Cheers guys! I just read a similar post by Sparkles and the relief was almost palpable! I'm just praying that my accepted paper blinds them to the fact that the rest is a bit crap ;-) And.. maybe they can't work out percentages.. there is always hope :-)

sparkles, I have to say that I am relieved to read your post! I have just posted a similar viva related melodrama :-)
Like you, I see typos (thankfully just basic stuff for the most part), omissions of fairly important info (might make me look a bit lazy or incompentent taht I couldn't find info?), errors in one calculation (very worried about this), error in another result, various holes etc etc. One of my supervisors doesn't seem to think anything is a problem, the other seems to worry about the smallest typo!
I'm doing my presentation at the mo and I honestly can't remember alot of the work as when I was writing my records I obviously thought I'd remember details that I didn't write down soI'm trying to refresh my memory by looking at standard methods and talking to fellow phds (moral of story- keep good records!).
I'm terrified that the examiners will think that the holes are major ones and not minor like super thinks and I'm also worried that I won't be able to answer the most basic questions. I'm not great at presentations and if I'm interupted I'll lose my train of thought.

So you see, we all have similar worries..and it couldn't possibly be the horror-fest that I think.
Don't worry, I think major re-write is everyone's fear when they go to viva.

I found a list of possible viva questions online (c. 40 of them) and I've adapted them to my own thesis. I've read through it and I've highlighted anything I'm a bit doubtful about to a revision list. I read a book on the viva which suggested that if there are areas that you are unsure of (such as the technical aspects in your case), decide what you did, and practice saying it. If you are not sure why you did something then think of a possible answer and run it by your super. They're bound to correct you if you're wrong anyway! Better yet find a reference, doesn't matter how obscure and use that to back up your reason. YOu can always say "well 2007 Sparkles did it X way, but 2011 Sparkles realises this is not ideal, and I'd probably do it Y way like Jones et al did".
In short, if there is an aspect you are very concerned about then practice answering a "why did you do it that way" question using the define, defend strategy (Rowena Murray's viva book)- define (In this thesis I looked at X using Y method. I used Y method as JOnes et al used it in their similar study. HOwever, in hindsight, JOnes et al worked with the field mouse and if I was repeating the study I would use Wisdom et al's method as they worked with the housemouse and this is probably more applicable to my study) Or a similar meandering train of thought :-) Just don't get defensive as they are probably just asking and not having a go at you :-) They want you to pass, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered turning up for your viva! In these recessionary times, uni's don't fund external examiners trips for failures ;-)
best of luck!

Long time lurker here..

My viva is coming up in about 5 weeks. eekkkkkkk. Very worried about it!
I have read through the thesis and noticed a few formatting mistakes, typos etc. However, I am also working on reviewers comments from a paper I submitted for publication and one reviewer has asked how a certain result was calculated. I can now see that the figure is wrong!! Ok not such a big deal for the publication (it's unlikely to be accepted regardless of the typo/calculation error) but I am worried as the same mistake is in the thesis! Do I acknowledge it in the viva? Or do I hope that the examiners don't notice (it's written as 5% and ut should be 4%). ALready very worried about the viva as there are some holes in the thesis.

On the bright side I have just had another paper accepted for publication so this is a plus in my favour and my supervisor said the extern is happy enough with it .. but doesn't think it's the best thing they've ever read!
I have also done a considerable amount of extra work between submission and viva for another publication (but most of it didn't work out so publication unlikely to materialise!).

Also concerned as I have to do an hour long presentation in viva, which I haven't started yet as I'm just too busy with everything else. The more I read of thesis the more I realise I don't know or barely understand. Feeling a wierd mix of semi-relaxed about it and sheer terror.
Advice appreciated! Sorry for incoherent ramble :-)

Hey thanks underverse,
UBS doesn't want to resubmit paper to any other journals at the mo as he thinks all eds will say the same thing. My IBS has said he may be able to improve article but i UBS has the final say as i cannot submit without him signing off. IBS thinks there is plnety for phd.. UBS doesnt. So it's v frustrating. I think UBS is a bit freaked out as he had a student go to viva recently where the extern expressed concern that the thesis was not up to scratch and this would be the first occasion that has happened in UBS' career. Just think he is erring on the side of caution so that it doesn't happen again. I'm not follish enough to pressure him into letting me submit if he doesn't think i'll get it! I don't think there is any point in going to viva unless its a formality (which it usually would be in our cases).
what would anyone else do? Take the MS and count your blessings?
I have no interest in going into research or academia but feel i have invested too much to not get a phd out of it.

Sorry ran out of space on my rant!

Anyway- why was this not picked up on before?
I can't do another yr of full time work so my only option in part-time. Really p-d off as I'm so close to submission (Sept) and already have a MS so don't need/want another one.
On the other hand, the thoughts that I could just print what I have, bind it and submit for MS and it would be gone FOREVER are very tempting.
My girlf is doing one two and having issues, but there is no question that she will ot get it eventually.
Out of the crowd of 10 that started around the same time as me- I don't want to be the only one that doesn't get it. Feel humiliated that the work is not up to scratch. While some of this could be my own fault (could have put in more effort, repeated aspects more times, rather than repeat twice and say 'oh well it didn't work), it would seem that the main problem is the primary study which wasn't well thought out or big enough- not my fault!

Don't really know whats going ot happen until i have my meeting in a few weeks, but feel on the verge of tears with the stress of the past few years and especially this week. Hvae loads going on at home and don't need more hassle.
What would you do?
:-(

Ai all,
Just wanted a sounding board to see if anyone has walked the road and can possibly offer some advice or solace.
I started a science based PhD in early 2005 in industry. I started writing part-time when I began full time work in 2008 when my funding ran out. I have two supervisors: 1 uni and 1 industry based. My industry based supervisor (IBS) has been intimately inolved in the project the whole way along and has offered advice and encouragement where needed. I only had 4 meetings with my UBS throughout the 3 years full time work in did on the project. After the 3yrs full time I started working and did the occassional bits and pieces in the lab to finish off some things.
By my own admittance I have been super lazy about the PhD since 2008 and now that several of the crowd I started with have started to graduate, I'm feeling left out and that has given me the motivation to finally get the finger out.
Since the start of this year I've been working very hard in the evenings and wkends to get my 6 chapters finished and have managed to get 3 papers written (although one still at the draft/correction stage), 2/3 lit review and 1/2 of two other papers done. My last chapter is just bullet points of conclusions and is completed for the finished chapters.
I have had several in depth phone conversations with UBS and one very positive meeting in the last few months. He acknowledges that while there is some good work in my thesis, it is somewhat out of date and lacks the volume usually associated with phds in their dept. But he said this would not prevent me from getting one. I should mention that this UBS has blown hot and cold about my project since i began as it is not an area that they are interested in.
In the last few months I have been submitting my papers for publication. UBS says I must have a paper published before they will allow me to submit but sees no problem with getting the work published. Unfortunately, one paper (the primary study on which the rest of the work is based) has now been rejected twice. Both times the editors said the study was poorly designed/didn't make a big enough contribution. I fully expected the paper to be rejected as the journals have a high impact factor and the work is not up to their standards.
After the 1st rejection UBS said don't worry, happens to everyone, resubmit. After 2nd he said that journals might be onto something and maybe the primary study is not good enough/big enough. Now I have to meet with both supers as he has said my options are:
easy route (his words) take Masters
drop out
leave full time job (in a recession!!!) and go back to lab full time w/o stipend/dole any form of income- not an option.
try to figure simple saturday experiments that might improve thesis- unlikely as primary study the problem.

I'm bitter about this as I have seen lab mates submit thesis' they didn't write/ or do all the lab work on and yet still been ok for submission. Also- why was this not picked up

Hi all,
I'm a newbie.. well long time lurker first time poster. Have decided to post my own weekly updates to try and encourage mysellf to get this b****y thing finished! :)
Just looking over what some of you have left to do and might I say you all seem to be doing quite well. I commend you for writing up while still doing your experimental work! I know I didn't manage that at all (due to laziness I might add!).
So I finished my lab work in early 2008 and am now writing part-time and working full-time. Is anyone else in that position? I'd love to be ableto write full-time but student debt/mortgages don't go well with the dole!
Ok so where i am at the mo:

Acknowledgements/Title page/: 100%
Abbreviations: 0%
Chapter 1: Lit review: 10%
Chapter 2/Paper 1: 100% but i now hear requires re-formatting for submission to particular journal
Chapter 3/Paper 2: 100% but awaiting corrections
Chapter 4/Paper 3: 50% will require many drafts no doubt!
Chapter 5/Paper 4: 30% as above!
Chapter 6/Paper 5: 30% as above!
Conclusions: 0%
Refs: 0% but copy and paste job from papers so no biggie

Have two papers (chapters 2 and 3 above) nearly reaady for submission (and possibly subsequent rejection!) by the end of March hopefully. My current fees will allow me to submit until end of June 2010.. which by my calculation is 16 weeks i.e. not long. I think it's do-able but I really only have about 22 hours a week to commit to it.
My supervisor is quite unsupportive and takes his sweet time to return drafts (he has had paper 2 for 3 weeks now) so I'm not feeling optimistic. He is also not convinced that the work is original enough despite him writing the proposal and supervisoring the work albeit from a distance and intermittedly so he keeps hinting that further work may be necessary.
Anyhoo I'm sure I can get it done if I get the finger out!
best of luck to you all