· If you haven't read Trafford and Leshem's book yet, do that first - even if you don't agree with everything in it you will certainly feel that the main precept - prepare for viva from the outset of your studies - is vital. If you have considered the questions that will come up and answered them already in your thesis and in your personal preparation, it should all go really well.
Now, here are my thoughts on how to keep track and be able to answer all those questions - borrowing heavily from advice from my own supervisor (years ago, it seems).
Keep
a research diary and also, if you have room somewhere such as a large notice
board or wall area, draw a time line and mark on it when you find significant
readings, carry out interviews or other data collection, decisions you make and
why; annotate it with your own thoughts at the time, quotes, add links to any online discussions, seminars you attend, your own writing .... and so on.
If you can condense the finished version and add it to your thesis (perhaps as an appendix), I think that's great and then you could also have it on a card for your viva prep?
Wise words - pity books like that aren't placed on a reading list made available to all would-be doctoral researchers :)
ReplyDeletePerhaps it soon will be :-)
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