Having survived my doctoral viva on the EdD programme at the University of LiverpooI, I wanted to share some of my own experiences in the hope that they might be useful to others.

  • To prepare for my viva the first thing I did was take six weeks away from the research and from even thinking about the doctorate. This was an important preparatory step to make myself objective about the thesis when re-engaging; essentially it allowed me to come back with fresh eyes and a clear mind. I questioned whether this was a wise thing to do as some advice says keep  reading around your topic in the gap, but I really valued the break.
  • I then read my thesis back (twice), from cover to cover. As I read I annotated typographical errors. I decided not to berate myself for their presence, since that would be a distraction. Finding these minor typographical and phrasing errors early on was helpful as it removed any sense of thinking that the viva will be the final step (it became clear that I would need to make modifications). Getting this realization over and done with earlier in the process made my expectation management much easier.
  • As I read, I noted areas where I felt I should have said more. Particularly I noted areas where I had said more and then, for editorial reasons, cut back on the detail. In these cases I read through the words and diagrams that were reluctantly cut out of the final draft (I always saved copies of earlier drafts of each chapter). Logically I figured, if I had struggled to cut out certain sections, their eventual absence may be of concern to the examiners. Reacquainting myself with this material was invaluable. By example I had cut out text which explained how the two strands of analysis in my study were synthesized. I had cut out this detail in the editing process, but re-familiarizing with it in the viva preparation allowed me to answer questions on this apparent gap in the thesis.
  • I  used a number of websites to generate common viva questions. I found one from the University of Leicester particularly helpful (see http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/gradschool/training/eresources/study-guides/viva/prepare/questions ).
  • Armed with the lists of questions, I generated answers in my mind. I did not write them down, frankly I didn’t think this helped. I sometimes committed two or three questions to mind and mulled them over while driving. This was a useful exercise as I could happily mumble answers to myself in the privacy of my car. Answering two or three at a time was enough to keep concentration. Tackling  more that three questions in one sitting was not particularly productive for me.
  • None of the ‘text book’ questions came up, but without doubt, these generic questions focused my attention and provided very good preparation.
  • I made a conscious effort to talk with others about my research before the viva. This gave me an opportunity to clarify my own understanding and to make the research accessible. Responding to my ten year old son’s question, what is your thesis about? Was actually the most challenging and the most valuable step in this process. he pushed me to be able to explain it in a way that he could understand.
  • Another  useful pre-viva question to consider was ‘which three works most influenced your research?’. Answering this  really forced me to focus on how I had used different influences, in turn this brought further clarity to the themes and ideas within the work.
  • Keeping perspective was very important in getting ready. One side of my brain felt like my doctorate depended on the viva. The other side constantly reminded me that the thesis and viva are, in reality, part of an extended study journey and should not be seen, as with a PhD, as the only product of assessment. Essentially I was two-thirds of the way to success without the project. This was a calming fact.
  • I found it really useful to ask myself ‘what would be the worst questions that could come up?’. Answering this is a real test of knowing your own limitations and those of your research. Sure enough my worst question came up (after all if I recognised this as a weakness in my research, surely others would too!). Having accepted this area as a weakness in advance, I was able to read around the issue and fill the gap. I was therefore comfortable on the day with defending my position, while accepting that some of the things I had learned through revisiting the issue would be usefully incorporated in modifications. This is a long way of recommending viva candidates face up to the areas that you know are weakest, in advance of the viva, and use the new found impetus that this phase of your journey brings to resolve any concerns that might have seemed unfathomable under the pressure to complete for submission.
  • Practically, I used post it notes to separate the chapters of the tome. This was useful for finding my way around the parts quickly when questions were asked. Also I researched the outcomes of the viva, so that I was prepared to hear the judgment and absorb the critical information, rather than get lost in the terminology.
  • Finally, one of the biggest challenges was to manage my own, and my supporters, expectations of completing the viva. While some friends/family/colleagues/strangers on a train congratulated me, with minor modifications outstanding I couldn’t fully celebrate. I had anticipated feeling like the viva was the end of the doctorate, but on the day it was just another milestone (albeit a significant one). This was a massive deflation. I wanted to keep the champagne on ice a little while longer. This was tricky to manage when others saw this as the finish line. In the end I settled on celebrating twice. In your mind be clear whether you feel your doctorate is over after the viva, or when any modifications are in. For me it was the latter.