare?

Rather than focusing on specifics of your thesis - which you should already be very familiar with - you may find it more useful to spend some time thinking about general topics like:

• What is in your thesis?
• Where does your work fit in the broader context of the field?
• What assumptions did you make?
• What alternative approaches could you have taken?
• What are the limitations and weaknesses of your work?
• Which questions remain to be answered

This may help the viva take more of the form of a conversation than an adversarial question and answer session.

The best thing you can do is simulate the viva with a mock viva . Usually, your supervisor(s) will offer this without waiting for you to ask. It’s the only way to get experience of being face-to-face with someone asking questions about and discussing your thesis in depth, without doing the viva proper. If you don’t want to do this with your supervisor(s), you can still do it with a friend or colleague, and provide them with questions to ask. As Jill Stuart notes :

Frankly, the content of the questions, whether or not I had written them myself, and how she responded to them didn’t matter—I just needed to be face to face with someone speaking about my thesis. […] After Karen asked me the first question, I think I blushed, giggled, said “ummmm” several times, and then stumbled through an answer, repeatedly saying, “no wait…” or “I wouldn’t say that…” or “let me start over…” or plain old “sh**!” But after about 20 minutes I began talking through my answers. My words started to flow, and I started to get used to the sound of my own voice giving answers. If I hadn’t done that with Karen, I think maybe I would have done it in my viva. Which would not have been good!

What might the outcomes be?

The range of possible outcomes seems broad but, in practice, nearly everyone leaves having passed, with minor corrections. It’s worth bearing in mind that, once you have your PhD, no-one asks you about your corrections - they only care that you have a PhD.

• Award of Degree ( rare )
• Submit corrections to Internal Examiner only
• Submit corrections to Internal and External Examiner
• Resubmission of Thesis
• Award of a Lower Degree ( rare )
• Fail With No Right of Resubmission ( rare )

Further Reading

• How to survive a PhD viva: 17 top tips
• 5 tips for passing your PhD viva
• Dr Jill’s top ten viva tips (pass your PhD oral exam)

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5 Tips for Preparing for Your PhD Viva

• By Zebastian D.
• December 13, 2019

You’ve just passed a massive milestone: writing and submitting your PhD thesis. This has been the culmination of at least three years of work and is definitely a cause for celebration. But the journey’s not fully over just yet – you still have the viva to pass. In the UK the viva usually lasts a few hours and involves a detailed discussion of your thesis with two expert examiners; your primary supervisor may or may not sit in this. Expect the viva to be tough – you’ll need to be able to defend your PhD thesis and respond to questions designed to probe your understanding of your subject. But if you prepare for it well, you’re likely to come out of it having had an enjoyable experience discussing your work with people genuinely interested in your project.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for the day.

1. Know Your Thesis

You should expect your examiners to have spent a considerable about of time going through your PhD thesis and the content of it will be fresh in their mind; make sure it’s fresh in yours too. Yes, you’re the one that’s written it but, if you’ve planned well , you may have written some of your chapter content quite a while ago. Equally, I would definitely recommend checking to see if any new papers in your field have been published since writing your chapters and submitting your thesis.

2. Know Your Examiners

Your examiners will be experts in their fields, and at least one (if not both) will be experts in the same field of your research. Make sure you look up papers they’ve published and think about how they fit in with your work. It’s likely that some of their line of questioning in the viva will be based around their contributions to the research area.

3. Think of Possible Questions

It’s a good idea to spend time with your supervisor to think of possible questions the examiners may ask you. In particular, can you predict the tough questions that might come your way and how you might best answer them? Are there any areas within your work that you would consider as limitations for your studies and that you should be prepared to acknowledge? Some preparation here and even a mock interview will go a long way in making the actual thing feel easier.

4. Bring a Copy of Your Thesis

Make sure you have your own printed copy of your PhD thesis that you bring along with you to the viva. Make notes and highlight pages and sections within it that you especially want to bring attention to. You might also find it useful to print separate larger copies of key results (e.g. graphs or figures) that you think would be useful to discuss. Some props that help explain concepts (if relevant) can also be a brilliant way to guide the discussions to areas you’re most comfortable with.

5. Focus on Your Strengths

Try to view the viva as an opportunity to showcase the new knowledge you have added to your field of research. Focus on the positives that have come out of your work; all projects will have some areas of weakness but there’s no need to highlight these to your examiners unless directly asked about them. Coming into your viva with one or two papers published (if possible) is a great positive – it’ll give you confidence that your work has already stood up to peer-review and is a very good way to present your contributions to research.

The title page of your dissertation or thesis conveys all the essential details about your project. This guide helps you format it in the correct way.

Is it really possible to do a PhD while working? The answer is ‘yes’, but it comes with several ‘buts’. Read our post to find out if it’s for you.

The term rationale of research means the reason for performing the research study in question.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

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The scope of the study is defined at the start of the study. It is used by researchers to set the boundaries and limitations within which the research study will be performed.

This article will answer common questions about the PhD synopsis, give guidance on how to write one, and provide my thoughts on samples.

Nathan is about to enter the 2nd year of his PhD at the University of Hertfordshire. His research looks at how lifestyle stresses can impact skin barrier biophysics and skin barrier and oral cavity biochemistry and microbiology.

Emma is a third year PhD student at the University of Rhode Island. Her research focuses on the physiological and genomic response to climate change stressors.

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5 tips for passing your PhD viva

Every Doctoral researcher is expected to defend their thesis through an oral test known as a viva voce - so discover how to prepare for your PhD viva and ensure you make a good impression on the examiners

1. Understand what's expected of you

The PhD viva exam has traditionally always taken place in person, with the interview style discussion overseen by at least two (internal and external) examiners. Afterwards, you would be provided with a joint written report detailing any corrections that need to be made.

However, during the pandemic, the online PhD viva become more commonplace with this exam more likely to take place via Microsoft Teams, Skype or Zoom. Even now, a number of years later, many universities still allow for the viva to take place online, or a hybrid of online and in-person assessment.

The virtual experience still follows much the same format, but you'll be briefed in advance about the arrangements and any technical aspects to bear in mind. You can prepare for an online PhD viva by reading our video interview tips .

The chair of the viva is usually the internal examiner, although it can be an independent person. If you and the examiners agree, your PhD supervisor can also be present.

The examiners' main objective is to ascertain that you've written your own thesis, so if you have and are ready to talk through how you completed it, there's no need to panic. You may even enjoy the viva voce test.

In addition to assessing your thesis, the examiners are also there to assist you in deciding how and where this research might be published.

There are various results between a 'pass' and 'fail' but it's very rare to slip up at this point of a PhD. Most Doctorate awards will be made upon the condition that a number of minor corrections are made, with re-submission requests far less common.

While the pass rate is high, the viva exam itself can still be intellectually demanding. This is because you'll be debating issues that are conceptually complex, so preparation is crucial to your success.

At the end of it, whatever the outcome, be prepared to take on board any advice, as the examiners are there to help you improve your argument or the presentation of your thesis.

2. Know your thesis inside out

While this isn't a memory test - as you're fine bringing notes and a copy of your thesis with you - it's still important to gain a good understanding of what you've written and be knowledgeable about your field of study.

You'll need to think carefully about where this original piece of work would be placed in the context of the wider body of research carried out in this field. Questions will be asked about this, as well as whether the project could possibly be developed further through any future research.

As you'll be explaining parts of the document to the examiners (who'll also have a digital or physical copy), make sure the pagination is the same in your version as the one they're looking at to avoid any issues regarding everybody being on the same page.

If you get stuck at any point during the viva exam, you can use looking at the thesis as an excuse to re-focus and gather your thoughts.

3. Anticipate the PhD viva questions

The examiners will have prepared a series of questions for you to answer at the viva voce, but this is nothing to get too concerned about. The questions will all be based on your thesis - what it's about, what you did and what you found out - and why this matters, in relation to your field of study.

So when getting ready for the viva, consider the types of questions you're likely to be asked, including:

• What original contribution has your thesis made to this field of study?
• Explain the main research questions you were hoping to address.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of your thesis?
• If you had to start the thesis again, what would you do differently?
• If funding was no object, describe how you'd follow on from this project.
• What are your plans for the future?

It can be helpful to practise your answers beforehand, ideally vocalising them by arranging a mock mini viva - although, as you aren't restricted in terms of referring to notes in the exam, you can leave room for spontaneity, and you don't need to learn it all off by heart.

If your viva is being held online, you can ensure any technical issues are identified before the day by having a run through with your supervisor or a friend.

While it may sound simple, stick to answering the questions posed. It's really easy to go off on a tangent and this can open up other lines of enquiry from the examiners - possibly in areas you hadn't expected to be quizzed about.

On the other hand, it's completely fine to bring personality to your reasoning and use stories as a means of describing the learning process you've gone through and the techniques mastered over the last three or four years that have brought you to this point.

4. Learn about your examiners' own work

The senior and well-respected academics who'll be reading your thesis will have their own ideas on conducting PhD standard research. Therefore, it's worth taking a look online at their academic and LinkedIn profiles to discover if there's any correlation with the research they've had published and your own work.

From this, you should be able to gain a better idea of their motivations, their possible views on your thesis and the kinds of questions they might wish to discuss after having read through it.

You should research up-to-date theories, read any recent papers on the subject and speak to others who've recently had their own viva exam. Think about how your work differentiates from the research carried out by others in your chosen field.

Prepare to provide any supporting evidence asked of you by the examiners - for example, they may request to see experimental data you mention once the exam is over.

It's also necessary to check the policies and practices in place at your university and be sure of what the roles of the examiners are and how the viva panel will be structured. In many cases, Doctoral students can choose the examiners conducting the PhD viva.

5. Plan towards the viva exam

From the moment you know the date of your viva voce, work backwards and plan the steps you'll need to take before the day itself. Allow enough time to assess and review your work so that as the day approaches, you can focus on the practicalities.

This encompasses everything from making sure you relax, eat and sleep well the day before to arranging transport so you get to the viva on time.

An online PhD viva will present its own challenges, so ensure your working space is presentable and you still make an effort in terms of what you'll be wearing.

It's always advisable to adhere to interview etiquette and go with something that's both smart and comfortable. By looking the part, this should get you in the right frame of mind to communicate in a professional manner.

In the build-up, avoid any situations that might make you feel stressed and instead try to adopt a positive attitude, one that results in a genuine eagerness to engage in a debate about the work you've been toiling over.

If you're travelling to the exam, be sure to check that you have everything you need, including the thesis, plus any notes or other materials that will help support your claims.

The Doctoral viva can last between one and four hours - usually two - so it's necessary to pace yourself to get off to the best possible start.

Remember, the examiners aren't trying to trip you up - they want you to pass and are primarily there to hear you talk about your project. So, after the polite introductions, they'll typically start with an icebreaker to put you at ease and help calm the nerves.

It's meant to be an open and honest conversation about your work, so feel free to politely disagree with the examiners, especially on areas you feel strongly about. Don't forget to use examples from your thesis to back up what you're saying, remembering to be clear and concise.

If you know your way around your thesis and can explain your thinking and way of working, this test shouldn't be a problem. And if you don't know the answer to a specific question - admit it, as it's better to concede your limitations in an area than ramble on and hope they don't notice you're struggling to come up with an explanation.

Remember that no research is perfect, so it's important to appreciate this during the discussion - but don't be too overcritical about your work either, as that's not your job.

Finally, as the PhD viva can quickly move from a series of friendly questions to those that are more in-depth, take some time to think before answering. Don't worry about any periods of silence from the examiners, as this certainly isn't an indication that you're doing badly.

Find out more

• Read about 5 challenges faced by PhD students .
• Explore possible careers at your PhD, what next?
• Consider getting an academic job .

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