the viva

The viva | Francesca | April 22nd, 2005

I have just done the oral to defend my dissertation and am writing to tell other course participants about this experience, as it's relevant to us all although it's not been raised on this discussion list yet.

It would be useful if other CPs (or recently ex-CPs who still receive these emails) could also write a short description, as I am aware that my own experience may well be quite different from that of others.

If Jerry archives this, it may become a useful strand for future participants preparing for this final part of the programme.

Preparation 

Firstly, to prepare for the oral, or Viva Vox as my tutor referred to it, I reread my dissertation (certainly necessary as I had sent it off two months earlier) and then prepared the answers to some questions that I thought I might be asked.

The questions I prepared for were:

The Oral Itself

The university called me (a relief considering the phone bill from the UK to Brazil). The conversation was about 20 minutes long and the tutor was very friendly and reassuring. I was asked just one of the above questions (the first) although I don't regret preparing the others as I used parts of them in replies to other questions I was asked. 

Another general question I was asked was: What have you learnt from doing the research? Apart from that, the questions were more specifically related to my work, some about methodology, others about conclusions (questioning them to see if I could defend them) others about the background reading, in particular related to weaknesses the markers had identified. My tutor told me what she and the second marker had felt were the strengths and the weaknesses of my work and said that I'd also be receiving written feedback. The oral was more like a conversation than a monologue, which made it less stressful.

Afterwards

I have to confess that I was so happy and relieved to have finished that when I put the phone down I jumped up and down like a small child! It's a very good feeling to have finished the course and there is a special place reserved on the wall for my certificate when it arrives.

I'm not sure if I'll write again so let me take this opportunity to say goodbye to the virtual participants who have made this course so much more interesting for me. I realize how much more determination and perseverance it takes to study on one's own and that those who make it to the end should feel very proud of themselves.

Francesca Smith MSc

Brazil

Re: the viva | Yvonne Beaudry | April 23rd, 2005

It would be useful if other CPs (or recently ex-CPs who still receive these emails) could also write a short description [of the viva experience] as I am aware that my own experience may well be quite different from that of others.

Thank you so much for posting this. I think it's a great idea but it's likely that people who have done a viva are no longer reading this. We will have to spread the idea by word of mouth and private email if we are to collect a few stories.

Yvonne

Re: the viva | Jerry Talandis Jr. | April 23rd, 2005

Hi Francesca,

If Jerry archives this, it may become a useful strand for future participants preparing for this final part of the programme.

Thanks a lot for posting that account of your Viva. That certainly fills a gap in our collective discourse. You can bet I'll be archiving that and any subsequent conversation in the next DLA update (tentatively scheduled for the first week of May).

I reread my dissertation (certainly necessary as I had sent it off two months earlier ) and then prepared the answers to some questions which I thought I might be asked.

It was interesting that you spent all this time preparing and anticipating what you'd be asked, and then were asked only one question from that list. This goes to show how important and useful preparation time is, even if you are asked totally different questions. Like you wrote, you were able to stay on top of all their requests because of the work you had put in. I'll make sure to do the same!

I have to confess that I was so happy and relieved to have finished that when I put the phone down I jumped up and down like a small child! It's a very good feeling to have finished the course and there is a special place reserved on the wall for my certificate when it arrives.

What a great image to keep in mind! When you get bogged down, just visualize yourself hanging up the phone after a successful viva and jumping around the room! What a rush! I CANT WAIT!

Congratulations again on finishing the program.

Jerry
Japan

Re: the viva | Maria Leedham | April 24th, 2005

There's the alumni email list- anyone on that and reading this could post a message to alumni requesting tips on the viva experience.

Maria

Re: the viva | Jerry Talandis Jr. | April 24th, 2005

Thanks, Maria, for reminding everyone that there's an alumni discussion list out there. For more info about it, read this post about it.

Jerry
Japan

Re: the viva | Francesca | April 24th, 2005

Thanks to all the people who wrote to me both privately and through the list congratulating me. I will be staying with the list a while as I've become attached to it and enjoy reading the entries.

I forgot to mention that I sent my diss to another CP as an email annex before sending it to the tutor. He had just finished his own, read mine and sent it back with comments within the script. It was great to get someone else's feedback. He commented on things that only someone with an outsider's view could have seen and I made some pretty big changes to the work as a result. I would recommend others doing this if time allows.

Francesca

Re: the viva | Tessa Osborne | April 25, 2005

Hello

As one of the alumni still lurking on the list, I thought I'd just reassure everybody that after doing the dissertation the viva for me was really no problem.

It was completely informal (to the extent that my supervisor forgot to call me at the appointed time and after one hour of sweating by the phone I called him, very short ( 10 minutes) and comprised of general questions like

'What would you have done differently?' ' What was the most interesting thing to come out of the research'?

As it took place over a month after I'd sent in the dissertation I'd previously reminded myself of what was in it, stuck in post-its at what I thought were relevant points so I'd be able to get to them easily whilst on the phone, and thought of thorny issues that could be contested (which in fact didn't come up at all!)

I also jumped for joy afterwards (especially as I was informally told what my grade probably was)

Anyway I expect other people had different experiences and it probably depends on supervisor and what they think of your diss...

Tessa Osborne

Re: the viva | Sue Garton | April 25th, 2005

Hi all,

Just to avoid any confusion and anxious waits for phone calls that never arrive- the viva was only compulsory on the previous MSc programme. On the new programmes, it's at the discretion of the supervisor, although you can certainly ask to have one if you prefer. :-)

All the best,

Sue

 

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