Hello, after reading some of the posts I just thought I'd put my story here for people to read.

Last month I had my PhD viva and was demolished! I was asked to do redo some work which should take a few months however I've had a rough 4 years here with a working on something I rapidly grew to hate so I'm seriously considering just waking.

I feel my internal examiner was very aggressive in their questioning during my viva (which was over 6 hours) and that I wasn't given a chance to defend my work or show any understanding of it as she talked for 80 % of the time. She rubbished work based on something that 'someone told her' which flew in the face of decades of literature but insisted she was right. It also seemed a little like any work which may not have given the result she'd hope for was disregarded. I could go on but I won't. My supervisor finally came through for me a fought my corner well but the decision stood - more work, rewrite and a second viva with the same examiners. Following my initial run in with them I don't want a round two. I should point out that I agree with the majority of the changes they have asked for.

My examiners were not my choice, I had asked not to have them however I was left with no other option. After talking to a few people in my group and elsewhere I feel I may have been caught in the cross-fire of some politics I don't understand as there has been tension between the internals department and my department over some issues. As anyone else had a similar feeling or ever felt they were treated harshly in viva for reasons other than their work?

Hi

I thought i'd reply and let you know you're not alone. I had my PhD viva last week. I managed to pass with 3 months for corrections (no further viva required). However, although my viva didn't last as long as yours (only 2 hours, and then 30 minutes for their recommendations afterwards), I did have quite a few problems with my internal examiner. I too, didn't want my internal and had no choice, but luckily managed to get the external I asked for. My internal has never liked my work, has never seen any value in it, and at research seminars within the institution always taken the opportunity to make remarks about it all in front of other people. Despite all this i battled on, mainly as my supervisor was so amazing (I was tempted on many occasions to leave) and I have had a fairly successful run of conference submissions and publications in my area.

When it came to the viva I expected some opposition, but it seemed as if every bad word about my work came from my internal. Luckily my external examiner seemed really interested in my work and started by saying it was a contribution to the area (he is one of the key people in my field). I felt frustrated that I had to constantly defend myself against my internal examiner, and answer questions that were not related to my project what so ever! I also wonder if this is down to some internal politics as this person has also never seen eye to eye with my supervisor either. I'm sure he really wanted to give me another year and a re-submission, but i'm so relieved that the outcome was only 3 months of corrections. I agree with some of the things said, but I feel as if the internal didn't even try to understand my area and came with his own prejudices about my project before I even sat down in the room. I am dreading having to deal with him in the next few months when it comes to having the corrections signed off. I feel like it will end up being dragged out into a much longer process than it needs to be.

It's a shame these things happen in what should be a supportive academic environment. I know how it feels when you've worked on something for so long you just want to see the back of it, but hang in there. My advice to you would also be to see if you can request an independent chair to sit in on your next viva. This may help deter your examiner from behaving badly once again. Good luck with it all!

i had a similar problem with my internal being the one to shred my work completly even though she had clearly not read the lit review nor the results leaving me in tears at the end as she kept asking the same question yet rephrasing it then getting annoyed when i didnt answer the question as she saw it. i felt she missed the entire aim of the thesis and also my objectives (having clealry read very little of it) i thought i was unfair of the internal to criticise to much given they are supposed to be supportive yet i felt i was defending myself to her, not my external examiner!

Wow a 6 hour viva. I think I would have walked out of that! So good for you for sticking it out. I have a feeling that the outcome of your PhD is the outcome I will probably get and I can understand why you would not want to continue and I will probably feel the same. But at the same time... I do not think that I would be able to put those 4 years to waste. Do it again adn show that nasty examiner what your made of. Can you not talk to someone to get the examining team changed. Its not fair on you to be stuck in between examiner conflicts. They should not be taking their own insecurities out on you. What happesn when you resubmit? dp they say the whole 'congratulations etc' stuff? I just feel for you because I know thats waht will happen to me. Lots of love xx

Some of that sounds so similar to my experience of my external examiner. She had not read parts of the thesis and complained about the absence of information that was in there, but when I pointed this out her attitude went from bad to worse. She asked a question (which was actually about four questions in one), I asked her if she could clarify the question and she just repeated the same as she'd said the first time. After the fourth failed request for her to clarify I tried to respond and she just sighed and shook her head, I stopped and said that unfortunately I didn't fully understand what she was asking, her response..........'and therein lies the problem, well, one of the problems....'.

My internal just said there and looked out of the window.

I too ended up in tears at the end and grabbed my stuff and got the hell out of there. It was the most humiliating experiences of my life.

Back to Kathy5 though, you're not alone in this, I too seem to have become trapped in some sort of political mire. It is really unpleasant but just think how freeing it will be when you are finished (that's what I keep telling myself anyhow)!

Sorry. I think the way that examiners have treated you all is pathetic. They should be putting you at ease not making you cry. For goodness sake. I ave my viva coming up and it sounds very unpredictbale what can happen. I am sorry you have had these enounters.