So I have just come out of my First Year Viva feeling totally deflated. All that study I did before it seemed to be a waste, as my advisory panel focused on the synthesis part of my report [very minor part!]. This totally caught me off guard and I couldn't fully answer their questions - feeling stupid is underestimating how I feel now.

Everything they asked, I answered for a bit until I found myself struggling again. I did not tell anyone in my research group I had my Viva scheduled for today, as I like to keep those things quiet.

Has anyone else felt this way after a Viva?? Is it normally to question do I want to continue to 2nd year??


Appreciate people's feedback!!!

Hi TigerB

I had my first year viva a year ago (and actually, I have my second year viva this Friday - eek!) and I think I had a similar reaction after mine. I didn't know what to expect from the viva, but prepared as well as I could, knowing each section well, etc. But I found that I got caught out by the examiner having an overview of the whole study and asking me about links between sections - I hadn't really thought properly about that side of things and, like you, I felt I couldn't really answer the questions properly. Yes, it did dent my confidence a little, but now when I look back at that experience I think it's given me a better insight into how an outsider might view my study, and I hope that I'll be better prepared for that kind of view in this week's viva.

This PhD is all a learning process - I actually think sailing through the first and second year viva with no issues could end up having a negative effect when it comes to my final viva, or when talking to other academics who might have a different view on what I'm doing. I'd rather learn to deal with these things now than at the end.

I guess what I'm saying is that you're not the only one to feel like this, and actually, it's a good opportunity to learn something about your (one's) own study and your (one's) own reaction to things. Questioning what we're doing is a vital part of doing it - it's what will make us stronger in the long run.

And after my viva, my supervisor (who sat in but didn't speak) said he was very impressed with the way I dealt with questions, even if there were places where I could have answered better, and I've bumped into the examiner a few times since then and she's said the same thing, and been very complimentary about the study. So feeling this way doesn't mean you did badly at all, either!

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Thank you very much for your reply - it was very helpful to how I feel! Hopefully, like you said it is a learning process and I can only gain experience from this one so this sort of thing doesn't happen in the final viva. 

I suppose I focused on what I thought they would ask me and not from their point of view, which reflecting on that was stupid of me. I didn't take their personal research interests into consideration which how they evidently ask their questions.

I also feel as I am not as connected to my research group members as others and possibly asking them may have helped me a little. 

Thank you again for your reply - always good to hear how someone else's went!

p.s Good luck in your 2nd yr Viva :-)