Authors: By Mike Daniels and Katie Walwyn-Brown

So your thesis either submitted (how good did that feel, right?) or almost done, the end of your PhD is in sight and the distant future is now not so distant. There is one more challenge to get through, your viva. The subject of academic myth and legend, from horror stories of 6 hour interrogations to comedies with dozing examiners, the viva is a daunting prospect for even the most confident students. Luckily we’ve gathered some advice from some recent graduates to help you out.

• Do not read every pre-viva preparation guide in existence: Read this one, this one is great. But on a serious note, I (KWB) took time that should have been spent reading my thesis and important references in an anxious search for more viva self help guides. There is only so much advice you can absorb, pick a few choice articles then run with them and get to the real preparation!
• Ask for a mock viva: Nothing will prepare you as well as a mock. It may seem daunting (and it will often be harder than the real thing) but ask your PI or a senior postdoc in your lab to give you as close as possible to a full-blown mock about a week before the real thing. I (MD) found it the single most useful piece of viva prep I did!
• Check the viva format with your internal: Your internal examiner is in charge of booking the room, liaising with the external etc. If you don’t hear anything about the format of the viva ask your internal if they know what the plan is. Some vivas start with a short presentation on the key parts of the thesis, some vivas revolve around an extensive presentation, sometimes you won’t give a presentation (invariably this means the first question will be something along the lines of ‘describe your thesis in 3 minutes). It’s important to prepare for these things!
• Bring a copy of your thesis in with you: This is probably obvious but I (MD) very nearly failed to do this. It’s a must if you are going to keep track of the examiner’s questions/comments as they go through your thesis.
• Some nerves are good: While staying up all night worrying won’t help you, a little bit of adrenaline will keep you on your toes. Have some strategies for keeping your nerves in check (breathing, a cup of tea, talking it out, whatever works for you), but also embrace them as a kick to get you through those crucial few hours.
• Your examiners are not omniscient: It took me (KWB) a while to wrap my head around the idea that examiners will ask questions that they don’t know the answer to. It could be a query on something that is a little outside their area of expertise, or it may even be a question that no one knows the answer to yet. It’s not a cruel attempt to trick you, they just want to fill the gaps in their knowledge and see how you think.

Post viva holiday?

• You know more than you think: You’ve been working on this and only this for the last 3/4 years. Your examiners will have a broad knowledge-base in the general field. The chances are that YOU WILL KNOW MORE THAN THEM about the majority of the topics discussed during the viva. Use that knowledge to help you relax and relish the moment.
• You are allowed to say ‘I don’t know’: The best advice my (KWB) supervisor gave me 5 minutes before my viva was, ’if you don’t know, don’t bull****’. It is better to admit not knowing than be caught making something up. For big picture questions it is absolutely ok to speculate, but make your reasoning clear. For example, ‘I’m not sure, but based on these previous studies I would anticipate that…’
• Be ready for a mixed bag of emotions: Some people are buzzing after their viva, others are exhausted, personally I (KWB) felt a bit flat. After all the anticipation it felt like an anti-climax, and it took a few days for everything to really sink in. Don’t be surprised if your friends and family are more excited than you at first.
• Have a plan for the day after your viva: Whether it’s a meal out with family or friends, or a day in your pajamas watching all the TV shows you haven’t had time for the past few months, have an idea of what you will do to celebrate. This really helped with me (KWB) with the ‘What now…?’ feeling I had post viva.
• Lastly… It’s your viva: At the risk of defeating the entire purpose of this list, your viva is unique. Your thesis, your examiners and you are a brand new combination. Hopefully some of this advice will prove helpful, but feel free to take the parts that work for you and leave the rest. Most importantly…Good luck!

By Mike Daniels and Katie Walwyn-Brown