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Defending your doctoral thesis: the PhD viva

Format for defending a doctoral thesis.

Every institution will have specific regulations for the thesis defence. In some countries or institutions, the convention is for thesis defences to be public events where you will give a lecture explaining your research, followed by a discussion with a panel of examiners (opponents). Both your examiners and the audience are able to ask questions.

In other countries, including the UK, the oral examination is usually conducted behind closed doors by at least two examiners, usually with at least one being from another institution (external examiner) and an expert in your topic of research. In the UK the supervisor does not participate in the viva, but may be allowed to observe. Sometimes someone from your own institution is appointed as an independent chair. Although it is now becoming more common for the candidate to have an opportunity to give a public lecture in UK institutions, this does not form part of the examination and may or may not be attended by the examiners.

Viva preparation

Take the preparation for your viva seriously and devote a substantial amount of time to it. The viva preparation checklist may be useful to help you prepare.

Your institution may offer courses on viva preparation and there may be opportunities to organise a practice viva. Take advantage of these opportunities: they can be extremely valuable experiences.

Things you may wish to take with you

• your thesis – mildly annotated if you wish
• a list of questions that you might be asked and your planned responses
• any questions that you want to ask your examiners
• additional notes which you have made during your revision
• list of minor corrections that you have come across during your revision.

During the viva

Your study will have strengths and weaknesses: it is essential that you are prepared to discuss both. You could think of any weaknesses as an opportunity to demonstrate your skill at critical appraisal. Examiners will seek to find and discuss weaknesses in all theses. Do not interpret criticism as indication of a possible negative outcome.

Examiners have different personalities, styles and levels of experience. Sometimes a candidate may feel that a challenge is made in a confrontational way. Experienced, effective examiners will not be inappropriately confrontational, but some will. Do not take offence. A relaxed, thoughtful, and non-confrontational response from you will help re-balance the discussion. Having an independent chair can help maintain a constructive environment.

Useful tips for during your viva:

• Ask for clarification of ambiguous questions or ask for the question to be repeated if necessary
• Take time to think before answering
• Be prepared to ask questions and enter into a dialogue with your examiners
• Be prepared to discuss your research in context of other work done in your field
• Be ready to admit if you don't know the answer to a question
• Be prepared to express opinions of your own

You are not expected to have perfect recall of your thesis and everything that you have read and done. If you get flustered, or need to refer to notes your examiners will understand. They have been in your situation themselves!

After your viva

There are several possible outcomes   of a thesis defence. Most commonly, your examiners will recommend to your institution that you are awarded your degree subject to minor corrections, although in some instances they might ask for more substantial work.

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• What is the PhD Viva?

Written by Mark Bennett

The viva voce is the final assessment for a PhD. It is an oral examination where the student defends their research to two academic examiners. This involves answering questions about your work, typically related to the literature, methodology, your findings and the significance of your conclusions. In some countries (like the USA ) the viva is actually referred to as a 'PhD defence', because the candidate defends their thesis from these questions.

This guide explains exactly how the viva works, what to expect on the day, how to prepare and what happens afterwards.

An overview of the PhD viva

The PhD viva can seem like an intimidating process, but it actually serves a very simple purpose: proving that your research is original, that you understand its contribution to knowledge and – most importantly – that your work is your own. It's also very rare for students to fail.

Who attends a viva?

A PhD viva usually involves two examiners: one internal examiner (from your university) and one external examiner (from another university). Both should be familiar with your field and the external examiner in particular should be a recognised expert in your specific research area.

The internal examiner usually acts as the chairperson for the exam, making sure it follows your university's procedures.

Your supervisor doesn't normally attend the viva itself, but they will help you prepare for it and should be around to provide support on the day.

How long does a PhD viva take?

There is no set length for a viva voce exam, but most take between one and three hours .

A longer viva doesn't necessarily indicate any problems with your thesis: it may simply be that the examiners are enjoying the discussion. Equally, a shorter viva may just mean that your examiners are satisfied with the thesis and your responses to their questions.

Why is the viva necessary?

The most basic function of the viva is to prove that your work is original (i.e. not plagiarised). This is especially important because the criteria for a doctorate is to offer a significant new contribution to knowledge.

By discussing your work with you directly and confirming that you fully understand your thesis, examiners can be confident that this is your own research.

Do all PhD students have to have a viva?

Almost always. One exception is for PhDs by publication (as the work in these will already have been through academic peer review). Some countries such as Australia and New Zealand also take a slightly different approach as their location makes it harder to invite external examiners for a face-to-face defence.

The viva format

Universities set their own viva voce processes, but most will follow a fairly similar format.

Before the exam

Many supervisors let you choose an external examiner . They need to have expertise in the topics you have researched, but not someone you have collaborated closely with during your PhD or who you have a strong personal friendship with (as these might create a conflict of interest).

Your supervisor will normally discuss possible options and then submit the invitation on your behalf. This usually happens just before you complete your PhD.

The next step is to submit your thesis . Nowadays most universities only ask for a digital submission which is sent out to your examiners for you.

The gap between submission and viva is usually one to three months. This allows time for both examiners to thoroughly read and consider your thesis and for you to prepare.

Your supervisor/s should offer to conduct a mock viva with you shortly before the real exam. They'll ask the sort of questions an examiner might have about your thesis so that you can practice answering and discussing them.

Your supervisor will normally meet with you before the viva begins to help you relax and ease any last minute nerves.

The exam room will be somewhere on your university campus that has been booked for the occasion. It will be laid out very similarly to a job interview, with space for you and the examiners to sit with your notes. Drinking water is also normally provided.

Most vivas are recorded and will begin with the internal examiner explaining the rules and regulations as a formality. Either they or the external will then begin asking questions about your thesis.

The examiners will usually help you relax and settle in to the discussion by asking something quite general, such as what interested you in this PhD project or what the most enjoyable part of the research was. Subsequent questions will be more specific, often referring the arguments made at particular points in your thesis.

The examiners will end the viva once they have completed their questions and feel able to come to a judgement. You will then be asked to leave the room whilst they discuss your performance and decide on a result to recommend. This normally takes around fifteen minutes or so.

After the viva

The next steps depend on your viva result. The examiners will invite you back in to explain their recommendation and provide general feedback on your work. This may include advice on whether or not you should seek to publish any of your PhD thesis and what sort of edits or further work might be required to prepare it for that.

Hopefully you'll then be able to celebrate with your supervisor, but they should be on hand to offer their to support and advise you whatever the outcome.

The majority of students have some corrections (usually minor) to make before resubmitting a final version of the thesis to be checked by the internal examiner. Once the final copy of your thesis is approved, you will be awarded your PhD! It's time to look forward to using your new title (and wearing some exceptionally elaborate robes at your graduation).

Viva preperation tips

It may feel like you're at the end of a long PhD journey by the time the viva comes around (and you are) but the oral exam is an important part of your doctorate and you should prepare accordingly.

Whatever else you do or don't do, listen to the advice of your supervisors. They'll have experience of all sides of the process, from sitting their own viva voce to preparing previous students for theirs. Chances are they've also served as internal or external examiners too and will know exactly what sort of questions they'd ask about a thesis like yours.

Here are seven tips for effective viva preparation.

#1 Take a (short) break first

Chances are you've been working very hard on your PhD recently, getting it written up, responding to feedback from your supervisor, making edits, sorting the bibliography (which you still left to the last minute, right) and getting the whole thing printed in time for the final deadline.

Whatever happens next, you've just successfully submitted a PhD thesis and you deserve a break. So take one.

A week or two away from your PhD will be ideal (no, don't take a copy of your dissertation with you). You'll get some mental rest and be in a better place to take a fresh look at your thesis and think clearly about it.

There's no need to feel guilty: the time between submission and viva is partly intended to make this possible.

#2 Read through your thesis

You may feel pretty familiar with your thesis by now but, actually, you aren't. You're familiar with a series of chapters that may well have developed separately over several years. It was probably only recently that you wrote them up in their final form, added an introduction and conclusion and turned the whole thing into a dissertation setting out your entire PhD thesis.

You need to know that thesis inside out and be completely familiar with the structure of the dissertation that contains and communicates it: which page a key concept or topic appears on for the first time, where key stages of your argument occur, where you cite or critique particular scholarship, and so on.

At the very least, this means reading your full thesis through at least once. Really though, you should be re-reading each chapter a couple of times and. . .

#3 Annotate key points

The PhD viva isn't a closed-book exam and you're expected to take a copy of your thesis with you. It's perfectly fine to consult it in response to questions, so make that process easy by annotating the most important stages of your argument.

There are lots of ways to do this, but, really, there's no substitute for sticking markers through your dissertation and scribbling in the margins.

If the copy of the thesis you take into the exam room looks like it's survived an explosion in a post-it note factory and then spent several years being read by rough-fingered undergraduate students in the library, well, you're on the right track.

#4 Note down potential questions (and answers)

You'll never be able to guess all of the questions that will come up at your viva, but you should be able to anticipate a few of them. Sketching out some bullet-point answers in advance will help you think critically about your thesis and boost your confidence going into the exam.

Spend extra time on any questions you're concerned about. If there's a point where your argument gets a bit strained or where you think your conclusions might be easy to challenge, have a think about how you'd defend them. Remember that your thesis doesn't have to be perfect, but you do need to be able to make a case for it – so practice doing that.

Incidentally, no one has been able to completely test the hypothesis that preparing for a viva question ensures it doesn't actually come up, but, well, the anecdotal evidence is strong. Prepare anyway.

#5 (Re)familiarise yourself with your examiners' work

The viva is about your thesis, but your examiners will have been selected due to the relevance of their own research and their perspectives will be at least partly informed by it.

It makes sense to consider how their work might inform their attitudes towards yours (this should also help you antitipate some questions, as above).

#6 Definitely take up the offer of a mock viva

Your supervisor/s should offer to arrange a mock viva with you shortly before the actual exam (once you've had time to prepare). This is a really helpful process.

The mock viva won't be anything like as long as the real thing and it won't cover every question your examiners will ask (or necessarily predict any of them). But it doesn't need to.

The most valuable feature of a mock viva is to get feedback on how you answer questions. Your supervisors will be able to spot whether you're coming across as too hesitant or too confident, or whether your answers are sufficiently clear.

#7 Try to enjoy it

Chances are you'll be sick of hearing this advice by the time your exam comes around, but it's true. A PhD viva voce really can be fun.

This is your chance to sit down with two experts in your academic field who have read and carefully considered your thesis and whose attention, for the duration of the exam, is entirely on your research. That's a privilege and it's one you've earned by getting to this stage.

Prepare effectively and give the viva voce the respect it deserves. But, once you get into that exam room, be confident, own your ideas and enjoy the chance to let them take centre stage in a serious academic discussion.

Viva results

The vast majority of PhD students pass their viva. By the time you're ready to submit your PhD you will be an expert in your subject area, more than capable of discussing and debating it. You'll also have done so many times before: at conferences, in conversations with your supervisor, and in your own writing.

Your supervisor will also ensure your thesis is ready for examination before they recommend you proceed to this stage. The only exceptions to this will be if you submit against the advice of your supervisor (never a good idea) or if you've over-run the time period for your PhD and have to hand in a thesis that isn't ready (you're unlikely to get to this point unless your PhD has been going badly for some time).

PhD viva outcomes

It's rare to fail a viva, but it's also rare to pass outright. Instead, most students are asked to make some corrections to their thesis.

Here are the possible outcomes of a PhD viva voce:

• Pass with no corrections – (uncommon) – Your viva has revealed no significant issues with your thesis and the dissertation itself is error-free. Congratulations, you are eligible to receive your PhD now!
• Pass with minor corrections – (very common) – Your thesis is essentially sound, but there are some minor issues with your dissertation (such as typographical errors, or missing references). You will normally have three months to submit a corrected thesis.
• Pass with major corrections – (fairly uncommon) – There are some parts of your argument that need to be clarified, expanded or otherwise rewritten. You will normally have six months to submit a revised thesis, but won't need a second viva.
• Revise and resubmit – (fairly rare) – Your thesis is potentially good enough for a PhD, but it needs some significant work, usually including some substantial additional research. You will have around a year to re-submit an improved and updated version of your dissertation for a second viva voce exam.
• Be recommended for MPhil – (rare) – Your thesis isn't good enough for a PhD, but it is sufficient for an MPhil (a research Masters that doesn't require a substantial original contribution to knowledge). You may receive the MPhil outright, or after some edits and corrections.
• Fail – (exceptionally rare) – Your thesis does not meet the required standard for a PhD (perhaps due to fundamental flaws in your data and analysis, or due to evidence of plagiarism) and it cannot be converted into an MPhil. You have failed your doctorate and cannot resubmit your thesis.

Those last couple of results may appear scary but, in practice, it's only a few % of candidates each year who don't pass with corrections. The only way a PhD is likely to fail outright is if you have run down the clock on your registration period, submitted a poorly written thesis based on insufficient data and probably done so against the advice of your supervisor/s. The entire PhD process is designed to prevent this happening.

So relax. The likelihood is that your PhD will pass with minor corrections (or better) and that your next challenge will be deciding what to use your new 'Dr' title on first.

Can you appeal a viva result?

If you think your viva outcome was incorrect or unfair, then you may be able to appeal it with your university. The first thing to do is check their guidelines and appeal process. Your students' union may also be able to support and advise you.

Note that you can't normally appeal on academic grounds . Your examiners' judgement is generally final. It is also difficult to appeal a PhD result if you submitted without the support of your supervisor/s or have otherwise ignored their advice at other points in your project.

You may have grounds for appeal if you can demonstrate that you have been poorly advised or supervised (you will need evidence of this and of the specific impact it has had) or if there was an irregularity in the conduct of your viva (such as interruptions, an unsuitable venue, or a lack of consideration for relevant disabilities or health conditions that may have impacted your performance).

Common viva questions

The questions your examiners ask will obviously be very specific to your thesis and anticipating them is a big part of your specific viva preparation . There are a few things that are likely to crop up more often than not, though.

Here are some example viva questions , along with some tips for answering them well.

"Why did you choose this PhD project?" / "What interested you most about this topic?"

This is a classic icebreaker: it's an invitation to speak generally and positively about your work. As well as being a fairly easy question to answer (after all, there must be at least something you enjoyed about your PhD) this should also help you channel your passion and enthusiasm for your research as the viva gets going.

"What was the most challenging part of the project?"

This probably won't be the first question you're asked, but it might also come up early in the viva as the examiners ease you into talking about your project. It doesn't mean that they think your PhD is flawed. All research involves overcoming obstacles. This is an invitation to talk about how you did that and reflect on the practicalities of your project.

"What is the original contribution to knowledge made by this thesis?"

This question is highly likely to come up at some point in the viva and it's one you absolutely must have a clear answer for. You should be able to explain in one or two sentences what your contribution is, how it's original and why it matters.

Some examiners might not be so explicit or direct in asking this, so be on the lookout for questions like "why is this PhD important?", "why was this project worth completing?", "what were your main findings?" or "why does this research matter?". If you hear any of those, it's time to deploy the original contribution answer.

"Why did you include / exclude X?"

All doctoral projects need to be selective about what they can and can't include, and successful PhD students need to set boundaries for their research. At some point your examiners will probably want to see the logic behind yours.

Be confident and own your decisions. If there was a particular topic or approach you didn't include, then give your reasons for that.

Remember that there are lots of reasons why something might not make the cut for a PhD and the examiners aren't trying to catch you out. They don't even need to agree 100% with your decisions, but they do need to hear that you had credible reasons for making them.

It may be that there wasn't space to cover everything (in which case you should justify prioritising the material you did include). Or perhaps you felt that there was already sufficient scholarship related to a particular source or concept and your aim was to take the field in a different direction (this is a very good answer, if you can make it convincingly).

"If you were to repeat this project, what would you do differently?"

This question (or one like it) may come towards the end of the viva as you reflect on the project as a whole.

Again, the aim isn't to try and undermine your thesis, but rather to see whether you can constructively critique your own work and approaches. Or, to put it another way, have you learned anything from the experience of doing a PhD? You should have. After all, a doctorate is partly about learning to become an effective researcher and mistakes are a great thing to learn from.

In any case, this shouldn't be too hard to answer. There are likely to be all sorts of things you would do differently in future: from adopting different approaches or directions sooner, to heading off blind alleys or methodological mistakes.

"What do you think the next steps might be for this research?"

Relax, your examiners aren't expecting you to dive straight into another PhD. But they may want to hear where you would take this research next, or what you think other scholars could do to build on your findings. After all, part of the value in a new contribution to your field should lie in what it makes possible, as well as what it is .

It's best to be modest and realistic here, rather than making sweeping claims for how your findings will allow other researchers to reinvent the wheel (unless you have actually come up with a new technique for designing wheels, in which case, go ahead).

"Do you have any questions or comments for us?"

Your examiners will probably end the viva by asking if you'd like to ask them any questions, or say anything else about your thesis. This might seem a bit odd, but it's actually a helpful way for you to revisit or clarify any of your earlier answers.

For example, you might like to acknowledge a specific critique and reiterate your reasons for believing the thesis to be valid in spite of it. Or you might want to confirm that the examiners understood what you meant at a particular point in the previous discussion.

It's not a good idea to try and rehash large chunks of the viva here, but it's fine to pick out one or two things and be assertive. This demonstrates your confidence and commitment.

Equally, you can take the opportunity to ask the examiner's opinions on areas of the thesis that haven't come up, if you wish. This is fine, provided you're confident in those sections and comfortable discussing them.

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5 tips for passing your PhD viva

Every Doctoral researcher is expected to defend their thesis through an oral test known as a viva voce - so discover how to prepare for your PhD viva and ensure you make a good impression on the examiners

1. Understand what's expected of you

The PhD viva exam has traditionally always taken place in person, with the interview style discussion overseen by at least two (internal and external) examiners. Afterwards, you would be provided with a joint written report detailing any corrections that need to be made.

However, during the pandemic, the online PhD viva become more commonplace with this exam more likely to take place via Microsoft Teams, Skype or Zoom. Even now, a number of years later, many universities still allow for the viva to take place online, or a hybrid of online and in-person assessment.

The virtual experience still follows much the same format, but you'll be briefed in advance about the arrangements and any technical aspects to bear in mind. You can prepare for an online PhD viva by reading our video interview tips .

The chair of the viva is usually the internal examiner, although it can be an independent person. If you and the examiners agree, your PhD supervisor can also be present.

The examiners' main objective is to ascertain that you've written your own thesis, so if you have and are ready to talk through how you completed it, there's no need to panic. You may even enjoy the viva voce test.

In addition to assessing your thesis, the examiners are also there to assist you in deciding how and where this research might be published.

There are various results between a 'pass' and 'fail' but it's very rare to slip up at this point of a PhD. Most Doctorate awards will be made upon the condition that a number of minor corrections are made, with re-submission requests far less common.

While the pass rate is high, the viva exam itself can still be intellectually demanding. This is because you'll be debating issues that are conceptually complex, so preparation is crucial to your success.

At the end of it, whatever the outcome, be prepared to take on board any advice, as the examiners are there to help you improve your argument or the presentation of your thesis.

2. Know your thesis inside out

While this isn't a memory test - as you're fine bringing notes and a copy of your thesis with you - it's still important to gain a good understanding of what you've written and be knowledgeable about your field of study.

You'll need to think carefully about where this original piece of work would be placed in the context of the wider body of research carried out in this field. Questions will be asked about this, as well as whether the project could possibly be developed further through any future research.

As you'll be explaining parts of the document to the examiners (who'll also have a digital or physical copy), make sure the pagination is the same in your version as the one they're looking at to avoid any issues regarding everybody being on the same page.

If you get stuck at any point during the viva exam, you can use looking at the thesis as an excuse to re-focus and gather your thoughts.

3. Anticipate the PhD viva questions

The examiners will have prepared a series of questions for you to answer at the viva voce, but this is nothing to get too concerned about. The questions will all be based on your thesis - what it's about, what you did and what you found out - and why this matters, in relation to your field of study.

So when getting ready for the viva, consider the types of questions you're likely to be asked, including:

• What original contribution has your thesis made to this field of study?
• Explain the main research questions you were hoping to address.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of your thesis?
• If you had to start the thesis again, what would you do differently?
• If funding was no object, describe how you'd follow on from this project.
• What are your plans for the future?

It can be helpful to practise your answers beforehand, ideally vocalising them by arranging a mock mini viva - although, as you aren't restricted in terms of referring to notes in the exam, you can leave room for spontaneity, and you don't need to learn it all off by heart.

If your viva is being held online, you can ensure any technical issues are identified before the day by having a run through with your supervisor or a friend.

While it may sound simple, stick to answering the questions posed. It's really easy to go off on a tangent and this can open up other lines of enquiry from the examiners - possibly in areas you hadn't expected to be quizzed about.

On the other hand, it's completely fine to bring personality to your reasoning and use stories as a means of describing the learning process you've gone through and the techniques mastered over the last three or four years that have brought you to this point.

4. Learn about your examiners' own work

The senior and well-respected academics who'll be reading your thesis will have their own ideas on conducting PhD standard research. Therefore, it's worth taking a look online at their academic and LinkedIn profiles to discover if there's any correlation with the research they've had published and your own work.

From this, you should be able to gain a better idea of their motivations, their possible views on your thesis and the kinds of questions they might wish to discuss after having read through it.

You should research up-to-date theories, read any recent papers on the subject and speak to others who've recently had their own viva exam. Think about how your work differentiates from the research carried out by others in your chosen field.

Prepare to provide any supporting evidence asked of you by the examiners - for example, they may request to see experimental data you mention once the exam is over.

It's also necessary to check the policies and practices in place at your university and be sure of what the roles of the examiners are and how the viva panel will be structured. In many cases, Doctoral students can choose the examiners conducting the PhD viva.

5. Plan towards the viva exam

From the moment you know the date of your viva voce, work backwards and plan the steps you'll need to take before the day itself. Allow enough time to assess and review your work so that as the day approaches, you can focus on the practicalities.

This encompasses everything from making sure you relax, eat and sleep well the day before to arranging transport so you get to the viva on time.

An online PhD viva will present its own challenges, so ensure your working space is presentable and you still make an effort in terms of what you'll be wearing.

It's always advisable to adhere to interview etiquette and go with something that's both smart and comfortable. By looking the part, this should get you in the right frame of mind to communicate in a professional manner.

In the build-up, avoid any situations that might make you feel stressed and instead try to adopt a positive attitude, one that results in a genuine eagerness to engage in a debate about the work you've been toiling over.

If you're travelling to the exam, be sure to check that you have everything you need, including the thesis, plus any notes or other materials that will help support your claims.

The Doctoral viva can last between one and four hours - usually two - so it's necessary to pace yourself to get off to the best possible start.

Remember, the examiners aren't trying to trip you up - they want you to pass and are primarily there to hear you talk about your project. So, after the polite introductions, they'll typically start with an icebreaker to put you at ease and help calm the nerves.

It's meant to be an open and honest conversation about your work, so feel free to politely disagree with the examiners, especially on areas you feel strongly about. Don't forget to use examples from your thesis to back up what you're saying, remembering to be clear and concise.

If you know your way around your thesis and can explain your thinking and way of working, this test shouldn't be a problem. And if you don't know the answer to a specific question - admit it, as it's better to concede your limitations in an area than ramble on and hope they don't notice you're struggling to come up with an explanation.

Remember that no research is perfect, so it's important to appreciate this during the discussion - but don't be too overcritical about your work either, as that's not your job.

Finally, as the PhD viva can quickly move from a series of friendly questions to those that are more in-depth, take some time to think before answering. Don't worry about any periods of silence from the examiners, as this certainly isn't an indication that you're doing badly.

Find out more

• Read about 5 challenges faced by PhD students .
• Explore possible careers at your PhD, what next?
• Consider getting an academic job .

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How to prepare your viva opening speech

A viva, or PhD thesis defence, typically starts with an opening speech by the PhD candidate. This opening speech can be prepared in advance. How? By following six simple steps that take you from checking university requirements, to structuring and practising your viva opening speech.

What is a viva opening speech?

A viva opening speech is a short presentation of the PhD thesis by the PhD candidate. It typically lasts between 10 and 30 minutes and kicks off the PhD defence during which the candidate has to answer questions from the examiners.

Questions from examiners are relatively unpredictable. A viva opening speech, however, can be prepared and practised in advance! Therefore, it constitutes a major part of getting reading for a PhD thesis defence.

Step 1: Check the requirements for your viva opening speech

Therefore, the first step to preparing a viva opening speech should always be to find out the specific regulations of your university.

Step 2: Define the audience for your viva opening speech

Once you are aware of your university’s regulation concerning viva opening speeches, it is smart to think a bit more about the target audience of your speech.

The target audience for your viva opening speech will influence the level of detail in your presentation, the complexity of the information, and the language and terminology you will use.

Step 3: Develop key messages for your viva opening speech

Now it is time to brainstorm about the content of your viva opening speech! One harsh truth is that you simply cannot include everything. Summarising the work of 3, 4 or more years in a few minutes is incredibly challenging. You have to be selective. You have to summarise, abstract and prioritise.

The key messages for your viva opening speech should be in line with the nature of your PhD thesis. For those who have read your PhD thesis in advance, the content of your viva opening speech should not come as a surprise.

Step 4: Structure your viva opening speech

Common ways to structure viva presentations are around the table of contents of the PhD thesis, around key findings, key arguments, or around case studies.

Step 5: Create visual support for your viva opening speech

As with regular presentations, avoid too much text on slides. Instead, make strategic use of images, photographs, figures or diagrams to develop your storyline and bring your points across.

Step 6: Practice your viva opening speech

You should practice your viva opening speech up to the point that you can present freely, without reading from your notes. However, don’t learn the whole speech by heart. It is always noticeable if someone just recites text, and it will make you sound like a robot.

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5 Tips for Preparing for Your PhD Viva

• By Zebastian D.
• December 13, 2019

You’ve just passed a massive milestone: writing and submitting your PhD thesis. This has been the culmination of at least three years of work and is definitely a cause for celebration. But the journey’s not fully over just yet – you still have the viva to pass. In the UK the viva usually lasts a few hours and involves a detailed discussion of your thesis with two expert examiners; your primary supervisor may or may not sit in this. Expect the viva to be tough – you’ll need to be able to defend your PhD thesis and respond to questions designed to probe your understanding of your subject. But if you prepare for it well, you’re likely to come out of it having had an enjoyable experience discussing your work with people genuinely interested in your project.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for the day.

1. Know Your Thesis

You should expect your examiners to have spent a considerable about of time going through your PhD thesis and the content of it will be fresh in their mind; make sure it’s fresh in yours too. Yes, you’re the one that’s written it but, if you’ve planned well , you may have written some of your chapter content quite a while ago. Equally, I would definitely recommend checking to see if any new papers in your field have been published since writing your chapters and submitting your thesis.

2. Know Your Examiners

Your examiners will be experts in their fields, and at least one (if not both) will be experts in the same field of your research. Make sure you look up papers they’ve published and think about how they fit in with your work. It’s likely that some of their line of questioning in the viva will be based around their contributions to the research area.

3. Think of Possible Questions

It’s a good idea to spend time with your supervisor to think of possible questions the examiners may ask you. In particular, can you predict the tough questions that might come your way and how you might best answer them? Are there any areas within your work that you would consider as limitations for your studies and that you should be prepared to acknowledge? Some preparation here and even a mock interview will go a long way in making the actual thing feel easier.

4. Bring a Copy of Your Thesis

Make sure you have your own printed copy of your PhD thesis that you bring along with you to the viva. Make notes and highlight pages and sections within it that you especially want to bring attention to. You might also find it useful to print separate larger copies of key results (e.g. graphs or figures) that you think would be useful to discuss. Some props that help explain concepts (if relevant) can also be a brilliant way to guide the discussions to areas you’re most comfortable with.

5. Focus on Your Strengths

Try to view the viva as an opportunity to showcase the new knowledge you have added to your field of research. Focus on the positives that have come out of your work; all projects will have some areas of weakness but there’s no need to highlight these to your examiners unless directly asked about them. Coming into your viva with one or two papers published (if possible) is a great positive – it’ll give you confidence that your work has already stood up to peer-review and is a very good way to present your contributions to research.

A thesis and dissertation appendix contains additional information which supports your main arguments. Find out what they should include and how to format them.

There’s no doubt about it – writing can be difficult. Whether you’re writing the first sentence of a paper or a grant proposal, it’s easy

Find out the different dissertation and thesis binding options, which is best, advantages and disadvantages, typical costs, popular services and more.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

Browse PhDs Now

Learn more about using cloud storage effectively, video conferencing calling, good note-taking solutions and online calendar and task management options.

Fieldwork can be essential for your PhD project. Use these tips to help maximise site productivity and reduce your research time by a few weeks.

Nick is a first year PhD student at Queen Mary University of London. The long-term goal of his research is to help game designers make games that support healthy engagement and well-being.

Dr Joseph gained her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge in 2018 and is now a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Physics at the University. Her research is on better understanding how cells organises its contents via the process of liquid-liquid phase separation.

Join Thousands of Students

• Schools & departments

Writing up your PhD and Preparing for the Viva

Writing up and submitting your thesis on time should be your priority in your final year, but you should also make time to prepare for your next steps.

Typical milestones

These are the sorts of actions you will need to consider taking during the end phase of your PhD.

Completing your research :

• draw up a plan to cut writing up into manageable pieces
• chapter by chapter; complete a first draft
• submit thesis and practice for the viva
• viva, corrections and graduation....celebrate!

Communicate your findings :

• present research findings at conferences / seminars.

Plan your career :

• Visit the careers service and work on updating your CV.
• Apply for jobs or funding, or think about entrepreneurial activities, like starting your own business or ‘spinning out’ your research.

Remember to add your own additional actions that relate to your own personal circumstances and project.

Support from your supervisor and School

As you near completion, you will be the expert in your field, your relationship with your supervisor has probably changed dramatically since day one. Now your meetings should focus on critically discussing your work. Let them advise you on the process of submission and learn from their experience.

It is vital at this stage that you revisit the PhD regulations, particularly those on submitting your thesis. Remember that the guidance may have been updated since you first started your PhD.

Codes and regulations for research students

Writing up qualitative research

This independent self study pack is aimed at Postgraduate Researchers working on a qualitative thesis who have completed their data collection and analysis and are at the stage of writing up.

Note: this self-study pack was written in 2013 so is not an expecially up-to-date resource, but it may still contain helpful general information.

The units available for download are:

Writing up: course introduction (PDF - 3 pages)

Unit 1: structure and introduction (PDF - 13 pages)

Unit 2: literature review (PDF - 15 pages)

Unit 3: methodology (PDF - 9 pages)

Unit 4: data chapters (PDF - 17 pages)

Unit 5: the final chapter (PDF - 19 pages)

Unit 6: the first few pages (PDF - 9 pages)

Independent study notes (PDF - 11 pages)

Preparing for the Viva

A Guide for Viva Preparation (PDF)

Preparing for an Online Viva (PDF)

It may be particularly important now that you get advice and support on your next career steps. Read out career management section for some timely advice, and an overview of support you can access from the University’s careers service.

Career management advice for PhD students

Training courses

To help you in the final stages of your research programme, we recommend attending some of the following  IAD  courses:

• 7 Reasons you'll Pass your Viva
• Thesis Workshops - School Specific
• Viva Survivor

Doing a skills audit to help plan your development

Revisit your skills audit and update it, you will have learnt a lot in during your PhD, and the chances are your development needs have now changed. Your focus for future development should now be on the skills you need to move forward into your career. Think about these carefully and if you want to, seek advice from the Careers Service.

Get help from the University Careers Service

If you haven’t done a skills audit before, doing an audit (i.e. an assessment) of your skills is useful; if you can identify what skills are important to your research success, and whether you are strong or weak in these areas. You can then focus your precious time on developing the areas that will help you most.

Other sources of support

Vitae: The Vitae resources on writing up, submitting and defending your thesis are particularly helpful at this stage.

Vitae guidance on completing your doctorate

This article was published on 2024-02-26

Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

Proven Strategies to Help You Deliver an Impeccable PhD Viva Voce

Handing in your PhD thesis after months of hard work may well be the most gratifying moment in your doctoral journey. While you may be happy and relieved to have completed this important milestone, there is one last challenge to be met before you can earn your PhD degree – that of delivering an impactful PhD viva voce. The viva voce is an oral examination where doctoral candidates are invited to defend their PhD research. The objective of the viva is to establish your competence as a researcher and to confirm that the research thesis submitted is your own work 1

The format for the viva may differ based on the country or institution. Some countries, like the UK, have a private viva with a panel of at least two examiners, while others hold the PhD final viva in a public setting, with students having to present their research and answer questions from a panel of examiners and the audience. 2 

Having to defend your research in the presence of accomplished experts in your field can be very intimidating. In this article, we share proven strategies to help you prepare for and deliver an impeccable PhD viva voce.

Table of Contents

Tips to help you prepare for your PhD viva voce

• Know what is expected of you: Check your institution’s policies to understand how the PhD final viva will be structured. Specifically, ask about the number and role of the examiners, whether there will be an independent chair, and whether your supervisor will participate. You should also confirm the format of your PhD viva voce – public, private, or online. Some institutions also offer students training on or opportunities to practice your viva, which is something you shouldn’t miss.
• Learn more about the examiners: You will be presenting to senior academics with unique backgrounds and views, so it is important to learn more about their professional profiles and published work, especially if their research relates to your thesis. This will give you an idea of where they are coming from and the kind of questions they may ask.
• Draw up a list of possible questions: It is always a good idea to try and anticipate the kinds of questions that may be asked of you. Most will be based on your thesis, so may seem easy but take time to practice vocalizing the answers. Some of the common topics for discussion are:
• What is the main research question you hoped to address?
• How do you think your thesis contributes to your field of research?
• Would you change anything if you had to start your research again?
• What, in your opinion, are the strengths and inadequacies of your thesis?
• Why did you pursue a PhD and what are your plans for the future?
• How would you proceed from here if research funds were not an issue?
• Revisit and revise your thesis thoroughly: It is always a good idea to carry a copy of your thesis; ensure the pagination matches what the examiners have so that you can easily refer to it and call out critical results or data as you explain your research. Highlighting key text can help you answer questions more quickly and confidently. It is also important to have a good understanding of your field of study, including where your work fits in and how it can be used to develop future research.
• Plan toward your PhD viva voce presentation: Once you get a date for your PhD final viva, plan backwards so you have enough time to review your work. Usually, a viva may take roughly two hours, so pace yourself, arrive well ahead of time and ensure that you are carrying everything you need for the day. If your PhD viva voce is online, make sure you have a strong internet connection and are seated in the right environment. Keeping a positive attitude, taking time to relax and ensuring you get enough sleep the day before the viva will help you stay alert.

Simple advice to keep in mind when delivering your PhD viva voce

Here are a few things to keep in mind during your oral examination.

• Prepare for the icebreaker: The ice-breaker is a 5-10 minute introduction about you and your work. It helps set the tone for the rest of the viva, so do take time to think about how you can make it impactful.
• Start strong and stay committed. Respond with precise, detailed answers that demonstrate your knowledge and thought process. Vague, non-committal answers could raise red flags for examiners and lead to negative reviews. Take time to understand the question and answer to the point. Be prepared to provide supporting data from your research if required.
• Request clarity on ambiguous queries: Don’t hesitate to ask for clarifications if you don’t understand a question. Some questions can be tricky and require a deep understanding not just on your subject matter but also on interdisciplinary aspects related to your research. If you are unsure about the answer, be honest and admit it.
• Express your opinions and ask questions: Think of the PhD viva voce as an open and honest dialog where you discuss your research, especially in the context of other work in the field. Feel free to ask questions or politely disagree if you do not agree with certain points. Use examples from your work to explain your views.
• Avoid being overconfident, defensive, or long-winded: While it’s important to know your research, it’s just as important to know how to act during the PhD viva voce. Staying humble, listening carefully, and keeping an open-mind is always helpful.
• Don’t worry about long silences: During the PhD final viva you may find yourself worrying about periods of silence from the examiners. Rest assured, this does not mean that you are not doing well, so be patient and stay calm.

  References:

• Higginbotham D. 5 tips for passing your PhD viva. Prospects, June 2022. Available at https://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/phd-study/5-tips-for-passing-your-phd-viva
• Defending your doctoral thesis: the PhD viva. Vitae. Available at https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/doing-a-doctorate/completing-your-doctorate/your-viva

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• Success Guide - doctoral students
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• Progressing through your PhD
• Main stages of the PhD

Your viva is a chance to show your in-depth knowledge of your subject area and discuss the important research findings that you have made - whether they are positive or negative.

A doctoral degree is a training process. Your examiners will be there to:

• establish you have achieved this training and that the work contained in your thesis is your own.
• see that during the course of your degree you have started to become an independent well-rounded researcher who is making a valuable contribution to the research community.

The Graduate School has put together a complete online resource Passing your Viva , including information on the processes involved, and videos on both a student perspective and an examiner's perspective.

If you want to request a remote Viva, you should read the Guidance for Students on the Modality of Final Thesis Research Degree Vivas . 

Preparing for your Viva

Before your Viva takes places there are some steps you can take in preparing yourself for the examination:

Anticipate questions that will be asked

Test yourself by doing some practice questions. Ask your supervisor to provide you with a list of questions that they would anticipate may be asked. Identify areas that you are uncertain about and discuss further with your supervisor if you have concerns about what you could be questioned on.

You may find your supervisor or department will automatically organise a mock viva. If not, ask your supervisor if they will conduct a mock viva with you, perhaps including another member of the research team who is familiar with your research work and could ask you relevant questions.

Review your material

Review your knowledge as you go along. Make sure you have not missed anything along the way. If there is anything you are unsure of, make time to focus on that area again. Mark up key parts of your thesis. Remember you are allowed to take a copy of your thesis into the examination. You can refer to it if needed, such as when discussing key figures and tables in relation to the data that you have generated.

Some time may have passed since you submitted your thesis, so make sure you are up to date with relevant publications published after your thesis submission. If you don't you may find that your examiners are more up to date on relevant published research findings than you.

Keep calm, relax, sleep well and eat well

When re-reading your thesis and revising for your viva do not let yourself get too stressed. Allow yourself plenty of time to prepare for the examination. Do not leave things until the last minute - especially not the night before the viva.

Allow yourself time to relax, eat properly, and sleep. You will function better in your viva if you are not tired, hungry and grumpy - and you'll make a better impression on your examiners.

You can review the useful videos and resources put together by a group of UK universities demystifying and giving advice to students who are preparing for their viva.

You may also consider attending some workshops to further develop your communicating research skills .

During your Viva

Just as when delivering any other presentation, remember to breathe, pause between sentences and engage with your examiners. Regular eye contact is key.

If you do not understand the question, ask the examiner to repeat it. If you do not know the answer to a question, just be honest and say so.

When answering questions, take a moment to think before you speak. That way you will ensure you give a detailed but concise answer and will avoid waffling in an unfocused manner.

What is a PhD Viva?

• Maisie Dadswell
• September 6, 2023

After you have written and submitted your PhD thesis, the next stage in the process is to pass your PhD viva examination, which your PhD supervisor at UWS London will fully prepare you for. Your viva will happen within three months of submitting your thesis; after completing your viva, you will know if you have passed with flying colours and can call yourself a doctor in your respective field. Though the prospect may sound daunting, see it as the chance to prove that your creative knowledge makes you a peer to the academic panel that will be present for your viva; it is the perfect opportunity to establish yourself as an intellectual authority in your field. 

This article will cover what a viva is, how it works, what the potential outcomes are, who will be present on the panel and provide some helpful tips that are relevant for all fields of study.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is the highest academic degree one can earn in most fields of study. It typically involves conducting original research, making a significant contribution to the field’s knowledge, and writing a dissertation or thesis that demonstrates expertise in a specific area. Learn more about PhD at UWS Londo n here .

A PhD viva also referred to as a Viva Voce, Latin for ‘living voice’, is an oral examination which follows the submission of your doctoral thesis, where you will showcase your knowledge and defend your research in front of a panel comprised of academic experts. This examination is compulsory for the vast majority of doctoral students.

PhD Viva Questions

All the questions asked during your viva will assess: 

• Your knowledge depth in your specific area of research. 
• How deep your knowledge is concerning the broader research field relevant to your PhD. 
• If you can place your work in a broader context. 
• If you can demonstrate how your research contributes to your field. 
• If you know of any potential limitations and oversights in your work – where applicable. 

If the panel has any suspicions that your work may not be your own, they may also question the authenticity of your work.

How Long Does a PhD Viva Take?

One of the most frequently asked questions is how long is a PhD Viva. The average length is around three hours, but several factors can extend or shorten your oral examination. If there are issues in your PhD thesis or if it is poorly presented or formatted, this could lead to confusion on the panel, which will necessitate more clarification for you to set the record straight and prove that you understand your field of study. Similarly, how well-prepared you are and how concisely you respond to questions will also have a bearing on the duration of the viva. 

However, lengthy PhD defences don’t always need to be a sign that it is going poorly! Your examiners may enjoy the discussion enough that they will want to talk about it long after they have concluded that you have passed the examination. Even though, in some rare instances, a viva can take up to eight hours there may be university or country-specific rules on maximum duration – feel free to discuss this with your PhD supervisor beforehand.

Who Will Be on Your Viva Panel?

Your PhD examination will be carried out by one examiner from your university and an examiner from an outside university. Your PhD supervisor may also be on the panel, although this is not always the case. If you do find your supervisor on your viva panel, in the UK, it is common that they are prohibited from speaking. If they are present, they will solely act as observers. 

Together, the examiners will highlight what they found when reading your PhD thesis thoroughly, focusing on the theories and key concepts you put forward in your research. To ensure that the examiners are being fair and appropriate in the viva process, there is also usually a chairperson on the panel who takes notes documenting any notable suggestions or comments. The chairperson will either be internal or external from the university.

What Are the Outcomes of a Viva Exam?

In the UK, there are six potential Viva PhD outcomes. We have listed them below from the best outcome to the worst. However, it is worth bearing in mind that even if you need to make minor or major corrections after your viva, you will be given equal credit as someone who was awarded their PhD degree without corrections.

The average pass rate for a PhD viva in the UK can vary depending on the university, field of study, and specific criteria used for evaluation. However, it is generally quite high.

In many UK universities, a significant majority of candidates who reach the viva stage pass, often with some amendments required. A “pass with minor amendments” is a common outcome, indicating that the candidate has demonstrated a sufficient understanding of the research. Recent research on viva experiences indicates that 84% of Ph.D. candidates are required to make minor revisions in order to achieve a passing grade.

1. Awarded PhD Degree with No Corrections

It is rare for students to pass their PhD degree without any corrections. So, if this is your outcome following your viva, celebrations are in order! It means you have seriously impressed your examiners with your research and examination.

2. Minor Corrections Required to Pass

Recent viva experience research has highlighted that 84% of PhD candidates must make minor corrections to pass. Typically, the minor corrections will be small issues with the thesis, such as grammatical errors, typos, typograph issues, or presentational faux pas, which can be quickly edited. Don’t be disparaged if you are presented with this outcome following your viva; it still means that you have done remarkably well with your thesis and viva.

3. Major Corrections Required to Pass

This outcome is the second most common following a viva; it means you have met the required standard to be awarded your doctorate, but some revisions or corrections need to be made. Typically, this will involve you improving the structure or clarity of your thesis by rewriting chapters or adding additional analysis. Once again, needing to make major corrections shouldn’t be seen as a failure; although it may be disparaging, it doesn’t invalidate your research or contribution to your field.

4. Revise and Represent to Pass

You will be asked to revise and represent your work if the panel can see the potential within your work and that it can meet requirements if you undertake additional research or analysis. You will be presented with this outcome if your work doesn’t quite reach the PhD degree standard; unlike with the minor and major corrections outcomes, if you are asked to revise and represent, you will need to present your revised work to the panel again.

5. Awarded an MPhil Degree

If the academic panel decide that major corrections or additional research still won’t allow your work to meet the PhD standard, you may be awarded a lower-standard MPhil degree instead. For example, philosophy PhD candidates will be awarded a Master of Psychology degree instead of a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Typically, MPhil degrees are awarded in place of PhDs if your work lacks originality or the knowledge creation that a PhD requires. An MPhil degree ranks above MA and MSc degrees as the most advanced Masters degrees. An MPhil degree still demonstrates that you have the same skill set as someone who successfully obtained a PhD, and they are still valuable to employers.

6. Immediate Fail

An immediate fail is rare; a 2022 survey found that only 3.3% of PhD candidates fail their viva outright – it certainly isn’t something you should obsess over. If when you are preparing for your viva, you find some faults in your thesis, don’t be afraid to broach them yourself in your exam; this will show that you can present a passable thesis. `

PhD Viva Tips:

Don’t work with irrelevant guidance or tips.

While brushing up on generalised tips online can help you to feel prepared for your viva, remember that there will always be variability in the process, the focus of the exam, and the questions asked. The variable factors include your field of study and the university you are obtaining your doctorate. With this in mind, always chat with your supervisor to ensure you are preparing with the right and relevant knowledge.

Treat the Examiners as Equals

Your PhD defence may technically be an exam, and naturally, many PhD candidates are stressed, daunted, or overwhelmed by the process for weeks. However, you will do much better if you go into the exam with the mindset that you are equal with the academic panel and treat the examination as a discussion rather than an inquisition. Remember, your viva is your chance to be seen as a doctor, not a student.

Mindset Matters

After spending years on your thesis, you will know your subject inside and out; it is your area of expertise; don’t go into the viva with a defensive and confrontational mindset; remain confident in your knowledge creation and how it benefits your field of study. Imposter syndrome can come in hard here, so limit your negative self-talk and silence your inner critic.

Ask for a Mock Viva with Your Supervisor

Never be shy about asking your PhD supervisor for the support you need as you prepare for your viva. They will be best placed to answer all of your questions as they will know the procedure for your university and your field of research. Your PhD supervisor will likely have already been present in viva exams; they will know the score, and more importantly, after working with you for years, they will want you to pass your viva – never be shy about asking them to arrange a mock viva to help you prepare.

How long is a PhD?

If you look for an answer to the question, how long is a PhD thesis, you will notice that there is a lot of contradictory information on the internet because there is no one-size-fits-all answer for PhD students. How long does a PhD take ? Well, we’ve got all the info you need in our other blog

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The Week Before My Viva

• June 6, 2022
• University of Nottingham
• Dissertation Defence/ Viva

March 16th 2022. This is definitely one of the most significant dates of my life. It is the day I passed my PhD with minor corrections!

While a lot has happened in the past four and a half years leading to this day (*cough pandemic*), I must say that the week before my viva was certainly the most stressful period of my PhD.

When the date was confirmed, I was told by my supervisor to start preparing about a week before the actual big scary viva . And yes, I really called it that. If anyone knows me, they’ll know that I’m an anxious person and that waiting two months for the viva would be unbearable. Thankfully, when the date was confirmed I was already employed, so my mind was pre-occupied. In the weeks leading up to my viva however, I could feel my stress levels slowly creeping up; I knew that I had to finish all of my projects at work before my annual leave to go “full-blast” on my viva preparation.

In the evenings, I would google ‘how to prepare for PhD viva’ and search for ‘common questions asked in a PhD viva’. Although this might seem rather trivial, it did help my anxiety levels as it allowed me to plan what to expect for the viva itself. And then it came to the actual week before the “big day”.

Seven Days Remaining - Starting point

“Over-googling” can have a negative influence; it meant that I was unsure on where was best to start. However, following my supervisor’s advice, I started with the most basic step which was to re-read my thesis. I submitted this in early December, so it had been a few months since I’d looked at it. Re-reading it was definitely eye-opening and I had forgotten how much fun I’d had writing certain sections. The process had also left me mortified by the typos, grammatical mistakes, and formatting issues I missed before submitting. While I was bothered by these minor issues, I reminded myself that I should focus on refreshing my memory of the content so that I could start preparing for the potential questions that my examiners might ask.

Six Days Remaining - Mock Viva

​On this day, I had a mock viva with my supervisor where he explained how a viva typically begins with the examiners asking a warm-up question such as “tell us about your PhD” or “why is your research important”. Sounds easy enough right? But honestly, it was a bit disastrous. For the first question, I went on for about 10 minutes talking about my PhD and didn’t really talk about what I did and what I had found. I answered the second question better. From this, my supervisor encouraged me to remain calm and not over-complicate my answers.

Four Days Remaining - Practising and more practising

​​Following the feedback I had received from the mock viva, I decided to change the long ten minute ‘spiel’ into a 3-minute elevator pitch for strangers. I practiced this repeatedly with someone who was an outsider to the field. After getting more feedback, I practiced again with another friend whose field of research was similar to mine. The tips I researched online repeatedly told me to practice constantly. This was the most beneficial piece of advice I received; practicing with someone outside of my field helped me to simplify explaining my rationales, while practicing with someone from my field provided me with fresh insight into explaining my results.

Two Days Remaining - Final preparations

​​Until this point, I was preparing with a PDF version of my thesis when I was given another handy tip; have a physical copy of important sections and chapters indexed so that I could access them easily during the viva. I also found it useful to be able to flick to the page my examiners were on immediately during the viva, so it was a good idea to print out and bind the version that was sent to the examiners. Side note: this indexing was useful for doing my corrections later! ​ Now I’d like to give an unusual piece of advice, but one which I found really helpful: pick out what you are going to wear! This means you will have one less thing to worry about on the day itself. I went to my friend’s house in the evening, and it was nice to have a relaxing dinner together where I was not thinking about the viva.

The Day of The Viva

My memory of the actual viva is something of a blur! I met my external examiner first which was a little awkward because I had never interacted with her before (aside from liking and retweeting some of her tweets). My internal examiner and chairperson then entered the meeting, and after brief introductions, I was told that I had passed, and my first reaction was disbelief! Before I had the chance to register what I had just been told, the viva had officially started. The questions I was initially asked were the ones I had expected, (for instance, “tell us about your PhD”) before they proceeded to ask more in-depth questions (such as, “explain your findings in greater detail”, “why did you adopt this analysis technique?”, and “why did you interpret your data this way?”)

Approximately three hours later, my viva was over and I was exhausted. When I recounted the meeting in my head, I did not believe I had answered the questions well. It felt as though I had gone down the rabbit hole a couple of times and my examiners had to pull me out of it. I was panicking that I had performed poorly despite being told I had passed at the beginning; my self-doubt was creeping in. They told me afterwards that I had done well, and that it was a spirited viva.

At the post-viva dinner, my internal examiner told me that it was normal to feel like my brain had been poked and prodded and, in a way, it was like a rite of passage.I was given three months to complete my corrections. As I am writing this article, I still have a couple more corrections to go. Some are easy fixes, and some are a little bit more tedious.

Overall, I’d say that the week leading up to my viva was indeed stressful and while I wouldn’t say that my preparation is applicable to everyone, it is okay to feel scared or nervous. And actually, I would say that it is even totally normal to feel excited because you have worked really hard to come to this point. To those who are reading this article and will have to do their viva either in the near or far future, I sincerely wish you all the best!

Sue Lynn Mah

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The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

What is a PhD Viva Like? Sharing Graduates’ Experiences

When you’re trying to prepare for a PhD viva it can be really difficult to know what to expect. Unlike pretty much every other exam you’ll have experienced, the viva isn’t a standardised exam so you won’t find any past papers to practice on!

In this post I’ll be sharing the inside scoop on what a PhD viva is like. Both from my own experiences plus those of a few other PhD graduates.

Preparing for your viva? You may also want to take a look at some of the other PhD viva content I’ve written:

How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva

Common phd viva questions.

Note: Every viva is different, in this post I’m focussing on my viva which took place in the UK. Two PhD graduates in Spain and the US also share their experiences.

What is a PhD viva?

For those who aren’t already familiar with what a PhD viva is, I’d highly recommend reading my full post on How to Defend a Thesis: An Introduction to the PhD Viva . This delves into how a PhD viva is assessed, who is present, the potential outcomes and what follows after.

As a quick recap, a PhD viva (also called a defense in some countries) is the final assessment a PhD student undertakes in order to pass their PhD. The format the viva can take varies from country to country and even institution to institution, but it typically involves discussing and defending your PhD thesis with experts in your field.

In this post you’ll hear about the viva experiences of three PhD graduates, each with a slightly different format.

To get the best understanding of how PhD vivas take place at your university I’d recommend:

• Checking out any webpages your university have which formally outline the viva process
• Speaking to your PhD supervisor
• Chatting to colleagues such as postdocs who’ve been through it

Viva Experiences from PhD Grads

Prof elizabeth bondi-kelly , phd from harvard university, usa. assistant professor in computer science at university of michigan.

What was your PhD viva like? At my (virtual) defense, I had my committee, adviser, labmates, and family/friends. I was fortunate to give my job talk presentation again for my defense, so I had already had a lot of practice with presenting it and being asked questions about it.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? For anyone who hasn’t had that opportunity, I highly recommend practicing to get a polished talk and practice answering questions about it.

Prof Raúl Santos-Rodríguez , PhD from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain. Full Professor in AI at University of Bristol.

What are PhD vivas like in Spain? The viva process in Spain varies from university to university. In most cases there are a few previous filters (internal/external reports) that make it such that, once you are through those, most of the pressure is off for the actual defence. The viva consists of a public presentation (usually with colleagues, friends and family in the audience) followed by questions from a panel, with each member asking their questions in turns. Both presentation and Q&A tend to be time limited (around 45 minutes each). 

What was your PhD viva like? My viva experience was nerve-wracking but rewarding too. I remember how the exercise of putting together the presentation with the panel in mind actually gave me quite a different perspective on how to tell the story of my thesis. The event took place in a rather formal lecture room in our faculty. The panel consisted of five examiners (three externals including one from abroad, and two internals), all of whom were experts in my field of study. The panel asked me a wide range of questions, covering both very specific details and very high level matters. Once I answered their questions to their satisfaction, and after a short deliberation, I was given the good news. Overall, I found the viva to be a challenging but stimulating experience — and a good memory.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? In terms of advice, I would suggest to:

• Expect to be surprised by unexpected questions about your research
• Be clear and concise, allowing examiners to ask for more details if needed
• Practice your presentation without being constrained to say the same things every time
• Not be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand and take your time to respond
• Enjoy the interaction with the examiners as they are experts that have a lot to add to your work

Me! PhD from Imperial College London, UK. Research Fellow in AI at Bristol.

What was your PhD viva like? My viva, which took place over Microsoft Teams, included just an internal examiner, external examiner and myself. I gave a short presentation giving a summary of my PhD then about five hours were spent giving suggestions to improve content I was preparing to submit to journals. It was much less intimidating than I was expecting.

How do you suggest people prepare for their PhD viva? I mainly suggest to not over prepare! Sure, reread your thesis and swot up on any content you don’t feel comfortable describing (for instance certain techniques you’ve used), but I would caution against rehearsing too much: come to terms with the fact that you won’t be able to predict all the questions you’ll get asked.

I’ll be sharing more details on my viva experience in the rest of the post.

How To Prepare For a PhD Viva: The Advice I Was Given

Ahead of my own viva I typically got told to:

Relax and take your time in replying . This is somewhat sensible advice but a bit like telling someone to calm down: it doesn’t always work. Furthermore, relaxing can be hard to do when you also get told to…

Be prepared to answer questions about every part of your work . At face value this can seem reasonable: if you did the work, and deserve a PhD, you should be able to explain your work. Like many of us I heard the horror stories of examiners asking students to provide an explanation of fundamental techniques from first principles such as: “derive energy”!

However, I don’t think any rational examiner can expect a student to be able to answer every possible question about their PhD work. Not least because many students aren’t relaxed during the viva and instead are filled with nerves.

Thankfully, the reality is that examiners simply need to check that you’ve done the work and understand it. Therefore, yes you should be able to give a broad explanation of the techniques you’ve used but you can’t be expected to know everything about every technique.

Once it strays from your work to underlying principles I suggest that you explain as much as you feel comfortable then push back – the internal examiner (who acts as a moderator) should also step in if unreasonable questions are being asked. For more details on what PhD examiners are looking for, read this section of another post I’ve written .

How I Prepared for My PhD Viva

The time between submitting my thesis (14th February) and viva (25th March) was shorter than for most people. On top of that I didn’t spend long writing my thesis, meaning that the time between finishing my actual research and my viva was pretty short (around two months). Therefore I didn’t feel the need to “revise” for my viva. As in, sometimes you’ll hear of people reminding themselves of how certain experimental or analytic techniques work, but it was pretty fresh in my memory.

Instead, about 48 hours before my viva I started to read through my thesis. This is going to sound really bad but this was actually my first (and only) time properly reading through my thesis. No, I didn’t outsource or use ChatGPT to write my thesis!

When I submitted my thesis I had of course assembled all the chapters but had never given it a proper cohesive read all the way through. I read through the thesis over the course of 4-5 sittings. Reading fiction is definitely more fun .

I personally didn’t prepare by trying to come up with answers for lots of potential questions. But if you’re keen to have those to hand, read my Common PhD Viva Questions .

Preparing for your own viva? I’ve created a set of viva preparation worksheets which are available for free in the resource library. Click the image below for access!

Why didn’t I prepare more?

I felt pretty relaxed about my viva. This isn’t because I am crazy clever or knowledgable. In fact, like many of us I’ve felt imposter syndrome, waiting for the moment that my lack of knowledge gets discovered: and if there ever a moment you’d expect this to happen it would be at your viva.

These three things relaxed me for the viva:

• The external examiner seemed nice from the time I’d met him in the past at a conference. Certainly not a sure-fire sign that he wouldn’t turn into a scary beast during a viva but it seemed like a good starting point.
• It was virtual. My viva took place right at the start of COVID and as such took place over Teams. For some reason this felt reassuring, as if I could get away with just unplugging my internet connection if they asked anything particularly scary. Thankfully I didn’t ever feel the need to try this out!
• I had published PhD work in a well-ranked respected peer-reviewed journal. This was far and away the most reassuring thing. As mentioned in another post, examiners have to be confident in all of the following things to let you pass your PhD viva. If you have published some of your work somewhere respectable you tick many of the boxes immediately:

Oh, and I also didn’t prepare much because I was preoccupied with moving from London the week before my viva because of COVID and the start of lockdowns. Unexpectedly I ended up moving in with my girlfriend’s parents. It was rather chaotic but probably a useful distraction too.

My PhD Viva Experience

Who was at my viva.

Unlike vivas in other countries, such as the two international experiences shared above, a viva in the UK usually only involves:

• PhD student – me in this case!
• Internal examiner – an academic working in the same research area from the host university. They’re there to moderate the discussion and check that the university’s viva regulations are followed.
• External examiner – another academic working in the research area from a different university. In my case this was someone who was a leader in the field who came from another UK university.

Optionally the PhD student may ask their supervisor to attend. I’ve known of a few people who’ve had their supervisor there too, though it’s pretty rare and unnecessary in my opinion.

How long did my PhD viva last?

All in all it was about five and a half hours.

This was much longer than I anticipated. When we scheduled the viva to start at 10am I naively expected us to be finished by lunch. Admittedly the examiners did suggest stopping for a break at lunch time but again I naively thought we’d be done shortly afterwards, so declined the opportunity for more than a 5 minute comfort break. In the end we finished up around 3:30pm.

How was my PhD viva structured?

• Introductions (2 minutes) . I’d actually never met my internal examiner (who should act as a moderator) so introductions were necessary.
• Presentation (10 minutes) . A few weeks in advance of the viva I asked whether or not the examiners would like a presentation, and if so of what length. They said yes, 10-12 minutes. My supervisor strongly suggested making it on the shorter side: short and snappy is good and you’re about to have hours to discuss the details.
• Discussion (5 hours, yes, really!) . More on this in a moment.
• Decision and final comments (10 minutes) . I was asked to leave the metaphorical room (Teams call, remember!) and after a few minutes was invited back in after which they told me I’d passed with minor corrections. They gave a summary of the next steps, which were mostly administrative with paperwork, and briefly went over what changes/corrections they were expecting to the thesis.

What did we discuss for five hours?

Before my viva I had visions of it being like a job interview that lasts for hours and hours. They ask a slightly tough or awkward question, you try and answer, rinse and repeat x 100. The reality was really different.

The experience was much less intense than I was expecting. The examiners said from the outset that they were happy with the quality of the work and just aimed to give feedback to improve both the thesis and publications.

The vast majority of the viva was spent going page by page through the thesis covering points that the examiners had written down: not questions, merely suggestions. Very little of the viva involved me getting questioned: most of what I said was probably along the lines of “I agree, that’s a great idea”.

The examiners commented that they liked the [short] length of the thesis (140 pages before references) which may have helped. I was expecting at least a few dodgy questions such as explaining the content of a particular reference or deriving something from first principles. In all honestly I’m not sure I’d have been prepared for some of this, so was fine with not getting a hard time of it.

There were very few questions in general which was somewhat of a relief, though I was kind of looking forward to more of a discussion around the project. There were only two actual questions I think I got asked: one explaining why a particular technique wasn’t representative, and secondly a much more fluffy question of what would I do differently if I was starting again. That was it. I was really expecting more questions.

Every viva is unique so I can’t claim that my experience is representative but I will say that it was a relief to get through it unscathed.

What I wish I’d done differently

Asked more questions myself . The viva is one of the few times you’re likely to have hours of access to academic experts with such a keen interest in your work.

Was it tiring?

A little, just as any meeting which lasts over five hours would be. But because I didn’t feel like I was actually getting quizzed the whole time it was nowhere near as tiring as it could have been. Mostly I was tired just from having to pay attention for that long: I usually don’t sit still for more than 20 minutes!

What happened afterwards?

My viva was in March 2020, at the start of lockdown. I’d moved from London just the week prior and had to cancel the scheduled celebratory drinks with colleagues. So instead I had a glass of champagne with my girlfriend and her parents (who I was staying with).

After that, I got cracking right away the next morning on making the examiners’ suggested changes to my thesis.

My Advice If You’re Preparing For Your Own PhD Viva

• Download my free viva preparation guide .
• Read your thesis!
• Look up likely questions (if you want), here are some Common PhD Viva Questions
• Don’t over prepare
• Be honest. If you’re not sure about something, make this clear. Feel free to say you’re not sure.
• Ask questions
• Enjoy it! Channel those nerves as excitement and make the most of having experts show such an interest in your work.

Do you have any other questions about the PhD viva experience? Let me know in the comments and I’ll answer them as best I can!

If you’d like personalised help with preparing for your PhD viva I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

If you’re currently preparing for your own PhD viva, best of luck and remember to enjoy it! Be sure to check out the couple of other viva-related posts I’ve written .

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Is it pointless to bring up poor supervision during PhD viva?

I should defend my PhD in the UK near the end of the year.

Unfortunately I fell into the class of horribly supervised PhD students - with an ill-defined research project and an absent supervisor who steered me into so many different topics of my field that I'm convinced my results chapters lack depth and analysis.

For that specific reason I seriously doubt the originality and the importance of my research work, which will be thoroughly assessed during the viva.

Can the internal and external reviewers be receptive about objective arguments related to poor supervision during the 3-4 years of research? Or are they bound to discuss only the contents of the thesis?

PS - This is not an opinion-based or a stress-induced question where I expect "don't worry" answers. I'm well aware a PhD is a self journey and one should cope with difficult supervision. The question pertains to the viva only.

• supervision

• 10 I'm not familiar with the term "viva". Can you clarify what that means? Is it a defense? –  Caleb Stanford Commented May 20, 2020 at 13:30
• 34 @6005 "Viva" and "defence" convey two very different examination styles to me: a 3+ hour grilling on the minutiae of the thesis by two academics vs a presentation given by the candidate to a large audience followed by questions. The OP is having a viva, not a defence. The title should not be changed. –  astronat supports the strike Commented May 20, 2020 at 14:47
• Comments are not for extended discussion and the conversation has been moved to chat . I left the two above comments about the possible different meanings of the terms viva and defence . –  Massimo Ortolano Commented May 22, 2020 at 8:58
• Do not underestimate the acumen of your examiners. My other half does a number of vivas every year and more than once I had him complain to me about an aspect of a thesis that (his words) "should have really been dealt with by the supervisor". Often it's blatantly obvious were your supervision has gone wrong. This does not mean that you do not need to fulfil the minimum requirements and I would suggest you make sure that you truly understand every little nook of your these before you show up for your viva. It's not going to be fun. –  Marianne013 Commented May 23, 2020 at 10:23

10 Answers 10

I'd suggest that the viva is possibly the worst time to do this. Almost anything you say could be interpreted as whining and trying to deflect responsibility for any shortcomings. Many things you might say would be countered in the minds of the reviewers whether expressed by them or not.

Whether you bring it up yourself or just reply to questions or comments with complaints about your advisor or others would seem, to me at least, as unprofessional.

If you have issues about the performance of your advisor, make it a separate issue in an appropriate venue after the degree is in hand.

• 69 +1 "Possibly the worst time" indeed. It's like complaining about your boss while giving a presentation to a prospective client. –  TooTea Commented May 20, 2020 at 14:58
• 14 @TooTea Most users on this SE never had a client in their life, so this comparison is a bit lost here. –  Federico Poloni Commented May 21, 2020 at 21:09
• 4 Lost to some, perhaps, but I’m smirking nonetheless. +1 for @TooTea –  MPW Commented May 22, 2020 at 0:40

Let me rephrase what you're trying to do: You want to complain about your supervisor, in front of your supervisor and in the presence of your supervisor's colleagues. That seems like a generally bad approach in almost any context, but it is a particularly bad idea if the point of the meeting is to assess your qualifications as a researcher: In other words, everyone in the room is there to evaluate you , not your supervisor.

You might of course have a completely valid point about the quality of supervision, but the viva is not the place to bring that up. Doing so very much smells of calling "Look over there" when what's "over there" has nothing to do with the current context of the conversation.

• 27 @circuitbreaker But the goal of a viva or defense is not to assess the PhD process of your school, your supervisor's qualities, or whether you have done a good job given the circumstances. The goal is to assess whether you got there. Assuming that they indeed judge your dissertation lacking, no amount of "objective justification" will save you. –  xLeitix Commented May 20, 2020 at 16:00
• 3 @xLeitix Unless it is a self-referential characterisation of a thesis on "Deflectionary tactics in modern political communication" and the candidate is demonstrating this with a live example ;-) In my experience, satire, sarcasm and irony as well as scathing criticism of the system make for memorable heroic speeches in movies about academia and school, but for a career-limiting move in real life. All will remember the scandal, nobody will remember the underlying reasons. In short, OP is well advised not to go down this route. –  Captain Emacs Commented May 20, 2020 at 16:21
• 7 "in front of your supervisor" - this varies by country. In the system I'm most familiar with (Ireland), the supervisor is not usually present. –  jmmcd Commented May 20, 2020 at 21:13
• 15 @circuitbreaker in evaluating the work any justifications literally don't matter, it either fits the criteria or not. Poor supervision is reasonable justification to postpone a defence, or to change the supervisor, or have some other result, but it's not a valid justification to accept limitations that otherwise would not be acceptable. It's your job to convince them about the originality and the importance of your research work; admitting "my thesis does not meet the criteria because of X" does not do that, it results in "yep, your thesis does not meet the criteria, come back when it does". –  Peteris Commented May 20, 2020 at 21:15
• 4 The answer still holds, but in the UK the supervisor is indeed not usually present. –  fqq Commented May 20, 2020 at 21:27

Everyone is correctly saying don't do it, but my answer is stronger than "it's unprofessional" or "it's irrelevant". I think it increases the chances of failing. In the system I know (Ireland, similar to UK in viva style), there is a very small chance of failing (perhaps < 3%) but the viva is not a formality. When an external examiner is considering failing the student, they have to overcome many obstacles in their mind, one of which is that the supervisor and student both consider the document defendable, and another is that failing is anomalous. By talking about poor supervision in the viva, you tend to break down both of those obstacles.

It would not be "pointless", it would be incredibly counterproductive . Any concerns about the supervision should have been brought up with the supervisor (or in severe cases escalated to the head of department) during the course of your PhD.

In your viva, you should present your own work from its best angle. You are there to discuss your scientific achievements. Also consider that negative results are part of science, so you can do science even if your starting point was an "ill-defined research project". (Science consists in a process progressing towards results of interest, rather than just in the end results themselves.)

Publicly criticizing someone when you're supposed to discuss your scientific achievements will only reflect badly on yourself and cast doubts on your work ethic and your fitness to be awarded a PhD.

(If your supervisor is indeed a "bad cookie", their colleagues may already have noticed and will value your independence and motivation to have worked to the best of your ability considering the circumstances. They will also likely pick up on "bad supervision" and hopefully will not only assess the end result, but more generally the journey you had to take to produce these results.)

Your viva is about your achievements. Your supervisor should not be discussed at all.

TL;DR: Do not complain outright to your examiners about the supervision. If they are any good, they will work it out for themselves.

The purpose of a viva is several fold:

• Make sure the student did the work they have written about in the thesis.
• Make sure the student understands the work they did.

These first two control for situations where the supervisor basically did the PhD for the candidate, and just used them as hired hands to do technical or leg work.

• Probe the students broader understanding of the field and how their work relates to the field
• Make sure the student understands, or can be made to understand the limitations and the shortcomings of their work.
• Check that the written thesis is a fair representation of the abilities of the student.

Often examiners come into an exam unconvinced by the thesis, but the exam convinces them that the student is capable, but that they just didn't write the thesis very well.

If you feel the thesis work is not good (whether that is the fault of the supervisor or not), the viva is your time to shine. So, make sure you are confident of exactly what the strong and weak points of your thesis work are. You say you doubt its originality. Don't doubt, know. If someone else has done this before, know who, and exactly what they did and exactly where your work is similar and where different. Don't think you work lacks depth and analysis; know which ideas are not fully developed, and the directions in which they could be taken if you had more time. If you abandoned ideas uncompleted, be prepared to discuss the pros and cons of this, and say if on balance you made a mistake in abandoning or not.

Most of all, be prepared to say where you were wrong in the past. Not a general, handwavy kind of "oh I wasn't very good then", but specifics: I thought this, but actually that was the case. At the time I felt topic X was not going anywhere, but I've since come to learn that A, B and C could have allowed me to progress it.

It is highly unlikely you will outright fail. But you may well be asked to make quite substantial corrections if the thesis really is as bad as you say (students, and some supervisors often have an inflated view of what is necessary in a thesis). Think ahead what these might be, and have some ideas for them already worked out.

All this demonstrates your quality as a scholar or scientist, independently of what your relationship with your supervisor has been. Which, in the end, is what is being tested in a viva.

Traditionally it is the job of the external examiner to really probe the work, and the job of the internal examiner to a) act as umpire between the external and the candidate b) be aware of the context in which the work was done. You might be surprised about the extent to which the internal is aware of problems with supervision (especially if they are from the same department). But also, good examiners will get a feel for the supervision in the exam, in science vivas especially, the exam is as much an examination of the supervisor as it is the student. You won't pass with substandard work because your supervision was poor, but you might be cut some slack in making it better.

Yes, it's pointless unfortunately. It's a bit late at this stage: you should have raised it with the relevant people and/or tried to change to a good supervisor as quickly as possible into the PhD.

If you want to have an academic career and/or if you would ever like a letter of reference from anyone on the PhD committee or your supervisor, I would recommend to wait until you have a permanent job secured, or at least a tenure-track faculty-like position which is stable for several years, before revealing the things you said about your supervisor here.

• 1 Let's not forget, on the other hand, that work with (academic) integrity is about being honest to facts and circumstances. So, if there have been recognisable shortcomings limiting the researcher from achieving the prospected goals, this should be accounted for in the column of liabilities and (internal) threats. Granted that the viva is not the right place to raise internal issues (do wash dirty linen in the family), raising to the challenges and describing the coping strategies is a valued quality in any job. In sum, swallowing and waiting is not the only way out. Also @circuitbreaker –  XavierStuvw Commented May 21, 2020 at 16:43
• @XavierStuvw thank you for explaining your downvote. Too many people do it without even bothering to write a comment. I agree that in an ideal world, honesty and integrity should triumph over politics, but I wanted to give the user the best advice possible. Without knowing enough details about the specific situation in this case, it is generally a bad idea (i.e. career suicide) to describe ones supervisor the way that OP is doing, before securing a job. I agree that in an ideal world, OP would be able to do it freely. But the world is nasty. –  Nik Commented May 21, 2020 at 16:50
• Thanks in turn. The world can definitely be nasty, even appalling, but it is not nasty anywhere, anyhow. Honesty and integrity may well be fiddling for minorities but help maintain a degree of collective, enduring, resilient decency. (My two cents.) Not to mention that integrity is a condition for getting a salary in some employments. Another form of career suicide is getting stuck in a job where you do not qualify yourself further and grow professionally: many a PhD student who feel not to have achieved anything in 3-4 years because of structural shortcomings do fear leaping into their future –  XavierStuvw Commented May 21, 2020 at 17:08
• There's nothing in your last comment that I vehemently disagree with. When answering here I tend to try to stay on the "safe side" because I don't want to say something that turns out to be bad advice. The OP has described their supervisor as "horrible" and is asking about whether or not they should attempt to say this publicly in front of other academics in their field. A lot of horrible supervisors are very powerful (ones that don't yet have tenure tend to be less abusive to their students since they don't want to lose their job). Without knowing more details, I recommend OP to relax & wait. –  Nik Commented May 21, 2020 at 17:18
• 2 Respectable viewpoint. In the same conditions of not knowing more details, I'd be cautious not to invite an a priori submissive position, for the risk of defeating one's own true self. Sometimes the pain comes from remorse, sometimes from regret. In term of personal development I'd see more use in clarifying to oneself a positive stand, train the reasoning underlying it (if any), and then refrain to use it (not in the viva), rather than postponing manifestations after security (which may never came or be what stifles you for good). Kudos for holding this conversation and modulating agreement. –  XavierStuvw Commented May 21, 2020 at 18:51

Others have addressed the main part of your question; I want to refer to the following:

... I seriously doubt the originality and the importance of my research work, which will be thoroughly assessed during the viva.

Thoroughness. Let's start with the third part of this sentence: I don't know how defenses/viva's look like in the UK; but I do know PhD candidates tend to over-estimate the level of scrutiny, or the nature of the scrutiny, these events involve. I believe that PhD research work should be thoroughly assessed, but for better and for worse - that often isn't nearly as serious as one might expect.

Importance. Importance is at least partly subjective, and it is well known that most fields of research have "fashions" regarding what's important and what isn't. I'm not saying every PhD work is of the same importance or significance - but this is not an aspect you will be considered to have "failed" in. Your opposition panelists may well ask you about applicability, and may express some disappointment if you don't have a good answer for them. But it is quite acceptable to respond with "Potential uses of this work are X Y and Z, but, in hindsight, it is not as consequential than we had initially hoped." If you can add something like "But if we change ABC to be DEF, this will open up the possibility of HIJ" - that's also good. Doesn't matter that in all of your work you stuck to ABC.

Originality. Now this is the problematic part. If you mean that your work is "not original enough" in the sense of not being inspiring/surprising/insightful/groundbreaking - that's unfortunate, but assuming you've done a sufficient amount of decent-though-not-great work of this kind, you'll pass. If, on the other hand, you're saying some of your work has actually been done by others, only with slightly different notation/terminology/field - that is a serious problem and could cost you more than your PhD. If that is the case, you must find a way to announce / disclose this state of affairs this at once - and under no circumstances reach a point where your opposition brings this up. Even if it means putting your degree in jeopardy, it's the better and safer alternative. You haven't given details so I can't be more specific in my advice on this matter.

• 1 " I don't know how defenses/viva's look like in the UK" A viva in the UK is you and two examiners on your own in a room, going through your thesis a page at a time for between 2.5 and 4 hours. Of course, there is generally a lot to talk about in a thesis, and not everything can be discussed in detail, but somethings will be. –  Ian Sudbery Commented May 22, 2020 at 9:53

The other answers excellently summarise why negatively commenting on your supervisor is a bad idea in your viva, however reading between the lines of your question:

"... supervisor who steered me into so many different topics of my field that I'm convinced my results chapters lack depth and analysis".

It sounds like you might be worried that you could be questioned in significant depth on topics that you don't feel like you have a fully detailed understanding of.

The bad news is that this is a large part of what a viva is about, assessing your understanding of the material you've written about. The good news is you don't have to 'attack' your supervisor to handle these questions well.

Think about why your advisor pointed you at those topics; why they relate to the research you've done; what the limitations of these approaches were; and why you didn't pursue them in further depth. A well phrased answer explaining the limitations of the supporting topics, the connection to your research focus, and where that connection ends, can show a mature understanding of the broader field and help you tie back more tangential questions to your own research.

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The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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Elektrostal

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Elektrostal , city, Moscow oblast (province), western Russia . It lies 36 miles (58 km) east of Moscow city. The name, meaning “electric steel,” derives from the high-quality-steel industry established there soon after the October Revolution in 1917. During World War II , parts of the heavy-machine-building industry were relocated there from Ukraine, and Elektrostal is now a centre for the production of metallurgical equipment. Pop. (2006 est.) 146,189.