PhD Examination through the viva

1
PhD Examination through the viva

• Chas Critcher
• Sheffield Hallam University

2
A proposition

• MOST STUDENTS
•  
• WHO SUBMIT
•  
• A PHD
•  
• DO PASS
• (EVENTUALLY)

3
A reference

• Tinkler P and Jackson C (2004)
•  
• The Doctoral Examination Process a handbook for
  students, examiners and supervisors
•  
• Society for Research into Higher Education and
  Open University Press.

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Topics

•     Definition of a PhD 
•     External examiner role 
•     PhD outcomes 
•     PhD processes 
•     Viva purposes 
•     Acquiring oral skills
• Why questions

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Definition of a PhD

• Doctorates are awarded to students who have
  demonstrated
• i)    the creation and interpretation of new
  knowledge, through original research or other
  advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy
  peer review, extend the forefront of the
  discipline, and merit publication
• ii) a systematic acquisition and understanding of
  a substantial body of knowledge which is at the
  forefront of an academic discipline or area of
  professional practice
• iii)    the general ability to conceptualise,
  design and implement a project for the generation
  of new knowledge, applications or understanding
  at the forefront of the discipline, and to adjust
  the project design in the light of unforeseen
  problems
• iv) a detailed understanding of applicable
  techniques for research and advanced academic
  enquiry.
• (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education,
  cited in Tinkler and Jackson 2004, p.111)

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Another Definition of a PhD

• A PHD IS A CLAIM TO KNOWLEDGE

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External Examiner role

•  
• The most important decision in the fate of your
  PhD may be the choice of external examiner.
•  
• There are three types of external examiner
  good, bad and mad. 
•  
• There is no money to be made out of external
  examining so examiners have other motives 
• intellectual interest 
• status 
• power

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PhD outcomes

• Pass outright
• Pass with minor amendments
• Resubmission with or without viva
• Award of M Phil 
• (fail)

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PhD processes

• (3 years of struggle)
• thesis submitted
•     examiners read
•     examiners submit independent reports 
• on the day
•     examiners meet and decide agenda
•     oral examination takes place
•     examiners confer / make decision
•     student informed orally
• subsequently
•     decision ratified
•     decision communicated in writing 

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Purposes of viva

•   1.          authentication 
•  
• 2.          secondary display 
•  
• 3.          mounting an oral defence 
•  
• 4.          recognising talent 
•  
• 5.          clarifying revisions required 
•  
• 6.          deciding on borderline cases

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Acquiring oral skills

• 1.          mock viva 
• 2.          PhD transfer /confirmation 
• 3.          PhD training 
• 4.          work in progress seminars 
• 5.          conference papers 
• 6.          publications
• 7. Teaching

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Why questions

• 1.          why this topic?
• 2.          why this particular angle?
• 3.          why this theory/ framework?
• 4.          why these methods?
• 5.          why this data analysis?
• 6.          why these conclusions?

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A proposition

• MOST STUDENTS
•  
• WHO SUBMIT
•  
• A PHD
•  
• DO PASS
• (EVENTUALLY)