The PhD Viva: How to Prepare for Your Oral Examination

by Peter Smith

Overview

This indispensable book helps PhD candidates to understand the viva process and to prepare and present their work in the best possible manner. With concrete guidance, examples and activities throughout, it covers everything from the constitution of the PhD viva panel and how to prepare as the event draws closer to typical questions and how to answer them. Chapters are enriched with authentic case studies and insights from successful PhD graduates.

This text is suitable for PhD and other doctoral degree students across all disciplines, and helpful to supervisors and examiners.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350315334
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	10/02/2014
Series:	Bloomsbury Research Skills
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Peter Smith is Emeritus Professor of the University of Sunderland, UK, having held several teaching, research and management positions at the University. He has examined or supervised over 100 doctoral candidates in a range of subjects at Universities in the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong and Spain. He is co-author of The Professional Doctorate.
Peter Smith is Emeritus Professor of the University of Sunderland, UK. He is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Cumbria, The British University in Egypt and an Adjunct Professor at University of Limerick, Ireland.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The PhD Viva
3. The Examination Panel
4. Preparing for Your Viva
5. Typical Questions and How to Answer them
6. The Viva Itself
7. The Outcome
8. Case Studies
9. Summary and the Future
References, Further Reading and Web
Based Resources.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Peter Smith explains how examiners think and how the doctoral viva works. He covers all aspects of the viva, and provides everything a candidate needs to prepare for – and enjoy – this important moment of academic life.' – Professor Alison Jones, University of Auckland, New Zealand

'Sharing a wealth of personal experience being on several 'sides of the table', namely supervising PhD students, examining and chairing PhD viva, this book is clear, logical, and jargon free. If you feel you must do something useful before the event, make reading this book your task!' – Dr Lee Zhuang, Staffordshire University, UK

'Peter Smith's The PhD Viva: How to Prepare for Your Oral Examination provides extensive coverage of the process of preparing for and experiencing the viva. The book presents actual case studies of different viva experiences, with summary comments from the author. Doctoral students will be well-served reading this book and taking to heart its sound advice and useful suggestions.' – Dr. Kristen P. Williams, Clark University, USA

Editorial Reviews

''Peter Smith explains how examiners think and how the doctoral viva works. He covers all aspects of the viva, and provides everything a candidate needs to prepare for and enjoy this important moment of academic life.'' - Professor Alison Jones, University of Auckland, New Zealand
''Sharing a wealth of personal experience being on several 'sides of the table', namely supervising PhD students, examining and chairing PhD viva, this book is clear, logical, and jargon free. If you feel you must do something useful before the event, make reading this book your task!'' - Dr Lee Zhuang, Staffordshire University, UK
"Peter Smith's The PhD Viva: How to Prepare for Your Oral Examination provides extensive coverage of the process of preparing for and experiencing the viva. The book presents actual case studies of different viva experiences, with summary comments from the author. Doctoral students will be well-served reading this book and taking to heart its sound advice and useful suggestions." - Dr. Kristen P. Williams, Clark University, USA"

From the Publisher