======= Date Modified 30 Sep 2012 13:52:50 =======
Hi Stressed
My supervisor was in my viva upgrade too but I am not allowed to see him. He has to sit behind me and he is not allowed to comment at all. We are given a choice to have them in or not. I have heard that if you say yes, it helps with corrections afterwards as they are allowed to take notes.
I have not seen him since a month before I submitted, he went on two holidays back to back and wasn't even around when I submitted, so I had no llast minute questions. I asked him a few days before I submitted if he would like to see the layout or appendices or anything like that and he said no! He won't even look at the pdf. I sent him, he wants me to bring him a hard copy next week. So, it might sound very supportive him turning up at the viva etc. but I have had my fair share of non-support over the years. He was a throw you in and watch you drown/swim person. Then, when I handed him things, he would either scrap it or want it re-written....I could write a book!
I am now writing out my understanding of complicated concepts to make sure I have them in hand....
Not long for you now.......thinking of you.

Oh yes, forgot to answer your question....I will have an internal, external, chairperson and my supervisor. The chairperson is brought in to make sure the viva goes fairly and does not become out of hand. They are from the dept. I am from but not necessarily known to me. My uni. brought this system in to give a PhD student a 'fair' trial. My viva pack was just a letter confirming my examiners and good luck wishes, information on how to submit my thesis to the library and forms to sign this off and also just admin info. about the whole PhD process. I have to say, I was quite impressed with it. It is not exactly their fault that my chairlady ended up in hospital and there is now a delay whilst they find another chairperson.

Today was a good day. Whilst changing my errors, I found that three were not! Including one major one where I had 'misinterpreted' a graph, so I thought....but I hadn't. Suddenly I feel a bit better!
I have a short thesis, 266 pages because it is very stats intensive, so I managed to work through it quite quickly.
Yes, indeed, fainting is not all I fear will happen. I also have panic attacks before exams and feel like throwing up. So, yes, you are not the only one (Stressed).
I know my subject backwards, it is not even that which I am afraid of, it is handling 'me'!
I have arranged a 'mock viva' with two friends of mine. They are business people very interested in my research and will give me a trial run next Wednesday. I am nervous even for this but know it will be good for me.

Nearly there, nearly there.......:p

Just had my date confirmed as the 17th or 19th October depending on them finding a new chairperson and which day they can make.
Getting there...

Don't worry, you are not the only one in meltdown. Reading through it has absolutely thrown me. I have decided to take my 25 known errors and change them electronically as well, so that when I get to the viva, I can actually tell them and myself that all is in hand, all known typos and errors have already been corrected. It is my way of gaining back some control. I am sure that I am going to faint! I even avoid oral presentations, opting always for posters and I loathe examinations, this is a double whammy.
It is good to find others going through the same however...keep going :-)

You are very encouraging, thank you. How is your preparation going and when is your date...

======= Date Modified 25 Sep 2012 19:24:44 =======
I have just found out that the chair person for my viva is ill so my viva has not been set ..... grrrrrrrr. My prof. has requested a new chair and a date asap. This is unsettling to say the least, that I don't even know the date, only that it will be October.

By the way, I have found in total 25 errors :( all minor points and wrongly numbered graphs except one, where I changed the graph and did not change the text to reflect this. Really worried about this now....the stress, I just want it to be over and move on.

http://phd-viva.com/

I also found very helpful advice, past viva stories, etc. on this website.

Hi there

Thank you Lightyear, very helpful advice and Well done!
My thesis is now full of multi-coloured post-its, blue is getting me down, it is for mistakes :((
I have got post-its for each study (I did 5 separate studies, European style) with a post-it on each discussion for each one to find them quickly.
I have also got lined post-its for areas I am going to make brief notes on, main theoretical areas I could be quizzed on.
I have also got another colour on all the main statistical procedures so that I can turn to them quickly, with notes on another lined post-it opposite.
I have yet another colour post-it on the Abstract section, Contents page, Appendix page and Reference pages because I know I am going to be so nervous that I won't find them!

My plan is to finish going through this over the next two days and then start making all the theoretical and statistical notes. I am meeting with my Prof. next week I think where I will have to confess all the errors and I will found out my date. I have only been told early to mid-October as he has been away and then went straight into hospital for an operation.

How is it going for you?

PN

Okay, I have ordered 5 different types of Post-its, to make notes in my thesis, from tomorrow!
Have you all also had the problem of just not being able to 'open it'?
If I open it, I will start to see the errors I know must be there, I was so exhausted towards the end and I know I will start
panicking, which will just melt my brain.....
Post-its come tomorrow, I can do this...opening day tomorrow.
(Just received my 'viva pack' from my uni. honestly felt sick), I have dreaded this moment for nearly 5 years but just want it to be over.

Thank you everyone replying to this great question from Nearlyfinished. My viva is in October too, so I am reading all replies because I was about to ask the same question! Thank you for asking it and good luck.....

Hi
I recently submitted my PhD and I have always had the intention of continuing with a post-doc on my research. My professor has always said that this is the route we would go and that he would apply for funding for me. However, he has also encourage me to look at funding opportunities myself. I am in the process of applying for a general fellowship and I wondered if any experienced post-doc could answer a couple of questions, please. This particular fellowship allows you to continue your own research based on your PhD. How would this involve my professor? Could I use my post-doc plans without him, outside of the university I have graduated from? Obviously, he would be 2nd author on all publications. Would he still be PI or would the institution take over that role, or would I be left to be independent? We are on good terms and he would be disappointed if I left him but the reality is, I need finance after self-funding my whole PhD. I have to consider all options as I know finance is tight out there.

Basically, are post-doc plans based on a PhD bound to the supervisor, can they have 'power' over what you do after the PhD with the PhD.
That is probably clearer!

Thank you. I have included them with full references.
Submitting tomorrow, almost out of my hands now, I can't believe I am here, nearly there......Leaving at 6.15 am, Uni is in London, should be fun getting in and out :)

I am just shattered too, submitting on Friday. Yesterday I just wanted to cry about everything. Today, I have pulled myself together to get this thesis tidied up. Shattered, drained and emotionless, this is what doing a PhD seems to do .... all the very best for your submission. PN.

Thank you for this. I am his first PhD student at this university and only one, I have had to find EVERYTHING out for him! He is involved in research all over the world and I don't think he has time or inclination to find out. So, I think nothing of him saying this type of thing after all these years! In our guidelines, there is no clear guidance either, all my research materials are included and own questionnaires but I am just not sure about the copyright ones. I think I will probably end up including them with full reference, copyright, etc. like you mention as I adapted one for the UK (the author is my profs colleague in another country) and I think it should be seen. It is nice in some ways being left to be independent but not so nice in others!