For a viva or thesis defence this week, spend the time on four things: write and rehearse a three-minute summary of your thesis and its contribution, reread the thesis with tabs on each chapter's main claim, list the ten hardest questions and say the first sentence of each answer aloud, and hold at least one mock viva with someone interrupting you. In the room, answer in the first sentence, then explain, and keep each answer to about a minute unless the examiner asks for more. When you do not know, say what you would check and how, rather than guessing. Your examiners have read the thesis, so you are not teaching them; you are showing that you can defend and place your own work. Check your institution's regulations for the format, the length and who attends. Everything on this list can be practised out loud before the day.
A viva is a conversation with experts who have already read your work, so preparation is about being fluent in your own argument, not memorising it. This guide gives you a countdown from the week before to the room. Formats and outcomes vary by country and institution, so confirm yours with your supervisor.
The countdown: from the week before to the room
The week before
Know your own argument cold
- 1.Write the contribution in one sentence: what the thesis adds that was not there before. Then write a three-minute summary around it: the problem, the method, the main findings and why they matter.
- 2.Reread the whole thesis once with a different colour of tab for each chapter's main claim, each weak point and each decision you would defend. Note every page number you will want to find quickly.
- 3.Look up your examiners' recent work and list where it overlaps with, or challenges, yours. Expect questions from their direction.
- 4.List the ten hardest questions: why this method, what are the limitations, what would you do differently, how does this relate to the closest rival work, and what is the single weakest chapter. Write only the first sentence of each answer.
- 5.Ask someone to hold a mock viva, and record it.
The night before
One last rehearsal, then stop
- 1.Say the three-minute summary aloud twice, standing up, in your normal voice. Time it.
- 2.Say the first sentence of each of the ten hard answers aloud until each comes out in under five seconds.
- 3.Choose three things you will say if you do not know an answer, for example: I did not test that, here is how I would, or the closest evidence I have is in chapter four.
- 4.Lay out what you are taking: a printed thesis with tabs, a pen, water and your notes. Stop reading the thesis.
The 60 minutes before
Warm the voice and arrive settled
- 1.Say your three-minute summary aloud once at full volume somewhere private, so the first thing you say in the room is not the first thing you have said that day.
- 2.Eat and drink water. Avoid extra coffee, which speeds up your pace.
- 3.Read only your list of ten first sentences. Do not reread chapters.
- 4.Arrive early enough to find the room, and, for an online viva, test your audio, camera and the link.
The 5 minutes before
Settle the body
- 1.Breathe in for four, hold for four and out for six, six times.
- 2.Drop your shoulders and put both feet flat on the floor.
- 3.Say your one-sentence contribution silently once.
In the room
Answer first, explain second
- 1.If you are asked to start with a summary, give your three minutes, ending on the contribution.
- 2.For each question, let the examiner finish, pause for a second, and answer in the first sentence. Then explain for about a minute.
- 3.If you disagree with a criticism, say what you agree with first, then give your evidence and the page. If you agree, say so and say what you would change.
- 4.If you do not know, say so plainly and say how you would find out. Do not guess.
- 5.If you need a moment, ask for it. It is also fine to ask for a question to be repeated or rephrased.
Viva answers: strong vs weak
| The question | A strong answer | A weak answer |
|---|---|---|
| Summarise your thesis | Three minutes, ending on the contribution. | A chapter-by-chapter walk through that never says what is new. |
| What are the limitations? | Names two or three specific ones and what they do and do not affect. | Defensive, or denies there are any. |
| Why this method? | States the alternatives considered and why this one fit the question. | Says it was what the lab used. |
| A criticism you agree with | Agrees, says what you would change and where it is in the thesis. | Argues past it. |
| A question you cannot answer | Says so, then says how you would find out. | Guesses at length. |
| A long pause | Takes one to two seconds and answers. | Fills it with um and so. |
Where recorded practice fits
Fluency under questions is what a mock viva trains, and it is easy to feel fluent while rushing or filling gaps with filler words. Recording a mock viva and listening back shows you your pace and your pauses. EchoPitch analyses communication signals such as pace, pauses, volume and filler words from a recording; it does not diagnose emotions. You can practise your viva summary on a single take.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prepare for a viva in one week?
Write a one-sentence contribution and a three-minute summary, reread the thesis with tabs on each chapter's main claim, list the ten hardest questions with the first sentence of each answer, and hold at least one mock viva. Check your institution's rules on format and length with your supervisor.
What questions are asked in a viva?
Common ones are to summarise the thesis, state the contribution, justify the method, explain the limitations, compare the work to the closest rival, and say what you would do differently. Examiners also ask about specific pages, so tab your thesis.
What should I do if I do not know the answer in a viva?
Say so plainly and say how you would find out, or what the closest evidence in the thesis is. Guessing at length usually does more harm than a clear admission, because the examiners can tell and will probe further.
How long should answers be in a viva?
About a minute is a good default: the answer in the first sentence, then the explanation. Examiners will ask for more if they want it. A rambling five-minute answer tends to invite more questions on the same point.
Key takeaways
- One-sentence contribution and a three-minute summary.
- Reread the thesis with tabs on claims, weak points and decisions.
- Ten hardest questions, with the first sentence of each answer said aloud.
- At least one mock viva, with someone interrupting.
- Answer in the first sentence, then explain, about a minute each.
- When you do not know: say so, and say how you would find out.