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Just curious, do examiners informally communicate to supervisors the likely outcome of the Viva, BEFORE the Viva? I think, but could be wrong, examiners submit a report to the research office prior to Viva and I just wanted to know if supervisors had access to this?

I ask because over time on this forum I've noticed that some supervisors seem to be able to give their students a heads up as to the likely outcome.

As far as I know supervisors don't have access to the report, but they are commonly told the result shortly before the viva itself. For example if the viva is held after lunch the supervisor may be invited to lunch with the examiners, and told the result then. My supervisor was. So have others I have known.

I would imagine it would depend on the relationship between them. My likely external knows my sup quite well so *may* give her an indication. Although in someways I'd rather assume he would never do this, otherwise if you haven't had a nod and a wink off your sup you might panic going into it!

Also, although I assume 99% of their mind is made up pre-viva, I guess some people might base the whole thing on the actual performance you give during those 2 hours or so (Gulp!)

Hey! I reckon so, especially if the examiners and supervisor know each other. The last student in my team to take her viva was told as soon as she went in that she had nothing to worry about. BUT I have another pal whose examiners and supervisor went out for a meal the night before the viva, and after the meal his sup phoned him to say he had nothing to worry about. But after a 4 hour viva the following morning he was failed and given a year to revise and resubmit (which he did, and passed the year after). So...I won't be trusting anyone's word until I've finished the viva and heard the result from the horse's mouth! Best, KB

Thanks everyone. I thought maybe all supervisors knew but only some hinted to their students. It would be great if this process was more standardised, wouldn't it?

What a horrible thread for me to read, whilst on pre-viva death row. Have some consideration people! :-)

Hi Delta,

'Standardised' ... we're talking about people here, office politics, who knows who etc.  Standardising would take all the fun out of it.. be like University of Stepford.

I asked at my uni about this and i get the impression that if the sup happens upon the report they may look at it, if they happen upon the internal they may just say "ok?" and see what the response is. But whether this gets passed to the candidate, may very much depend on the relationship between sup and student,  they would have to have a great deal of trust that this information would not be passed on. Or used against them if, as KB, talks about below,  it turns out to be wrong.

That said, I'd love to know !  

Great question, be interested in other views.

Chuff

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Yes, sorry, I could have given a better title to warn people of the content. I wouldn't like to be reading this thread if I was so close to Viva...

I would agree it depends on interpersonal relationships between examiners and supervisors. Although I'm glad my supervisor didn't tell me what my pre-viva report said if he knew about it beforehand - the internal examiner would have failed it, the external thought it was fairly good. How lucky that the internal's word is next to useless in these matters!

Is that true then? I have heard that the external examiners opinion carries a lot more weight than the internal (makes sense in a way).

I hope its true! My likely internal has picked me apart in every departmental presentation I've given because she's read one study in my topic area and therefore thinks the whole thesis should address the one small point it raises - even though my PhD isn't really anything to do with that!

That's kind of the point of the external examiner - someone "unbiased" to give their opinion and assess your work based on what is in front of them i.e. the thesis. Internal examiners are only there to apply the university rules to the procedures.

Plus my internal had absolutely no idea what most of my thesis was about anyway, he'd never done research in the area or anything remotely closely linked! Good job the external WAS an expert in the field...

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Hi.

yes i realise that .. just joking.

Both my int and ext are experts in my subject with one being far less ferocious than the other ! But there again i picked her because she's tough to fool. That'll teach me.