Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground- Theodore Roosevelt
Image attribution: Edmond Dantes on Pexels.com
Date with destiny. How should one feel on this day? Expectant? Invigorated? Scared? Normal? Confident?
“That thing is not nice. It’s very taxing and not a good experience. You are trying to convince two to three people that your 3-10 years of work deserve a pass. People who have no idea about your circumstances” goes one of my colleagues. Remember at this point, I am only a ‘first-year’ student, a fresher, so to speak. But this comment leaves me wondering whether I am in the right place because, by nature, I don’t indulge in overly stressful endeavors.
See, this is the norm- once you obtain your viva date and inform your relatives and friends, you have to look normal, display the character of steel, and have an ‘I-got-this’ attitude. Many have gone before me and I have observed them- in the library, in the van on our way to church, in the smart reading rooms, in the postgraduate reading rooms, at the sports complex. Man! They all appear cool, calm and collected if you would allow me that cliché.
Until they complete the process and receive the great news that they have arrived at the pinnacle of the mountain after all. Then and only then will you hear of the many frustrating, troubling, anxious nights that they endured pre-viva. Hoping for a different perspective, I ask another colleague, and all she says is:
“Not easy at all. You don’t know what to read, or what not to read. You have heard of so many experiences, some good, some bad. The closer the date, the more you doubt that you really know what you claim to know!”
The following day, I learn of a PhD student who has failed her proposal defense and has to begin all over again. On this same day, while in the library, I see a lady student sobbing. I learn that she had failed her PhD viva a while back and is due for re-viva tomorrow. Somehow, panic has set in. See with a re-viva, you MUST pass or sadly, bring your PhD journey to a painful halt.
Wueh! Pretty scary I must say. I have attended at least three workshops whose purpose is to prepare us for defenses, especially the viva. Of course, I have a pen and paper with me. Two of them take place almost at the beginning of my journey in UUM, so I don’t take them very seriously. But the last one is held about 2 weeks to my viva and I hold onto every dear word leaving the speaker’s mouth! Let me share these little nuggets that I pick up concerning what a viva is.
So, what is a viva voce? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is a Medieval Latin term meaning, "with the living voice" or “by word of mouth.” It is an oral examination often undertaken by postgraduates, specifically doctoral candidates. Those two words have been bandied around campus, and I have never given them much thought until now.
I am told it’s just an academic conversation among peers; a forum where examiners get to see the face behind the document they have been reading; an opportunity for the examinee to explain to the examiners what is unique or novel about their research; and a platform where candidates get a sense of closure after years of research.
A viva is compulsory for PhD candidates, so I know there is no escaping. During a viva session, independent examiners will evaluate my knowledge and work. The examiners just want to understand my use of theory and whether I truly understand it and how it drives my thesis or is related to my research. Am I able to answer questions about certain elements of my document or will I fumble, mumble, and stumble? Remember the examiners must establish whether this is truly my original work or someone else’s. This is a very important point to bear in mind because no worthy examiner will append their signature to plagiarized or stolen work.
The other thing I am aware of is that the examiners will want to know what I have contributed to humanity through my findings. So, I spend a lot of time here. I also allocate time to my objectives, problem/gap, and methodology. I know that the examiners will want to know how well-versed I am in the broader research area. I check what the current global, regional, and local literature says (always replace older literature with the current, even if it’s a day before the exam). I also pay close attention to the significance of my study and its limitations.
Of course, during the viva, I know that the room will contain the Chair of the panel, an internal and external examiner, my two supervisors, and myself. My supervisors are supposed to zip up. I have already prepared my slides per the regulations. The presentation contains the title; background, research problem and gap; methods; results/discussion; conclusion; recommendations; and a list of my publications. I have gone through the presentation so many times I can almost recite the content on the slides.
I am also informed that the viva can last anything from an hour to three hours (Lord, please make mine the shortest in history!). The length depends on how well I can articulate issues or how satisfied the examiners are.
Thus, a PhD viva is designed to confirm to the examiners that what I am presenting is my own creation; that I possess a deep understanding of my research; and that I can demonstrate that I am a competent researcher.
Interestingly enough, the viva voce in some countries like America is a whole new ball game altogether. It is a public event! The candidate defends his/her thesis to an open audience that includes the board of examiners. The candidate presents their thesis in the form of a lecture and then fields questions from both the examiners and the audience members. Tough, I guess!
To be continued…
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