I know many others have mentioned the book by Tinkler & Jackson before, and I am sure it is not the only useful one out there, but I have just read it and with my viva coming up at the end of May, I now feel better prepared and a bit calmer + knowing what to expect. I am sure most of you know stuff about vivas from friends, supervisors, from this forum etc and might not find this book a massive revelation, but I reckon that most people can get something out it and it reads quickly.

Anyway, I just wanted to recommend the book to anyone who is coming to the end of the PhD, with the viva coming up and ahead of them.

Penny Tinkler & Carolyn Jackson
The Doctoral Examination Process - A Handbook for students, examiners and supervisors
2004
Open University Press

:-)

Yes I recommended this too. I started reading it on the day my thesis was submitted, and it calmed me down immensely, taking away a lot of the fear about the viva. I particularly liked the way it was backed up by lots of research/statistics and accounts of many students, supervisors and examiners. I also find its advice about summarising the thesis as well as just rereading it very helpful, in making me engage with the thesis that bit more, rather than just skim-reading it.