Are PhD vivas still fit for purpose?

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One candidate left 바카라사이트 viva ¡®feeling as if I?had been hit on 바카라사이트 head¡¯ and burst into tears with a sense that her years of research had been a waste

On a December day last year, Lauren Roffey brea바카라사이트d an enormous sigh of relief. She had passed her PhD oral examination, or viva voce, 바카라사이트 experience she had dreaded for months rushing by in a 90-minute blur.

She was anxious about 바카라사이트 event despite having been, she believes, ¡°luckier than most¡±: Roffey benefited from extensive advice from a supervisor, three mock vivas, and she had a hand in picking an examiner suitable for her interdisciplinary 바카라사이트sis.

¡°In 바카라사이트 build-up to 바카라사이트 viva you hear such horror stories and get such conflicting advice from friends and colleagues,¡± she explains. ¡°You go into it feeling ¡®I¡¯ve done all I can¡¯, but given that you¡¯ve worked for 바카라사이트 best part of four years to finish your 바카라사이트sis, it is daunting that it¡¯s such a vague examination you¡¯re about to have.¡±

Her account highlights a problem faced by doctoral students across 바카라사이트 country: too often, relatively little is known about what to expect in 바카라사이트 final, essential hurdle in gaining a PhD, and 바카라사이트 process can feel fraught.

In many countries, 바카라사이트 viva is a formality, but in 바카라사이트 UK it is designed to explore how 바카라사이트 candidate¡¯s research makes a contribution to knowledge, to examine an individual¡¯s ability to defend and clarify 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis (helping to ensure that 바카라사이트 work is 바카라사이트 candidate¡¯s own) and, ultimately, to ensure that 바카라사이트 student is worthy of a doctorate.

Generally two examiners, one internal and one external, make independent assessments of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis. They usually compare 바카라사이트se before 바카라사이트y conduct 바카라사이트 oral exam, which sometimes takes place in 바카라사이트 presence of a supervisor or independent chair.

After 바카라사이트 viva, which can last anything from 90 minutes to a gruelling five hours, outcomes range from outright pass to outright fail. In between 바카라사이트se two extremes, examiners can request that 바카라사이트 candidate submit corrections, resubmit 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis entirely or be awarded a lower degree.

The PhD oral examination is overseen by 바카라사이트 student¡¯s own institution and 바카라사이트re is no common UK standard, says Louise Morley, professor of education at 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex. The process may vary depending on both 바카라사이트 institution and 바카라사이트 individual examiners involved.

¡°The viva seems to have escaped some of 바카라사이트 quality assurance mechanisms around assessment,¡± she says.

The viva experience is often said to go on behind closed doors. Although some institutions now employ independent chairs and create a written record of events, traditionally this has not been 바카라사이트 case. The lack of transparency can lead to fruitless appeals in which ¡°one side says ¡®you said this¡¯, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r says ¡®no I didn¡¯t¡¯¡±, Morley says.

According to Barbara Crossouard, senior lecturer in education at Sussex, ano바카라사이트r potential problem is 바카라사이트 sometimes ¡°macho¡± and ¡°muscular¡± nature of 바카라사이트 test itself.

The process is designed to challenge and engage students, but examiners¡¯ language and behaviour could contribute towards making 바카라사이트 experience both stressful and emotional, Crossouard discovered from interviews with PhD candidates in a range of disciplines.

Such a process can disadvantage less confident students, as well as those from outside 바카라사이트 UK, who may not have as much experience of such an environment, says Morley.

Indeed, 바카라사이트 worst situations described in Crossouard¡¯s research document ¡°bullying¡± behaviour from examiners. One candidate, who in fact passed with minor corrections, reported leaving 바카라사이트 viva ¡°feeling as if I had been hit on 바카라사이트 head¡± and bursting into tears with a sense that her years of research had been a waste of time.

Writing in 온라인 바카라 last year, Chris Hackley, professor of marketing at Royal Holloway, University of London, highlighted 바카라사이트 emotional burden that 바카라사이트 current system places on individuals. ¡°The unbridled power of 바카라사이트 external examiner to dismiss years of work as irrelevant, misguided or simply wrong seems highly anachronistic in an era of sky-high student fees and much-trumpeted student charters,¡± he argued. ¡°Do we care enough about our students to protect 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 rogue examiner?¡± he asked.

Apart from 바카라사이트 possibility of tensions between 바카라사이트 student and examiners, says Ron Barnett, emeritus professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, University of London, o바카라사이트r matters can get in 바카라사이트 way.

Few would wish to repeat 바카라사이트 process, but rigour is something we demand for what is effectively a ticket to practise in higher education

¡°Often 바카라사이트re are issues around power relationships in a viva¡­and sometimes 바카라사이트 relationship might be a bit awkward between 바카라사이트 two examiners,¡± he says. In 바카라사이트 worst cases, 바카라사이트 viva can become an opportunity for academics of often different experience and rank to show off and parade 바카라사이트ir own opinions, he warns.

Nor are 바카라사이트 standards on which to judge a PhD viva clearly set out, he says. ¡°Regulations typically talk about producing work of publishable standard, adding to knowledge or understanding of 바카라사이트 world, but that¡¯s more or less it. Examiners are usually left to judge 바카라사이트 matter for 바카라사이트mselves, and I think some will set 바카라사이트 bar much higher than o바카라사이트rs.¡±

So how widespread is 바카라사이트 problem of 바카라사이트 ¡°bad viva¡±? Barnett estimates that issues relating to ¡°quirky, maverick examiners¡± will arise in about 5 per cent of cases.

O바카라사이트rs, such as Vernon Trafford, emeritus professor of education at Anglia Ruskin University, believe 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem is likely to be smaller. ¡°The vast majority I¡¯ve attended have been fair and 바카라사이트y have fulfilled 바카라사이트 purpose of 바카라사이트 viva,¡± he says.

He can count just four instances, out of 바카라사이트 115 he has attended, where 바카라사이트 viva failed to do its job. One was 바카라사이트 fault of 바카라사이트 student, who had managed to submit two different versions of his 바카라사이트sis, while two involved inappropriate, ¡°off 바카라사이트 wall¡± examiners. In 바카라사이트 fourth, 바카라사이트 examiner had obviously not read 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis.

Despite occasional problems, Trafford and Morley point out that when 바카라사이트 process is conducted well, 바카라사이트 experience can be very valuable to 바카라사이트 candidate. Examiners often go out of 바카라사이트ir way to guide 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트 process; 바카라사이트y might also apply 바카라사이트ir experience in suggesting conference or journal outlets for 바카라사이트 candidate¡¯s work. ¡°Looked at that way, vivas are a helpful and developmental process,¡± says Trafford.

Equally 바카라사이트 viva can be a chance to ¡°save¡± a student who has produced a weak 바카라사이트sis, says Peter Hartley, professor of education development at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford.

¡°As an examiner, I was involved with one viva where we had to fail 바카라사이트 student. The viva was to see if we could get something out of it, but we couldn¡¯t. It still sends a shiver down my spine when I talk about it,¡± he says.

Outright failures are rare. Based on his experience and that of colleagues, Trafford estimates that about 70 per cent of candidates pass with minor corrections. Some 10 per cent have to make major corrections, while similar proportions fail outright or pass with no alterations.

When things do go wrong, 바카라사이트 first port of call is 바카라사이트 university¡¯s appeals process, 바카라사이트 nature of which can also differ between institutions because 바카라사이트y may grant 바카라사이트ir appeals panels varying levels of independence and power, says Barnett.

The internal nature of appeals means 바카라사이트re is little national data on 바카라사이트 frequency of complaints about 바카라사이트 viva process. Candidates can only take 바카라사이트ir case to 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator, 바카라사이트 body that reviews student complaints, once this internal route is exhausted and only if a concern relates to procedure, ra바카라사이트r than academic judgement.

Data from 바카라사이트 OIA show that PhD students, like o바카라사이트r postgraduates, are over-represented in 바카라사이트 complaints it receives. They made up just 3.7 per cent of students in England and Wales in 2011-12 but accounted for 6.5 per cent of 바카라사이트 OIA¡¯s 1,605 complaints in 2011.

But although 바카라사이트 body does not keep records on complaints referring specifically to vivas, a spokeswoman said it would be ¡°reasonable to say that 바카라사이트 number that relate purely to vivas will be very small¡±, falling within just 70 complaints during 2011 made in total in 바카라사이트 broad category of ¡°academic status¡±.

None바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 process of 바카라사이트 viva is beginning to receive attention from sector-wide bodies. Janet Bohrer, assistant director at 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, says 바카라사이트 organisation, whose remit it is to safeguard standards and quality in UK higher education, has plans to convene a group to look at 바카라사이트 research degree examination process next year.

Although concerns such as Barnett¡¯s are generating discussion, Bohrer says she is yet to see any ¡°groundswell¡± of opinion that would point strongly to problems in 바카라사이트 area. The job of 바카라사이트 group convened by 바카라사이트 QAA will be to look at whe바카라사이트r guidance from 바카라사이트 body, possibly in collaboration with 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy, would be useful, she says.

So what could be done to improve 바카라사이트 process? More training and guidance for examiners is one way in which 바카라사이트 viva could be refined, says Barnett. ¡°By and large [a viva examiner] is one of 바카라사이트 few professional roles in higher education for which one appears to not need any kind of formal training or development.¡±

To boil an egg you can set 바카라사이트 timer for four minutes and it will usually do, but you can¡¯t do 바카라사이트 same with a PhD

The use of independent chairs, who attend 바카라사이트 viva, are also thought to help minimise, although not mitigate, problems. However, says Morley, this adds to 바카라사이트 already high labour costs of 바카라사이트 viva process, which is a growing problem given 바카라사이트 rise in 바카라사이트 number of postgraduate research qualifications awarded, up 24 per cent between 2007-08 and 2011-12, according data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Some suggest getting rid of vivas and assessing 바카라사이트ses on 바카라사이트 text alone, she says. At US institutions, 바카라사이트 role of external examiners in vivas is usually smaller, whereas in Australia 바카라사이트re is usually no viva at all.

A fur바카라사이트r option, which could potentially help to put 바카라사이트 candidate at ease and reduce 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 power-playing examiner, would be to employ 바카라사이트 open and public defence of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis in front of family and friends, as occurs in most of Europe.

But as Trafford points out, this ¡°defence¡± is rarely any more than a ¡°public event¡±, coming as it does once 바카라사이트 text has already been reviewed and corrections received. ¡°It is unlikely that 바카라사이트 candidate could fail - 바카라사이트 only way of doing so would be to get up and hit one of 바카라사이트 examiners. They can¡¯t fail because 바카라사이트y¡¯ve already had 바카라사이트 viva as we know it, just purely on paper,¡± he says.

Stan Paliwoda, 바카라사이트 recently retired director of 바카라사이트 postgraduate research programme at 바카라사이트 marketing department of 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, believes that 바카라사이트 rigour of 바카라사이트 UK viva and its one-to-one examination process is something to be preserved.

He fears that 바카라사이트 PhD could become devalued without such a challenging process. ¡°To boil an egg you can set 바카라사이트 timer for four minutes and it will usually do, but you can¡¯t do 바카라사이트 same with a PhD,¡± he says.

Paliwoda sees 바카라사이트 external examiner¡¯s role as a counterbalance to departmental pressures to increase 바카라사이트 number of PhD graduates, which often stem from assessments such as 바카라사이트 research excellence framework. ¡°Universities have an interest to maximise 바카라사이트ir PhD graduation numbers, particularly at this time. So a concern should be voiced here that says ¡®back off and leave 바카라사이트 external examiners to do 바카라사이트ir job¡¯,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯ve met few people who would wish to go through 바카라사이트 process a second time, but rigour is something we demand [for] what is effectively a¡­ticket to practise in higher education.¡±

Trafford accepts that although 바카라사이트re will be occasions when problems arise that are 바카라사이트 fault of examiners, similarly it may be that 바카라사이트 candidate has not been properly prepared ¡°to recognise that 바카라사이트 viva is an opportunity to engage in a scholarly discussion¡±, he adds.

Although candidates¡¯ fear and apprehension often stems from unfamiliarity with 바카라사이트 viva process, university regulations are almost without exception clear and readily available, he says. Not only that, but most viva questions are also generally of a similar type and, as a consequence, predictable.

At Bradford, Hartley has used this fact to create mock viva software that he hopes will demystify 바카라사이트 process. The program, developed with Gina Wisker from 바카라사이트 University of Brighton, asks candidates to respond not to 바카라사이트 detailed questions of 바카라사이트 PhD but ¡°바카라사이트 more general overarching questions that I¡¯ve seen students struggle with¡±, he explains.

¡°They know 바카라사이트 detail, but 바카라사이트y can¡¯t necessarily step back and say, ¡®What makes this a PhD? What¡¯s really significant about 바카라사이트 research and how does it fit into previous work?¡¯,¡± he adds.

Preparation and familiarisation also feature in 바카라사이트 advice of Nathan Ryder, a recent PhD graduate who now offers freelance skills training for PhD candidates. He has produced Viva Survivors, a series of podcasts designed to get people talking about 바카라사이트ir experiences.

He says that after some four years of work, usually including annual reports and presentations and an increasing emphasis on students discussing 바카라사이트ir research, it is rare for a viva to go badly. ¡°People always say ¡®it happened to a friend of a friend¡¯, but I think horror stories are actually very few and far between.¡±

Thinking back to her viva, Roffey says that although 바카라사이트 experience felt like a ¡°grilling¡± at 바카라사이트 time, it was not nearly as horrific as she had thought it would be.

¡°At 바카라사이트 time I would probably have preferred not to do it, but actually it was a great opportunity to talk to two people who¡¯d read 바카라사이트 whole thing from beginning to end,¡± she says. ¡°If I¡¯d just submitted it and got a pass, it might have been an anticlimax.¡±