Reflections on the Doctoral VIVA

In my experience, the doctoral viva voce (‘ viva ’) exam (i.e. the oral exam where a candidate discusses and is asked questions about their research) continues to inspire needless anxiety in candidates, the majority of whom are amply prepared to defend their thesis. In this article, I attempt to dispel some of the myths around the viva and offer my experience as an antidote to some of its common characterisations.