Presentation Skills

Viva exams

What is a viva examination?

• If you are required to undertake a viva examination during your studies, you will be expected to give a verbal defence of your written dissertation.
• You may be asked to take a viva examination either during or upon completion of your research, depending on your course.
• The purpose of a viva examination is to:
  • Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the dissertation in question.
  • Determine a solid understanding as to where the dissertation sits in relation to existing research and subject field.
  • Explore and clarify any points of ambiguity within the theories proposed in dissertation.

• A viva panel will typically be formed of two or three examiners, including an appointed chairperson from your faculty/college. The chairperson should have some background knowledge of your research field but must not be directly involved in your work. Additionally, there will be an external examiner present for your viva and in some cases, your supervisor will also be present, though they will not be able to participate in the proceedings.

• There are no guidelines concerning the length of time a viva will take. The panel will use their discretion to conclude the Viva when they feel is necessary. 

Viva Exams

How to prepare for your viva examination

• The most important thing you can do to prepare for a viva examination is to familiarise yourself with your dissertation. So read, read and re-read your work!
• You should make summary notes as you read through your work. Try to be as concise with your notes as possible and avoid rewriting chunks of your thesis. Brief, summarising notes are much more effective and easier to learn.
• Try to identify strengths and weaknesses throughout your dissertation and integrate these into your summarising notes.
  • Do not panic if you notice any mistakes in your work! If you do recognise any errors in your work, you will be able to make corrections accordingly before your final submission.
  • Identifying weaknesses will give you time to prepare appropriate responses in case the panel make reference to these during the Viva examination.
• In addition to your summary notes, you may consider alternative ways to revise your dissertation. Here are some ways which you could do this:
  • Using your list of contents, write out a brief summary of the content below each heading
  • Practice telling the story of your research within a given time limit. You could practice rehearsing individual chapters or your work as a whole.
  • Record yourself reading your notes and listen back to them.
• The infographic below summarises some of the strategies you can use to prepare for your viva examination.

• Although specific questions during the viva examination will vary depending on your research field, you are likely to be asked a mix of questions in relation to the following areas of your work:
  • Research context
  • Research methods
  • Findings and analysis
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion and implications

• We recommend you spend some time thinking about any potential questions the examination panel may want to ask you and consider how you will respond to these questions.

• You should also consider your thesis within a broader context as you may be asked to comment on the wider implications of your research. Think about how your thesis ties in with existing research and your work could be followed up on in the future.