A comprehensive resource designed to help PhD candidates prepare effectively for their viva. It brings together 17 techniques that guide you on how to answer virtually any examiner question.
Rather than focusing on how to answer specific examiner questions, the toolkit provides clear and practical frameworks to help you:
🟣 Understand how to frame and defend your research decisions, so that you confidently explain and defend your research
🟣 Handle examiner questions and critique effectively, including difficult questions
🟣 Articulate your contribution at a doctoral level
🟣 Present yourself as an independent researcher by thinking and responding with doctoral-level reasoning
🟣 Reduce anxiety by knowing how to communicate with conviction and structure to any question.
Most viva preparation resources focus on what questions you might be asked. In contrast, this toolkit focuses on how to respond like a doctoral-level researcher.
It is different because:
✔️ Technique-driven rather than generic advice - You learn specific and transferable strategies you can apply to any question.
✔️ Built on real supervision and viva experience - The toolkit reflects years of supporting PhD candidates and observing common challenges in viva performance.
✔️ Focus on reasoning and articulation - It helps you develop the ability to explain your thinking clearly under pressure.
✔️ Structured frameworks - You are given tools to think and adapt to respond to most Viva questions in real time.
Download the 57 page PDF which contains 17 powerful techniques to answer virtually any examiners questions.
The techniques are divided across 5 categories:
🟪 Core argumentation techniques
🟪 Navigating critique & reflection
🟪 Communicating accurately and with conviction
🟪 Method specific techniques [Qualitative]
🟪 Method specific techniques [Quantitative]
Each technique is explained in a consistent format, including:
🟪 What it means
🟪 Why it matters in the viva
🟪 How to apply it in practice
🟪 Real examples and answer structures
The Doctoral Viva Toolkit Bundle includes:
🟪 The full Viva Toolkit in pdf format, containing the complete set of techniques
🟪 An 'Essentials' version of the full toolkit in pdf format, for easier understanding of what each technique is about.
🟪 Access to all my viva-related YouTube content, organised into bite-sized and easy-to-follow segments
🟪 An e-book containing the transcripts of all YouTube Videos, useful for those who prefer reading over watching or simply want to quickly go back to specific advice
🟪 Extended versions of selected YouTube videos, with more in-depth explanations and additional examples
🟪 Exclusive content not available elsewhere*, including:
→ Additional videos
→ Interviews with experienced supervisors / examiners
→ Downloadable PDFs
→ Practical frameworks and guidance materials
*Forthcoming