THE VIVA EXAM
The Viva Exam: Things to Consider when Preparing for Your Exam. You should keep a few things in mind whether you have just started your viva preparation or are nearing the end. You must give a lot of time for practice, as well as for contemplation and review. Make sure you schedule regular breaks and get plenty of rest – you don’t want to run yourself into the ground! Finally, stay positive and confident – your hard work will pay off on the day.
What Is The Purpose Of The Viva Exam?
The viva examination is an oral test conducted to assess a candidate's subject knowledge, research skills and ability to communicate clearly. It is usually conducted after the written examinations and allows the examiners to get a complete picture of the candidate's abilities.
The viva also provides an opportunity for the candidate to ask questions about their research topic and to clarify any points that they are unclear about. In addition, the viva can be used to identify any areas where the candidate needs further development.
Overall, the viva examination is an important part of the assessment process and helps to ensure that candidates are fully prepared for their chosen field of study.
How Do I Prepare For My Viva?
You should start preparing for your viva examination as soon as you begin your research project. It is important to keep up to date with your literature and be familiar with your field's key debates. You should also make sure that you can clearly explain the aims and objectives of your research project and how your work contributes to the existing body of knowledge.
As you get closer to the examination date, you should start practising answering questions about your research. This will help you feel more confident on the day and allow you to think about how best to communicate your ideas. It is also a good idea to ask a friend or supervisor to act as an examiner so that you can get some experience of what the viva examination will be like.
Preparing for your viva examination takes time and effort, but it is worth doing as it will help you to perform to the best of your abilities on the day.
How Long Should I Prepare For My Viva?
As a general guide, you should start preparing for your viva examination at least a few months before the scheduled date. This will give you enough time to become familiar with your field's literature and practise answering questions about your research project.
If you are taking an interdisciplinary approach to your research or working in a constantly changing field, you may need to start preparing for your viva even earlier. In these cases, it is important to keep up to date with the latest developments in your field so that you can discuss them confidently in your viva examination.
Eight Tips To Pass A Viva
You can follow these tips to make sure you pass the viva:
Be prepared
Practice answering questions
Know your examiners
Listen carefully
Think before you speak
Be confident
Be honest
Keep calm
1. Be prepared: Ensure you have revised your thesis thoroughly and know it inside out. This is the most important thing you can do to prepare for your viva.
2. Practice answering questions: Ask a friend or supervisor to act as an examiner and fire questions at you. This will help you to think on your feet and stay calm during the day.
3. Know your examiners: Try to find out as much as you can about who will be conducting your viva examination. This will help you to tailor your answers to their individual interests and expertise.
4. Listen carefully: Make sure you listen to the questions that are being asked so that you can answer them accurately. There is no point in giving a well-rehearsed answer if it doesn't address the question that was actually asked!
5. Think before you speak: Take a few moments to think about your answers before you start speaking. This will help you to organise your thoughts and present a coherent argument.
6. Be confident: Remember that you have worked hard on your thesis and that you know your subject inside out. Believe in yourself, and don't be afraid to defend your ideas.
7. Be honest: Admit your ignorance of the answer to a question and promise to look into it. Being sincere is preferable to try to fudge your way through a response.
8. Keep calm: If you start to feel overwhelmed, take a few deep breaths and focus on the positive. Remember that you are well prepared and that you can do this!
What Kind Of Questions Are Asked In The Viva Exam?
The questions that are asked in the viva examination will depend on the examiner's individual interests and expertise. However, there are some common types of questions that are often asked:
Questions about your research methods: Why did you choose this particular method? What are its advantages and disadvantages? How could you have done things differently?
Questions about your results: What do your results mean? What are their implications? Are there any potential problems with your interpretation of them?
Questions about your future plans: What happens next? What further research needs to be done in this area? How will your effort advance our knowledge of the subject?
General questions about your thesis: What is the main argument of your thesis? What are the most important points that you are trying to make? How does your work compare with other work in this field?
Questions about your literature review: What are the most important works in this area? Why did you choose to focus on these particular works? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
Questions about your data: How did you collect your data? What are its limitations? How could it be improved?
Questions about your conclusions: Do you think your conclusions are justified by the evidence that you have presented? Are there any more hypotheses that could account for your findings? What further research needs to be done in order to confirm your conclusions?
