hi! i have my viva in 4 weeks time but I also work fill time. If i do work in the evenings and weekends and take a few days off before, do you think this is sufficient time to prepare? or will i need to take a couple of weeks off? - help!

Hi phder, I have my viva in 7 weeks time and also work full time. I haven't looked at my thesis since I handed in (early Nov). I am planning on starting to read it in the next week or two, making notes as I go, and re-reading the key references again. And probably some at weekends too in the last week or two before it. I don't think it is necessary to take substantial periods of time off to prepare as you should know your stuff by now but you want it to be 'fresh' in your head for the big day. Good luck! Let us know how you get on.

It probably depends how well you know it to start with and how confident you are talking about it. You should have some practices to get an idea of what you will be asked. You won't be expected to be able to answer all the questions as can't possibly know everything e.g. details of 100s of papers. If you don't know the examiner will probably try approaching the question in a few ways to guide you towards an answer. You are being tested on what you DO know, so you might as well say you don't know and let the examiner steer the conversation round to what you can shine on. You should know about what your examiner does and how it fits in with your PhD.
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/cs/cs710/viva.html

cc, your's is tomorrow, right? good luck!!!!!
let us all know how it went!

I've got mine on the 8th Feb and have the 7th off so that my supervisor can give me a mock viva... I've been 'revising' my thesis for the last 2 weekends, probably about 6-8 hours a day Saturday and Sunday and have had this Monday and Tuesday off to do more revision.

I can highly reccomend the book ' how to survive your viva' - it's been a godsend to me... some really helpful tips on how to answer questions, identify and defend weakness in your thesis and typical generic questions....

cellguy - i am pleased you are in the same boat - please keep me posted on how you get on

pc geek - wow you must be pooped with all that revision!

cc - have you had your viva? how did it go?

i still have the fear so any more advice is gratefully appreciated!

My supervisor said I should choose words carefully
1) research terms can be specific and
2) It's better to say you are investigating the proposed theory that..., rather than saying you are trying to prove that...

A prof told me I should say I don't know, be confident if I do know, and give short answers rather than floundering about so the examiner can steer it towards what I do know as EVERYONE has gaps. The examiner can ask you more detail if needed. Some questions will be the examiner trying to understand new work, not trying to trip you up.
I found I got through 1.5 chapters in 2-3 hours practicing with my supervisor so it may not be as comprehensive as you think. It could take days to go over a viva fully.

Top tip-if you pick a v busy examiner or one travelling a fair way they will have limited time and need to get back and give you a short viva

My viva is this afternoon.

I'm now Dr CC!
I have minor corrections on typos/diagrams and not actually the science

Congrats CC!!! Hope you are enjoying a well-deserved break now and have lots of celebratory plans.

congratulations CC!!!
I have a slight hangover myself as one of my friends is Dr. since yesterday, too, and the celebrations were extended

well done!

Brilliant - congratulations!

well done. xx

Congrats...must feel outrageously good...roll on three years!

Many congrats... that's fab news

I felt surprisingly flat after the viva (drop in adrenaline?) but have been very smug today and have been annoying my OH with cheesy phrases/puns/observations involving the word "Dr". I had a nice meal and some drinks, and got some nice presents from my lab. The actual viva went smoothly and both examiners were really nice so that I could talk easily. The external is a pioneer in her field (and a woman prof) so it's nice for her to read my thesis and say nice things even if it's not strictly her area. I'm hoping to do medical writing or work in the pharma industry.