Doctoral Training Workshops The PhD, Probation and MRes Viva

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Doctoral Training Workshops The PhD, Probation
and MRes Viva

• Stephen Potter and Ann Jones

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Session Aims

• Explore the purpose of each viva
• Understand how assessors/examiners are appointed
  and what they are required to do
• Help you prepare for your viva
• PhD viva draws on Ch 11 of Doing Postgraduate
  Research
• MRes viva guidance provided on MRes website
• Probation mini-viva guidance provided on Research
  Degrees Skills website (http//rdskills.open.ac.uk
  /)

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Session organisation

• We will first consider the PhD viva and then
  split into two groups
• One will consider the MRes viva
• The other will consider the probation viva and
  look further at preparing for the PhD viva
• MRes students can then join in the other session
  next year

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PhD VivaWhat will the examiner be looking for?

• (From our first and Induction planning sessions)
• Work that shows
• Good style and presentation
• Justify Research Method(s)
• Significant contribution to knowledge
• Material worthy of publication
• Able to pursue further research without
  supervision
• Able to argue and discuss research communicate
  effectively
• Probation mini-viva tests aspects of these at an
  appropriate level

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Why a PhD Viva?

• To confirm you did the research
• To check your ability to respond to questions
• To provide you with an opportunity to defend your
  research

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The Examination Panel

• Appointing a panel
• Internal and External Examiners
• Independent chairperson
• Supervisor observer present (not an examiner
  can be asked to contribute and is a useful
  note-taker to free you up for discussion)
• For Probation Report mini-viva the panel is 2
  people outside of your supervisory team

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What happens in a viva?

• Pre-viva meeting by panel (To discuss pre-viva
  report)
• Presentation (optional)
• Questions and discussion
• Candidate leaves
• Decision by the panel
• Form filling
• Candidate notified of result

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Possible PhD viva Results

• The degree is awarded
• Awarded subject to minor corrections
• Awarded subject to substantial amendments
• Major revision and re-examination
• Awarded a Masters
• Fail

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MRes/PhD split

• We split at this point

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Probation Viva

• Based on your Probation Report requirements
• pertinent review of existing research
• feasible research question
• specification of research approach
• work plan
• Should be 1 1½ hours long
• Some departments include subject-specific
  guidance to assessors (check about this)

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Probation viva results

• Pass
• Pass subject to conditions (specified remedial
  action is required)
• De-register (Only if there is no realistic hope
  the student can pursue a PhD)
• The probation viva has to be done by the end of
  month 10 (normally July) in order to allow time
  for any corrections and for your PhD registration
  to be confirmed
• Guidance for assessors is on the Research Degree
  Skills site check it out.

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Question and Answer Session

• Examiner
• Steve Potter
• Candidates
• Clive Gabay (Probation mini-viva)
• Stuart Parris (PhD Viva)

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Experience and Specifics Preparation
Experience Preparation

• Seminar
• Conference
• Networking with other researchers
• Doing a refereed paper (not verbal but gets good
  experience of criticism)
• Other.

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Specifics preparation

• Use the DVD in DPGR
• Being organised
• Prepare a Road map of your thesis/probation
  report
• Have back-up materials available
• What to wear(!!)

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Mock Viva

• PhD Mock Viva can be useful and some departments
  require one
• Can be done using generic questions from DPGR
  main thing is about sorting how you deal with
  questions
• There are other ways special tutorial to
  discuss what areas will attract attention, what
  sort of questions might emerge (check external
  examiners web page!)

• DPGR has an audio on killer questions
• Could arrange a pre-viva departmental seminar

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Handling Revisions

• For both Probation and PhD Viva
• Arrange a date for a post-viva tutorial. If there
  are no revisions then you can cancel.
• In viva make sure any revisions are specific
• Arrange revisions handover tutorial to check they
  fulfil requirements of examiners/assessors.

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And dont forget the PhD Degree Ceremony
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Summary

• Build in experiences useful for viva throughout
  project
• Reassure yourself on viva procedure
• Ensure you have materials organised to minimise
  fluster
• Draw on materials and guidance provided
• Have a preparation tutorial to discuss what areas
  will attract attention, what sort of questions
  might emerge (know your examiner!)
• Have a mock viva-type event
• Manage revisions

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Good Luck and enjoy your viva!