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The viva voce exam is the final hurdle for PhD students, but for most it is also a new and fear-inducing experience. Edward Mills offers one framework to help those preparing to discuss their completed thesis at length
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In many ways, my own PhD viva voce examination was shaped by when and where it took place. Because I was examined at a UK institution, mine was not a public event; it was held virtually, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic; and, perhaps most depressingly, I didn’t get to wield a sword at the subsequent graduation ceremony (although my fiancée did make me a small wooden one).
Many parts of the viva, though, will be familiar to PhD candidates the world over from almost any discipline. After working independently for four years to produce an 80,000-word thesis, I was suddenly expected to discuss my work in depth, with two examiners (one from my institution, and one from elsewhere) and an independent chair present. During that time, the examiners would be checking whether my thesis was indeed my own work, and whether it met the criteria for the award of a PhD.
Like many PhD students, I’d spoken about my research over the previous three years at conferences, but these presentations had largely been confined to individual chapters. Now, though, I had to become familiar not just with (say) my arguments on medieval calendars, but also on how they fitted into my broader narrative about language use in medieval England.
The approach that I took – which formed part of a suite of resources for postgraduate researchers produced by the University of Exeter’s Doctoral College – was based around what I called “augmenting” my thesis. Intimidating as this may sound, it was based around a fundamentally simple concept: turning my thesis from a lengthy PDF file into something physical and tangible and which would be of use to me during the viva.
There is, of course, no single “right way” to do this, but for the sake of clarity, and at the risk of sounding like a 1980s Blue Peter presenter , I’ll outline my own process in a series of numbered steps for the benefit of readers who may be approaching the viva themselves.
Print out and bind your thesis. This would form the basis of the “object” that I would eventually take into my viva, but it also has the advantage of getting you away from a screen, making you less likely to skip over certain passages as you reread it.
As you reread, place sticky markers along the top of the thesis to coincide with chapter headings and subheadings. At each point, write a one-sentence summary of that section. These big-picture notes give a bite-sized summary of your argument in each section, and when strung together, they provide you with a sort of “thesis-on-a-page”.
When you’ve reminded yourself of how all of your arguments fit together, start to look for points of detail. This is where highlighting can be at its most useful, if done selectively: I used yellow for material that I thought was central to my argument (and that I wanted to be able to quote back to my examiners) and red for material that I felt, on reflection, would benefit from further explanation. Any sticky notes can be placed along the outer margins of the thesis, which will distinguish them from the summaries along the top.
Record typos separately. However hard you try, typographical errors will find a way into the thesis that you submit. Highlighting each individual one, however, is likely to take more time than it’s worth: instead, I’d advise making a list of typos, keyed to page numbers and suggested changes, separately: this could later form the basis of a table of corrections to be submitted to the examiners.
There are, of course, plenty of other ways in which a thesis might be augmented: one of the main themes that emerged from collaborating on Researcher Development was that doctoral research is shaped by the researcher and their own experience just as much by field and topic. A PhD thesis may have a completely different structure to the one alluded to above; it may require more or less context for an oral examination; it may (whisper it) have fewer typos than mine did. Nevertheless, finding some form of structure in the isolating and stressful months and weeks prior to the viva is an absolute necessity for doctoral researchers, and producing an augmented thesis might just be the way to achieve it.
Edward Mills is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter.
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Permanent URI for this collection https://hdl.handle.net/2152/11
This collection contains University of Texas at Austin electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). The collection includes ETDs primarily from 2001 to the present. Some pre-2001 theses and dissertations have been digitized and added to this collection, but those are uncommon. The library catalog is the most comprehensive list of UT Austin theses and dissertations.
Since 2010, the Office of Graduate Studies at UT Austin has required all theses and dissertations to be made publicly available in Texas ScholarWorks; however, authors are able to request an embargo of up to seven years. Embargoed ETDs will not show up in this collection. Most of the ETDs in this collection are freely accessible to all users, but some pre-2010 works require a current UT EID at point of use. Please see the FAQs for more information. If you have a question about the availability of a specific ETD, please contact [email protected].
Some items in this collection may contain offensive images or text. The University of Texas Libraries is committed to maintaining an accurate and authentic scholarly and historic record. An authentic record is essential for understanding our past and informing the present. In order to preserve the authenticity of the historical record we will not honor requests to redact content, correct errors, or otherwise remove content, except in cases where there are legal concerns (e.g. potential copyright infringement, inclusion of HIPAA/FERPA protected information or Social Security Numbers) or evidence of a clear and imminent threat to personal safety or well-being.
This policy is in keeping with the American Library Association code of ethics to resist efforts to censor library resources, and the Society of American Archivists code of ethics that states "archivists may not willfully alter, manipulate, or destroy data or records to conceal facts or distort evidence." Please see UT Libraries' Statement on Harmful Language and Content for more information.
Doctoral students S. Shailja and Evan Greenberg have received the Winifred and Louis Lancaster Dissertation Award for their dissertations in electrical and computer engineering and geography, respectively.
“It is always so exciting to see the amazing research our students are doing in different fields,” said Interim Graduate Dean Leila J. Rupp. “The Lancaster Award recognizes the best of the best, showcasing the diversity of talent across campus.”
Shailja received the mathematics, physical sciences and engineering award for her dissertation, “Reeb graphs for topological connectomics of the human brain.” Advised by B. S. Manjunath, chair of UCSB’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Shailja builds mathematical tools for modeling neuronal fibers in human brains as geometrical objects in three-dimensional space. Modeling connectivity of the human brain is critical to understanding and treating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and strokes.
“What an honor,” said Shailja, an incoming postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University. “It added to the feeling of accomplishment, marking a spectacular finish to this long journey.”
For Shailja, the award has additional significance because her mother will make her first trip to the U.S. to attend the commencement ceremony. “I feel so proud that I will be named a Lancaster Dissertation Award winner in front of her. This has made the commencement day very special for us. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been selected from a pool of such talented peers and I felt grateful to the award committee for deeming my thesis worthy of this award.”
Greenberg received the social sciences award for his dissertation, “Remote Sensing of River Mobility: Quantifying the Controls, Timescales, and Stratigraphic Record of River Movement.” His advisor is Vamsi Ganti, who leads the UCSB Surface Processes Group in the Department of Geography. Greenberg’s dissertation focuses on terrestrial geomorphic processes using multi-spectral time series.
“I'm broadly interested in remote sensing methods and have worked with both multi-spectral and hyper-spectral methods on data handling and correction as well as scientific applications,” said Greenberg, who recently published a paper in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters that presents an account of what drives the migration rates of meandering rivers.
The award includes a $1,000 prize to be presented at the Graduate Division commencement ceremony on June 14. The awardees will also serve as UCSB’s entrants in the national competition sponsored by the Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest.
Two Lancaster awards are given annually to doctoral degree recipients or candidates from two broad academic areas. The four fields of competition alternate each year, as specified by the National Council of Graduate Schools.
Debra Herrick Associate Editorial Director (805) 893-2191 [email protected]
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Harvard Griffin GSAS Students:
As you consider the academic job market there is a lot to learn, and a lot to do, and you may have many questions.
Good news! Apart from the disciplinary expertise available in your department, a network of experts at Harvard is ready to help you navigate all aspects of the process.
MCS is your one-stop-shop for all your questions about the academic job search! Laura Stark is the graduate career advisor at MCS who specializes in academic careers, including postdoctoral and faculty positions (tenure-track and non-tenure-track, targeting research- and teaching-focused institutions).
Start here for an overview of the academic job market, including:
Ways to engage:
Bok Center advisors are experts in all things teaching and learning. Turn to them for help with:
FWC staff and postdocs are happy to help you with all of your academic writing needs, including:
Need help managing your time, balancing dissertation completion and job search? The ARC can help!
Be sure to consult with your department, faculty, and peers for field-specific advice, but turn to MCS, the Bok Center, FWC, and ARC for additional perspectives and advice!
All of us are happy to partner with departments to offer workshops and provide more tailored guidance. Don’t hesitate to reach out, and don’t forget to check in with your advisors and consult with other faculty in your field who have recently been on search committees.
Content in this blog is adapted from a resource created by the Bok Center for Teaching and Learning:
Doctoral Program | Student Spotlights
Congratulations to Devin Miranda-Weise Klugh who on May 20, 2024, successfully defended her dissertation proposal. The title of Devin’s dissertation is: THE PANDEMIC, PRECARITY, AND A PEDAGOGY OF HOPE: PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
The purpose of this critical qualitative inquiry is to describe performing arts teachers' perspectives on how critical pedagogy is used within the unique context of pandemic schooling. Drawing upon the theory of precarity, this study seeks to articulate how critical pedagogies are embedded into the curriculum and the classroom in ways that not only empower students but empower educators who may otherwise feel burned out. Precarity refers to “work that is temporary, insecure, poorly paid, and sporadic” (Kirk, 2020, p. 1). According to Gard (2014), teachers have become more vulnerable to precarity in recent years due to increased stress due to changes in employment conditions within school systems. This study will attempt to highlight both the labor conditions and potential methods for mitigating stress on teachers.
Devin is embarking on important and timely research, when the precarity of labor and weight of burnout persist in education, and shortage of teachers is concerning. This scholar is one to watch!
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Susan Iverson
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Dr. Mary Coakley-Fields Dr. Jeffrey Kaplan
Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.
The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.
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Congratulations to Barbara D. Freeman who on Monday, April 15, 2024, successfully defended her dissertation. The...
Congratulations to Stephanie Gumbs-Bennett who on Thursday, April 18, 2024, confidently and successfully defended...
Congratulations to Jessica Maracallo who on April 18, 2024, clearly and successfully defended her dissertation. The...
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Over the last 80 years, ProQuest has built the world's most comprehensive and renowned dissertations program. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT Global), continues to grow its repository of 5 million graduate works each year, thanks to the continued contribution from the world's universities, creating an ever-growing resource of emerging research to fuel innovation and new insights.
Home; Find; Theses and Dissertations; Theses and Dissertations. Print, microfilm, and digital theses and dissertations in our collections can be discovered in the main library catalog.To find digital full-text thesis and dissertations from U of I and around the world, use ProQuest's Dissertations & Theses Global database. All U of I ETD since 2015 are also available in our open access U of I ...
The PhD Dissertation Defense The culminating step toward obtaining a PhD is the final dissertation defense. This event consists of a seminar in which the PhD Candidate orally presents the findings of their dissertation in front of their PhD Dissertation Committee and a general audience, including individuals both from inside and outside Rutgers ...
Doctoral Dissertations; All Geography Theses & Dissertations from UW Libraries. Masters Theses, 1928-Present. ... Lynn STAEHELI Public Services and the Reproduction of Social Sedge-Baed Structured Modeling: An Application to Stream Water Quality Management. [1989] [Hodge]
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A PhD thesis may have a completely different structure to the one alluded to above; it may require more or less context for an oral examination; it may (whisper it) have fewer typos than mine did. Nevertheless, finding some form of structure in the isolating and stressful months and weeks prior to the viva is an absolute necessity for doctoral ...
The library catalog is the most comprehensive list of UT Austin theses and dissertations. Since 2010, the Office of Graduate Studies at UT Austin has required all theses and dissertations to be made publicly available in Texas ScholarWorks; however, authors are able to request an embargo of up to seven years. Embargoed ETDs will not show up in ...
Doctoral students S. Shailja and Evan Greenberg have received the Winifred and Louis Lancaster Dissertation Award for their dissertations in electrical and computer engineering and geography, respectively. "It is always so exciting to see the amazing research our students are doing in different fields," said Interim Graduate Dean Leila J. Rupp.
The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership is designed for practicing and prospective leaders and experienced educators in P-12 and higher education, serving schools, districts, private and independent schools, charter schools, colleges, universities, community organizations, and entrepreneurial endeavors. The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership consists of 3 pathways and adopts a ...
Need help managing your time, balancing dissertation completion and job search? The ARC can help! Schedule an appointment with one of the ARC coaches; Attend a workshop or participate in an accountability group; NOTE: ARC advisors work only with current Harvard Griffin GSAS students.
Congratulations to Devin Miranda-Weise Klugh who on May 20, 2024, successfully defended her dissertation proposal. The title of Devin's dissertation is: THE PANDEMIC, PRECARITY, AND A PEDAGOGY OF HOPE: PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS TEACHERS' EXPERIENCES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. The purpose of this critical qualitative inquiry is to describe performing arts teachers' perspectives on ...