the viva - examination dr. ursula schinzel +352.621.322.543 [email protected] dr ursula...

The Viva - Examination

Dr. Ursula Schinzel+352.621.322.543

[email protected]

Dr Ursula Schinzel The Viva Examination 1

http://www.ursula-schinzel.com/

mailto:[email protected]

The Viva – Examination: Overview

Finding out what you want to knowDemystifying the viva - explaining the process

General analysis of viva questions

An example of what it could look like


What do you think ‘The Viva’ is?


A Defence to a JuryThe Opportunity to justify your research and your findingsA Discussion between AcademicsIt is NOT a chance to show off!It is a test of ‘Bona Fides’ i.e. authenticity of your workIt is a Confirmation of Quality‘Viva Voce’ = a Live Examination of your thesisIt is a Supplement, not a substitute for the written submissionYou can also see it as

Training in Presentation Skills, Development of logical reasoning and Exercise in academic disputation

The Viva – Examination: Overview

Why have a viva? What is its purpose?

How does the process work?

What are the examiners looking for? What will I be asked?How do examiners weight the contribution of thesis/viva? Can weaknesses in a thesis be compensated by good viva?Can a good thesis be substantially undermined by a poor viva?

Vivas seem so variable – why is this the case?


Why have a viva (what is its purpose?)

A means of examination or assessment

A means of assisting the candidate’s developmentA ritual which welcomes the candidate into the academic community


Viva as examination /assessment exercise

Provisional decision made by examiners BEFORE Viva - The Viva normally serves mostly as CONFIRMATIONExtremely rare for candidate with “good” thesis to fail through poor viva performanceNearly as uncommon for candidate with “poor/borderline” thesis to pass through good viva


Possible assessment purposes of the viva

Authentication – is the thesis the candidate’s own work?Context – can the candidate place the work in context?Understanding – is the candidate able to produce research to Doctorate standard?Defence – can the candidate defend / engage in debate?Clarification – addressing weak / obscure areas in thesisDecision-making in borderline cases


Possible assessment purposes of the viva

Authentication Context Significant for most vivasUnderstanding


Defence Clarification May be significant; it depends

Decision-Making Pretty rare

One thing to remember about the viva and assessment…

Nationwide research shows that examiners VERY RARELY alter their initial opinion of a thesis


Why have a viva (what is its purpose)

A means of helping the candidate’s development

Poor thesis: exploring ways in which it could be brought up to standard

Good thesis: helping candidates explore ways of taking it further (publication, follow-up work)


The viva: how does the process work?

Who is there? What are they there for?

How does it proceed? What forms does it take? How long is it likely to be?

What are the possible outcomes?

What happens afterwards?


The viva: who is there?

Board of examiners - at least two examiners, generally one internal and one external, or two internal and one external

Supervisor(s) - candidate has the option over their presence

Head of Faculty or nominee - not usual: observer role only if present


The viva: Supervisors?

Candidate has the option over whether they are allowed to be present or not - you normally specify this on the Examination Entry Form

If present, they generally should take no part in the meeting

Examiners may question them and/or invite their comments - almost always to do with general issues concerning the progress of the research, not the research itself


The viva: Role of examiners?

Prepare individual, independent written reports on the thesis prior to the viva

Conduct the viva according to the regulations - the Internal Examiner has particular responsibility for this

Prepare a joint report on the examination for the University authorities - this report contains a principal recommendation


The viva: How does it proceed?

Sometimes the student makes a short presentation about his/her work - usually by prior arrangement with examiners - can be useful in settling nerves - consider as an option

Main part of viva: question / answer / discussion: varies somewhat in structure depending on discipline: - arts / humanities / social sciences vivas tend to be more “thematic” - science & engineering vivas typically are more “pedestrian” (page-by-page; more focused on specific thesis content)


Conduct of the viva: general points

You won’t be expected to answer from memory - take a copy of your thesis and be ready to use it

Areas of concern raised by examiners are rarely a “sign” of anything in particular - certainly not “pass or fail” - there will ALWAYS be areas of concern in ANY thesis!!!!

Questions you can’t answer well aren’t a “sign” - be ready to concede a few points and strongly defend others


The possible results / outcomes

Award the degree (this is rare)Award subject to specified MINOR CORRECTIONS (this is the aim)No award, permission to submit revised thesis (“revise and resubmit”) - may involve further research / re-examination - this often implies another 12 months work or soNo award, no recommendation on resubmission - very rare, generally only for second vivas (this is essentially “fail”)Award M.Phil. Degree - may involve corrections / revisions No award, permission to submit revised thesis - for examination / award of M.Phil. Rather than Ph.D.


What happens afterwards

MINOR CORRECTIONS: the most common outcome - six month deadline as a default; but often can be done much more quickly - best to get out of the way as soon as possible - re-submit your corrected thesis and wait for positive feed-back

REVISE AND RESUBMIT - “more research” (data-gathering) might be necessary - more common: issues with conceptualisation / structure - discuss options with supervisor - don’t panic, situation can often be retrieved


What are the examiners looking for?What can I expect to be asked?

Every viva is different but there are common key themes:

Conceptual clarity in design, conduct and analysisAppreciation of underlying theory and to how it relatesEngagement with literatureGrasp of methodologyCoherence of argumentPresentation of thesisCompliance with academic protocol (it “looks like a Doctorate”)

These criteria apply to the THESIS and are (hopefully) CONFIRMED by the viva


The anatomy of viva questions

CResearch questionsChoice of topic


AResearch problemsStructure and content

BResearch approachParadigmsAwareness of literature

DDoctoratenessContribution to knowledgeConcepts: synthesis, critique

The anatomy of viva questions

Research shows a different balance of questions in “successful” and “unseccessful” vivas

Vivas that led to fail and/or major corrections - many more A-questions - quite a few B and C, few in D

Vivas that led to pass and/or minor corrections - generally fewer A questions, mostly D questions

Broad decision on questions made BEFORE viva


What does this mean for preparation

You have to prepare as if the viva will be successful - there is obviously no other way!

Prepare hard for D-questions - Doctorateness: what is a Doctorate all about and how does your work qualify as “doctoral”? - contribution to knowledge: be clear what this is!

Answer these questions in your thesis - remember: balance of questions depends on the thesis - unsuccessful candidates largely fail to answer the “hard” viva questions IN THE THESIS


The Viva - PreparationEssential things you need to succeed:Familiarity with the content of your Thesis: Know your Thesis better than the back of your handTotal understanding of your arguments and evidenceConfidence in what you have producedBring your thesis, an annotated version, with an aide-memoir, a summary, key items easily accessible (post-its, colours…)


The Viva - PreparationThe Day before: Make sure you have a useful summary and an annotated copy of your thesis. Then: have confidence in your excellent thesis AND: RELAX

The Night before: Go to bed, early and alone!

The Day itself: Get up, Eat, Dress professionally! Arrive with eager and confident anticipation! Enjoy your Viva!!!! Be positive in participation Do not retreat into self-defeating quiescence A lively debate brings good results Dr Ursula Schinzel The Viva Examination 24

The Viva - PreparationIf you get a difficult question, what do you do? Don’t PANIC !!! Buy time: ask for clarification question the question consult your notes/thesis If a genuine mistake or omission has been spotted? Concede and move on Be prepared to discuss contentious issues reasonably! It is ok to be assertive – but never be aggressive !!!!! Accept valid criticism gracefully Be as self critical as appropriate


Reconstruction of an actual viva


On the following 3 pages, replace with your own questions for your own Viva and reply to the questions as if it was your own Viva

The Viva - QuestionsPreparation of your own Viva Questions:

What do you expect to be asked?Write down the questions you would like to be askedWrite down the questions you wouldn’t like to be asked


The Viva - Questions

1) What is the most important contribution of your work to the field of ………( cross-cultural research )? 2) What is the most important contribution to knowledge of your work? Why do you think you have made a novel contribution and what is it that makes it novel? 3) Why was …….. ( Hofstede ) more appropriate for your subject than the other modelling approaches mentioned in your literature survey?


The Viva - Questions

4) What does the term ……. ( UAI ) mean? 5) Tell us what really happened when you asked that question from your interview? 6) Can you give an overview of previous work by your research group on ……… ( cross-cultural research )? 7) So, bearing all of that in mind, why did you decide to go down the specific path that you did? 8) Can you describe the most important finding of your research in one sentence? Dr Ursula Schinzel The Viva Examination 29

The Viva - Questions9) From the dissertation, there are clearly inconsistencies in some of the experimental data used to generate and calibrate the model. How does this affect the accuracy of your model or the confidence that you have in it? 10) If you had another chance, what would you have changed about your project and why? 11) Why did you want to do a doctorate, what benefits has your study brought you as an individual and a professional, and would you do it again?


Viva reconstruction: summary of key points

Listen!!!! And Answer !!!! The question that was actually asked - especially when it’s broad and contextual

Remember: “I did” versus “I discovered” - focus your answers more on the latter, this will guide you

Remember your examiners don’t “know everything” - when we remind you, you are the world expert on your specific topic, actually we mean it

Don’t undermine yourself but don’t overstate your case either - you are normally asked to reflect on what you have learned


Viva reconstruction: summary of key points

Remember: The Viva is a discussion among Professionals

The questions are about PROCESS and not PRODUCT - HOW you went about the work, not the work itself

Remember: What alternatives did you consider and WHY is yours the best?

Remember: Give the concepts behind the facts: HOW, WHY? - what you now understand from what you found

You need a convincing justification of your approach - WHY your approach is better than possible alternatives


Examiners: motivations, thought processesExaminers generally want candidates to pass - But they have standards to maintain

They have a good idea of the likely result BEFORE the viva - this doesn’t mean it “doesn’t make a difference” - but perhaps not as much as you might think

A big part of their role is “quality control” - Checking that the work is YOUR own and that you understand it - The types of questions depend on the thesis

The best preparation for the viva is the thesis!!! (know your research!)


Why am I looking forward to my Viva?

It is an opportunity to succeedTo have my effort recognisedTo discuss with interested and knowledgeable peopleIt is a chance to text my achievementIt is a free consultancyIt is a valuable experienceIt is an intellectual challengeIt is the end of a long process – or the beginning of …To get the qualificationIt is an opportunity to explore wider issues and consider further researchIt is an opportunity to rise new possibilities like Publications, Consultancy, New Research Support, a Job!


the viva - examination dr. ursula schinzel +352.621.322.543 [email protected] dr ursula...

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