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Recent Posts
- the thesis discussion – making the move work
- revising – nine steps for making meaning
- required, desirable and delightful elements of academic writing
- after the viva/defence – then what?
- making your writing authoritative – a citation revision strategy
- writing a journal article – identifying “the two paper problem”
- ghosts in the text
- ten playful viva preparation activities
- a very neat hack to avoid repetition and duplication
- finding time to write
- editing your writing – lessons from chefs?
- lockdown writing routines – a.k.a a cheer for the humble pear
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Top Posts & Pages
- the thesis discussion - making the move work
- aims and objectives - what's the difference?
- revising - nine steps for making meaning
- writing a bio-note
- concluding the journal article
- the literature review - how old are the sources?
- blank and blind spots in empirical research
- I can't find anything written on my topic... really?
- connecting chapters/chapter introductions
- why is writing a literature review such hard work? part one
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Category Archives: viva
after the viva/defence – then what?
There is no return to normal. There is no going back to what there was before. You have to find new ways of going on. I could be talking about the pandemic here. Yes indeed. But I’m not. I’m actually … Continue reading
Posted in after-care, identity, post-PhD slump, scholarly identity, viva
Tagged identity, Pat Thomson, post PhD, post-PhD slump, scholarly identity, viva
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ten playful viva preparation activities
Finished the thesis? Loud cheers. Now to get ready for the viva, or defence as it is called in some places. There’s a lot of great advice about how to prepare for the viva – check out Nathan Ryder’s Viva … Continue reading
oh no, it’s thesis hand-in limbo
It’s time to talk about the phenomenon of thesis limbo-land. That’s the unknown number of days between handing in and the examination. Handing in the thesis is both a triumph and exhausting. It’s no surprise that many people think of … Continue reading
Posted in academic writing, hand-in limbo, handing in, phd defence, thesis, viva, wellbeing
Tagged handing in thesis, Pat Thomson, thesis, thesis lmbo, viva, wellbeing
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PhD by publication
I’ve been asked a few times recently about the text that accompanies published papers for the PhD by publication. So who am I to refuse? This is a slide show that I use to raise some key questions that people … Continue reading
the viva and the supervisor
Last week I reached thirty two. Thirty two doctoral researchers who successfully defended their research. Thirty two Doctors let loose on the world. And two things are now on my mind. Not thirty two. Just two. The first thing I’m … Continue reading
Posted in academic writing, PhD, phd defence, supervision, supervisor, viva
Tagged Pat Thomson, supervision, supervisor, viva
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viva? conference presentation? it’s all about the ‘improv’
So it’s one of those academic occasions when you have to present yourself and your work – to people who are there to judge you. Think the viva. The interview panel. The first encounter with a new class. The conference … Continue reading
preparing for – then surviving – the viva
This is a guest post from Dr Jill Berry who has just passed her viva. Jill tweets as @jillberry102 and writes for a range of publications including the TES and the Guardian. Following thirty years as a teacher/school leader, I … Continue reading
after the viva is over…
Jonathan Downie is a conference interpreter, researcher and writer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. His PhD was at Herriot Watt University and examined stakeholder expectations of interpreters. He recently passed his viva. He tweets as @jonathanddownie. It’s Friday morning and I should be … Continue reading
reflecting on PhD learning
Some supervisors ask the doctoral researchers they work with to formally reflect on their learning. A what-am-I-learning conversation might be a regular part of supervision. Reflection is also often self initiated – ongoing thoughts are recorded in a doctoral researcher journal … Continue reading
Posted in doctoral research, text work/identity work, thesis, viva
Tagged Pat Thomson, reflection on learning, text work identity work, thesis, viva
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preparing for the PhD oral exam
As a supervisor it is part of my job to help doctoral researchers prepare for their viva. I’ve not done one myself, as Australian PhDs are typically examined by means of a long report from two or three examiners. However, … Continue reading
