How many chances do you get? can you keep making amendments until you get it right or do you only get one shot at it and if you screw that up then goodbye!

How does it work?

Hey Kev, someone might correct me on this but I think you only get the one shot- the outcome of the viva will be pass, pass with minor corrections, pass with major corrections, revise and resubmit, then an outright fail or a decision to award an MPhil. Obviously if you get corrections (and hardly anyone passes without any!) then you're fine, a revise and resubmit is basically a second chance but I think you can only do this once (sometimes this requires a secons viva but not always), and then that's it. So best to try and get it right straight away! I might be wrong, but I think that's how it goes- if in doubt, check with your uni! Best, KB

Keenbean is quite right. You basically need to get it right at the first go. If need be you can rectify small errors (with corrections), or be given a chance to resubmit. But you cannot keep trying and trying and trying. Aim to get it right from the start.

There are plenty of really good books that advise on the PhD process. I would recommend reading one of those. For example "How to get a PhD" by Phillips and Pugh.