I have to submit a 6,000 word transfer report that I am just finalising now (due in next week). It is a literature review plus research proposal. I am more worried about the viva - our institute seems to have a 90% failure rate at transfer viva level. I have lots of previously submitted reports, but no copies of the questions they were asked at viva. What questions were you asked for transfer/upgrade viva? What are the best ways to prepare? I have to do a ten minute presentation too - any tips on how to do a good presentation most welcome.

As in 90% of students get kicked out at the upgrade stage (highly worrying!) or 90% of them are asked to amend/improve their report/viva submissions before they can be upgraded (less worrying)?

less worrying I think - they still mostly get through eventually! It's quite good that it's so tough in some ways as it prepares us for the Big One.

I would say that the main things they are looking for are:

have you read enough about your subject to understand where the gap in knowledge is that you research will fill?
have you got well structured research questions that you can answer?
have you got a workable methodology?
have you got enthusiasm for the subject that will see you through?
have you got a timeline that shows your phd can be done on time?

So your presentation needs to show on some level that the answer to each of the above is yes. Be clear where your questions have come from, drop in key authors etc, be clear on what you are doing and how, be clear on what you will be doing in your 1st, 2nd and 3rd years. Overall, be enthusiastic about your subject as this will reassure them that you can keep with it.

Best of luck with it :-)

Many thanks CR1980 - I will work on those questions.