VIVA PASSED!!

26th August 2010. The scariest and best day of my life - but really worthwhile as the examiners passed my thesis with minor amendments.

I prepared well for the viva. I set myself a timetable to revisit all the references and, probably like most people before me, hunted down typical viva questions on the web. I had intended to prepare answers to these on paper but decided against this as keeping them in my head seemed more sensible. Wise move as none were actually asked but the process of giving thought to how I might answer was worthwhile. I wrote a synopsis for each chapter and collected all the essential supporting info (including this blog) in a separate file for quick reference and revision. I also talked to as many people who had experienced vivas as possible.

The main preparation was reading through the entire thesis as objectively as possible ie placing myself in the position of the examiners. Would every sentence, statement, chart make sense to them? I wrote copious notes on the blank page to expand, explain, justify any that I though might be contested. Even so I missed some!!

About 10 days before the viva Imet up with my supervisor and went through the possible questions and the detail of the viva day. I also arranged for a colleague who had read the thesis to give me a mock viva. This was beneficial as it is different voicing your research to reading it on paper!

I had elected to give a 10 minute presentation at the start. My initial inclination was to do a Powerpoint but decided that this was not appropriate for this type of exam. Instead I set out on one side of A4 the importance of the research and a single sentence summary of the research. The latter was an interesting experience as it takes a while to condense 3 years work into 50 words. Most of the page was a flow chart showing the thought process that I had followed and how the main propositions had emanated through this. The benefit in the viva was having this in front of me so that I had a visual reminder when needed. In the viva I talked the examiners through the importance, summary and flow chart which worked well for me and provided a good jumping off point for their questions.

On the day I travelled to London early as I had to drop off a copy of my IFS for the examiners to refer to if necessary. Although this meant I would not be affected by travel disruption it also meant I had time to kill before the viva started. I hate hanging around getting nervous but fortunately my sister was in London visiting my niece so we met for lunch. Talking about family, holidays and so on was a great distraction and I felt very relaxed going into the viva.

They say a viva should be not less than one hour and not more than two. Mine was three hours!!! We started a little late as the chair of the panel did not arrive and after two hours I was asked if I objected to taking a break and continuing. You don't say no to that kind of suggestion! The questioning was all very positive and constructive. Much was directed at establishing my reasoning for including data, the meaning of charts and tables, what I had not included or potentially overlooked, the generalisability of the concluding propositions and the relevance to current practice. Fortunately all the problem questions relating to economic theory that I had feared did not get asked (although I had prepared some good answers)!!

The viva was held in a most convivial manner and, as others have found, the time passed very quickly until the point was reached when the examiners were left to make their decision. After 30 minutes Andrew, my supervisor who had sat through the viva taking notes, and I were called back and the decision was pass with minor amendments. Phew!! What a relief!!

I am sure I am not the first to feel absolutely shell-shocked at the moment when the decision is given. Indeed it seems very surreal after all the preparation and anxiety that it is (almost) over. The nice touch for me was when Andrew appeared with four glasses and a bottle of champagne. 'Aha', I thought, 'you don't get offered bubbly if you have failed!!'.

And so to the concluding part of this journey. I now have the corrections to make and then to submit the finished thesis within 3 months. Andrew's notes from the viva were a very helpful reminder of the sequence of events and major statements / points made. It was rather irritating that it took over 3 weeks for the list of the examiner's required changes to be send through but now I have them I can get on with finishing things.

This blog isn't finished yet ............