How to Survive Your Viva: Defending a Thesis in an Oral Examination

***** Amazon reviews for the second edition:
"Again, Rowena Murray nails it! A perfectly balanced guide outlining truly useful tips to getting through your viva from someone who knows."

"This is an excellent book. I found the book helpful in giving me a good understanding of what to expect, how to start with focusing on the specific areas suggested and how to develop my own style in marking up my thesis ... It certainly reduced my nerves going in knowing I had suggested areas fully prepared. A must have for anyone doing a viva!"

How to Survive Your Viva 3e is a concise, practical introduction that equips students with the skills they need to defend their thesis or dissertation. The oral examination requires the highest standard of communication skills. The book ensures you are ready for what can be a complex and intimidating experience, telling you what to expect, how to practise and prepare, what questions you might be asked and how to ensure your responses support your thesis. Written in an accessible style, this book draws on the tried and trusted material and activities created for viva preparation workshops run by the author over many years.

Thoroughly updated but retaining its well-loved style, this 3rd edition provides:

• Planning tools for you to employ, plus summaries at the start of each chapter to help you prepare
• Checklists of how to do well in your oral examination, with action points to clarify what you should do next
• Example questions with samples of strong and weak answers, plus narratives of students’ real viva experiences
• More on research into viva questions and different types of questions you may be asked, including specialist ones in your discipline
• Advice on condensing your rationale, framework, methods and findings into a short verbal statement
• New material on maintaining positive body language, posture and eye contact for an assertive and calm viva

The third edition is the essential handbook for all students and researchers anticipating an undergraduate, Masters or doctoral examination. It is also an invaluable reference for supervisors, tutors and examiners.